Prayer

yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnāṁ ca yuvatau yathā

yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnāṁ ca yuvatau yathā |
mano’bhiramate tadvan mano’bhiramatāṁ tvayi ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 6.128.258; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.437; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.153; Bhakti Sandarbha: 217)

“As the minds of young ladies delight in a young man, and the minds of young men delight in a young lady, so may my mind delight in you.”

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ākṛṣyamāṇe vasane draupadyā cintitā hariḥ

ākṛṣyamāṇe vasane draupadyā cintitā hariḥ |
govinda dvārakā-vāsin kṛṣṇa gopī-jana-priya ||
kauravaiḥ paribhūtāṁ māṁ kiṁ na jānāsi keśava |
he nātha he ramānātha vrajanāthārti-nāśana |
kauravārṇava-magnāṁ mām uddharasva janārdana ||
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahāyogin viśvātman viśva-bhāvana |
prapannāṁ pāhi govinda kuru-madhye’vasīdatīm ||
ity anusmṛtya kṛṣṇaṁ sā hariṁ tribhuvaneśvaram |
prārudad duḥkhitā rājan mukham ācchādya bhāminī ||
yājñasenyā vacaḥ śrutvā kṛṣṇo gahvarito’bhavat |
tyaktvā śayyāsanaṁ padbhyāṁ kṛpāluḥ kṛpayābhyagāt ||
kṛṣṇaṁ ca viṣṇuṁ ca hariṁ naraṁ ca
trāṇāya vikrośati yājñasenī |
tatas tu dharmo’ntarito mahātmā
samāvṛṇod vai vividhaiḥ suvastraiḥ ||
ākṛṣyamāṇe vasane draupadyās tu viśāṁpate |
tad-rūpaṁ aparaṁ vastraṁ prādurāsīd anekaśāḥ ||
nānā-rāga-virāgāṇi vasanān yatha vai prabho |
prādurbhavanti śataśo dharmasya paripālanāt ||
tato halahalā-śabdas tatrāsīd ghora-nihsvanaḥ |
tad-adbhutatamaṁ loke vīkṣya sarve mahībhṛtaḥ |
śaśaṁsur draupadīṁ tatra kutsanto dhṛtarāṣṭrajam ||
(Mahābhārata: 2.68.41–49)

“Hari was thought of by Draupadī as her cloth was being pulled [off of her body by Duḥśāsana on the order of Duryodhana], ‘O Govinda! O Resident of Dvārakā! O Kṛṣṇa! O Beloved of the gopīs! Do you not know I am being humiliated by the Kauravas. O Keśava! O Lord! O Lord of Lakṣmī! O Lord of Vraja! O Destroyer of distress! Save I who am drowning in the ocean of the Kauravas! O Janārdana! O Kṛṣṇa! O Kṛṣṇa! O Supreme Yogī! O Soul of the world! O Origin of the world! Please protect I who have taken shelter [in you] and am coming undone in the midst of the Kurus, O Govinda!’ In this way constantly remembering Kṛṣṇa, Hari, the Lord of the three worlds, this beautiful woman, distressed, cried aloud, covering her face, O king. Hearing the words of Yājñasenī [i.e., Draupadī], Kṛṣṇa became absorbed. Leaving his couch and seat, the Compassion One compassionately came [there] on foot. Yājñasenī cried out to Kṛṣṇa, to Viṣṇu, to Hari, to Nara, for deliverance. Then, concealed [from view], Dharma, the Supreme Self, indeed completely covered [her] with various excellent clothes. As Draupadī’s cloth was being pulled, O king, another similar cloth appeared many times. As clothes of various colors and tones appeared by the hundreds on account of [Draupadī’s] apt observance of dharma, so the sound of applause—an awe-inspiring reverberation—[also] arose there. Seeing this paramount wonder in the world [i.e., seeing that Draupadī was miraculously protected from being disrobed], all the kings there praised Draupadī and reproached the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra [i.e., Duryodhana].”

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atha praṇāma-vidhiḥ

atha praṇāma-vidhiḥ
tatraiva—
śiro mat-pādayoḥ kṛtvā bāhubhyāṁ ca parasparam |
prapannaṁ pāhi mām īśa bhītaṁ mṛtyu-grahārṇavāt ||
kiṁ cāgame—
dorbhyāṁ padbhyāṁ ca jānubhyām urasā śirasā dṛśā |
manasā vacasā ceti praṇāmo’ṣṭāṅga īritaḥ ||
jānubhyāṁ caiva bāhubhyāṁ śirasā vacasā dhiyā |
pañcāṅgakaḥ praṇāmaḥ syāt pūjāsu pravarāv imau ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.359–361)

“Now, the procedure for prostration [is explained]: Therein specifically [i.e., in SB 11.27.46, it is explained by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa], ‘Putting the head before my feet and the arms opposite one another, [one should address the deity], ‘O Lord, please protect me, I who have taken shelter [in you] and am afraid of the ocean inhabited by the shark of death’ [and then offer obeisance].’ Furthermore, in the Āgamas [it is said], ‘An obeisance with the arms, feet, knees, chest, head, sight, mind, and speech is known as aṣṭāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with eight (aṣṭa) limbs (aṅga)]. An obeisance with the knees, arms, head, speech, and mind is [known as] pañcāṅga [i.e., an obeisance made with five (pañca) limbs (aṅga)]. These two [types of obeisance] are best in offerings of worship.’”

