Chaitanya’s Prayer

Chant the name of the Lord and His glory unceasingly

That the mirror of the heart may be wiped clean

And quenched that mighty forest fire, Worldly lust, raging furiously within.

O name, stream down in moonlight on the lotus heart,

Opening its cup to knowledge of Thyself.

O self, drown deep in the waves of His bliss,

Chanting His name continually,

Tasting His nectar at every step,

Bathing in His name, that bath for weary souls.

Various are Thy names, O Lord,

In each and every name Thy power resides.

No times are set, no rites are needful, for chanting of Thy name,

So vast is Thy mercy.

How huge, then is my wretchedness,

Who find, in this empty life and heart,

No devotion to Thy name!

O, my mind,

Be humbler than a blade of grass,

Be patient and forbearing like the tree,

Take no honor to thyself,

Give honor to all,

Chant unceasingly the name of the Lord.

O Lord and soul of the universe,

Mine is no prayer for wealth or retinue,

The playthings of lust or the toys of fame;

As many times as I may be reborn

Grant me, O Lord, a steadfast love for Thee.

A drowning man in this world’s fearful ocean is Thy servant, O sweet One.

In Thy mercy

Consider him as dust beneath Thy feet.

Ah, how I long for the day

When an instant’s separation from Thee, O Govinda,

Will be as a thousand years,

When my heart burns away with its desire

And the world, without Thee, is a heartless void.

Prostrate at Thy feet let me be, in unwavering devotion,

Neither imploring the embrace of Thine arms

Nor bewailing the withdrawal of Thy presence, though it tears my soul asunder.

O Thou who stealest the hearts of Thy devotees,

Do with me what Thou wilt — For Thou art my heart’s beloved,

Thou and Thou alone.

Song of the Sanyasin


Wake up the note! the song that had its birth


Far off, where worldly taint could never reach,


In mountain caves and glades of forest deep,


Whose calm no sigh for lust or wealth or fame


Could ever dare to break; where rolled the stream


Of knowledge, truth, and bliss that follows both.


Sing high that note, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Strike off thy fetters! Bonds that bind thee down,


Of shining gold, or darker, baser ore;


Love, hate — good, bad — and all the dual throng,


Know, slave is slave, caressed or whipped, not free;


For fetters, though of gold, are not less strong to bind;


Then off with them, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Let darkness go; the will-o'-the-wisp that leads


With blinking light to pile more gloom on gloom.


This thirst for life, for ever quench; it drags


From birth to death, and death to birth, the soul.


He conquers all who conquers self. Know this


And never yield, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

"Who sows must reap," they say, "and cause must bring


The sure effect; good, good; bad, bad; and none


Escape the law. But whoso wears a form


Must wear the chain." Too true; but far beyond


Both name and form is Âtman, ever free.
Know thou art That, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

They know not truth who dream such vacant dreams


As father, mother, children, wife, and friend.


The sexless Self! whose father He? whose child?


Whose friend, whose foe is He who is but One?


The Self is all in all, none else exists;
And thou art That, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                          "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

There is but One — The Free — The Knower — Self!


Without a name, without a form or stain.


In Him is Mâyâ dreaming all this dream.


The witness, He appears as nature, soul.
Know thou art That, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Where seekest thou? That freedom, friend, this world


Nor that can give. In books and temples vain


Thy search. Thine only is the hand that holds


The rope that drags thee on. Then cease lament,
Let go thy hold, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Say, "Peace to all: From me no danger be


To aught that lives. In those that dwell on high,


In those that lowly creep, I am the Self in all!


All life both here and there, do I renounce,


All heavens and earths and hells, all hopes and fears."


Thus cut thy bonds, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Heed then no more how body lives or goes,


Its task is done. Let Karma float it down;


Let one put garlands on, another kick


This frame; say naught. No praise or blame can be


Where praiser praised, and blamer blamed are one.


Thus be thou calm, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                      "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Truth never comes where lust and fame and greed


Of gain reside. No man who thinks of woman


As his wife can ever perfect be;


Nor he who owns the least of things, nor he


Whom anger chains, can ever pass thro' Maya's gates.


So, give these up, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                      "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Have thou no home. What home can hold thee, friend?


The sky thy roof, the grass thy bed; and food


What chance may bring, well cooked or ill, judge not.


No food or drink can taint that noble Self


Which knows Itself. Like rolling river free


Thou ever be, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                      "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Few only know the truth. The rest will hate


And laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.


Go thou, the free, from place to place, and help


Them out of darkness, Maya's veil.

Without the fear of pain or search for pleasure, go


Beyond them both, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                        "Om Tat Sat, Om!"

Thus, day by day, till Karma's powers spent


Release the soul for ever. No more is birth,


Nor I, nor thou, nor God, nor man. The "I"


Has All become, the All is "I" and Bliss.


Know thou art That, Sannyâsin bold! Say —
                                      "Om Tat Sat, Om!"