Kesavastakam

Kesavastakam, Lord Kesava

Rupa Goswami has written this song “Nava Priyaka Manjari”. The official name of this song is Volume 1 Kesavastakam. This song is taken from the book Stavamala. In this song, Rupa Goswami glorifies Lord Kesava and also states that anyone who nicely recites these eight prayers, that pure minded soul will attain all happiness and firm attraction to Sri Krsna’s lotus feet.
(1)
nava-priyaka-masjari-racita-karna-pura-sriyam
vinidratara-malati-kalita-sekharenojjvalam
darocchvasita-yuthika-grathita-valgu-vaikaksakam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(2)
pisangi manikastani pranata-srngi pingeksane
mrdanga-mukhi dhumale sabali hamsi vamsi priye
iti sva-surabhi-kulam taralam ahvayantam muda
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(3)
ghana-pranaya-medhuran madhura-narma-gosthi-kala-
vilasa-nilayaan milad-vividha-vesa-vidyotinah
sakhin akhila-saraya pathisu hasayantam gira
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(4)
sramambu-kanikavali-dara-vilidha-gandantaram
samudha-giri-dhatubhir likhita-caru-patrankuram
udascad-ali-mandali-dyuti-vidambi-vakralakam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(5)
nibaddha-nava-tarnakavali-vilokanotkanthaya
natat-khura-putascalair alaghubhir bhuvam bhindatim
kalena dhavala-ghatam laghu nivartayantam puro
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(6)
padanka-tatibhir varam viracayantam adhva-sriyam
calat-tarala-naiciki-nicaya-dhuli-dhumra-srajam
marul-lahari-cascali-krta-dukula-cudascalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(7)
vilasa-murali-kala-dhvanibhir ullasan-manasah
ksanad akhila-ballavih pulakayantam antar grhe
muhur vidadhatam hrdi pramuditam ca gosthesvsarim
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(8)
upetya pathi sundari-tatibhir abhir abhyarcitam
smitankura-karambitair natad-apanga-bhangisataih
stana-stavaka-sascaran-nayana-cascarikascalam
vraje vijayinam bhaje vipina-desatah kesavam
(9)
idam nikhila-ballavi-kula-mahotsavollasanam
kramena kila yah puman pathati susthu padyastakam
tam ujjvala-dhiyam sada nija-padaravinda-dvaye
ratim dadhad acascalam sukhayatad visakha-sakhah
(1) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja with His ears beautified with earrings made of fresh Kadamba buds, whose crown is brightened by blooming Malatiflowers and around whose neck a wreath of slightly blooming Yuthika flowers is wound.
(2) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, joyfully wandering amongst His surabhi cows, calling them by name: “Pisangi! Manikastani! Pranatasrngi! Pingeksane!Mrdanga mukhi! Dhumale! Sabali! Hamsi! Vamsipriye!”
(3) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. He is softened by deep love, enjoys sweet joking conversations and He is the abode of all playful enjoyments. He shines in many different dresses and laughs at the best jokes that His friends make along the way.
(4) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. The leaves that were painted on His cheeks with mountain minerals are slightly washed away by drops of perspiration and His curly locks defeat the luster of a cluster of bees.
(5) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja. The cows that eagerly look at their bound up calves deeply carve the soil with their dancing hooves, and He withholds them with the soft playing of His flute.
(6) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, beautifying the roads with His footprints, whose garland is made grey by the dust thrown up by His herd of restless cows and whose cloth, scarf and crown are moving along with the waves of the blowing wind.
(7) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, where He gladdened the minds of all the cowherd girls at once with the playful and artful tunes of His Murali flute, which causes them to horripilate of ecstasy within their inner quarters, and who constantly gives joy to the heart of the queen of Vraja, Yasoda.
(8) I worship Kesava, who returns from the forest of Vraja, being worshipped by hundreds of dancing, playful glances and beautiful smiles of the beautiful girls on the road, and the corners of whose bee like eyes move restlessly around their bud like breasts.
(9) To anyone who nicely recites these eight prayers, that are a festival of bliss for all the cowherd girls, the friend of Visakha, Sri Krsna, will give firmly fixed attraction to His lotus feet. Such a pure minded soul will attain all happiness.