This song in praise of Sādhu Bābā's father is written in around 1962 by Rādhā Govinda Dās, one of his disciples.
ŚRĪLA ĀNANDA GOPĀL GOSWĀMĪ`S SŪCAK KĪRTAN
jaya re jaya re jaya, prabhu sītānātha jaya,
śāntipura śānti sudhākara
jaya śrī acyuta tāta, tina putra subikhyāta,
balarāma kṛṣṇa miśra-vara
“All glory and victory to Prabhu Sītānāth, the peaceful moon of Śāntipur! Victory to His three famous sons, Śrī Acyuta, Balarām and Kṛṣṇa Miśra!” (1)
gaura kori abatīrṇa, tribhuvana koilo dhanya
jay dāo sei doyāmoy
sei vaṁśe nīlamaṇi, nīla-kamal, nīla-kānta,
janmilen tin mahāśoy
“Give victory to the compassionate one who blessed the three worlds by causing the descent of Śrī Gaurāṅga and in whose dynasty three great souls took birth – Nīlamaṇi, Nīlakamal and Nīlakānta.” (2)
tāder je guṇa-kothā, gāy sabe yathā tothā,
śraddhā saha braje chilo bāsa
paṇḍitera śiromaṇi, rādhā-preme cuḍāmaṇi,
rādhā-kṛṣṇa sebā abhilāṣa
“Everyone sings the details of their glorious attributes everywhere. They lived in Braja with faith. They were the crown-jewels of scholars and the crest-jewels in terms of love for Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who yearned for the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” (3)
nīlakānter cār putra, prabhu tār sarva kaniṣṭha,
rūpe guṇe ati anupam,
tero śata cār sane, padmanābhaikādaśī dine,
āvirbhāvo sei guṇa-dhām
“Nīlakānta had four sons, and the youngest of them all was most unique in his form and attributes. This treasure of attributes took birth in Braja-dhāma on the day of Padmanābh-Ekādaśī in the Bengali year 1304 (October 1897).” (4)
bālya-kāle krīḍā-raṅge, sakhā bhrātā-gaṇa saṅge
khelilen jeno braja-cāṅde
sadā thāken ān-mone rohen jeno kār dhyāne,
pitā bolen poḍilo śyām phāṅde
“He was playing childrens` games with his friends and brothers, as if he were the moon of Braja (child Kṛṣṇa). His mind was always elsewhere, as if he was meditating on someone. His father said: ‘He has fallen into a Śyāma-trap` (he is captivated by
Kṛṣṇa ).” (5)
caudda varṣa boyos jobe, cār bhrātā loiyā tabe,
pitā ṭhākur gelā gaura dhāme
braja chāḍibāra kāle, bhāsen prabhu āṅkhi-jole,
kintu sukhī jābo gaura bhūme
“When he was fourteen years old his father took him and his three brothers to the abode of Gaura (Navadvīpa) to live there. Prabhu floated in tears when he left Braja but he decided to blissfully go along to the land of Gaura.” (6)
prabhu nīlakānta gosāi, śrī nabadwīpe jāy,
nīlakānta kuñja niramilā
śrī rādhā madan gopāl, dui mūrti su-rasāla,
dui pāśe aṣṭasakhī dilā
“Prabhu Nīlakānta Goswāmī thus went to Navadwīp and established Nīlakānta Kuñja there, where he had his two luscious deities Rādhā and Madangopāl flanked by Their eight girlfriends.” (7)
madhur sebā prakaṭ kori, putradige hāte dhori,
śikhāilā prema-sebā kāje
kulera deva sītānāth, virājita sītā saha,
śrī mandira ālo kori rāje
“He took his sons by the hand and revealed to them the sweet service (of Rādhā-Madangopāl), teaching them loving devotional service. The temple was illuminated by the family`s arch-father Adwaita Prabhu and Sītā-devī.” (8)
pitṛ kṛpāya prabhu mora, sadā sebā rase bhor,
pāṭha śikṣā jyeṣṭha tāta ṭhāi
śrī pāṭh varṇanā kāle, agaṇita śrotā mile
śobhā jeno śukadev gosāi
“By the grace of his father my Prabhu was always immersed in the flavours of devotional service. He learned pāṭh (devotional lecturing) from his elder uncle. When he gave pāṭh, innumerable listeners gathered and he looked as beautiful as Śukadev Goswāmī.” (9)
