Mantra – Kevalashtakam
Writer – Nilantha Goswami
Original text- Panchratnam
Language- Sanskrit
Diety – Krishna
1.Madhuraḿ Madhurebhyo ‘Pi Mańgalebhyo ‘Pi Mańgalam Pāvanaḿ Pāvanebhyo ‘Pi Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam मधुरं मधुरेभ्योऽपि मङ्गलेभ्योऽपि मङ्गलम् । पावनं पावनेभ्योऽपि हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ १॥ More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things; the greatest purifier of all purifying things—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ==================================== 2.Ābrahmā-Stamba-Paryantaḿ Sarvaḿ Māyā-Mayaḿ Jagat Satyaḿ Satyaḿ Punaḥ Satyaḿ Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यन्तं सर्वं मायामयं जगत् । सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ २॥ The entire universe, from exalted Brahma down to the lowly clump of grass, is a product of the illusory energy of the supreme Lord. The only thing that is reality, reality, again I say reality—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ========================== 3.Sa Guruḥ Sa Pitā Cāpi Sā Mātā Bandhavo ‘Pi Saḥ Śikṣayec Cet Sadā Smartuḿ Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam स गुरुः स पिता चापि सा माता बान्धवोऽपि सः । शिक्षयेच्चेत्सदा स्मर्तुं हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ३॥ That person is a true preceptor, or a true father, a true mother, and a true friend also only if they teach one to always remember—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything =========================== 4.Niḥśvāse Nāhi Viśvāsaḥ Kadā Ruddho Bhaviṣyati Kīrtanīya Mato Bālyād == Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam निःश्र्वासे न हि विश्र्वासः कदा रुद्धो भविष्यति । कीर्तनीयमतो बाल्याद्धरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ४॥ There is no certainty when the last breath will come and put an abrupt halt to all one’s material plans; therefore it is wise to always practice chanting from very childhood—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ================================ 5.Hariḥ Sadā Vaset Tatra Yatra Bhāgavatā Janāḥ Gāyanti Bhakti-Bhāvena Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam हरिः सदा वसेत्तत्र यत्र भगवता जनाः । गायन्ति भक्तिभावेन हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ५॥ Lord Hari eternally dwells in that place where truly exalted, spiritually advanced souls sing in the mood of pure devotion—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ============================== 6.Aho Duḥkhaḿ Mahā-Duḥkhaḿ Duḥkhād Duḥkhataraḿ Yataḥ Kācārthaḿ Vismṛtam Ratna- Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam अहो दुःखं महादुःखं दुःखद् दुःखतरं यतः । काचार्थं विस्मृतं रत्नं हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ६॥ What a sorrow, what a great sorrow! More painful than any other misery in the world! Mistaking it as a mere piece of glass, the people have forgotten this jewel—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ============================ 7.Dīyatāḿ Dīyatāḿ Karṇo Nīyatāḿ Nīyatāḿ Vacaḥ Gīyatāḿ Gīyatāḿ Nityaḿ Harer Nāmaiva Kevalam दीयतां दीयतां कर्णो नीयतां नीयतां वचः । गीयतां गीयतां नित्यं हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ७॥ It should be heard again and again with one’s ears; It should be uttered over and over with one’s voice; It should be perpetually sung and sung anew—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ============================= 8.Tṛṇī-Kṛtya Jagat Sarvaḿ Rājate Sakalopari Cid-Ānanda-Mayaḿ Śuddhaḿ Harer-Nāmaiva Kevalam तृणीकृत्य जगत्सर्वं राजते सकलोपरि । चिदानन्दमयं शुद्धं हरेर्नामैव केवलम् ॥ ८॥ It makes the entire universe seem insignificant as a blade of grass; it splendorously reigns supreme over all; it is full of eternally conscious divine ecstasy; it is supremely pure—The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything. ==================================== इति कैवल्याष्टकम् अथवा केवलाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् । श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु । इति नीलकण्ठगोस्वामी विरचितं केवलाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