Sri Vrindadevy-astakam

Sri Vrindadevy-astakam, Eight Prayers Glorifying Srimati Vrinda Devi, by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura written in his Stavamrta-lahari, song number 15.

This translation is by Baba Madhava Dasa, affectionately known as “Vrinda Kund Baba”, a life long braja-vasi who reestablished the worship of Vrinda Devi at Vrinda Kund in Nandagram. He was a pillar in maintaining and protecting the holy places of Vraj during the 20th century, from saving Pavana Sarovara, Kalavata Hill, and 11 other sacred hills from land and road developers. Notably, Baba also helped preserve the Govardhana parikrama path from being overtaken with a railway line. Regulary Baba would raise funds to gather hundreds of trees, fruit trees, and flowers to plant around various holy places. All of his service culminated in reestablishing the worship of Vrinda Devi at Vrinda Kund during the 1980’s. We have chosen Baba’s translation because of his life of amazing service, his deep devotion to Vrinda Devi, and because of his very profound understanding of her mood and service to the divine young couple.

To learn more about Baba and his service at Vrinda Kund, check out this series of articles from Back To Godhead magazine.

श्री वृन्दा-देव्यष्टकम् 

Śrī Vṛndādevy-aṣṭakam 

TEXT 1 

गाङ्गेय-चाम्पेय-तडिद्-विनिन्दि-
रोचिः-प्रवाह-स्नपितात्म-वृन्दे
बन्धूक-बन्धु-द्युति-दिव्य-वासो
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

gāṅgeya-cāmpeya-taḍid-vinindi- 
rociḥ-pravāha-snapitātma-vṛnde 
bandhūka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vāso 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

gangeya — golden; campeya — campaka flower; tadit — lightning; vinindi — chastising; rocih –splendor; pravaha — with rivers; snapita — bathed; atma — own; vrnde — multitude; bandhuka — of the bandhuka flower; bandhu — friend; dyuti — splendor; divya — transcendental; vasah — garments; vrnde — O Vrnda-devi; namah — I offer respectful obeisances; te — to your; carana — feet; aravindam – the lotus flower. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. You are bathed in your own splendour, which defeats the effulgence of lightning and the golden champaka flower. The luster of your transcendental garments is the friend of the leandhilia flower (bandhūka flower).

TEXT 2

बिम्बाधरोदित्वर-मन्द-हास्य-
नासाग्र-मुक्ता-द्युति-दीपितास्ये
विचित्र-रत्नाभरण-श्रीयाढ्ये
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

bimbādharoditvara-manda-hāsya- 
nāsāgra-muktā-dyuti-dīpitāsye 
vicitra-ratnābharaṇa-śrīyāḍhye 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

bimba — bimba fruits; adhara — lips; uditvara — extraordinary; manda — gentle; hasya — smile; nasa — of the nose; agra –on the tip; mukta — pearl; dyuti — by the splendor; dipita — illuminated; asye — face; vicitra — amazing and colorful; ratna — jewels; abharana — and ornaments; sriya — with the beauty; adhye — enriched. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Your face is illuminated by the splendour of the pearl decorating the tip of your nose, and by the extraordinary gentle smile on the two bimba fruits which are your lips. You are enriched by the beauty of the amazing and colourful jewels and ornaments you wear. 

TEXT 3 

समस्त-वैकुण्ठ-शिरोमणौ श्री-
कृष्णस्य वृन्दावन-धन्य-धाम्नि
दत्ताधिकारे वृषभानु-पुत्र्या
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

samasta-vaikuṇṭha-śiromaṇau 
śrī-kṛṣṇasya vṛndāvana-dhanya-dhāmni 
dattādhikāre vṛṣabhānu-putryā 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

samasta — all; vaikuntha — of the Vaikuntha worlds; sirah-manau — the crown jewel; Sri Krishna — of Sri Krishna vrndavana — Vrndavana; dhanya — opulent and auspicious; dhamni — in the abode; datta — given; adhikare — dominion; vrsabhanu — of King Vrsabhanu; putrya –by the daughter (Srimati Radharani) 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Srīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, has made you the ruling monarch of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s opulent and auspicious abode of Vṛndāvana, which is the crest jewel of all the Vaikunṭha planets. 

TEXT 4

 त्वद्-आज्ञया पल्लव-पुष्प-भृङ्ग-
मृगादिभिर् माधव-केलि-कुञ्जः
मध्व्-आदिभिर् भान्ति विभूष्यमाणा
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

tvad-ājñayā pallava-puṣpa-bhṛṅga- 
mṛgādibhir mādhava-keli-kuñjaḥ 
madhv-ādibhir bhānti vibhūṣyamāṇā 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

tvat — your; ajnaya — by the order; pallava — blossoming; puspa — by flowers; bhrnga — by bumble-bees; mrga — by deer; adibhih — and others; Madhava — of Lord Madhava; keli — for performing pastimes; kunjah — groves; madhu — with springtime; adibhih — and the other seasons; bhanti — appears very splendid; vibhusyamanah — being decorated. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Because of your order, the groves where Lord Mādhava performs His pastimes appear very splendid, decorated with blossoming flowers, bumblebees, deer, and other auspicious animals, flowers, and birds. 

