Devotee Prayers

Śrīmatī Devakī’s Prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa

The prayers of Śrīmatī Devakī to Śrī Kṛṣṇa appear in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam SB 10.3.24–28. In it, she establishes Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Reality, the ultimate object of achievement. We present Śrī Babaji’s translations below.

रूपं यत् तत् प्राहुरव्यक्तमाद्यं ब्रह्म ज्योतिर्निर्गुणं निर्विकारम्
सत्तामात्रं निर्विशेषं निरीहं स त्वं साक्षाद् विष्णुरध्यात्मदीप:

rūpaṁ yat tat prāhur avyaktam ādyaṁ brahma jyotir nirguṇaṁ nirvikāram
sattā-mātraṁ nirviśeṣaṁ nirīhaṁ sa tvaṁ sākṣād viṣṇur adhyātma-dīpaḥ

[The Vedas] say that this form is the original, unmanifest effulgence of
Brahman, beyond material qualities, and without transformation. It is pure
existence, without attributes and without action. Verily, it is You, Viṣṇu
Himself, the flame of spiritual truth.

नष्टे लोके द्विपरार्धावसाने महाभूतेष्वादिभूतं गतेषु 
व्यक्तेऽव्यक्तं कालवेगेन याते भवानेक: शिष्यतेऽशेषसंज्ञ:

naṣṭe loke dvi-parārdhāvasāne mahā-bhūteṣv ādi-bhūtaṁ gateṣu
vyakte’vyaktaṁ kāla-vegena yāte bhavān ekaḥ śiṣyate śeṣa-saṁjñaḥ

When Brahmā’s life expires and the cosmos dissolves, all five tangible elements
revert to their original, undifferentiated state. Time pushes all of manifestation
to revert to its unmanifest state. At that time, You alone remain. Thus, You are
known as Śeṣa.

योऽयं कालस्तस्य तेऽव्यक्तबन्धो चेष्टामाहुश्चेष्टते येन विश्वम् 
निमेषादिर्वत्सरान्तो महीयां-स्तं त्वेशानं क्षेमधाम प्रपद्ये 

yo’yaṁ kālas tasya te’vyakta-bandho ceṣṭām āhuś ceṣṭate yena viśvam
nimeṣādir vatsarānto mahīyāṁs taṁ tveśānaṁ kṣema-dhāma prapadye

O Friend of the Unmanifest! The cosmos works under the control of powerful
time, which is divided into seconds, minutes, hours, and years. This element of
time, which extends for many millions of years, is just a movement of Yours. I
take shelter of You, the controller of time and the reservoir of all good fortune.

मर्त्यो मृत्युव्यालभीत: पलायन्‌ लोकान् सर्वान्निर्भयं नाध्यगच्छत्
त्वत्पादाब्जं प्राप्य यद‍ृच्छयाद्य सुस्थ: शेते मृत्युरस्मादपैति 

martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan lokān sarvān nirbhayaṁ nādhyagacchat
tvat pādābjaṁ prāpya yadṛcchayādya svasthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti

All human beings are mortal and are thus constantly afraid of being swallowed
up by the great serpent of death. They may flee to any of the worlds, but
nowhere can they find freedom from this fear. But, O Original One, if by some
great fortune they attain Your lotus feet, they can finally rest in peace and
happiness, for Death himself flees in fear of You.

स त्वं घोरादुग्रसेनात्मजान्न-स्त्राहि त्रस्तान् भृत्यवित्रासहासि
रूपं चेदं पौरुषं ध्यानधिष्ण्यं मा प्रत्यक्षं मांसद‍ृशां कृषीष्ठा: 

sa tvaṁ ghorād ugrasenātmajān nas
trāhi trastān bhṛtya-vitrāsa-hāsi
rūpaṁ cedaṁ pauruṣaṁ dhyāna-dhiṣṇyaṁ
mā pratyakṣaṁ māṁsa-dṛśāṁ kṛṣīṣṭhāḥ

You destroy Your servants’ fears, so please protect us from Ugrasena’s son
Kaṁsa, of whom we are terribly afraid. May Your splendid divine form be the
object of my meditation, but remain invisible to the material eyes of Kaṁsa and
others like him.

Categories: Devotee Prayers

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