Gopinath

By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Part One

1.
gopinath, mama nivedana suno
visayi durjana, sada kama-rata,
kichu nahi mora guna

Gopinath, my Lord, please heed my humble plea.
Self-serving and shameless, immersed in sinfulness,
no virtue will you find within me.
2.
gopinath, amara bharasa tumi
tomara carane, loinu sarana,
tomara kinkora ami

Gopinath, I have no other hope than you,
I fall down at your feet, your shelter do I seek,
Your service ever to pursue.
3.
Gopinath, kemone sodhibe more
na jani bhakati, karme jada-mati,
porechi somsara-ghore

Gopinath, I do not see how you will free me,
bereft of all bhakti, dulled by cupidity,
fallen in fearful misery.
4.
gopinath, sakali tomara maya
nahi mama bala, jnana sunirmala,
swadina nahe e kaya

Gopinath, all I see here is illusion.
No knowledge I possess, completely powerless,
controlled by worldly conditions.
5.
gopinath, niyata carane sthana
mage e pamara, kandiya kandiya,
korohe karuna dana

Gopinath, at your feet forever keep me.
Weeping incessantly, a sinner though I be,
I pray and plead for your mercy.
6.
gopinath, tumi to’ sakali paro
durjane tarite, tomara sakati,
ke ache papira aro

Gopinath, you can act completely freely.
All sinners can you save, your grace I therefore crave,
no other shelter do I see.

7.
gopinath, tumi krpa-parabara
jivera karane, asiya prapance,
lila koile subistara

Gopinath, ocean of complete compassion.
Your pastimes you display, to free us from the sway,
of ignorance and illusion.
8.
gopinath, ami ki dose dosi
asura sakala, pailo carana,
vinoda thakilo bosi’

Gopinath, what evil does exist in me?
That though the demons rose, into your own abode,
I fail to find my liberty.

Part Two

1.
gopinath, ghucao samsara jwala
avidya-jatana, aro nahi sahe,
janama-marana-mala

Gopinath, please free me from the fierce inferno,
of birth and death again, the ignorance and pain,
through which I can no longer go.
2.
gopinath, ami to’ kamera dasa
visaya-basana, jagiche hrdoye,
phadiche karama phasa

Gopinath, lust has now become my master.
forever do I find, such sin within my mind,
binding me in bonds of karma.
3.
gopinath, ami to’ kamera dasa
visaya-basana, jagiche hrdoye,
phadiche karama phasa

Gopinath, when will I wake from my slumber,
to slay this enemy, dwelling deep inside of me,
so in my heart you may appear?
4.
gopinath, ami to’ tomara jana
tomare chariya, samsara bhajinu,
bhuliya apana-dhana

Gopinath, I am your servant, that is sure,
but turning far away, toward the worldly sway,
I turned from an untold treasure.
5.
gopinath, tumi to’ sakali jano
apanara jane, dandiya ekhano,
sri-carane aeho sthano

Gopinath, you know all this undoubtedly,
and as your property, you should please punish me,
and shelter me eternally
6.
gopinath, ei ki vicara taba
bimukha dekhiya, charo nija-jane,
na koro’ karuna-laba

Gopinath, how this is just I cannot see.
For having been averse, to you it seems I’m cursed,
shunned and shorn of all your mercy.
7.
gopinath, ami to murakha ati
kise bhalo hoya, kabhu na bujhinu,
tai heno mama gati

Gopinath, I am a fool most certainly,
for never do I see, what will be best for me,
thus I remain in misery.
8.
gopinath, tumi to’ pandita-bara
mudhera mangala, tumi anvesibe,
e dase na bhavo’ para

Gopinath, wisest and most learned person.
You can thus ascertain, what is my greatest gain.
Accept me always as your own.

Part Three

1.
gopinath, amara upaya nai
tumi krpa kori’, amare loile,
samsare uddhara pai

Gopinath, there is no other hope for me
But that by your mercy, your servant I may be.
From birth and death forever free.
2.
gopinath, porechi mayara phere
dhana, dara, suta, ghireche amare,
kamete rekheche jere

Gopinath, I’m fallen in a worldly whirlpool
With wealth and family, ever entangling me,
I’m under lust’s complete control
3.
gopinath, mana je pagala mora
na mane sasana, sada acetana,
visaye ro ‘yeche ghora

Gopinath, my mind is seized with insanity.
It sees itself as free, from all authority,
absorbed in sensuality.

4.
gopinath, hara je menechi ami
aneka jatana, hoilo bifala,
ekhano bharasa tumi

Gopinath, I must at last accept defeat.
My every endeavour, has found only failure
My only hope your lotus feet.
5.
gopinath, kemone hoibe gati
prabala indriya, bosi-bhuta mana,
na chare visaya-rati

Gopinath, how can I attain perfection?
My senses are so strong, they drag my mind along,
always to worldly attraction.
6.
gopinath, hrdoye bosiya mora
manake samiya, laho nija pane,
ghucibe vipada ghora

Gopinath, within my heart forever stay,
And thus my mind subdue, to bring me unto you,
and drive all danger far away.
7.
gopinath, anatha dekhiya more
tumi hrsikesa, hrsika damiya,
taro ‘he samsrti-ghore

Gopinath, seeing me to be so helpless
You are the Hrisikesh, take hold of my senses
Oh save me from this dark abyss
8.
gopinath, galaya legeche phasa
krpa-asi dhori’, bandhana chediya,
vinode koroho dasa

Gopinath, I’m wrapped in ropes of worldliness,
With the sword of your mercy, please quickly cut me free,
And place me in your loving service.

