Awakening the True Self
Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Originally published in Sri Gaudiya Darsan:
Volume 1, Issue 4, Tuesday, 15 November 1955
ami guru-dasa — nahi anya
I am a servant of Guru — nothing else.
ami kariba bhramana chaudda-bhuvana
svarupe sabaya kari’ udbodhana
hate la’ye yaba premera nisana
dharaba svarupa chihna [1]
I will travel throughout the fourteen worlds awakening everyone to their true self. I will go with the banner of divine love in hand and cause everyone to recognise the sign of the true self.
ami chhadaba sakale sarva-dharma
kariba churna jnana o karma
rachiba visala bhakati-harmya
guru-dasa nahi anya [2]
I will induce everyone to abandon all religions. I will demolish the pursuits of liberation and worldly enjoyment. I will construct a grand palace of devotion. I am a servant of Guru — nothing else.
ami bhangiba chhanda lagaba dhanda
vachalera mukha kariba banda
mrtyure dhari daniba sanda
nahi kapatata dainya [3]
I will break the customs, bemuse everyone, shut the mouths of the garrulous, hold back death, and distribute good fortune to all. I will do so humbly, without deceit.
Sei mahabharatera mahan parva
yahara prakase hayechhe kharva
dekhaba tahara asima garva
kaitave kari khinna [4]
I will show the unlimited glory of He whose manifestation brought the great portion of the Mahabharata to an end, and efface all duplicity.
ami bajaba jagate vijaya-danka
ghuchaba sakala dvandva-sanka
bahaba visve bhakati-ganga
tusi’ hari labhi punya [5]
I will sound the kettle-drums of victory throughout the world, dispel all quarrel and fear, and cause the Ganges of pure devotion to flow throughout the universe. Satisfying the Lord in this way, I will attain good fortune.
ami aryanarya mlechchha sabaya
lagaiba ba’le krsna-sevaya
chadaiba sabe golokera na’ya
prthvi kariba sunya [6]
I will forcibly engage all — the noble, the ignoble, and the barbarous — in Krishna’s service. I will board them all in the boat to Goloka and empty the earth.
ami chalaba sakale guru-pada bale
vadama tuliba hari-bola bale
mahamaya-vini chhalana chhalile
kariba chinna-bhinna [7]
I will guide them all by the power of my Guru’s feet. I will hoist the boat’s sails by the power of chanting ‘Hari’. If Mahamaya presents any illusion, I shall cut it asunder.
ami chinmaya-dhame chalaiba tari
chatur-bhuja habe yata nara-nari
sthavara jangama sabe labhi hari
habe deva deva manya [8]
I will drive the boat to the spiritual world, and all the men and women will become four-armed. All moving and inert beings will attain Hari and become worshippable to the demigods.
Sabe eka parichaye dibe parichaya
labhibe svarupa amrta-maya
pujibe sri-hari dibe jaya jaya
nehari’ ha-iba dhanya [9]
Everyone will identify with the same identity, realise their immortal self, worship Sri Hari, and call out, ‘Jay! Jay!’ Seeing this, I will be satisfied.
ami guru-dasa nahi anya
I am a servant of Guru — nothing else.