udilothe rising;aruṇaredness;pūraba-bhāgethe eastern horizon;dvija-maṇithe jewel of the twice born brāhmaṇas;gorāLord Gaura;amani jāgeimmediately awakens;bhakata-samūhaall the devotees;loiyā sāthetaking them along;gelājourneyed;nagara-brājewandering throughout the towns and villages
Translation
When a tinge of red on the eastern horizon heralded the sunrise, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, immediately awakened. Taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside, visiting the towns and villages of Nadia.
‘tāthaī tāthaī'making the sound tāthaī tāthaī;bājalo kholthe mṛdaṅga drums resounded;ghana ghanaplayed in time;tāhein that kīrtana;jhāṅjeraof the large metal cymbals;rolthe tumult;premein ecstatic love;ḍhala ḍhalaslightly trembled;soṇāra aṅgathe golden form of Lord Gaurāṅga;caraṇeupon His feet;nūpura bājethe ankle bells jingled
Translation
The mṛdaṅgas resounded "tāthaī, tāthaī," the cymbals chimed in time, and Lord Gaurāṅga's footbells jingled as His golden form trembled slightly in ecstatic love of God.
mukunda mādhava yādava hari,bolena bolo re vadana bhori',miche nida-baśe gelo re rāti,divasa śarīra-sāje
Word for word
mukunda mādhava yādava hariwith the holy names, “Mukunda!” “Mādhava!” “Yādava!” and “Hari!”;bolenachanting;bolo reoh sing!;vadana bhori'filling your mouths;micheuselessly;nida-vaśeunder the control of sleep;gelohave spent;reO!;rātithe nights;divasathe days;śarīra-sājein decorating your bodies
Translation
Lord Caitanya called out to the townsfolk: "You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies! Now just fill your mouths with the vibration of the holy names—Mukunda, Mādhava, Yādava, Hari—chanting without offense!
emanathis;durlabharare;mānava-dehohuman body;pāiyāhaving achieved;ki korowhat are you doing?;bhava nā kehoyou have not thought about it at all;ebenow;nā bhajileyou do not worship;yaśodā-sutathe darling of Mother Yaśodā;carameultimately;poḍibeyou will fall (die);lājein shame
Translation
"You have achieved the rare human body. Don't you care for this gift? If you do not serve the darling of Yaśodā now, great sorrow awaits you at death.
udita tapana hoile asta,dina gelo boli' hoibe byasta,tabe keno ebe alasa hoy,nā bhaja hṛdoya-rāje
Word for word
uditaarisen;tapanathe sun;hoile astahaving set;dina gelothe day passes;boli'saying;hoibe byastawill be lost;tabe kenothen why;ebenow;alasa hoyyou remain idle;nā bhajayou do not worship;hṛdoya-rājethe Lord of the heart
Translation
"Each time the sun rises and sets, a day passes and is lost. Then why do you remain idle and refuse to serve the Lord of the heart?
jīvanalife;anityais temporary;jānaha sārplease understand this essential fact;tāhein that;nānā-vidhavarious kinds;vipada-bhārfilled with miseries;nāmāśraya kori'taking shelter of the holy name;jatanecarefully;tumiyou;thākaharemain always engaged;āpana kājein His service as your own eternal occupation
Translation
"Understand this essential fact: life is temporary and full of all kinds of miseries. So take shelter of the holy name as your only business.
jīvera kalyāna-sādhana-kām,jagate āsi' e madhura nām,avidyā-timira-tapana-rūpe,hṛd-gagane birāje
Word for word
jīveraof all living entities;kalyāṇa-sādhana-kāmdesiring to bless;jagate asi'in the material universe;ethis;madhura nāmsweet name of Kṛṣṇa;avidyā-timirathe darkness of ignorance;tapana-rūpelike the sun;hṛd-gaganein the sky of the heart;virājeshines
Translation
"Desiring to bless all souls, the sweet name of Kṛṣṇa has descended to the material world and now shines like the sun in the sky of the heart, destroying the darkness of ignorance."
kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhāthe pure nectar of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa;koriyā pāndrinking;juḍāothus satisfy;bhakativinoda-prāṇthe soul of Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda;nāma vināexcept for the holy name;kichu nāhiko ārathere is nothing else;caudda-bhuvana-mājhewithin the fourteen worlds
Translation
Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and thus satisfy the soul of Bhaktivinoda. There is nothing but the holy name within all the fourteen worlds.
The first Arunodaya-kirtana, one of Bhaktivinoda's best-known songs, describing the reddish dawn sky and calling devotees to rise for mangala-arati and begin the day chanting Hari's names.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Udilo Aruna?
Udilo Aruna was composed by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. It appears in Songs of Vaishnava Acaryas.
What is the meaning of Udilo Aruna?
When a tinge of red on the eastern horizon heralded the sunrise, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, immediately awakened. Taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside, visiting the towns and villages of Nadia.
Where can I listen to Udilo Aruna?
You can listen to 12 recordings of Udilo Aruna on this page, including versions sung by Srila Prabhupada, HG Agnidev Prabhu, HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu, HG Sivarama Prabhu.
How many verses does Udilo Aruna have?
Udilo Aruna has 8 verses.
Can I download Udilo Aruna as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Udilo Aruna — 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, Hare Krishna Mandir, ISKCON Devotees. All glories to the devotee singers.
