Vandana

"Why do we recite the vandana of Vaishnavs, Nityananda Prabhu, Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Radha-Krishna, Tulasi Devi? Vandana means calling them, praying them for mercy, 'Prabhu, we are going to chant Your glorification. Please give us some mercy.'" (Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj)

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams cha
sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana raghunath-anvitam tam sa-jivam
sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-chaitanya-devam
sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita sri-visakhanvitams cha

I offer my obeisance unto the lotus feet of my Guru, the predecessor Gurus, the Lord's devotees, Sri Rupa, Sri Sanatan, Sri Raghunath, Sri Jiva, Sri Rupa's followers, Sri Krishna Chaitanyadev, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Prabhu, Sri Chaitanyadev's associates, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, Sri Lalita Devi, Sri Visakha Devi, and all of Their associates.

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

'I offer my obeisance unto Sri Gurudev, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, applying the kajal of divine knowledge on my eyes.'

pujya sri-guru-varga-vandita mahabhavanvitayah sada
paurva parya parampara prachalita prajya pramurtta krteh
bhakter nirmala-nirjharasya nibhrtam samraksakam sadaram
vande sri-gurudevam anata-sira acharya-varyam nijam

I bow my head in eternal obeisance to my Gurudev, the best of Acharyas, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. He is the ever vigilant, stalwart guardian of the current of pure devotion whose highest form flows from our most worshippable Sri Rupanuga Guru-varga in their exclusive dedication to Mahabhava, Srimati Radharani.

gurvvabhista-supurakam guru-ganair asisa-sambhusitam
chintyachintya-samasta-veda-nipunam sri-rupa-panthanugam
govindabhidham ujjvalam vara-tanum bhakty anvitam-sundaram
vande visva-gurun cha divya-bhagavat-premno hi bija-pradam

I offer my obeisance unto he who perfectly fulfils his Gurudev's most cherished desires; who is fully adorned with the blessings of his Gurudev's associates; who is expert in all aspects of Vedic knowledge, both conceivable and inconceivable; who is the pre-eminent follower of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhu's line; who is known as 'Govinda'—Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj; whose beautiful, effulgent, exalted form is infused with pure devotion; who is the Guru of the entire universe; and who is the giver of the seed of divine love for the Supreme Lord.

devam divya-tanum suchhanda-vadanam balarka-chelanchitam
sandrananda-puram sad-eka-varanam vairagya-vidyambudhim
sri-siddhanta-nidhim subhakti-lasitam sarasvatanam varam
vande tam subhadam mad-eka-saranam nyasisvaram sridharam

I offer my obeisance unto my lord, Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, whose speech is most pleasing; whose divine form is adorned with garments the colour of the newly-risen sun; who is an abode of intense, ecstatic devotion; who is the sadhus' sole choice; who is an ocean of renunciation and knowledge; who is a treasure-house of perfect conclusions; who is resplendent with pure devotion; who is the best of Srila Saraswati Thakur's followers; who is the giver of all good; who is the leading general of the tridandi-sannyasis; and who is my sole shelter.

sri-siddhanta-sarasvatiti vidito gaudiya-gurv-anvaye
bhato bhanuriva prabhata-gagane yo gaura-sankirtanaih
mayavada-timingilodara-gatan uddhrtya jivaniman
krsna-prema-sudhabdhi-gahana-sukham pradat prabhum tam bhaje

I serve my lord, who is known as Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Within the Gaudiya sampradaya's lineage of Gurus, he shines like the sun in the morning sky. Through the sankirtan of Sriman Mahaprabhu he rescues the souls engulfed within the belly of the timingila of illusionism and bestows upon them the ecstasy of swimming in the nectarean ocean of divine love for Krishna.

namo gaurakisoraya
bhaktavadhuta murtaye
gauranghri padma-bhrngaya
radha-bhava-nisevine

I offer my obeisance unto the divine form of the devotee avadhut Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaj, who is a honey-bee at Sri Gaurasundar's lotus feet and a servant of Srimati Radharani imbued with deep loving attachment.

vande bhaktivinodam sri-
gaura-sakti-svarupakam
bhakti-sastrajna-samrajam
radha-rasa-sudha-nidhim

I offer my obeisance unto Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, the embodiment of Sri Gaurasundar's potency. He is the king of all knowers of the scriptures of pure devotion and an ocean of the nectar of devotion to Srimati Radharani.

gaura-vrajasritasesair
vaisnavair vandya-vigraham
jagannatha-prabhum vande
premabdhim vrddha-vaisnavam

I offer my obeisance unto my lord, the ocean of divine love, Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaj. He is the senior-most devotee, and worshipped by all who have taken shelter in Sri Nabadwip Dham and Sri Vraja Dham.

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha
krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah

Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord's devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees.

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

I offer my obeisance unto the five-fold manifestation of Sri Krishna known as the Pancha-Tattva: His form as a devotee (Sri Krishna Chaitanya), His expanded form as a devotee (Sri Nityananda Prabhu), His Avatar as a devotee (Sri Advaita Prabhu), His pure devotees (led by Srivas Thakur), and His devotional energies (led by Sri Gadadhar Pandit).

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah

Again and again I offer my obeisance unto You, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the supremely merciful, golden form of Sri Krishna, the giver of Krishna-prema.

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

All glory to the merciful Sri Sri Radha-Madan Mohan! Though I am lame and wicked, They are my sole shelter, and Their lotus feet are everything to me.

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

I meditate upon Sri Radha and Sri Govinda being worshipped by Their dear girlfriends as They sit upon a throne within a beautiful jeweled temple beneath the wish-fulfilling trees of the divine abode of Vrindavan.

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

May Gopinath, the beautiful originator of the rasa-lila, who stands on the riverbank at Vamsi Vat and attracts the gopis with His flute-song, bestow auspiciousness upon us.

vrndayai tulasi-devyai priyayai kesavasya cha
krsna-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namah

Again and again I offer my obeisance unto Vrnda Devi, who is known as Tulasi Devi and Satyavati, who is most dear to Krishna, and who bestows devotion to Krishna upon us.

atha natva mantra-gurun gurun bhagavatarthadan
vyasan jagad-gurun natva tato jayam udirayet

Having offered obeisance to one's initiating Guru, to the Gurus who have taught one the meaning of the Bhagavat, and to all the authors of Vedic literature, who are the Gurus of the entire world, proclaim "Jay!"

jayah sa-parikara sri-sri-guru-gauranga-gandharvagovindasundar-padapadmanam jayastu!

All glory to the lotus feet of Sri Guru, Sri Gaurasundar, Sri Sri Gandharva-Govindasundar, and all of Their associates!

sri-krsna-chaitanya prabhu nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura-bhakta-vrnda

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Audio of a shorter version:

Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj
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Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
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