(Atma-nivedana, dedication of the self, 8 songs)

(1) 1.na korolun karama, geyana nahi bhelo,

   na sebilun carana tohara

   jada-sukhe matiya, apanaku banca-i,

   pekhahun caudisa andhiyara

2.tuhun natha! karuna-nidana

   tuwa pada-pankaje atma samarpilun,

   more krpa korobi bidhana

 3.pratijna tohara oi, jo hi saranagata,

    nahi so janabo paramada

   so hama duskrti, gati nahi oi ana,

   ab magon tuwa parasada

4.ana mano-ratha, nihsesa chorato,

   kab hama haubun tohara

   nitya-sebya tuhun, nitya-sebak mui,

   bhakativinoda bhava sara

Translation

 

I have earned neither piety nor knowledge. Overwhelmed by sensual pleasures, I have cheated myself and now see only darkness in all directions.

You, O Lord, are the fountainhead of all mercy. I surrender myself at Your lotus feet. Kindly show me Your compassion.

It is Your promise that one who takes refuge in You will know no dangers or fear. For a sinner like me there is no other shelter. I beg You now for infinite grace.

O when will I know freedom from desire and thus become Yours? You are eternally to be served, I am Your eternal servant, and that is the sum of Bhaktivinoda’s devotional mood.

(2) 1.(praneswar!) kohabun ki sarama ki bat

   aichana pap nahi, jo hama na koralun,

   sahasra sahasra beri nath

2.sohi karama-fala bhave moke pesa-i,

   dokha deobo ab kahi

   takhonaka parinam, kichu na bicaralun

   ab pachu tara-ite cahi

3.dokha bicara-i, tunhu danda deobi,

   hama bhoga korabun somsara

   karato gatagati, bhakata-jana-sange,

   bati rohu carane tohara

4. apana caturpana, tuwa pade sonpalun,

    hrdoya-garaba dure gelo

    dina-doya-moya tuwa krpa niramala,

    bhakativinoda asa bhelo

Translation

 

How much more shall I tell You of my shameful story? There is no sin which I have not committed thousands and thousands of times.

My life in this world has been one of affliction and torment as a result of those sins. Whom will I blame but myself? At the time I did not consider the consequences; now, in the aftermath, I seek to be saved.

After judging my sins, You should punish me, for I deserve to suffer the pangs of rebirth in this world. I only pray that, as I wander through repeated births and deaths, my mind may ever dwell at Your lotus feet in the company of Vaishnavas.

I offer You this judicious prayer. My heart’s false pride has gone far away. O You who are so kind to the meek, Your pure mercy has become Bhaktivinoda’s only hope.

(3) manasa, deho, geho, jo kichu mor

arpilu tuwa pade, nanda-kisor!

sampade vipade, jivane-marane

day mama gela, tuwa o-pada barane

marobi rakhobi - jo iccha tohara

nitya-dasa prati tuwa adhikara

janma obi moe iccha jadi tohar

bhakta-grhe jani janma hau mora

kita-janma hau jatha tuwa dasa

bahir-mukha brahma-janme nahi asa

bhukti-mukti-sprha vihina je bhakta

labhaite tako sanga anurakta

janaka, janani, dayita, tanaya

prabhu, guru, pati--tuhu sarva-moya

bhakativinoda kohe, suno kana!

radha-natha! tuhu hamara parana

Translation

 

Mind, body, and family, whatever may be mine, I have surrendered at Your lotus feet, O youthful son of Nanda!

In good fortune or in bad, in life or at death, all my difficulties have disappeared by choosing those feet of Yours as my only shelter.

Slay me or protect me as You wish, for You are the master of Your eternal servant.

If it is Your will that I be born again, then may it be in the home of Your devotee.

May I be born again even as a worm, so long as I may remain Your devotee. I have no desire to be born as a Brahma averse to You.

I yearn for the company of that devotee who is completely devoid of all desire for worldly enjoyment or liberation.

Father, mother, lover, son, Lord, preceptor, and husband; You are everything to me.

Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, "O Kana, please hear me! O Lord of Radha, You are my life and soul!"

