Prayers of Surrender
In 1950, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja published Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Śaraṇāgati as a small stand-alone booklet. In 1958, he issued an expanded edition that included additional songs, such as Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Yāmuna-bhāvāvalī, along with selected prayers of surrender from Bhajana-rahasya and other works. The following are the prayers of surrender that he selected.
- Note: The first verse that Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja gives in these verses he selected is tava dāsya-sukhaika-saṅgināṁ found in the new expanded edition of Gauḍīya Gīti-guccha on page 1006.
kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās
teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṇā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ
utsṛjyaitān atha yadu-pate sāmprataṁ labdha-buddhis
tvām āyātaḥ śaraṇam abhayaṁ māṁ niyuṅkṣv ātma-dāsye
Quoted in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.35) & Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 22.16)
O Lord of the Yadus! For so long I have obeyed the wicked dictates of lust and its friends, yet they have taken no pity on me. I have felt no shame, nor have I attained any peace. Now, having finally gained good sense, I am giving them up and approaching You, the giver of fearlessness, for shelter. Please engage me in Your personal service.
Bhajana-rahasya 4.11
naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.39)
O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, this mind of mine does not delight in narrations of You. It is corrupted by sin, wicked, and intensely so; afflicted with lust, tormented by joy, grief, fear, and hankering. In such a mind, how can I, fallen as I am, contemplate Your path?
durita-dūṣita-mana asādhu mānasa
kāma-harṣa-śoka-bhaya-eṣaṇāra vaśa (1)
My sinful, corrupted, and wicked mind is completely subjugated by lust, joy, grief, fear, and hankering.
tava kathā-rati kise ha·ibe āmāra
kise kṛṣṇa tava līlā karibo vicāra (2)
How will I ever develop attachment to hearing Your topics? O Kṛṣṇa, how will I ever be able to contemplate Your pastimes?
Bhajana-rahasya 4.12
jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarṣati māvitṛptā
śiśno ’nyatas tvag-udaraṁ śravaṇaṁ kutaścit
ghrāṇo ’nyataś capala-dṛk kva ca karma-śaktir
bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva geha-patiṁ lunanti
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.40)
O infallible Lord, my unsatisfied tongue pulls me in one direction, my genitals in another, and my skin, stomach, and ears in yet other directions. My sense of smell pulls me one way, my restless eyes another, and my active senses elsewhere. They tear me apart, just as many co-wives pull at the master of the house.
jihvā ṭāne rasa prati upastha kadarthe
udara bhojane ṭāne viṣama anarthe (1)
The tongue pulls me toward tastes, the genitals toward base desires, and the stomach pulls me toward eating, leading to terrible unwanted consequences.
charma ṭāne śayādite, śravaṇa kathāya
ghrāṇa ṭāne surabhite, cakṣu dṛśye ĵāya (2)
The skin pulls me toward comfortable beds, the ears toward worldly talk, the nose pulls me toward sweet fragrances, and the eyes are drawn to visual forms.
karmendriya karme ṭāne, bahu-patnī ĵathā
gṛha-pati ākarṣaya mora mana tathā (3)
The active senses pull me toward various activities. Just as a man with many wives is pulled in all directions, so my mind is dragged away.
e mata avasthā mora śrī-nanda-nandana
ki rūpe tomāra līlā karibo smaraṇa (4)
In such a condition, O son of Nanda, how will I be able to remember Your pastimes?
Bhajana-rahasya 4.13
tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo
bhave ’tra vānyatra tu vā tiraścām
yenāham eko ’pi bhavaj-janānāṁ
bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.30)
O Lord, let it be my great fortune—whether in this life, in another human birth, or even in the species of animals—to be counted as one of Your devotees and fully engage in the service of Your lotus feet.
ei brahma janmei vā anya kona bhave
paśu-pakṣī haye janmi tomāra vibhave (1)
Whether in this birth as Brahmā, or in any other life, even if I am born as a bird or beast within Your creation...
ei mātra āśā tava bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge
thāki tava pada-sevā kari nānā raṅge (2)
...my only desire is to remain in the association of Your devotees and serve Your lotus feet in various joyous ways.
