1. 1. Sri Sri Guru-astakam by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti ThakuraSrila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, who appeared in the middle of the seventeenth century, is agreat spiritual master in the Krishna conscious chain of gurus and disciples. He says, quot;One who,with great care and attention, loudly recites this beautiful prayer to the spiritual master duringthe Brahma-muhurta [the early morning hour before sunrise] obtains direct service to Krishna,the Lord of Vrndavana, at the time of his death.quot;
2. 2. samsara-davanala-lidha-loka- sri-radhika-madhavayor apara- tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam madhurya-lila guna-rupa-namnam praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya prati-ksanasvadana-lolupasya vande guroh sri-caranaravindam vande guroh sri-caranaravindammahaprabhoh kirtana-nrtya-gita-nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya romanca-kampasru-taranga-bhajo tatrati-daksyad ati-vallabhasya vande guroh sri-caranaravindam vande guroh sri-caranaravindamsri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana- saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya vande guroh sri-caranaravindam vande guroh sri-caranaravindamcatur-vidha-sri-bhagavat-prasada-yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado svadv-anna-trptan hari-bhakta- yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi sanghandhyayan stuvams tasya yasas tri- krtvaiva trptim bhajatah sadaiva sandhyam vande guroh sri-caranaravindam vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
3. 3. Srila Prabhupada Pranati nama om vishnu-padaya namaste saraswati deve krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale gaura-vani-pracharine srimate bhaktivedanta nirvishesha-shunyavadi swamin iti namine pashchatya-desha-tarine I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanya and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
4. 4. Panca-tattva Maha Mantra jaya sri-krishna-chaitanyaprabhu nityanandasri-adwaita gadadhara shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Lord Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivas Thakur, and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
5. 5. Hare Krishna Maha Mantra Hare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna KrishnaHare HareHare RamaHare RamaRama RamaHare Hare
6. 6. Prema-dhvani Prayers Jaya Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Asttotara Sata Sri Srimad His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Ki! (jai) Jaya Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Asttotara Sata Sri Srimad His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada ki! (jai) Ananta Koti Vaisnava-vrinda Ki! (Jai) Nama-acarya Srila Haridas Thakur Ki! (Jai) Prem-se kaho Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhar, Srivas, Adi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda Ki! (Jai) Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, Gopa-gopinatha, Shyama-kund, Radha-kund, Giri-govardhana Ki! (Jai) (One may glorify the Deities of the temple at this time ) Vrndavana-dham Ki! Matura-dham Ki! Navadvipa-dhama Ki! Jagannath Puri Ki! (Jai) Ganga devi Ki!, Yamuna devi Ki!, Bhakta devi Ki!, Tulasi devi, Ki! Bhakti devi Ki!(Jai) Brhad-mrdanga Ki! (Jai) Harinama Sankirtana Ki! (Jai) Gaura-premanande (Hari-haribol!) All glories to the Assembled Devotees (Hare Krsna) All glories to the Assembled Devotees (Hare Krsna) All glories to the Assembled Devotees (Hare Krsna) All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
7. 7. Prayers to Lord Nrsimha namas te narasimhaya prahladahlada-dayine hiranyakasipor vaksah- sila-tanka-nakhalaye I offer my obeisances to Lord Narasimha, who gives joy to Prahlada Maharaja and whose nails are like chisels on the stonelike chest of the demon Hiranyakasipu. ito nrsimhah parato nrsimho yato yato yami tato nrsimhah bahir nrsimho hrdaye nrsimho nrsimham adim saranam prapadye Lord Nrsimha is here and also there. Wherever I go Lord Nrsimha is there. he is within the heart and is outside as well. I surrender to Lord Nrsimha, the origin of all things and the supreme refuge. tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srngam dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhrngam kesava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare jaya jagadisa hare jaya jagadisa hare O Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to you! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasplike demon Hiranyakasipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on your beautiful lotus hands.
8. 8. Sri Tulasi Pranama vrindayai tulasi-devyaipriyayai keshavasya cha krishna-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namaha I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krsna and possess the highest truth.
9. 9. Sri Tulasi-kirtana namo namaha tulasi! krishna-preyasi radha-krishna-seva pabo ei abhilashije tomara sharana loy, tara vanchha purna hoy kripa kori' koro tare brindavana-basimor ei abhilash, bilas kunje dio vas nayane heribo sada jugala-rupa-rashiei nivedana dharo, sakhir anugata koro seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasidina krishna-dase koy, ei jena mora hoy sri-radha-govinda-preme sada jena bhasi O Tulasi, beloved of Krsna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrndavana. My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna. I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant. This very fallen and lowly servant of Krsna prays, ''May I always swim in the love of Sri Radha and Govinda.
10. 10. Sri Tulasi Pradaksina Mantra yani kani cha papani brahma-hatyadikani cha tani tani pranashyanti pradakshinaha pade pade By the circumambulation of Srimati Tulasi Devi all the sins that one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana. Vrnda devi is a pure devotee of Lord Krsna and is responsible for setting up the wonderful pastimes of Radha and Krsna in Vrndavana. She exists as Tulasi to benefit the fallen conditioned souls by bestowing devotional service to Krsna.
11. 11. Sri Tulasi Pranama vrindayai tulasi-devyai priyayai keshavasya chakrishna-bhakti-prade devisatyavatyai namo namaha I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krsna and possess the highest truth. Short kirtan.
12. 12. Vaisnava Pranams vancha-kalpatarubhyash cha kripa-sindhubhya eva cha patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namaha I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees and can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.
13. 13. Ten Offenses to be Avoided 1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. 2) To consider the names of the demigods like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma to be equal to, or independent of, the name Lord Visnu. 3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. 5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krsna to be imagination. 6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. 7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name of the Lord. 8) To consider chanting of Hare Krsna as one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kanda). 9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. 10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. Every devotee who claims to be a Vaisnava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success. Krishna Prema!
14. 14. Greet the Deitiesvenum kwanantam aravinda-dalayatakshambarhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangamkandarpa-koti-kamaniya-vishesha-shobhamgovindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami angani yasya sakalendriya-vritti-mantipashyanti panti kalayanti chiram jagantiananda-chinmaya-sad-ujjwala-vigrahasyagovindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajamiI worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing onHis flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head deckedwith peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with thehue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millionsof Cupids. I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord whose transcendentalform is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of themost dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of thattranscendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledgedfunctions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains andmanifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.
15. 15. sri-guru-charana-padma kevala-bhakati-sadma bando mui savadhana mate Guru Puja jahara prasade bhai e bhava toriya jai krishna-prapti hoy jaha hoite guru-mukha-padma-vakya chittete koriya aikya ar na koriho mane asha sri-guru-charane rati ei se uttama-gati je prasade pure sarve ashachakhu-dan dilo jei janme janme prabhu sei divya-gyan hride prokashito prema-bhakti jaha hoite avidya vinasha jate vede gay jahara charitosri-guru karuna-sindhu adhama janara bandhu lokanath lokera jivana ha ha prabhu koro doya deho more pada-chhaya ebe jasa ghushuk tribhuvana
16. 16. Mantra-hinam kriya-hinam bhakti-hinam janardana yat pujitam maya deva paripurnam tad astu meO my Lord, O Janardana, whatever little puja or worship that has been performed byme, although it is without devotion, without proper mantras, and without the properperformance, please let that become complete.