Standard Prayers

1) Pranams

Sri Guru Pranama

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

WORD FOR WORD

om--address; ajnana--(of) ignorance; timira--(by) the darkness; andhasya--of one who was blinded; jnana-anjana--(by) the ointment of spiritual knowledge; salakaya--by a medical instrument called a salaka, which is used to apply medical ointment to eyes afflicted with cataracts: caksuh--eyes; unmilitam--were opened; yena--by whom; tasmai--unto him; sri-gurave--unto my spiritual master; namah--obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ig- norance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

Sri Rupa Pranama

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitum yena bhtu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam

WORD FOR WORD

sri-caitanya--(of) Lord Caitanya; manah--(within) the mind; abhistam--what is desired; sthapitam--established; yena--by whom; bhu-tale--on the surface of the globe; svayam--himself; rupah--Srila Rupa Gosvami; kada--when; mahyam--unto me; dadati--will give; sva--his own; pada--lotus feet; antikam--proximity to.

TRANSLATION

When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?

Mangalacarana

Vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams' ca
sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa jivam
sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam
sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams' ca

WORD FOR WORD

Vande--offer my respectful obeisances; aham--I; sri-guroh--of my initiating spiritual master or instructing spiritual master; sri-yuta-pada-kamalam--unto the opulent lotus feet; sri-gurun--unto the spiritual masters in the parampara systems beginning from Madhavendra Puri down to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada; vaisnavan--unto all the Vaisnavas, beginning from Lord Brahma and others coming from the very start of the creation; Ca--and; sri-rupam--unto Srila Rupa Gosvami; sa-agra-jatam--with his elder brothers Sri Sanatana Gosvami; saha-gana-raghunatha-anvitam--with Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami and his associates; tam--unto him; sajivam--with Jiva Gosvami; sa- advaitam--with Advaita Acarya; sa-avadhutam--with Nityananda Prabhu; parijana-sahitam--and with Srivasa Thakura and all the other devotees; krsna-caitanya-devam--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sri-radha-krsna-padan--unto the lotus feet of the all-opulent Sri Krsna and Radharani, saha-gana--with associates; lalita-sri-visakha-anvitan--accompanied by Lalita and Sri Visakha; Ca--also.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnavas and unto the six Gosvamis including Srila Rupa Gosvaml, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, Srimati Radharani, and all the gopis, headed by Lalita and Visakha.

Srila Prabhupada Pranati

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; om-address; visnu-padaya--unto him who is at the feet of Lord Visu; krsna-presthaya--who is very dear to Lord Krsna; bhu-tale--on the earth; srimate--all-beautiful; bhakti-vedanta-svamin--A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami; iti--thus; namine-- who is named.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace a.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupalda, who is very dear to Lord Krsna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine
nirvisesa -sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; to--unto you, sarasvate deve--servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami; gaura-vani--the message of Lord Caitanya; pracarine--who are preaching; nirvisa--impersonalism; sunya-vadi--(from) voidism; pascatya--Western; deska-countries; tarine--who are delivering.

TRANSLATION

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Pranati

nama om vinsu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvatiti namine

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who is very dear to Lord Krnsa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

sri- varsabhanavi-devi-dayitaya krpadhaye
krsna-sambandha-vijnana-dayine prabhave namah

WORD FOR WORD

sri-varsabhanavi-devi-dayitaya--unto Sri Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita Dasa, the servant of the lover of Srimati Radharani; krpa-abdhaye--who is an ocean of mercy; krsna-sambandha--(of) the relationship with Krsna; vijnana--(of) the science; dayine--who is the deliverer; prabhave--unto the master; namah--obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Varsabhanavi-devi-dayita Dasa [another name of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who is favored by Srimati Radharani and who is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the deliverer of the science of Krsna.

madhuryojjvala-premadhya-sri-rupanuga-bhaktida-
sri-gaura-karuna-sakti-vigrahaya namo 'stu te

WORD FOR WORD

madhurya--conjugal; ujjvala--brilliant; prema--love; adhya-- enriched with; sri-rupa-anuga--following Srila Rupa Gosvami; bhakti-da--delivering devotional service; sri-gaura--(of) Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karuna--(of) the mercy, sakti--energy; vigrahaya--unto the personified; namah--obeisances; astu--let there be; to--unto you.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the personified energy of Sri Caitanya's mercy, who deliver devotional service which is enriched with conjugal love of Radha and Krsna, coming exactly in the line of revelation of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

names te gaura-vani-sri-murtaye dina-tarine
rupanuga-viruddhapasiddhanta-dhvanta-harine

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; to--unto you; gaura-vani--teachings of Lord Caitanya; sri-murtaye--unto the personified; dina--(of) the fallen; tarine--unto the deliverer; rupa-anuga--the philosophy which follows the teachings of Srila Rupa Gosvami; viruddha--against; apasiddhanta--(of) unauthorized statements; dhvanta--the darkness; harine--unto you who are removing.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, who are the per sonified teachings of Lord Caitanya. You are the deliverer of the fallen souls. You do not tolerate any statement which is against the teachings of devotional service enunciated by Srila Rupa Gosvami.

