Gay Gaur Madhur Sware
Bhaktivinod Thakur has written this song Gay Gaur Madhur Sware. The official name for this song is Sri Nama. This song is taken from the book Gitavali (Section: Sri Nagara Kirtana Sri Nama Song 2). Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that life is unpredictable. Why not make efforts to chant the Hare Krishna Mantra given by Maha prabhu to deliver all of us from the material afflictions. You can drink this nectar any time, in happiness or in distress. Just relish the nectar of the holy names.
(1)
gāy gorā madhur sware
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
(2)
gṛhe thāko, vane thāko, sadā ‘hari’ bole’ ḍāko,
sukhe duḥkhe bhulo nā’ko, vadane hari-nām koro re
(3)
māyā-jāle baddha ho ‘ye, ācho miche kāja lo ‘ye,
ekhona cetana pe’ye, ‘rādhā-mādhav’ nām bolo re
(4)
jīvana hoilo śeṣa, nā bhajile hṛṣīkeśa
bhaktivinodopadeśa, ekbār nām-rase māto re
TRANSLATION
1) Lord Gaurasundara sings in a very sweet voice, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
2) Whether you are a householder or a sannyasi, constantly chant “Hari! Hari!” Do not forget this chanting, whether you are in a happy condition or a distressful one. Just fill your lips with the hari-nama.
3) You are bound up in the network of Maya and are forced to toil fruitlessly. Now you have obtained full consciousness in the human form of life, so chant the names of Radha-Madhava.
4) Your life may end at any moment, and you have not served the Lord of the senses, Hrsikesa. Take this advice of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: “Just once, relish the nectar of the holy name!”
Purport to Gay Gaura Madhur Sware by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
Gāy gauracand madhu sware. This is a song sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He says that Lord Caitanya, Gaura, Gaura means Lord Caitanya, Gaurasundara, the fair complexion. Gāy gauracand madhur sware. In sweet voice, He is singing mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
In very sweet song He’s singing, and it is our duty to follow His footsteps to sing the mahā-mantra. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, gṛhe thāko, vane thāko, sadā ‘hari’ bole’ ḍāko. Gṛhe thāko means either you stay at your home as a householder, or you stay in the forest as the renounced order of life, it does not make difference, but you have to chant the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Gṛhe vane thāko, sadā ‘hari’ bole’ ḍāko. Always chant this mahā-mantra. Sukhe duḥkhe bhulo nā’ko, “Do not forget chanting either in distress or in happiness.” Vadane hari-nāma koro re. So far chanting (is concerned), there cannot be any check, because in whatever condition I may be, I can go on chanting this mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, “Never mind, you are in distress or happiness, but go on chanting this mahā-mantra.” Māyā-jāle baddha ho’ye, ācho miche kāja lo’ye. You are entrapped by the network of illusory energy, māyā-jāle baddha ho’ye, just like the fisherman catches from the sea all kinds of creatures within the network. Similarly we are also within the net of illusory energy, and because we have no freedom, therefore all our activities are useless. Action in freedom has got some meaning, but when we are not free within the clutches of māya, within the network of māyā, then our so-called freedom has no value. Therefore, whatever we are doing is simply defeat. Without knowing our constitutional position, if you are forced to do something by the pressure of the illusory energy, it is simply useless waste of time. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, “Now you have got full consciousness in the human form of life. So just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Mādhava, all these names. There is no loss or great profit.” Jīvana hoilo śeṣa, nā bhajile hṛṣīkeśa. Now gradually everyone is on the verge of death, nobody can say that, “I shall remain, I shall stay for more hundred years.” No, any moment we can die. Therefore, he advises jīvana hoilo śeṣa: “Our life is at end at any moment, and we could not serve Hṛṣīkeśa, Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinodopadeśa.” Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, ekbār nām-rase māto re: “Please be enchanted, nām-rase, in the mellow of chanting the transcendental name. Dive yourself within this ocean. That is my request.” (end)