Śrī Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍāṣṭaka
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
(See Sanskrit commentary and Bengali translations here)
kiṁ tapaś cacāra tīrtha-lakṣam akṣayaṁ purā
suprasīdati sma kṛṣṇa eva sādaraṁ yataḥ
yatra vāsam āpa sādhu tat samasta-durlabhe
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (1)
kiṁ – what; tapaḥ – austerity; cacāra – performed; tīrtha-lakṣam – hundreds of thousands of holy places; akṣayaṁ – imperishable; purā – in ancient times;
suprasīdati sma – became very pleased; kṛṣṇaḥ – Kṛṣṇa; eva – Himself; sādaraṁ – with great regard; yataḥ – because of which;
yatra – where; vāsam – residence; āpa – obtained; sādhu – excellently; tat – that; samasta-durlabhe – difficult for all to attain;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
What imperishable austerity did the hundreds of thousands of holy places perform in ancient times, by which Kṛṣṇa Himself became deeply pleased with great regard, and by which they obtained excellent residence there—in that place difficult for all to attain? May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa be praised by us.
yady ariṣṭa-dānavo’pi dānado mahā-nidher
asmad-ādi-durmatibhya ity aho vasīyate
yo mṛti-cchalena yatra muktim adbhutāṁ vyadhāt
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (2)
yadi – although; ariṣṭa-dānavaḥ – the demon Ariṣṭa; api – even; dānadaḥ – the bestower; mahā-nidheḥ – of the great treasure; asmad-ādi-durmatibhyaḥ – to persons of wicked mind such as us; iti – thus; aho – Oh!; vasīyate – it is understood;
yaḥ – who; mṛti-cchalena – on the pretext of death; yatra – where; muktim – liberation; adbhutāṁ – wondrous; vyadhāt – attained;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
Oh, how astonishing! It is understood that even the demon Ariṣṭa is the bestower of the great treasure (Śrī Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa) to persons of wicked mind such as us. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa—where he attained wondrous liberation on the pretext of death—be praised by us.
go-vadhasya niṣkṛtis triloka-tīrtha-koṭibhir
rādhayety avādi tena tā hariḥ samāhvayan
yatra pārṣṇi-ghātaje mamajja ca svayaṁ mudā
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (3)
go-vadhasya – for the killing of a cow; niṣkṛtiḥ – atonement; tri-loka – of the three worlds; tīrtha-koṭibhiḥ – by the tens of millions of holy places;
rādhayā – by Rādhā; iti – thus; avādi – it was said; tena – therefore; tāḥ – them; hariḥ – Hari; samāhvayan – summoning (summoned);
yatra – where; pārṣṇi-ghāta-je – in that which arose from the strike of the heel; mamajja – immersed; ca – and; svayaṁ – Himself; mudā – joyfully;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
Thus Rādhā said: “Atonement for the killing of a cow is obtained by the tens of millions of holy places of the three worlds.” Therefore, Hari summoned them. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa—where He Himself joyfully immersed in that which arose from the strike of His heel—be praised by us.
kvāpi pāpa-nāśa eva karma-bandha-bandhanād
brahma-saukhyam eva viṣṇu-loka-vāsitā kvacit
prema-ratnam atyayatnam eva yatra labhyate
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (4)
kvāpi – somewhere; pāpa-nāśaḥ – destruction of sin; eva – indeed (or only); karma-bandha-bandhanāt – from the bondage of karmic entanglement;
brahma-saukhyam – the happiness of Brahman; eva – indeed; viṣṇu-loka-vāsitā – residence in the realm of Viṣṇu; kvacit – elsewhere;
prema-ratnam – the jewel of prema; atyayatnam – completely effortlessly; eva – indeed; yatra – where; labhyate – is obtained;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
Somewhere, there is indeed only the destruction of sin; elsewhere, the happiness of Brahman (through liberation) from the bondage of karmic entanglement; and elsewhere, residence in the realm of Viṣṇu. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa—where the jewel of prema is indeed obtained completely effortlessly—be praised by us.
phulla-mādhavī-rasāla-nīpa-kuñja-maṇḍale
bhṛṅga-koka-kokilādi-kākalī yad añcati
aṣṭa-yāmikā-vitarka-koṭi-bheda-saurabhaṁ
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (5)
phulla – blossoming; mādhavī – mādhavī vines; rasāla – mango trees; nīpa – kadamba trees; kuñja-maṇḍale – within the circle of groves;
bhṛṅga – bees; koka – cakravāka birds; kokila-ādi – cuckoos and others; kākalī – the sweet sound; yat – which; añcati – worships;
aṣṭa-yāmikā – throughout the eight yāmas; avitarka – inconceivable; koṭi-bheda – millions of varieties; saurabhaṁ – possessing a fragrance;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
Within the circle of groves of blossoming mādhavī vines, mango trees, and kadamba trees, the sweet sound of the bees, cakravāka birds, cuckoos, and others worships (like Vedic hymns) that place, which possesses an inconceivable fragrance of millions of varieties throughout the eight yāmas. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa be praised by us.
