BHAJAHU RE MANA SRI NANDA NANDANA

Bhajahu Re Mana Sri Nanda Nandana

Govinda Das Kaviraj has written this song “bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana”. This song is taken from the book Padavali. In this song, Govinda Das Kaviraj advises the mind to worship the lotus feet of the son of Nanda Maharaj, i.e. Lord Krishna. He also describes about the sufferings in the material world and how one can be relieved of it by engaging in the service of Lord Krishna.

(1)
bhajahu re mana sri-nanda-nandana
abhaya-caranaravinda re
durlabha manava-janama sat-sange
taroho e bhava-sindhu re

(2)
sita atapa bata barishana
e dina jamini jagi re
biphale sevinu kripana durajana
capala sukha-laba lagi’ re

(3)
e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana
ithe ki ache paratiti re
kamala-dala-jala, jivana talamala
bhajahu hari-pada niti re

(4)
sravana, kirtana, smarana, vandana,
pada-sevana, dasya re
pujana, sakhi-jana, atma-nivedana
govinda-dasa-abhilasha re

(1) O mind, just worship the lotus feet of the son of Nanda, which makes one fearless. Having obtained this rare human birth, cross over this ocean of wordly existence through the association of saintly persons.

(2) Both in the day and at night I remain sleepless, suffering the pains of the heat and cold, the wind and the rain. For a fraction of flickering happiness I have uselessly served wicked and miserly men.

(3) What assurance of real happiness is there in all of one’s wealth, youthfulness, sons, and family members? This life is tottering like a drop of water on a lotus petal; therefore you should always serve and worship the divine feet of Lord Hari.

(4) It is the desire and great longing of Govinda Dasa to engage himself in the nine processes of bhakti, namely hearing the glories of Lord Hari and chanting those glories, constantly remembering Him and offering prayers to Him, serving the Lord’s lotus feet, serving the Supreme Lord as a servant, worshiping Him with flowers and incense and so forth, serving Him as a friend, and completely offering the Lord one’s very self.