(4) 1.‘aham mama’ — sabda-arthe jaha kichu hoy

    arpilun, tomara pade, ohe doya moy!

2.‘amara’ ami to’ natha! na rohinu ara

    ekhona hoinu ami kebala tomar

3.‘ami’ sabde dehi jiba ahamta charilo

   twadiyabhimana aji hrdoye posilo

4.amar sarbaswa — deho, geho anucara

   bhai, bandhu, dara, suta, drabya, dwara, ghara

5.se saba hoilo taba, ami hoinu dasa

   tomara grhete ebe ami kori basa

6.tumi grha-swami, ami sebaka tomara

   tomara sukhete cesta ekhona amara

7.sthula-linga-dehe mor sukrita duskrita

   ar mor nahe, prabhu! Ami to’nrskrita

8.tomar ichayaya mor ichaya misaila

   Bhakativinoda aja apane bhulilo

Translation

 

Whatever I am, whatever I possess, I offer at Your lotus feet, O merciful Lord.

I no longer belong to myself. Now I am exclusively Yours.

The soul inhabiting this mortal body has given up the false ego attached to the word “I”, and now the eternal, spiritual sense of being Yours has entered his heart.

All my possessions - body, brothers, friends, and followers, wife, sons, personal belongings, house and home- all of these I give You, for I have become Your servant. Now I dwell in Your house.

You are the Lord of my house, and I Your most obedient servant.. Your happiness is my only endeavor now.

Whatever piety or sins were done by me, by mind or deed, are no longer mine, for I am redeemed

My desire has become one with Yours. From this day Bhaktivinoda has no other identity.

(5) 1.‘amara’ bolite prabhu! are kichu nai

   tumi-i amara matro pita-bandhu-bhai

2.bandhu, dara, suta, suta — taba dasi dasa

   sei to’ sambandhe sabe amara prayasa

3.dhana, jana, grha, dara ‘tomara’ boliya

    rakha kori ami matro sebaka hoiya

4.tomara karjera tareuparjibo dhana

   tomara somsare-byaya koribo bahana

5.bhalo-manda nahi jani seba matro kori

   tomara samsare ami bisaya-prahari

6.tomara icchaya mora indriya-calana

   srabana, darsana, ghrana, bhojana-basana

7.nija-sukha lagi’ kichu nahi kori ara

   bhakativinoda bale, taba suka-sara

Translation

 

Nothing remains “mine”. Father, friend, brother — You are even these to me.

Those whom I called friends, wife, sons, and daughters are all Your servants and maidservants. Whatever care I take for them is only as it relates to You.

If I continue to maintain my wealth, family members, home, and wife, it is because they are Yours. I am a mere servant.

For Your service I will earn money and bear the expense of Your houselhold.

I know neither good nor bad. I merely serve. I am but a watchman who guards the properties in Your household.

The exercising of my senses — hearing, seenig, smelling, tasting, touching — is done according to Your desire.

I no longer do anything for my own pleasure. Bhakativinoda says, “Your happiness is the essence of everything”.

(6) 1. bastutoh sakali taba, jiba keho noya

   ‘aham’ — ‘mama’ — bhrame bhromi’ bhoge soka-bhoy

2.aham-mama-abhimana ei-matro dhana

   baddha jiba nija boli’ jane mane mana

3.sei abhimane ami somsare poriya

   habudubu khai bhava-sindhu santariya

4.tomara abhaya-pade loiya sarana

   aji ami korilama atma-nibedana

5.‘aham’ — ‘mama’-abhimana charilo amaya

   ar jeno mama hrde stana nahi paya

6. ei matro balo prabhu! dibe he amare

   ahamta-mamata dure pari rakhi bare

7. atma-nibedana-bhava hrde drdha roy

   hasti-snana sama jeno khanika na hoy

8. bhakativinoda prabhu nityananda pay

   mage parasada, jahe abhimana jay

Translation

 

In truth, all things belong to You. NO jiva is owner of anything. The tiny soul wanders in this  world mistakenly thinking, “I am this transitory body, and everything related to this body is mine.” Thus he suffers sorrow and fear.

