Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna

Prayer to the Lotus Feet of Krsna
On board the ship Jaladuta, Sept.13, 1965

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Founder and Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness

[On September 13, 1965, Srila Prabhupada wrote the following prayer on board the Jaladuta steamship bound for America.]

Srila Prabhupada on Board the Jaladuta Ship

I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radharani becomes pleased with you.

Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, who is very dear to Lord Gauranga, the son of mother Saci, is unparalleled in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krsna at different places throughout the world.

By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout all the countries of the Western world. In all the cities, towns and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of Krsna.

As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstacy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnava's desire is then fulfilled.

Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.

If You bestow Your power, by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth -- one's life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.

evam janam nipatitam prabhavahikupe
kamabhikamam anu yah prapatan prasangat
krtvatmasat surarsina bhagavan grhitah
so 'ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevam

"My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instucted me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?"
(Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Srimad-Bhagavatam, 7.9.28)

O Lord Krsna, You are my eternal companion. Forgetting You, I have suffered the kicks of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then I will surely be able to rejoin You.

O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the many forests of Vraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstacy. O when will that day be mine?

Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I have a great longing I called to You. I am Your eternal servant and therefore I desire Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You there is no other means of success.

The poem, “Prayer to the Lotus feet of Krsna”, was written on September 13^th 1965, in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Three days earlier Srila Prabhupada writes in his ship diary,” Today the ship is plying very smoothly. I feel today better. But I am feeling separation of Sri Vrndavana and my Lords Sri Govinda, Gopinath, Radha-Damodara. My only solace is Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in which I am tasting the nectar of Lord Caitanya’s lila. I have left Bharat-bhumi just to execute the order of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in pursuance of Lord Caitanya’s order. I have no qualification but I have taken up the risk just to carry out the order of His Divine Grace. I depend fully on Their mercy so far away from Vrndavan”. Three days later, in this mood of pure devotion, His Divine Grace composed the following prayer.

(refrain)
Kŗşņa taba puŋya habe bhāi e-puŋya koribe jabe rādhārāŋī kushī habe dhruva ati boli tomā tāi	I emphatically say to you, O brother, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Radhrani becomes pleased with you
(1)
śrī-siddhānta saraswatī śacī-śuta priya ati Kŗşņa-sebāya jăra tula nāi sei se mohānta-guru jagater madhe uru kŗşņa-bhakti dey ţhăi ţhăi	Sri Srimad Bhakti siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who is very Dear to Lord Gauranga, the son of mother Saci, is unparalleled in his service to the supreme Lord Sri Krsna. He is that great saintly spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krsna at different places throughout the world.
(2)
tāra icchā balavān pāscātyete thān thān hoy jāte gaurānger nām prthivite nagarādi āsamudra nada nadi sakalei loy kŗşŋa nām	By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout all the countries of the western world. In all the cities, towns and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas rivers and streams, everyone will chant the holy name of Krsna.
(3)
tāhale ānanda hoy tabe hoy digvijay caitanyer krpā atisay māyā dustajata duhkhi jagate sabai sukhi vaişŋaver icchā pūrna hoy	As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnavas’ desire is then fulfilled.
(4)
se kārjaje koribare ājnā jadi dilo more jogya nahi ati dina hina tai se tomāra krpā māgitechi anurūpā āji tumi sabār pravina	Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.
(5)
tomāra se śaktipele guru-sebayā bastu mile jivana sārhtak jadi hoy sei se sebā pāile tāhale sukhi hale taba sańga bhāgyate miloy	If You bestow Your power , by serving the spiritual master one attains the Absolute Truth – one’s life becomes sucessful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and gets Your association due to good fortune.
(6)
evam janam nipatitam prabhavāhi-kupe kāmābhikamām anu yah prapatan prasangāt Krtvatmasāt surarsinā bhagavan grhitah so ‘ham katham nu visrje tava bhrtya-sevām	“My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Narada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?” \|Prahlada Maharaja to Lord Nrsimhadeva, Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.28]
(7)
tumi mor cira sāthi bhuliyā māyār lāthi khāiyāchi janma-janmāntare āji punah e sujoga jadi hoy jogājoga tabe pāri tuhe milibāre	O lord Krsna, you are my eternal companion. Forgetting You , I have suffered the kicks of maya birth after birth. If today the chance to meet You occurs again, then I will surely be able to rejoin you.
(8)
tomāra milane bhāi ābār se sukha pāi gocārane ghuri din bhor kata bane chutāchuti bane khai lutāputi sei din kabe habe mor	O dear friend, in Your company I will experience great joy once again. In the early morning I will wander about the cowherd pastures and fields. Running and frolicking in the many forests of Nraja, I will roll on the ground in spiritual ecstasy. Oh, when will that day be mine?
(9)
āji se subidhane tomāra smarana bhelo boro āsā dākliām tāi āmi tomāra nitya-dāsa tāi kori eta āśa tumi binā anya gati nāi	Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I have great longing I called to You. I am your eternal servant and therefore I desire Your association so much. O Lord Krsna, except for You there is no other means of success.