When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages. The mṛdangas (khol) resounded “tāthaī, tāthaī,” and the jhājas [large metal karatālas that look like small cymbals] in that kīrtana played in time. Lord Gaurāńga’s golden form slightly trembled in ecstatic love of Godhead, and His footbells jingled. All the devotees chanted the names Mukunda, Mādhava, Yadava and Hari, their mouths being filled with the vibrations. They would announce to the still sleeping people, “You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies! You have achieved such a rare human body, but you do not care for this gift. You remain not serving the darling of Yaśodā and slowly fall through your last moments to death. With every rising and setting of the sun, a day passes and is lost. Then, why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart? This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business. To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone’s heart, the holy name has risen like the shining sun. Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Srī Bhaktivinoda Thākura.
Full Song with Bengali translation and word for word transliteration.
Arunodaya Kirtana
by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(1)
udilo aruṇa pūraba-bhāge,
dwija-maṇi gorā amani jāge,
bhakata-samūha loiyā sāthe,
gelā nagara-brāje
udilo–the rising; aruṇa–redness; pūraba-bhāge–the eastern horizon; dvija-maṇi–the jewel of the twice-born brāhmaṇas; gorā–Lord Gaura; amani jāge–immediately awakens; bhakata-samūha–all the devotees; loiyā sāthe–taking them along; gelā–journeyed; nagara-brāje–wandering throughout the towns and villages.
When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages.
(2)
‘tāthaī tāthaī bājalo khol,
ghana ghana tāhe jhājera rol,
preme ḍhala ḍhala soṇāra ańga,
caraṇe nūpura bāje
‘tāthaī tāthaī’–making the sound tāthaī tāthaī bājalo khol–the mṛdańga drums resounded; ghana ghana–played in time; tāhe–in that kīrtana; jhāńjera–of the large metal cymbals; rol–the tumult; preme–in ecstatic love; ḍhala ḍhala–slightly trembled; soṇāra ańga–the golden form of Lord Gaurāńga; caraṇe–upon His feet; nūpura bāje–the anklebells jingled.
The mṛdangas (khol) resounded “tāthaī, tāthaī,” and the jhājas [large metal karatālas that look like small cymbals] in that kīrtana played in time. Lord Gaurāńga’s golden form slightly trembled in ecstatic love of Godhead, and His footbells jingled.
(3)
mukunda mādhava yādava hari,
bolena bolo re vadana bhori’,
miche nida-baśe gelo re rāti,
divasa śarīra-sāje
mukunda mādhava yādava hari– with the holy names, “Mukunda!” “Mādhava!” “Yādava!” and “Hari!”; bolena–chanting; bolo re–oh sing!; vadana bhori’ –filling your mouths; miche–uselessly; nida-vaśe–under the control of sleep; gelo–have spent; re–O!; rāti–the nights; divasa–the days; śarīra-sāje–in decorating your bodies.
All the devotees chanted the names Mukunda, Mādhava, Yadava and Hari, their mouths being filled with the vibrations. They would announce to the still sleeping people, “You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies!
(4)
emana durlabha mānava-deho,
pāiyā ki koro bhāva nā keho,
ebe nā bhajile yaśodā-suta,
carame poribe lāje
emana–this; durlabha–rare; mānava-deho–human body; pāiyā–having achieved; ki koro–what are you doing?; bhava nā keho–you have not thought about it at all; ebe– now; nā bhajile–you do not worship; yaśodā-suta–the darling of mother Yaśodā; carame–ultimately; poḍibe–you will fall (die); lāje–in shame.
You have achieved such a rare human body, but you do not care for this gift. You remain not serving the darling of Yaśodā and slowly fall through your last moments to death.
(5)
udita tapana hoile asta,
dina gelo boli’ hoibe byasta,
tabe keno ebe alasa hoy,
nā bhaja hṛdoya-rāje
udita–arisen; tapana–the sun; hoile asta–having set; dina gelo–the day passes; boli’ –saying; hoibe byasta–will be lost; tabe keno–then why; ebe–now; alasa hoy–you remain idle; nā bhaja–you do not worship; hṛdoya-rāje–the Lord of the heart.
With every rising and setting of the sun, a day passes and is lost. Then, why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart?
(6)
jīvana anitya jānaha sār,
tāhe nānā-vidha vipada-bhār,
nāmāśraya kori’ jatane tumi,
thākaha āpana kāje
jīvana–life; anitya–is temporary; jānaha sār–please understand this essential fact; tāhe–in that; nānāvidha–various kinds; vipada-bhār–filled with miseries; nāmāśraya kori’ – taking shelter of the holy name; jatane–carefully; tumi–you; thākaha– remain always engaged; āpana kāje–in His service as your own eternal occupation.
This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.
(7)
jīvera kalyāna-sādhana-kām,
jagate āsi’ e madhura nām,
avidyā-timira-tapana-rūpe,
hṛd-gagane birāje
jīvera–of all living entities; kalyāṇa-sādhana-kām–desiring to bless; jagate asi’ –in the material universe; e–this; madhura nām–sweet name of Kṛṣṇa; avidyā-timira–the darkness of ignorance; tapana-rūpe–like the sun; hṛd-gagane–in the sky of the heart; virāje–shines.
To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone’s heart, the holy name has risen like the shining sun.
(8)
kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhā koriyā pān,
jurāo bhakativinoda-prāṇ,
nāma binā kichu nāhiko āro,
caudda-bhuvana-mājhe
kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhā–the pure nectar of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; koriyā pān–drinking; juḍāo–thus satisfy; bhakativinoda-prāṇ–the soul of Thākura Bhaktivinoda; nāma vinā–except for the holy name; kichu nāhiko āra–there is nothing else; caudda-bhuvana-mājhe–within the fourteen worlds
Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Srī Bhaktivinoda Thākura.
The Hare Krishna Movement 