śarac-candrathe autumn moon;bhrāntibewilderment;sphuratshining;amalaspotless;kāntimbeauty;gaja-gatimelephant gait;harifor Lord Hari;premaof love;unmattamintoxicated;dhṛta-parama-sattvamholding the supreme truth;smita-mukhamsmiling face;samāghūrṇan-netramrolling eyes;kara-kalita-vetramcarrying a stick in His hands;kali-bhidambreaking Kali;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
His shining spotless beauty bewilders the autumn moon. With a smiling face and rolling eyes, intoxicated with love for Lord Hari, He walks like an elephant. He holds the supreme truth and carries a stick that breaks the effects of Kali-yuga. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
rasānāmof rasas;āsārama shower;sva-jana-gaṇa-sarvasvamthe all in all for His devotees;atulamincomparable;tadīyaika-prāṇa-pratimalike their very life;vasudhā-jāhnavi-patimthe husband of Vasudhā and Jāhnavī;sadāalways;premonmādammad with love;parambut;aviditamunknown;manda-manasāmto those whose minds are dull;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
He is the husband of Vasudhā and Jāhnavī, and their life and soul. Always mad with love for God, He is incomparable and a shower of transcendental rasas. He is the all in all for His devotees but is unknown to the fools. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
śacī-sūnu-preṣṭhamthe dearest of the son of Śacī;nikhila-jagad-iṣṭamworshipped by the whole universe;sukha-mayambliss personified;kalauin Kali-yuga;majjaj-jīvoddharaṇafor saving the drowning souls;karaṇoddāma-karuṇamwhose unlimited mercy is the cause;hareḥof Lord Hari;ākhyānātby preaching;vāand;bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haramremoving the rising pride of the ocean of material existence;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
He is worshipped by the whole universe and is the dearest associate of the son of mother Śacī. He is bliss personified and His unlimited mercy is the cause of salvation for the souls drowning in the ocean of Kali. By preaching the glories of Lord Hari, He removes the rising pride of the ocean of material existence. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
aye bhrātar nṝṇāṁ kali-kaluṣiṇāṁ kiṁ nu bhavitātathā prāyaścittaṁ racaya yad anāyāsata ime |vrajanti tvām itthaṁ saha bhagavatā mantrayati yobhaje nityānandaṁ bhajana-taru-kandaṁ niravadhi || 4 ||
Word for word
aye bhrātaḥO brother;nṝṇāmto the people;kali-kaluṣināmcontaminated by Kali;kiṁ nuwhat;bhavitāwill happen;tathāsuch;prāyaścittamatonement;racayaarrange;yatso that;anāyāsataḥeasily;imethese;vrajantigo;tvāmto You;itthamthus;sahawith;bhagavatāthe Supreme Lord (Caitanya);mantrayatispeaks;yaḥWho;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
"O brother, what will happen to these people contaminated by the Age of Kali? Please arrange a process of atonement so that they may easily go to You." I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service, Who speaks to Lord Caitanya in this way.