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tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ

tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ
yad gokule’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam |
yaj-jīvitaṁ tu nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundas
tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.34)

[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest in Gokula shall occur wherein I may also receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, [he] whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”

[A translation based on the commentary of Śrī Viśvanātha Carkavartīpāda:] “May I have that great fortune in which a birth of any sort here in the forest or even in Gokula shall occur wherein I may receive an ablution in the dust of the feet of anyone [there] whose entire life is Bhagavān, Mukunda, and whose footdust is verily an object to be sought by the Śrutis even to this very day.”

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rājño jīvatu deho’yaṁ prasannāḥ prabhavo yadi

rājño jīvatu deho’yaṁ prasannāḥ prabhavo yadi |
tathety ukte nimiḥ prāha mā bhūn me deha-bandhanam ||
yasya yogaṁ na vāñchanti viyoga-bhaya-kātarāḥ |
bhajanti caraṇāmbhojaṁ munayo hari-medhasaḥ ||
dehaṁ nāvarurutse’haṁ duḥkha-śoka-bhayāvaham |
sarvatrāsya yato mṛtyur matsyānām udake yathā ||
devā ūcuḥ—
videha uṣyatāṁ kāmaṁ locaneṣu śarīriṇām |
unmeṣaṇa-nimeṣābhyāṁ lakṣito’dhyātma-saṁsthitaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.13.8–11)

“[The sages pray to the devas for the sake of Mahārāja Nimi:] ‘May this body of the king live if you all are satisfied [with the sacrifice initiated by the king] and capable [of bringing the king’s body back to life].’ When, ‘So be it’ was said [by the devas in response to the sages’ prayer], Nimi [being situated then only in a subtle body] said, ‘Let me not be subject to the bondage of a [gross] body [again]. Sages who are agitated by fear of disconnection [from a gross body], who are endowed with wisdom related to Hari, and who worship the lotus feet [of Hari], do not desire connection with that [i.e. with a gross body]. [Thus,] I do not wish to don a [gross] body, which is a cause of suffering, sorrow, and fear, since its death, like that of fish [even] in water, can occur everywhere.’ [In reply to the sages] The devas said [with regard to Mahārāja Nimi]: ‘Bodiless [i.e., free from a gross body] and situated in a subtle body, at will let him be observed in the opening and closing [i.e., blinking] in the eyes of the embodied.’”

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na kāmaye’nyaṁ tava pāda-sevanād

na kāmaye’nyaṁ tava pāda-sevanād
akiñcana-prārthyatamād varaṁ vibho |
ārādhya kas tvāṁ hy apavargadaṁ hare |
vṛṇīta āryo varam ātma-bandhanam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.51.56)

“[Mucukunda to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Vibhu, I desire no boon other than the service of your feet—that which is most worthy to be prayed for by the detached. O Hari, after worshiping you, the bestower of apavarga [i.e., bhakti], what wise person would choose a boon [that is a cause] of bondage of the self?”

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tan naḥ samādiśopāyaṁ yena te caraṇābjayoḥ

tan naḥ samādiśopāyaṁ yena te caraṇābjayoḥ |
smṛtir yathā na viramed api saṁsaratām iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.73.15)

“[Kings pray to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] Please indicate aptly that means by which remembrance of your lotus feet shall not cease even for us, who are transmigrating here.”

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yā prītir vidurārpite mura-ripo kunty-arpite yādṛśī

yā prītir vidurārpite mura-ripo kunty-arpite yādṛśī
yā govardhana-mūrdhni yā ca pṛthuke stanye yaśodārpite |
bhāradvāja-samarpite śabarikā-datte’dhare yoṣitāṁ
yā vā te muni-bhāminī-vinihite’nne’trāpi tām arpaya ||
(Unknown author; cited in Padyāvalī: 117)

“O Enemy of Mura,
The pleasure which you took
In the offering of Vidura,
The offering of Kuntī,
[The fruits, roots, and so forth offered by] The peak of Govardhana,
The abundant breastmilk offered by Yaśodā,
The grand offering of Bhāradvāja,
The offering of the Śabara’s daughter,
The lips of the women [of Vraja],
And the offering of the wives of the sages [i.e., the Vedic brāhmaṇas of Vraja]—
May you take that [type of pleasure] in the food [being offered] here too.”

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