dola-keli-citra-rāsa-nṛtya-gīta-vādanair
nihnava-prasūna-yuddha-sīdhu-pāna-kautukaiḥ
yatra khelataḥ kiśora-śekharau sahālibhis
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (6)
dola-keli – swing pastimes; citra-rāsa – wondrous rāsa dance; nṛtya – dancing; gīta – singing; vādanaiḥ – by instrumental music;
nihnava – concealment; prasūna-yuddha – flower battles; sīdhu-pāna – drinking nectar; kautukaiḥ – by amusements;
yatra – in it; khelataḥ – the two play; kiśora-śekharau – the two crown jewels of youth; saha – along with; ālibhiḥ – their friends;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
The two crown jewels of youth (Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa), together with their friends, play in it through swing pastimes, the wondrous rāsa dance, dancing, singing, and instrumental music, and through amusements of concealment (such as the stealing of the flute), flower battles, and drinking nectar. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa be praised by us.
divya-ratna-nirmitāvatāra-sāra-sauṣṭavaiś
chatrikā virāji cāru kuṭṭima-prabhābharaiḥ
sarva-loka-locanātidhanyatā yato bhavet
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (7)
divya-ratna – of divine jewels; nirmita – constructed; avatāra – of descending steps; sāra – of the best; sauṣṭavaiḥ – by the excellence;
chatrikā – with pavilions; virāji – adorned; cāru – beautiful; kuṭṭima – of paved courtyards; prabhā-bharaiḥ – by the abundance of radiance;
sarva-loka – of all people; locana – of the eyes; ati-dhanyatā – the extreme blessedness; yataḥ – from it; bhavet – arises;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
Through the abundance of radiance of the beautiful paved courtyards adorned with pavilions, and through the excellence of the best of descending steps constructed of divine jewels, the extreme blessedness of the eyes of all people arises from (the sight of) it. May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa be praised by us.
māthuraṁ vikuṇṭhato’pi janma-dhāma-durlabhaṁ
vāsa-kānanan tato’pi pāṇinā dhṛto giriḥ
śrī-hares tato’pi yat paraṁ saro’tipāvanaṁ
tatra kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa eva saṁsthitiḥ stutāstu naḥ (8)
māthuraṁ – the realm of Mathurā; vikuṇṭhataḥ – than Vaikuṇṭha; api – even; janma-dhāma – the birthplace; durlabhaṁ – more difficult to attain;
vāsa-kānanam – the forest of residence; tataḥ – than that; api – even; pāṇinā – by the hand; dhṛtaḥ – held; giriḥ – the mountain;
śrī-hareḥ – of Śrī Hari; tataḥ – than that; api – even; yat – which; paraṁ – superior; saraḥ – the lake; ati-pāvanaṁ – supremely purifying;
tatra – there; kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍe – in Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; eva – indeed; saṁsthitiḥ – residence; stutā – praised; astu – may it be; naḥ – by us.
The realm of Mathurā, the birthplace (of Kṛṣṇa), is more difficult to attain even than Vaikuṇṭha. Superior even to that is the forest of (His) residence (Vṛndāvana), and superior even to that is the mountain held by (Kṛṣṇa's) hand (Govardhana). May residence there in that very Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa—the supremely purifying lake of Śrī Hari which is superior even to that (Govardhana)—be praised by us.
kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa-tīra-vāsa-sādhakaṁ paṭhed idaṁ
yo’ṣṭakaṁ dhiyaṁ nimajya keli-kuñjarājitoḥ
rādhikā-girīndra-dhāriṇoḥ padāmbujeṣu sa
prema-dāsyam eva śīghram āpnuyād anāmayam (9)
kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa-tīra – on the shore of Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa; vāsa – residence; sādhakaṁ – which accomplishes (grants); paṭhet – reads; idam – this; yaḥ – whoever; aṣṭakaṁ – eight-verse prayer; dhiyaṁ – the mind; nimajya – immersing; keli-kuñja – in the pastime groves; rājitoḥ – of the two who are situated; rādhikā-girīndra-dhāriṇoḥ – of Rādhikā and the Lifter of the King of Mountains (Kṛṣṇa); pada-ambujeṣu – at the lotus feet; saḥ – he; prema-dāsyam – loving servitude; eva – indeed; śīghram – quickly; āpnuyāt – obtains; anāmayam – faultless (uncheating).
Whoever, immersing his mind (in it), reads this aṣṭakam which accomplishes (grants) residence on the shore of Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa—he quickly obtains indeed the faultless (uncheating) loving servitude at the lotus feet of Rādhikā and the Lifter of the King of Mountains, who are situated in the pastime groves.