yatheṣṭaṁ re bhrātaḥ kuru hari-hari-dhvānam aniśaṁtato vaḥ saṁsārāmbudhi-taraṇa-dāyo mayi laget |idaṁ bāhu-sphoṭair aṭati viraṭan yaḥ pratigṛhaṁbhaje nityānandaṁ bhajana-taru-kandaṁ niravadhi || 5 ||
Word for word
yatheṣṭamaccording to His own will;re bhrātaḥO brother;kurudo;hari-hari-dhvānamthe sound “Hari, Hari;” aniśamincessantly;tataḥtherefore;vaḥyour;saṁsārāmbudhi-taraṇa-dāyaḥa charity in the form of crossing the ocean of birth and death;mayito Me;lagetbestow;idamthis;bāhu-sphoṭaiḥwith raised arms;aṭatiroams;viraṭanshouting;yaḥWho;pratigṛhamat every house;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
According to His own will, He went from house to house shouting with raised arms, “O brother, incessantly chant "Hari, Hari" and in this way you will cross the ocean of birth and death. Please give me such a charity.” I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
balātforcibly;saṁsārāmbhonidhi-haraṇaannihilating the ocean of material existence;kumbhodbhavamlike Agastya Muni;ahooh;satāmof saintly persons;śreyaḥ-sindhūnnatiincreasing the ocean of happiness;kumuda-bandhumthe moon;samuditamrisen;khala-śreṇīgroups of rogues;sphūrjat-timira-hararemoving the expanding darkness;sūrya-prabhamradiance of the sun;ahamI;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
Like Agastya Muni, He forcibly annihilates the ocean of material existence.26 He is like a risen moon increasing the ocean of happiness for the saintly persons. He is similar to the radiance of the sun dissipating darkness-like rogues. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
naṭantamdancing;gāyantamsinging;harimLord Hari;anuvadantamrepeatedly saying;pathi pathiin every road;vrajantammoving along;paśyantamlooking;svamHimself;apiand;sudur-antamendless;jana-gaṇamgroup of people;prakurvantamdoing;santamsaintly;karuṇa-sudṛg-antamthe corner of His beautiful eyes, which are full of compassion;pravalanātby turning around;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
Repeatedly saying “Hari, Hari,” He was dancing and chanting along every road. He would see endless saintly persons approaching Him, and by turning around He would cast His compassionate side-glances upon them from the corner of His beautiful eyes. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
subibhrāṇamholding;bhrātuḥof His brother (Nimāi);kara-sarasijamlotus hand;komalataramvery soft;mithaḥat each other;vaktrālokaby glancing at the face;uccalita-paramānanda-hṛdayamWhose heart is full of increasing transcendental bliss;bhramantamroaming about;mādhuryaiḥwith sweetness;ahahaoh;madayantamdelighting;pura-janānthe residents of the towns;bhajeI worship;nityānandamLord Nityānanda;bhajana-taru-kandamthe root of the tree of devotional service;niravadhialways
Translation
Oh! Holding the very soft lotus hand of His brother Nimāi, His heart full of increasing transcendental bliss by glancing at each other’s face, He roams about delighting the people with His sweetness. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
sukhānāmof all happiness;ādhānamreservoir;rasika-vara-sad-vaiṣṇava-dhanamthe treasure of saintly Vaiṣṇavas and best of rasikas;rasāgāramthe repository of rasa;sāramthe essence;patita-tati-tāramthe saviour of multitudes of fallen souls;smaraṇataḥby remembering;paramtranscendental;nityānandāṣṭakameight verses in praise of Lord Nityānanda;idamthis;apūrvamunprecedented;paṭhatireads;yaḥone who;tad-aṅghri-dvandvābjamHis lotus feet;sphuratumay become manifest;nitarāmalways;tasyahis;hṛdayein the heart
Translation
May Lord Nityānanda’s lotus feet become always manifest in the heart of one who reads this transcendental and unprecedented Nityānandāṣṭakam, which is the reservoir of all happiness, the treasure of saintly Vaiṣṇavas and best of rasikas, the repository of rasa, and the essence. Multitudes of fallen souls can be saved by simply remembering it.
iti śrī-prabodhānanda-sarasvatī-viracitaṁ śrī-nityānandāṣṭakaṁ samāptam ||Thus ends the Śrī Nityānandāṣṭakam composed by Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī.
About Nityanandastakam
An astakam (eight-verse hymn, here with a few additional verses) glorifying Lord Nityananda, composed by Prabodhananda Sarasvati, a major Gaudiya Sanskrit poet best known for works like Radha-rasa-sudha-nidhi. It praises Nityananda's mercy and his role as Chaitanya's chief associate.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Nityanandastakam?
Nityanandastakam was composed by Prabodhananda Sarasvati. It appears in More Songs.
What is the meaning of Nityanandastakam?
His shining spotless beauty bewilders the autumn moon. With a smiling face and rolling eyes, intoxicated with love for Lord Hari, He walks like an elephant. He holds the supreme truth and carries a stick that breaks the effects of Kali-yuga. I always worship Lord Nityānanda, the root of the tree of devotional service.
Where can I listen to Nityanandastakam?
You can listen to 1 recording of Nityanandastakam on this page, including versions sung by HG Nityananda Prabhu.
How many verses does Nityanandastakam have?
Nityanandastakam has 10 verses.
Can I download Nityanandastakam as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Nityanandastakam — 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.
Audio courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree. All glories to the devotee singers.