Bhajana-rahasya 4.14
ko nv īśa te pāda-saroja-bhājāṁ
sudurlabho ’rtheṣu caturṣv apīha
tathāpi nāhaṁ pravṛṇomi bhūman
bhavat-padāmbhoja-niṣevaṇotsukaḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.4.15)
O Lord, what is difficult to achieve among the four goals of life for those who are devoted to Your lotus feet? Yet, O Supreme One, being eager only to serve Your lotus feet, I do not ask for any of them.
kṛṣṇa! tava pāda-padme bhakti āche ĵā̃ra
catur-varga-madhye kibā aprāpya tā̃hāra (1)
O Kṛṣṇa! For one who has devotion to Your lotus feet, what among the four goals of life is unattainable?
tathāpi tomāra pada-sevā mātra cāi
anya kona arthe mora prayojana nāi (2)
Even so, I only desire the service of Your feet; I have no need for any other attainment.
Bhajana-rahasya 4.17
na kāmaye nātha tad apy ahaṁ kvacin
na yatra yuṣmac-caraṇāmbujāsavaḥ
mahattamāntar-hṛdayān mukha-cyuto
vidhatsva karṇāyutam eṣa me varaḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.20.24)
O Lord, I do not desire even liberation if it lacks the nectar of Your lotus feet, which flows from the inner hearts of great devotees and emanates from their mouths. Please grant me tens of thousands of ears to hear this nectar—this is the only boon I seek.
ĵāhāte tomāra pada-sevā-sukha nāi
sei rūp vara āmi nātha kabhu nāhi cāi (1)
O Lord, I never desire any benediction that is devoid of the happiness of serving Your feet.
bhaktera hṛdaya haite tava guṇa-gāna
śunite ayuta karṇa karaho vidhāna (2)
To hear the singing of Your glories flowing from the hearts of Your devotees, please bless me with ten thousand ears.
Bhajana-rahasya 4.18
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ
na sārva-bhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
samañjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.11.25)
O source of all opportunities, without You I do not desire the highest planet of heaven, the position of Lord Brahmā, sovereignty over the earth, rulership of the lower planetary systems, mystic perfections, or even liberation from rebirth.
svarga parameṣṭhī-sthāna, sarvabhauma-pada
rasātala-ādhipatya, yogera sampada (1)
The heavenly planets, the abode of Lord Brahmā, the position of an emperor, rulership over the subterranean worlds, the wealth of mystic yoga...
nirvāṇa ityādi ĵato chāḓi’ sevā tava
nāhi māgi, e mora pratijñā akaitava (2)
...and liberation from rebirth—I do not ask for any of these if it means giving up Your service. This is my sincere vow.
Bhajana-rahasya 4.19
ahaṁ hare tava pādaika-mūla-
dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyaḥ
manaḥ smaretāsu-pater guṇāṁs te
gṛṇīta vāk karma karotu kāyaḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.11.24)
O Hari, when will I again become the servant of the servant of those whose only shelter is Your lotus feet? May my mind remember the qualities of You, the Lord of my life, may my words glorify You, and may my body be engaged in Your work.
chinu tava nitya-dāsa, gale bā̃dhi’ māyā-pāśa,
saṁsāre pāinu nānā-kleśa
ebe punaḥ kari āśa, haiyā tava dāser dāsa,
bhaji’ pāi tava bhakti-leśa (1)
I was Your eternal servant, but having bound my neck in the noose of māyā, I have suffered various miseries in this material world. Now I again hope to become the servant of Your servant, and by worshiping You, attain a particle of devotion.
prāṇeśvara tava guṇa, smaruk mana punaḥ punaḥ,
tava nāma jihvā karuk gāna
kara-dvaya tava karma, kariyā labhuk śarma,
tava pade sãpinu parāṇa (2)
O Lord of my life, let my mind remember Your qualities again and again, and let my tongue sing Your name. Let my two hands find happiness by performing Your work. I surrender my life at Your feet.