Sri Chaurastakam is a beautiful prayer of love and devotion, composed by Bilva Mangal Thakur, an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna.

LYRICS:

(1)

vraje prasiddhaḿ navanīta-cauraḿ

gopāńganānāḿ ca dukūla-cauram

aneka-janmārjita-pāpa-cauraḿ

caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

 

(2)

śrī rādhikāyā hṛdayasya cauraḿ

navāmbuda-śyāmala-kānti-cauram

padāśritānāḿ ca samasta-cauraḿ

caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

 

(3)

akiñcanī-kṛtya padāśritaḿ yaḥ

karoti bhikṣuḿ pathi geha-hīnam

kenāpy aho bhīṣaṇa-caura īdṛg

dṛṣṭaḥ-śruto vā na jagat-traye ’pi

 

(4)

yadīya nāmāpi haraty aśeṣaḿ

giri-prasārān api pāpa-rāśīn

āścarya-rūpo nanu caura īdṛg

dṛṣṭaḥ śruto vā na mayā kadāpi

 

(5)

dhanaḿ ca mānaḿ ca tathendriyāṇi

prāṇāḿś ca hṛtvā mama sarvam eva

palāyase kutra dhṛto ’dya caura

tvaḿ bhakti-dāmnāsi mayā niruddhaḥ

 

(6)

chinatsi ghoraḿ yama-pāśa-bandhaḿ

bhinatsi bhīmaḿ bhava-pāśa-bandham

chinatsi sarvasya samasta-bandhaḿ

naivātmano bhakta-kṛtaḿ tu bandham

 

(7)

man-mānase tāmasa-rāśi-ghore

kārāgṛhe duḥkha-maye nibaddhaḥ

labhasva he caura! hare! cirāya

sva-caurya-doṣocitam eva daṇḍam

 

(8)

kārāgṛhe vasa sadā hṛdaye madīye

mad-bhakti-pāśa-dṛḍha-bandhana-niścalaḥ san

tvāḿ kṛṣṇa he! pralaya-koṭi-śatāntare ’pi

sarvasva-caura! hṛdayān na hi mocayāmi

 

TRANSLATION

1) I offer my respectful obeisances to that foremost of thieves – who is famous in Vraja as the butter-thief and He who steals the gopis’ clothes, and who, for those who take shelter of Him, steals the sins which have accrued over many lifetimes.

 

2) I offer my respectful obeisances to the foremost of thieves – who steals Srimati Radhika’s heart, who steals the dark luster of a fresh raincloud, and who steals all the sins and sufferings of those who take shelter of His feet.

 

3) He turns His surrendered devotees into paupers and wandering, homeless beggar – alas! Such a fearsome thief has never been seen or heard of in all the three worlds.

 

4) Mere utterance of His name purges one of a mountain of sins – such an astonishingly wonderful thief I have never seen or heard of anywhere!

 

5) O Thief! Having stolen my wealth, my honor, my senses, my life and my everything, where can You run to? I have caught You with the rope of my devotion.

 

6) You cut the terrible noose of Yamaraja, You sever the dreadful noose of material existence, and You slash everyone’s material bondage, but You are unable to cut the knot fastened by Your own loving devotees.

 

7) O stealer of my everything! O Thief! Today I have imprisoned You in the miserable prison-house of my heart which is very fearful due to the terrible darkness of my ignorance, and there for a very long time You will remain, receiving appropriate punishment for Your crimes of thievery!

 

8) O Krsna, thief of my everything! The noose of my devotion remaining forever tight, You will continue to reside in the prison-house of my heart because I will not release You for millions of aeons.

Shri Chaurashtakam

Nityananda Charan Das