ISKCON Mangla Aarti
ISKCON Mangla Aarti
Sri Guruvashtakam by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravati Thakur
The Mangla Aarti or ISKCON Mangla Aarti is a devotional prayer offered to the Spiritual Master, praising his divine qualities. The Guruashtakam consists of 8 verses, highlighting the characteristics of a bona fide spiritual master.
Here are the Eight Prayers to the Guru composed by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura who says, “One who, with great care and attention, loudly recites this beautiful prayer to the spiritual master during the brahma-muhurta obtains direct service to Krishna, the Lord of Vrindavana, at the time of his death.”
Text 1
saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: saḿsāra – (of) material existence; dāvā-anala – (by) the forest fire; līḍha – afflicted; loka – the people; trāṇāya – to deliver; kāruṇya – of mercy; ghanāghana-tvam – the quality of a cloud; prāptasya – who has obtained; kalyāṇa – auspicious; guṇa – (of) qualities; arṇavasya – who is an ocean; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.
Text 2
mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena
romāñca -kampāśru-taraṅga-bhājo vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: mahāprabhoḥ – of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kīrtana – (by) chanting; nṛtya – dancing; gīta – singing; vāditra – playing musical instruments; mādyat – gladdened; manasaḥ – whose mind; rasena – due to the mellows of pure devotion; roma-añca – standing of the hair; kampa – quivering of the body, aśru-tarańga – torrents of tears; bhājaḥ – who feels; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his bodily hairs stand on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
Text 3
śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau
yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato ‘pi vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: śrī-vigraha – (of) the arcā-vigraha (Deities), ārādhana – the worship; nitya – daily; nānā – (with) various; śṛńgāra – clothing and ornaments; tat – of the Lord; mandira – (of) the temple; mārjana-ādau – in the cleaning, etc.; yuktasya – who is engaged; bhaktān – his disciples; ca – and; niyuñjataḥ – who engages; api – also; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
Text 4
Catur-vidha-śrī-bhagavat-prasāda svādvanna-tṛptān hari-bhakta-saṅghān
kṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: catuḥ – four; vidha – kinds; śrī – holy, bhagavat-prasāda – which have been offered to Kṛṣṇa; svādu – palatable; anna – (by) foods; tṛptān – spiritually satisfied; hari – (of) Kṛṣṇa; bhakta-sańghān – the devotees; kṛtvā – having made; eva – thus; tṛptim – satisfaction; bhajataḥ – who feels; sada – always; eva – certainly; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is always offering Krishna four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk, and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasada, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
Text 5
śrī-rādhikā-mādhavayor apāra mādhurya-līlā guṇa-rūpa-nāmnām
prati-kṣaṇāsvādana-lolupasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: śrī-rādhikā – (of) Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; mādhavayoḥ – of Lord Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa); apāra – unlimited; mādhurya – conjugal; līlā – pastimes; guṇa – qualities; rūpa – forms; nāmnām – of the holy names; prati-kṣaṇa – at every moment; āsvādana – relishing; lolupasya – who aspires after; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Sri Sri Radhika and Madhava, and about Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
Text 6
nikuñja-yūno rati-keli-siddhyai yā yālibhir yuktir apekṣaṇīyā
tatrāti-dākṣyād ati-vallabhasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: nikuñja-yūnaḥ – of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; rati – (of) conjugal love; keli – (of) pastimes; siddhyai – for the perfection; yā yā – whatever; ālibhiḥ – by the gopīs; yuktiḥ – arrangements; apekṣaṇīyā – desirable; tatra – in that connection; ati-dākṣyāt – because of being very expert; ati-vallabhasya – who is very dear; vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krishna’s conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrindavana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.
Text 7
sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: sākṣāt – directly; hari-tvena – with the quality of Hari; samasta – all; śāstraiḥ – by scriptures; uktaḥ – acknowledged; tathā – thus bhāvyate – is considered; eva – also; sadbhiḥ – by great saintly persons; kintu – however; prabhoḥ – to the Lord; yaḥ – who; priyaḥ – dear; eva – certainly; tasya – of him (the guru); vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet.
Translation: The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities.
Text 8
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi
dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
Word to Word Meaning: yasya – of whom (the spiritual master); prasādāt – by the grace; bhagavat – (of) Kṛṣṇa; prasādaḥ – the mercy; yasya – of whom; aprasādāt – without the grace; na – not; gatiḥ – means of advancement; kutaḥ api – from anywhere; dhyāyan – meditating upon; stuvan – praising; tasya – of him (the spiritual master); yaśaḥ – the glory; tri-sandhyam – three times a day (sunrise, noon, and sunset); vande – I offer obeisances; guroḥ – of my spiritual master; śrī – auspicious; caraṇa-aravindam – unto the lotus feet
Translation: By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master