Srila Gaurakisora Pranati

namo gaura-kisoraya saksad-vairagya-murtaye
vipralambha-rasambhode padambujaya te namah

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; gaura-kisoraya--unto Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji; saksat--directly; vairagya--renunciation; murtaye--unto the personified; vipralambha--(of) separation (from Krsna) rasa--(of) the mellow; ambhodhe--O ocean; pada-ambujaya--unto the lotus feet; te--your; namah--obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja [the spiritual master of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati], who is renunciation personified. He is always merged in a feeling of separation and intense love of Krsna.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Pranati

namo bhaktivinodaya sac-cid-ananda-namine
gaura-sakti-svarupaya rupanuga-varaya te

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; bhaktivinodaya--unto Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura; sat-cit-ananda-namine--known as Saccidananda; gaura--(of) Lord Caitanya; sakti--energy; svarupaya--unto the personified; rupa-anuga-varaya--who is a revered follower of Srila Rupa Gosvami; te--unto you.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda, who is transcendental energy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is a strict follower of the Gosvamis, headed by Srila Rupa.

Srila Jagannatha Pranati

gauravirbhava-bhumes tvam nirdesta saj-jana-priyah
vaisnava-sarvabhaumah sri-jagannathaya te namah

WORD FOR WORD

gaura--(of) Lord Caitanya; avirbhava--(of) the appearance; bhumeh--of the place; tvam--you; nirdesta--the indicator; sat-jana-- (to) all saintly persons; priyah--dear; vaisnava--(of) the Vaisnavas; sarvabhaumah--chief; sri jagannathaya--unto Jagannatha dasa Babaji; te--unto you; namah--obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances to Jagannatha Dasa Babaji, who is respected by the entire Vaisnava community and who discovered the place where Lord Caitanya appeared.

Sri Vaisnava Pranama

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eve ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

WORD FOR WORD

vancha-kalpa-tarubhyah--who are desire trees; ca--and; Krpa-- (of) mercy: (of) mercy; sindhubhyah--who are oceans; eva--certainly; ca--and; patitanam--of the fallen souls; pavanebhyah--who are the purifiers, vaisnavehhyah--unto the Vaisnavas; namah namah--repeated obeisances.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

Sri Gauranga Pranama

namo maha-vadayaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah

WORD FOR WORD

namah--obeisances; maha-vadanyaya--who is most munificent and charitably disposed; krsna-prema--love of Krsna; pradaya-- who can give; te--unto You; krsnaya--the original Personality of Godhead; krsna-caitanya-namne--under the name Krsna Caitanya; gaura-tvise-- whose complexion is the golden complexion of Srimati Radharani; namah--obeisances.

TRANSLATION

O most munificent incarnation! You are Krsna Himself ap pearing as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have assumed the golden color of Srimati Radharani, and You are widely distributing pure love of Krsna. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

Sri Panca-tattva Pranama

panca-tattvatmakam krsnam bhakta-rupa-svarupakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam namami bhakta-saktikam

WORD FOR WORD

panca-tattva-atmakam--comprehending the five transcendental subject matters; krsnam--unto Lord Krsna; bhakta-rupa--in the form of a devotee; sva-rupakam--in the expansion of a devotee; bhakta-avataram--in the incarnation of a devotee; bhakta-akhyam--known as a devotee, namami--I offer my obeisances bhakta-saktikam--the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who supplies energy to the devotee.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation pure devotee, and devotional energy.

Sri Krsna Pranama

he krsna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika kanta radha-kanta namo 'stu te

WORD FOR WORD

he--O; krsna--Krsna; karuna-sindho--O ocean of mercy; Dina-- (of) the distressed; bandho--O friend; jagat--(of) the universe; pate--O Lord; gopa-isa--O master of the cowherdmen; gopika-kanta--O lover of the gopis; radha-kanta--O lover of Radharani; namah--obeisances; astu--let there be; to--unto You.

