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Ki Jani Ki Bale

Surrender & Self-Offering (Śaraṇāgati)

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Audio courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree. All glories to the devotee singers.

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Text

1

ki jāni ki bale, tomāra dhāmete, hoinu śaraṇāgata tumi doyā-moy, patita-pāvana, patita-tāraṇe rata

Word for word

ki–what?; jāni–I know; ki–what; bale–by force; tomāra–Your; dhāmete–in the abode; ha-inu–I became; śaraṇāgata–surrendered; tumi–You; dayā–mercy; maya–full of; patita–fallen; pāvana–saviour; patita–fallen; tāraṇe–in delivering; rata–ever engaged

Translation

I do not know by what force I have taken shelter within Your abode. You are the merciful saviour of the fallen, who is ever engaged in delivering them.

2

bharasā āmāra, ei mātra nātha! tumi to’ karunā-moy tava doyā-pātra, nāhi mora sama, avaśya ghucābe bhoy

Word for word

bharasā–hope; āmāra–my; ei–this; mātra–only; nātha!–O Lord!; tumi– You; ta’–certainly; karuṇā–mercy; maya–full of; tava–Your; dayā–mercy; pātra–recipient; nāhi–there is not; mora–my; sama–equal; avaśya–certainly; ghuchābe–will dispel; bhaya–fear

Translation

O Lord! You are merciful. This is my sole hope. There is no candidate for Your mercy like me, certainly You will dispel all my fear.

3

āmāre tārite, kāhāro śakati, avanī-bhitore nāhi doyāla ṭhākura! ghoṣanā tomāra, adhama pāmare trāhi

Word for word

āmāre–to me; tārite–to deliver; kāhāro–someone; śakati–power; avanī– Earth; bhitare–upon; nāhi–there is not; dayāla–merciful; ṭhākura–Lord; ghoṣaṇā–declaration; tomāra–Your; adhama–low; pāmare–to the sinners; trāhi (trāṇa kara)–You deliver

Translation

There is no one on Earth who has the power to deliver me. O merciful Lord! It is Your declaration that You deliver the lowest, most sinful persons.

4

sakala chāḍiyā, āsiyāchi āmi, tomāra caraṇe nātha! āmi nitya-dāsa, tumi pālayitā, tumi goptā, jagannātha!

Word for word

sakala–everything; chhāḍiyā–abandoning; asiyāchhi–have come; āmi–I; tomāra–Your; charaṇe–at the feet; nātha!–O Lord!; āmi–I; nitya–eternal; dāsa–servant; tumi–You; pālayitā–maintainer; tumi–You; goptā (pālana-kartā)–protector; jagannātha!–O Lord of the universe!

Translation

Abandoning everything, I have come to Your feet, O Lord! I am Your eternal servant, and You are my maintainer and protector, O Lord of the universe!

5

tomāra sakala, āmi mātra dāsa, āmāra tāribe tumi tomāra caraṇa, korinu varaṇa, āmāra nāhi to’ āmi

Word for word

tomāra–Yours; sakala–everything; āmi–I; mātra–only; dāsa–a servant; āmāre–to me; tāribe–will deliver; tumi–You; tomāra–Your; charaṇa–feet; karinu–I did; varaṇa (avalambana-rūpe grahaṇa)–embrace (accept as my support); āmāra–mine; nāhi–not; ta’–certainly; āmi–I

Translation

Everything is Yours. I am only a servant. Certainly You will deliver me. I have embraced Your feet and no longer belong to myself.

6

bhakativinoda, kāṅdiyā śaraṇa, lo’yeche tomāra pāy kṣami’ aparādha, nāme ruci diyā, pālana korohe tāy

Word for word

bhakati-vinoda–Bhakti Vinod; kā̐diyā–crying; śaraṇa–shelter; la’yechhe–has taken; tomāra–Your; pāya–feet; kṣami’–forgiving; aparādha–offences; nāme– for Your Name; ruchi (anurāga)–taste (deep loving attachment); diyā–giving; pālana–protection; karahe–please do; tāya–him

Translation

Crying, Bhakti Vinod has taken shelter at Your feet. Forgiving his offences and granting him taste for Your Name, please maintain him.

About Ki Jani Ki Bale

Opens the Goptṛtve Varaṇa section. Its opening question, ki jani ki bale — by what strength do I even continue — sets up the section's central claim: that whatever sustains a life was never truly one's own doing.

Further reading

Frequently asked

Who wrote Ki Jani Ki Bale?

Ki Jani Ki Bale was composed by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. It appears in Saranagati.

What is the meaning of Ki Jani Ki Bale?

I do not know by what force I have taken shelter within Your abode. You are the merciful saviour of the fallen, who is ever engaged in delivering them.

Where can I listen to Ki Jani Ki Bale?

You can listen to 1 recording of Ki Jani Ki Bale on this page, including versions sung by HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu.

How many verses does Ki Jani Ki Bale have?

Ki Jani Ki Bale has 6 verses.

Can I download Ki Jani Ki Bale as a PPT or PDF?

Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Ki Jani Ki Bale — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.