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Hare Krishna Kirtan by H G Chaitanya Das at ISKCON Juhu on 19 August 2014

Gopal’s Garden Home School Co-op End-of-the-Year Party

By Lilasuka dasi

“Why did Krsna ask, ‘Which Brahma?’”

This question came from a puzzled Lord Brahma, played by nine year old Josh Fintel, during the dramatic reading of Sankirtan das’s play Which Brahma? at the end of the year school party for Gopal’s Garden June 11, 2014.

The students reciting Bhagavad Gita

The students at Gopal’s Garden Home School Co-op ended another school year with some very fine presentations. The recited their five favorite Bhagavad Gita verses by heart; then they each read their favorite story out of many stories that they themselves had written throughout the school year, and finally, they performed the dramatic reading Which Brahma?.

Their audience, made up of parents, teachers and interested residents of NV, were delighted at the entertainment, and impressed at the level of education of the kids.

Veteran teacher, Ruci dasi, acknowledged each and every one of her students for his or her individual strengths and interests.

Ruci dasi, tutor at Gopal’s Garden

“If you have any questions about killer whales, just ask Josh – he did a lot of research and is expert in the subject! He’ll be ten years old in a few weeks.”

“The nine year old twins, Ram and Shyam, are both such willing and eager helpers. This party wouldn’t have come together if they hadn’t come down early to clean and vacuum in here.”

“Brinda, who is now 11 years old, is a poet. She’s an artist and a writer. She’s amazingly talented, as are all the kids!”

“Seven year old Jacob could hardly speak English when he first came to the school, and now he’s got an amazing grasp of both reading AND writing in English. He’s curious about everything around him and Jacob loves to learn.

“Jacob’s older sister, 12 year old Shemaella, is a thoughtful and caring girl who is also a creative artist. She brings a lot of sensitivity to her art and writing.”

We took the opportunity to interview Brinda, who is going to 7^th grade next year.

“This school has a very good environment. It’s spiritual, plus the work is more individualized than in public school. We have a one on one relationship with the teacher, which is great. I mean, it’s not that everyone has to do the same lesson, that’s easy for some and very hard for others. The level of the lessons are just perfect for you.

Like, last year I had a spelling program, and if you don’t finish it in one year it’s ok, you just finish it next year. Or, if you can finish it before the year is up, that’s ok too. You go at your own pace. My older sister Visakha, who used to go to this school, was saying that this kind of teaching is good for all students, no matter what level you’re at. She says that she learned more when she was here than when she spent this last year in public school.”

Brnda doesn’t feel she’s missing anything by not going to public school.

Spam e-mail
Earlier on this year I had a small clash of perspective on this my blog I was a little perplexed given that the article that had rattled them most ended in a question to which me being me simply felt they could have replied to.
However they did make a small notation which I’ve been pondering on “remember others read and what you say could influence or even put them off krishna consciousness or ISKCON” Now although I have strong views in certain areas it has made me ponder and think before each post.
Recently though I’ve been hit by what many of would see as being spam but on the whole sinister, unfactual and offensive however the last one I felt needed a response
The first questioned the parampara
Then Bhaktivinoda Thakur
The last was picking up on when Srila Prabhupada talked about his own marriage and the system of finding a life partner, it’s undertones and assumptions was shocking inaccurate but more so was it’s conclusion.
Let’s face it when Srila Prabhupada talked about the age people got married this was seen as the social norm but at no stage did Srila Prabhupada say this was the ages and that we should follow it precisely, it was a conversation and contextually accurate.
However the individual stated two unfactual and offensive notations
1) Srila Prabhupada was a phedophile
2) Due to this ISKCON is a haven for phedophile’s
My first notation and response:
Indeed the British introduced in 1860 setting the age at 10 years in 1891 it was raised to 12 years but not the age of marriage and was only considered rape if under 10 years of age, in 1949 this was raised to 15 and then again in 1982 to 16 years of age being raised to 18 in 2012
To apply the current age of consent to Srila Prabhupada indeed anyone from that era is unfair and in itself illegal as no law should be applied retrospectively
Indeed using the persons logic that simply means that my own ancestors seeings that in 1576 the age of consent was 10 years of age, 1875 raised to 13 years of age and in the 1920 to the current age of 16 years; so does that make our grandparents who were married at this age phedophile’s?
Thus applying simple logic anyone by association must also be like minded
My second notation and response:
Yes ISKCON has had problems with some individuals who have harboured and acted on their desires for young children (and unlike Srila Prabhupada had sexual relations with legally underage children)
This does not mean its a pandemic and practiced by most or all of the society as the individual suggested
Yes as a society and this was also reflected in the wider society outside of ISKCON a period of denial which meant more people were abused however this was the case in most organisation at the time.
ISKCON however has put in place a robust no tolerance reporting system, applying the legal age of consent and laws of the land; I am not nieve to believe that this will mean their will no longer any cases of phedophile but more importantly lessons have been learnt and once alerted full assistance and support will be given to the victim and justice in the law courts persuid
And that we see practically within ISKCON many loving and caring families whom make this society one that is special and an honour to be a part of.
Spam e-mail and the internet can be a medium for false information or false accusations
Some will believe and yes disinformation can indeed cause problem’s
But for me this disinformation can if the person is willing to listen and entre into dialogue
However I feel this person would not actually enter into a discussion or look retrospectively at the laws at the time and will continue in his pursuit of passing on misinformation.
It also reminded me of the need for checking and rechecking before publishing anything or allowing a dialogue for open discussion with a view that maybe yours rather than the person reading viewpoint has to change.