TRANSLATION

O my dear Krsna, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopis, especially Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Sambandhadhideva Pranama

jayatam suratau pangor mama manda-mater gati mat-sarvasva-padambhojau radha-madana-mohanau

WORD FOR WORD

jayatam--all glory to; su-ratau--most merciful, or attached in conjugal love; pangoh--of one who is lame; mama--of me; manda-mateh--foolish; gati--refuge; mat--my; sarva-sva--everything; pada-ambhojau--whose lotus feet; radha-madana-mohanau-- Radharani and Madana-mohana.

TRANSLATION

Glory to the all-merciful Radha and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

Abhidheyadhideva Pranama

divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah
srimad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau
srimad-radha-srila-govinda-devau
presthalibhih sevyamanau smarami

WORD FOR WORD

divyat--shining; vrnda-aranya--(in) the forest of Vrndavana; kalpa-druma--desire tree: adhah--beneath; srimat--most beautiful, ratna-agara--(in) a temple of jewels, simha-asana-sthau--sitting on a throne; srimat--very beautiful; radha--srimati Radharani; srila-govinda-devau--and Sri Govindadeva; prestha-alibhih--by most confidential associates; sevyamanau--being served; smarami--I remember.

TRANSLATION

In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.

Prayojanadhideva Pranama

sriman rasa-rasarambhi vamsi-vata-tata-sthitah
Karsan venu-svanair gopir gopinathah sriye 'stu nah

WORD FOR WORD

sriman--most beautiful; rasa--(of) the rasa dance, rasa--(of) the mellow; arambhi--the initiator; vamsi-vata--(of) the name Vamsivata; tata--on the shore; sthitah--standing; Karsan--attracting; venu--(of) the flute; svanaih--by the sounds, gopih--the cowherd girls; gopi-nathah--Sri Gopinatha; sriye--benediction; astu--let there be; Nah--our.

TRANSLATION

Sri Srila Gopinatha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa dance, stands on the shore in Vamsivata and attracts the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction.

Sri Radha Pranama

tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

WORD FOR WORD

tapta--molten; kancana--(like) gold; gaura--fair complexion; angi--O one whose body; radhe--O Radharani, vrndavana-isvari-- O Queen of Vrndavana; vrsabhanu-sute--O daughter of King Vrsabhanu; devi--O goddess; pranamami--I offer my respects; hari-priye--O one who is very dear to Lord Krsna.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respects to Radharani, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrndavana. You are the daughter of King Vrsabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord Krsna.

Panca-tattva Maha-mantra

(jaya) sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

PURPORT

Sri Caitanva Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by His plenary expansion Sri Nityananda Prabhu, His incarnation Sri Advaita Prabhu, His internal potency Sri Gadadhara Prabhu, and His marginal potency Srivasa Prabhu. He is in the midst of them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by these other tattvas. Therefore our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are complete when we say, sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. As preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting this Panca-tattva mantra; then we say, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Panca-tattva mantra, namely, sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as maha-vadanyavatara, the most magnanimous incarna- tion, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the full benefit of the chanting of the maha-mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare), we must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, learn the Panca-tattva mantra, and then chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. That will be very effective.

Hare Krsna Maha-mantra

HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA
KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

PURPORT By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is the sublime method of reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now living, is called Maya, or illusion. Maya means "that which is riot." And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, this is called illusion. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our Krsna consciousness.

Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And this process is recommended for this age by authorities. By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliv- erance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding--surpassing the stages of senses, mind, and intelligence--one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness-- namely sensual, mental, and intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need for mental speculation or any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.

We have seen this practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it. Of course, for one who is too entangled in material life, it takes a little more time to come to the standard point, but even such a materially engrossed man is raised to the spiritual platform very quickly. When the mantra is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy on the hearers, and as such, this chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of non devotees should be avoided. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects.

The word Hara is the form of addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krsna and Rama are forms of addressing the Lord Himself. Both Krsna and Rama mean "the supreme pleasure," and Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, changed to Hare in the vocative. The supreme pleasure energy of the Lord helps us to reach the Lord.

The material energy, called Maya, is also one of the multi energies of the Lord. And we, the living entities, are also the energy--marginal energy--of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to material energy. When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, an incompatible situation arises; but when the superior marginal energy is in contact with the superior energy, called Hara, the living entity is established in his happy, normal condition.

These three words, namely Hare, Krsna, and Rama, are the transcendental seeds of the mha-mantra. The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, to give protection to the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a child for its mother. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely.

No other means of spiritual realization, therefore, is as effective in this age as chanting the maha-mantra. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.