Vrindavana ashtakam

Vrindavana ashtakam
(The octet on Vrindavana)

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Vrindavana is a place on the shores of Yamuna, very near to present day Mathura. The Yadava king Nandagopa along with his family and people shifted to this place when he found lot of troubles happening to the baby Krishna. Lord Krishna spent his childhood these and left it only when he went to Mathura to kill Kamsa. To the devotees of the Lord, it is a holy of holies.)

Na yoga , na sidhir na mamasthu moksho,
Vaikunta loke pi na prasadathvam,
Premapi na syad ithi chet taram thu,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 1

I do not prefer yoga, occult powers or salvation,
I do not prefer to be with the Lord in Vaikunta,
Nor do I prefer to have only pure love for him,
But I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Taranam janur yathra vidhir yayase,
Sad bhaktha choodamanir uddhavo pi,
Veekshyaiva madhurya dhooram tad asmin,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 2

Because due to their fate , during the strolls,
Great devotee jewels like Udhava,
Saw the sweetness existing here ,
Preferred to be born here as a blade of grass,
I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Kim they krutham thapa kshithithi,
Gopyo pi bhume sthuvathe sma kirthim,
Yenaiva krishnangri padankithesmin,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 3

The Gopis asked the earth they lived in,
“What Thapas and penances you did,
To get this fame and have foot prints of Krishna”,
And so I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Gopanganaa lampata thaiva yatra,
Yasyam rasaa poornatamathvam apa,
Yato raso vai sa ithi sruthisthaan,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 4

Because of the passionate journey of the Gopa maids,
It has become full of great sweetness,
And since Vedas say “That God is sweetness”,
I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Bhandeendra Govardhana rasa pithais,
Trisimake yojana panchakena,
Mithe vibhuthwad amithe be chasmin,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 5

Surrounded on three sides by Bhandirayana, Govardhana,
And the place where Rasa leela used to take place,
And is of only five yojanas circumference is Vrindavana,
But it has unlimited divinity and greatness,
So I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Yathradhipathyam vrusha bhanu putrya,
Yenodhayeth prema sukham janaanaam,
Yasmin mamasa balavath yato asmin,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 6

It is ruled by Radhe , the daughter of Vrusha Bhanu,
And the pleasure of love of the people rises there,
And as my strength lies in that place,
I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Yasmin maha rasa vilasa leelaa,
Na prapayam srirapi sa thapobhi,
Tatrollasa manju nikunja punje,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 7

Goddess Lakshmi inspite of great penances,
Could not enter the rasa dance there,
And so to enjoy the many pretty bowers,
I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

SAdaa rurunyanku mukhaa visankam,
Khelanthi koojanthi pikalee kirah,
Sikandini yatra natanthi thasmin,
Mamasthu vrindavana eva vasa. 8

Ruru and Nyanku deer play there always fearlessly,
And the nightingale coos endlessly,
And the bumble bees dance there with abandon and so,
I would prefer to live in Vrindavana.

Vrindavanashtakam ethad uchai,
Patanthi ye nischala budhyasthe,
Vrindavanesangri Saroja sevaam,
Sakshat labhanthe janusontha yeva. 9

Those who read this octet on Vrindavana,
With an unwavering mind,
And serve the great Vrindavana ,
Would definitely get the nearness to Krishna.