Sri Siksastakam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most recent incarnation of Krsna. He appeared years ago in Bengal and in the form of Krsna's devotee in the mood of Srimati Radharani. He left only 8 slokas verses of his instructions in writing, and they describe the glories of the Holy Names of the Lord and the mood one must have to chant and to be a devotee.
Navigation menu
TRANSLATION
And at last the soul awakens to its real inner treasure—a life of love with Krishna. Again and again tasting nectar, the soul dives and surfaces in the ever-increasing ocean of ecstatic joy. All phases of the self of which we may conceive are fully satisfied and purified, and at last conquered by the all-auspicious influence of the Holy Name of Krishna. And in chanting these names, there are no strict rules concerning time or place. Out of Your causeless mercy, You have descended in the form of divine sound, but my great misfortune is that I have no love for Your Holy Name.
Let there be supreme victory for the chanting of the holy name of Sri Krishna, which cleanses the mirror of the heart and exstinguishes the blazing fire of material existence. Sri Krishna sankirtana diffuses the soothing rays of bhava that cause the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities to bloom. The holy name of Krishna is the life and soul of all transcendental knowledge and increases the ocean of transcendental bliss. The holy name bathes and cools the body, mind and soul and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. My dear Lord, Your holy name bestows all auspiciousness upon the living entites. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and out of causeless mercy You have not imposed any restrictions on the chanting and remembrance of such names. Thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street, being more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, but offering respect to all others according their respective positions, one should continuously chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind. O Jagadisa! I have no desire to accumulate wealth, to have followers such as wife, sons, friends and relatives. Nor do I desire mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language.
They are the only verses left personally written by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu — [1] with the majority of his philosophy being codified by his primary disciples, known as the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan. The teachings contained within the eight verses are believed to contain the essence of all teachings on Bhakti yoga within the Gaudiya tradition. The first eight verses of the following are the complete text of the Shikshashtakam, as written in Sanskrit by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Literal: In your divine names manifested various kinds of full potencies shaktis therein bestowed, with no rules according to time for remembering them, O Lord, you are so merciful, but it is my misfortune here that I have no anuraga interest in those names.