The conditined soul is falsely proud and considers everything attached to the words “I” and “mine” to be his treasures alone.

Due to that same vanity, I fell into this world. Floundering in the ocean of mundane existence like a drowning man, I suffer the pangs of rising and sinking in that ocean.

I take shelter at Your lotus feet, which award fearlessness, and dedicate myself to You on this day.

The vanity of “I” and “mine” has left me now. May it never again find a place within my heart.

O Lord, please give me this strength, that I may be able to keep the false conceptions of  “I” and “Mine” far away.

May the mood of self-surrender to the Supreme Lord remain firmly fixed in my heart and not prove to be like the momentary cleanliness of an elephant after a bath.

Bhaktivinoda begs at the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda for the grace which delivers one from all false pride.

(7) 1.nibedana kori prabhu! tomara carane

   patita adhama ami, jane tri-bhuvane

2.ama-sama papi nahi jagat -bhitore

   mama sama aparadhi nahika somsare

3.sei saba papa ara aparadha, ami

   parihare pai lajja, saba jano’ tumi

4.tumi bina ka’ra ami loibo saran?

   tumi sarbeswareswara, brajendra-nandan!

5.jagat tomara natha! tumi sarba-moy

   toma prati aparadha tumi koro’ khoy

6. tumi to’ skhalita-pada janera asroy

   tumi bina ara kiba ache, doya-moy!

7.sei-rupa taba aparadhi jana jato

  tomara saranagata hoibe satato

8. bhakativinoda ebe loiya saran

   tuwa pade kare aj atma-samarpan

Translation

 

I submit at Your lotus feet, O Lord, that I am fallen and wretched, a fact known to the three worlds.

There is no sinner more sinful than me. In the entire material creation there is no offender whose offenses equal mine.

By attempting to clear myself of all these sins and offenses I am put to shame and beg Your forgiveness. All this is understood by You.

Of whom will I take shelter except for You? O son of the King of Vraja, You are the Lord of all lords.

This world is Yours, and You pervade all things in it. You forgive the offenses committed against You.

You alone are the shelter of those who have gone astray. Apart from You, what else exists, O merciful Lord?

Those like me who have offended You will know no peace until achieving Your shelter.

Bhaktivinoda takes shelter in You and surrenders himself at Your lotus feet on this very day.

(8) 1.atma-nibedana, tuwa-pade kori’

   hoinu parama sukhi

  duhkha dure gelo, cinta na rohilo,

   caudike ananda dekhi

2.asoka-abhaya, amrita-adhara,

   tomara carana-dwaya

   tahate ekhona, bisrama labhiya

  charinu bhavera bhoya

3.tomara somsare, koribo sebana,

   nahibo falera bhagi

   taba sukha jahe, koribo jatana,

   ho ‘ye pade anuragi

4.tomara sebaya, duhkha hoya jato,

   sei ‘to parama sukha

   seba-sukha-duhkha, parama sampada

   nasaye abidya-duhkha

5.purba itihasa, bhulinu sakala,

   seba-sukha  pe’ye mane

   ami to’tomara, tumi to ‘amara,

   ki kaja apare dhane

6.bhakativinoda, anande dubiya,

   tomara sebara tare

   saba cesta kare, taba iccha-mato,

   thakiya tomara ghare

Translation

 

I have become supremely joyful by surrendering myself at Your holy feet. Unhappiness has gone away, and there are no more anxieties. I see joy in all directions.

Your two lotus feet are reservoirs of immortal nectar where one may live free from sorrow and fear. I have found peace there now and have given up the fear of worldly existence.

I shall render service in Your household and not endeavor to enjoy the fruits of that service, but rather I shall strive for whatever pleases You, fully devoted to Your lotus feet.

Troubles encountered in Your service shall be the cause of great happiness, for in Your devotional service joy and sorrow are equally great riches. Both destroy the misery of ignorance.

I have completely forgotten all past history by feeling great joy in my mind. I am most certainly Yours, and You are indeed mine. What need is there of any other treasure?

Bhaktivinoda, diving into the ocean of bliss, devotes all his efforts for Your service and dwells in Your house according to Your wishes.