ঠাকুর বৈষ্ণবপদ, অবনীর সুসম্পদ,
শুন ভাই, হয়া একমন
আশ্রয় লইয়া ভজে, তারে ক্ড়্ষ্ণ নাহি ত্যজে,
আর সব মরে অকারণ ১
ṭhākura baiṣṇaba-pada, abanīra susampada,
śuna bhāi, hayā ekamana
āśraya la·iyā bhaje, tāre kṛṣṇa nāhi tyaje,
āra saba mare akāraṇa 1
ṭhākura — the venerable; baiṣṇaba — Vaiṣṇavas; pada — feet; abanīra — of the earth; susampada — the great treasure; śuna — listen; bhāi — O brother; hayā — with; ekamana — rapt attention (lit. one mind); āśraya — shelter; la·iyā — having taken; bhaje — worships; tāre — to him; kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa; nāhi — never; tyaje — forsakes; āra — others; saba — all; mare — die; akāraṇa — unnecessary, without purpose, in vain
The lotus feet of the venerable Vaiṣṇavas are the greatest treasure in the world. O brother, please listen with rapt attention. Śrī Kṛṣṇa never forsakes one who, having taken shelter of the Vaiṣṇavas, lovingly worships Him. All others perish without purpose.
বৈষ্ণবচরণজল, প্রেমভক্তি দিতে বল,
আর কেহ নহে বলবন্ত
বৈষ্ণবচরণরেণু, মস্তকে ভূষণ বিনু,
আর নাহি ভূষণের অন্ত ২
baiṣṇaba-caraṇa-jala, prema-bhakti dite bala,
āra keha nahe balabanta
baiṣṇaba-caraṇa-reṇu, mastake bhūṣaṇa binu,
āra nāhi bhūṣaṇera anta 2
baiṣṇaba — Vaiṣṇavas; caraṇa — foot; jala — water; prema bhakti — loving devotion; dite — to give; bala — strength; āra — more; keha nahe — nothing; balabanta — powerful; baiṣṇaba — Vaiṣṇavas; caraṇa — foot; reṇu — dust; mastake — on the head; bhūṣaṇa — ornament; binu — but for; āra — other; nāhi — no; bhūṣaṇera — of ornaments; anta — ultimate
There is nothing more powerful than water that has washed the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, to give the strength to attain prema-bhakti. There is no greater ornament than the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava to serve as the ornament for one’s head.
তীর্থজল পবিত্র গুণে, লিখিয়াছে পুরাণে,
সেসব ভক্তির প্রবঞ্চন
বৈষ্ণবের পাদোদক সম নহে এই সব,
যাতে হয় বাঞ্ছিতপূরণ ৩
tīrthajala pabitra guṇe, likhiyāche purāṇe,
se-saba bhaktira prabañcana
baiṣṇabera pādodaka- sama nahe ei saba,
yāte haya bāñchita-pūraṇa 3
tīrthajala — holy places + water; pabitra — purifying; guṇe — qualities; likhiyāche — it is written; purāṇe — in the Purāṇas; se — this; saba — all; bhaktira — of devotion; prabañcana — pretense; baiṣṇabera — of the Vaiṣṇavas; pādodaka — foot + water; sama — equal; nahe — not; ei — this [water from holy places]; saba — all; yāte — by which; haya — become; bāñchita — desires; pūraṇa — fulfilled
The purifying qualities of water from holy places are written in the Purāṇas, but all this cheats one of [the wealth of] bhakti. Actually, the water from holy places is not as purifying as water that has washed the feet of Vaiṣṇavas, by which one’s desires are fulfilled.
বৈষ্ণবসঙ্গেতে মন, আনন্দিত অনুক্ষণ,
সদা হয় ক্ড়্ষ্ণপরসঙ্গ
দীন নরোত্তম কান্দে, হিয়া ধৈর্য নাহি বান্ধে,
মোর দশা কেন হৈল ভঙ্গ ৪
baiṣṇaba-saṅgete mana, ānandita anukṣaṇa,
sadā haya kṛṣṇa-parasaṅga
dīna narottama kānde, hiyā dhairya nāhi bāndhe,
mora daśā kena haila bhaṅga 4
baiṣṇaba — Vaiṣṇavas; saṅgete — in association; mana — the heart; ānandita — joyful; anukṣaṇa — at every moment; sadā — always; haya — occurs; kṛṣṇa — Śrī Kṛṣṇa; parasaṅga — discussion; dīna — lowly; narottama — Narottama dāsa; kānde — cries; hiyā — heart; dhairya — patience; nāhi — cannot; bāndhe — maintain [lit. contain]; mora — my; daśā — state, condition; kena — why; haila — been; bhaṅga — torn
The heart feels joyful at every moment in the company of Vaiṣṇavas, where topics of Kṛṣṇa are always discussed. With a restless heart, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura cries, “Why have I been torn from their association?”