TEXT 5

त्वदीय-दूत्येन निकुञ्ज-यूनोर्
अत्युत्कयोः केलि-विलास-सिद्धिः
त्वत्-सौभगं केन निरुच्यतां तद्
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

tvadīya-dūtyena nikuñja-yūnor 
atyutkayoḥ keli-vilāsa-siddhiḥ
tvat-saubhagaṁ kena nirucyatāṁ tad 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

tvadiya — your; dutyena — because of the message; nikunja-yunoh — of Radha and Krishna who perform pastimes in the groves (of Vrndavana); ati-utkayoh — very enthusiastic (to perform pastimes); keli — amorous; vilasa — pastimes; siddhih — perfection; tvat — your; saubhajam — good fortune; kena — by whom?; nirucyatam — may be described; tat — therefore. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Who can describe your good fortune? You were the messenger who brought about the perfection of the amorous pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, the youthful couple, who enthusiastically sport in the groves of Vṛndāvana. 

TEXT 6 

रासाभिलाषो वसतिश् च वृन्दा
वने त्वद्-ईशाङ्घ्रि-सरोज-सेवा
लभ्या च पुंसां कृपया तवैव
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

rāsābhilāṣo vasatiś ca vṛndā 
vane tvad-īśāṅghri-saroja-sevā 
labhyā ca puṁsāṁ kṛpayā tavaiva 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

rasa — the rasa dance; abhilasah — the desire; vasatih — residence; ca — and; vrndavane — in Vrndavana; tvat — your; isa — of the Lord (Krishna); anghri — feet; saroja — of the lotus flower; seva — service; labhya — is attainable; ca — and; pumsam — by the living entities; krpaya — by the mercy; tava — your; eva — indeed. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. The living entities who attain the service of the lotus feet of your Lord reside in Vṛndāvana. And the desire to understand the Lord’s amazing pastimes of the rasa dance is only by your mercy. 

TEXT 7 

त्वं कीर्त्यसे सात्वत-तन्त्र-विद्भिर्
लीलाभिधाना किल कृष्ण-शक्तिः
तवैव मूर्तिस् तुलसी नृ-लोके
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

tvaṁ kīrtyase sātvata-tantra-vidbhir 
līlābhidhānā kila kṛṣṇa-śaktiḥ 
tavaiva mūrtis tulasī nṛ-loke 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam 

tvam — you; kirtyase — are glorified; satvata-tantra-vidbhih — by those who know the Satvata-tantra; lila — pastimes; abhidhana — by the name; kila — indeed; Krishna — of Lord Krishna; saktih — the potency; tava — your; eva — indeed; murtih — form; tulasi — Tulasi; nrloke –in human society. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Those who have studied the Sātvata-tantra glorify you. You are Lord Kṛṣṇa’s potency for performing pastimes, and you are known as Tulasī Devī in the human society. 

TEXT 8 

भक्त्या विहीना अपराध-लक्षैः
क्षिप्ताश् च कामादि-तरङ्ग-मध्ये
कृपामयि त्वां शरणं प्रपन्ना
वृन्दे नमस् ते चरणारविन्दम्

bhaktyā vihīnā aparādha-lakṣaiḥ 
kṣiptāś ca kāmādi-taraṅga-madhye 
kṛpāmayi tvām śaraṇaṁ prapannā 
vṛnde namas te caraṇāravindam

bhaktya — of devotional service; vihinah — devoid; aparadha — of offenses; laksaih — with thousands; ksiptah — thrown; ca — and; kama — of lust; adi — and other inauspicious qualities; taranga — of the waves; madhye — in the midst; krpamayi — O merciful one; tvam — you; saranam — shelter; prapannah — attain. 

O Vṛnda Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Those who are devoid of devotion to Lord Hari, and who are thrown by their offenses into the waves of lust and other inauspicious qualities, may take shelter of you. 

TEXT 9 

वृन्दाष्टकं यः शृणुयात् पठेद् वा
वृन्दावनाधीश-पदाब्ज-भृङ्गः
स प्राप्य वृन्दावन-नित्य-वासं
तत्-प्रेम-सेवां लभते कृतार्थः

vṛndāṣṭakaṁ yaḥ śṛṇuyāt paṭhed vā 
vṛndāvanādhīśa-padābja-bhṛṅgaḥ 
sa prāpya vṛndāvana-nitya-vāsaṁ 
tat-prema-sevāṁ labhate kṛtārthaḥ

vrinda — glorifying Vrnda-devi; astakam — eight verses; yah — who; srnuyat — may hear; pathet — may read; va — or; vrndavana — of Vrndavana; adhisa — of the monarchs (Radha and Krishna); pada — feet; abja — at the lotus flowers; bhrngah — a bumble-bee; sah — he; prapya — attaining; vrndavana — at Vrindavana; nitya — eternal; vasam — residence; tat — of Lord Krishna; prema — in pure love of Godhead; sevam — devotional service; labhate — attains; krita-arhah — and his spiritual desires are satisfied. 

Let a person who becomes like a bumblebee at the lotus feet of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and who reads or hears these eight verses describing the glories of Vṛndā Devī, eternally reside at Goloka Vṛndāvana. He attains devotional service in pure love of Godhead, and all his spiritual aspirations become fulfilled. 

We hope you have found this article on the to be enlivening. Take a look at our other articles focusing on Tulasi Devi as found in sastra.

Bibliography

• Thakura, Visvanatha Cakravarti. “Sri Vrindadevy-astakam.” Translated by Baba Madhava dasa, digital.