A Prayer Unto Sri Param-Gurudev
param gurudeb moder dâs kunjabihari,
kunja bihoro hoye labanga manjari.
khudra labanga joichhe sugandhe mâtây,
radhakunde thekeo tomâr sugandha chhodây.
likhle prachur dharma-grantha dakkhatâo ânkây
alpa dinei tomâr nâm braja-mandal chhay.
golâp labanger gandha dashdike jây,
prachâre nâmiyâ ananta bhubano mâtây.
dâs ananta moder guru premer sâgor,
bhakti ratner-o sâgor, tâi bhakti ratnâkar.
âshish mâgi mora dio kripâ kori,
hote jeno pâri taba jogya uttar suri.
Srila Kunjabihari dâs is our Pram-Gurudev. After getting kunja-sevâ, he became Labanga-manjari. Dear Param-Gurudev, how you made your name worthy! Just as a tiny lavanga (clove) spreads fragrance all around, in spite of residing in the far-flung village of Râdhâkund (in the corner of the earth), your fame radiated far and wide. You composed many Bhakti-literatures; moreover you were an expert in painting as well. Thus you became popular in Vrajadhâm within in a short while.
The heart-stealing beautiful scent of ‘Golâp1’ (rose) and ‘Labanga’ ( clove) pervaded all quarters, while as soon as ‘ananta2’ descended in the field of preaching, he intoxicated the world with his sweet renderings.
Srila Ananta dâs Bâbâji Mahârâj, our Sri Gurudev, is an ocean of Guru-prem; he is also an ocean of gem-like bhakti, hence he is also called ‘bhakti-ratnâkar3’.
Please bless us with this bounty O Dâdu Mahârâj, that we may become your worthy successors in achieving pure bhakti.
1 Srila Kunjabihâri dâs Bâbâji’s Spiritual Master was named Golâp-manjari.
2 Srila Ananta dâs Bâbâji Mahârâj
3 the ocean is also called Ratnâkar or ‘the abode of gems’; bhakti-ratnâkar = the ocean of bhakti