Namastakam by Raghunath Dasa Goswami

The Namastakam (eight-prayer hymn) by Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī extols the glories of the Holy Name (Hari-nāma) of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Each verse is a humble offering to the Divine Name, describing its supreme potency.

• Verse 1: “O Hari-nāma! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshipped by the glowing radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upaniṣads, the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls, such as Nārada and Śukadeva. O Hari-nāma! I take complete shelter of You.”
  
  
  
• Verse 2: “O Hari-nāma, O Name sung by the sages, O transcendental syllables that bring bliss to the people: even if You are spoken only once, and even if You are spoken disrespectfully, You at once remove the many harsh sufferings of everyone.”
  
  
  
• Verse 3: “O sun of the Holy Name, even the dim light of Your early dawn gives the sight of pure devotion to those who are blind to the truth. What learned person in this world is able to describe Your transcendental glory?”
  
  
  
• Verse 4: “The Vedas declare that although meditation on impersonal Brahman cannot bring freedom from past karma, O Holy Name, Your appearance at once makes all karma disappear.”
  
  
  
• Verse 5: “O Holy Name, I pray that my love for You in Your many forms – such as Aghādhamana (Crusher of Aghāsura), Yaśodanandana (Son of Yaśodā), Nandasunu (Son of Nanda), Kamalanayana (Lotus-eyed One), Gopīcandra (Moon of the gopīs), Vṛndāvānendra (King of Vṛndāvana), Praṇata-kāruṇa (Merciful to surrendered souls), and Kṛṣṇa – may greatly increase.”
  
  
  
• Verse 6: “O Holy Name, You are manifested in two forms: (1) the Supreme Person as described by the Name, and (2) the sound vibration of the Name. We know that Your second form is even more merciful than the first. Even a person who commits many offenses to the first form may become always plunged into an ocean of bliss by serving the second with his voice.”
  
  
  
• Verse 7: “O Name that destroys the many sufferings of those who take shelter of You; O Name that is the form of delightful and intense spiritual bliss; O Name that is a festival of happiness for Gokula; O Name that is the perfect and complete Holy Name of Lord Kṛṣṇa – I bow down and offer my respects to You.”
  
  
  
• Verse 8: “O life of Nārada’s vīṇā, O flood of the waves of sweet nectar, O Holy Name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, please sweetly appear on my tongue!”

Lecture on the Eight Verses, Including Supplementary Insights

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