nirjan bās anurāgī, tāi prabhu śahar-tyāgī
gelen cole phul-bāgān mājhe
sethāy giyā śiṣya-gaṇa, dhariyā rājīv caraṇ,
sthāpilo śyām-binodinī kuñje
Being very attached to living in solitude, Prabhu gave up the city and went to live in a flower-garden, where his disciples, holding his lotus-feet, founded Śyām-vinodinī kuñja.” (10)
tathāy-o śrī sītānāth, śrī madangopāl virājita
sebā dekhi juḍāya nayan
śrī rādhā madangopāl, daraśane tanu vikal,
prabhu mora bāhya-hārā hon
“There too, Śrī Sītānāth and Śrī Madangopāl resided. Seeing their service, my eyes are soothed. When my Prabhu saw Śrī Rādhā and Madan Gopāl, his body was thrilled and he lost external consciousness.” (11)
daśākṣara mantra-rāje, labhilā māyera kāche,
dhanya mātā yār heno putra
vyavahār paramārthe, guru holen dui arthe,
lābh mantra hoilā kṛtārtha
“He received the regal ten-syllable Gopāl-mantra from his mother. Blessed is the mother of such a son! She was his Guru both materially and spiritually, and he was blessed by receiving this mantra.” (12)
āmodinī mañjarī svarūpa, dilen mātā aparūpa,
sebā dilā pāda samvāhan,
smaraṇete tanu-man, sei kāje nimagan,
varṣā heno jhare du`nayan
“Mother gave him the wonderful siddha-swarūp of ‘Āmodini Mañjarī`, and the service of massaging the Divine Pair`s lotus-feet. With his mind and body he was immersed in that meditation while tears showered from his eyes.” (13)
smaraṇāṅga bhajanete, magna prabhu dine rate,
līlā gāne sadāi vibhor
dāsa prabhur agaṇita, tārā-o bhajane rata,
vañcito`smi hata bhāgya mor
“Day and night Prabhu was immersed in the item of worship named smaraṇa (meditation) and in singing of the Lord`s pastimes. Prabhu`s innumerable servants were also dedicated to bhajan. O I am deprived, I am so unfortunate!” (14)
śrī gaurāṅgera hārda bhajan, tāte rata anukṣaṇa,
chay gosāi-er ānugatya loye
bosiyā āpan mane, śrī mandirer kuñja-bane,
nirapekṣa smaraṇete rohe
“He was always dedicated to hearty worship of Śrī Gaurāṅga, following in the footsteps of the six Goswāmīs. Sitting in the groves of his own temple he was totally fixed in meditation, indifferent to the world.” (15)
boliten garva-bhare, rādhā-pade buke dhare,
jete hoy narakete jābo
ār kichu cāhibo nā, ekā kṛṣṇa loibo nā,
ekā kṛṣṇe phirāiyā dibo
“He used to proudly say, holding Smt. Rādhārāṇī`s lotus-feet to his heart – ‘if necessary (for Her service) I will go to hell.` I don`t want anything else (but Her), I will not accept
Kṛṣṇa alone – if
Kṛṣṇa comes to me alone, I will send Him back.” (16)
tāte sarva nāśa hole, lobo tāhā abahele,
lobo kṛṣṇa rādhā saha ele
kāraṇ rādhā-dāsī āmi, rādhā garavete bhrami,
bilāibo āsile yugale
“If such an attitude would ruin me, then allright, I will accept
Kṛṣṇa neglectfully, and only if He comes along with Rādhā. Because I am Rādhā`s maidservant, and I will wander around being proud of Rādhā. If the Divine Pair comes I will offer myself to Them.” (17)
sadā rādhā nāma kori, du`nayane bohe vāri,
pulakete aṅga jāy bhore
rādhā nām je kore, tāre prabhu buke dhare,
boliten kine nili more
“I always sing Rādhā`s name with tears in both eyes and My body filled with goosebumps. Prabhu embraced those who sang
Rādhā`s name; he used to say: They have purchased me.” (18)
sītānāther janmotsav, korito nā loka sab,
mora prabhu tāhā pravartilo
ki vipul āyojon, nava rātri sankīrtan,
bhulibe nā tāhā ye dekhilo.
“At that time no one held a festival to celebrate Adwaita Prabhu`s advent, but my Prabhu starting organizing such festivals. How huge were such celebrations! It involved nine nights of sankīrtan (singing and dancing). Anyone who saw this would never forget it.” (19)
ei goto botsorete, ki ānanda utsabete
kori mora prabhu lukāilā
śrīdhara kṛṣṇA caturthī din, rādhā-pade holo līn,
yāra dāsī tār kāche gelā
“Last year, during a festival of bliss, my Prabhu hid himself (he passed away). On the fourth day of the dark lunar fortnight of the month of Śrīdhara (Śravaṇa or July-August), he attained the lotus-feet of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, joining She whose maidservant he/she is.” (20)
kothā gele mora prabhu ānanda gopāl
āra nā heribo tava mūrati rasāl
(kothāy gele doyāmoy, virahe prāṇ jwole jāy)
modigake diye phāṅki kothā cole gele
aparādhī bole ki go modere tyājile
“Where has my master, Ānanda Gopāl Goswāmī, gone? I will never see his luscious form again. (Where has the compassionate one gone? My life-airs scorch in the fire of separation) Where has he gone, tricking us all? Has he abandoned us because we are offenders?” (21)
ku-putra āmrā baṭi kintu tumi pitā,
pita to tyaje nā putra śāstre āche gāthā
tomār virahe prabhu prāṇ jwole jāy
akasmāt eki holo bhāviyā nā pāi
“We are bad sons, surely, but you are the father and the scripture says a father never abandons the son. O Prabhu! Out of separation from you my heart burns! I don`t understand why this happened so suddenly!” (22)
boro sādh chilo prabhu ebār braje ele
nā chāḍibo prabhu tava caraṇa kamala
(caraṇ dhore poḍe robo)
(jete cāile nā chāḍibo)
rādhārāṇīr dohāi diyā caraṇe dhoribo
sebā adhikār loiyā caraṇa sevibo
“It was always your great aspiration, Prabhu, and now you have come to Vraja. I will not give up your lotus feet. (I will stay here, holding these lotus feet) (Even if you want to leave I will not let go) I swear on Rādhārāṇī that I will hold on to your lotus-feet. Taking the adhikāra for devotional service I will serve your (or Her) lotus-feet.” (23)
se sādhe sādhilo bād nidārun vidhi
(dārun vidhi ki korilo pitṛ-hīna moder koilo)
prāṇ jwole jāy prabhu kāṇde sadā hṛdi
tumi jār tār kāche cole gele guru
śukāilo āmāder sob āśā taru
“Cruel fate has accomplished this now (what has cruel fate done, making us bereft of our father?). Prabhu, my life-airs are burning and my heart constantly weeps. O Guru, you have gone to She whom you belong to, thus withering the tree of our hopes.” (24)
(sob āśā ghuce gelo sebā korbo bhajan śikhbo)
ke ār śunābe moder rādhā guṇa gān?
ke ār milāye debe śrī rādhā caran?
ke ār koribe temon pāṭh rasa grantha?
tomā sama kebā ār āche bhāgyavanta?
(All my hopes are dashed for rendering devotional service and learning bhajan.)
Who else will sing me of Rādhā`s glories?
Who else will help me attain Śrī Rādhā`s lotus-feet?
Who else will lecture like that on rasika scriptures?
Who is so fortunate as you are? (25)
(hāy! morā ki korbo, kothā gele ābār pābo? – hāy morā ki korbo?)
bālye mora bairāgya hoilā prabhu more ākarṣilā
duḥkhe gelām nabadwīpa mājh
dekhi prabhur doyā hoilo nija kāche bolāilo
duḥkhī hoilā dekhi mora sāj
(“Alas! What can I do, where should I go to find you again? Alas, what should I do?”)
In my childhood I became renounced and Prabhu attracted me. In distress I went to Navadwīp and when Prabhu saw me he was compassionate and called me to him. He was sad to see how I dressed.” (26)
ḍāki kāche bosāilā , sakṛpāy āśray dilo,
sompi dilā madan-gopāla pāy
vraje dilo pāṭhāiyā, nija kṛpā sañcāriyā,
se kṛpār tulanā nāhi hoy
“He called me to Him and mercifully gave me shelter at the lotus-feet of Madan-Gopāl. He dispatched me to Vraja and empowered me with his own grace, of which there is no equal.” (27)
śrī guru karuṇā bole, gaura sevā avahele,
peye dhanya mui dīna hīna
ei kṛpā koro sabe, yabe karma śeṣa hobe,
hoi jeno ei raje līna
“On the strength of Śrī Guru`s mercy the service of Śrī Gaurāṅga is easily attained and a lowly wretch like me will be blessed. May everyone be merciful to me so that when my duties in the world of action are completed, I can attain the dust of His feet.” (28)
dīna ‘rādhā-govinda dās`, śrī guru caraṇe āśa,
gāy ei virahera gāthā
sarva bhaktera caraṇete, ei bhikṣā dine rate,
guru guṇa gāi yathā tathā
“The fallen Rādhā Govinda Dās, hoping for the lotus-feet of Śrī Guru, sings this song of separation. I pray for this alm at the feet of all the devotees – may I sing the glories of the Guru everywhere.” (29)
