Tattva-viveka
Guru Maharaja's pranama mantra
Bhrigu - February 13, 2005 7:08 pm
Dear devotees,
after having been declared "just now coming" for ages, Guru Maharaja's pranama mantra is finally ready. Most of the text was written by Vrindaranya. I was asked to translate it into Sanskrit, which I did, adding a few more things. Guru Maharaja then gave some feedback, as did Vrindaranya. After their points had been taken into consideration, the text was finally sent to Jagadananda Prabhu for a final proof-reading. There were no faults, but he wanted to change some details, but Vrindaranya told me to keep it as it was. 
So here it is, finally. On Guru Maharaja's order, I have also tried to append a sound file of myself chanting the mantra, so that everyone will get the pronounciation right.
The metre of the mantra is Shardulavikridita, the same as for Sridhara Maharaja's pranama-mantra. I thought that to be the natural choice, especially since I thought that one long verse would be better than many short (normal) Anustubh-verses. This metre can be recited in many different melodies; here I do so in approximately the same as how Sridhara Maharaja's mantra is usually recited. I have tried to recite it very slowly and clearly. The main thing to learn is to get the vovels right, that is, the long ones (e.g. the "ee" in vande) long and the short ones short (e.g. the "a" in vande).
Since we don't have diacritics here, I have followed the follow system for transcribing: long vovels are doubled (except e and o, they are always long). S with a dot under (pronounced sh) is written ".s", s with a slash on top (´) is written "z", any other consonant with a dot underneath is written with the dot before it (as .s above). M with a dot on top is written ".m".
Sanskrit text:
siddhaantotpala-saara-nitya-rasika.m ha.msa.m vilaasaatmakam
audaaryaakhya-sudhaama-sevaka-dhana.m vizrambha-bhakti-pradam
yaacñaa-yukti-vicak.sa.na.m tv aghabhido vaizi.s.ta-zaktyaa.h sadaa
vande 'ha.m tripuraari-naamaka-yati.m zrii-bhaktivedaantinam
Or without any diacritics, if that is easier for someone:
siddhantotpala-sara-nitya-rasikam hamsam vilasatmakam
audaryakhya-sudhama-sevaka-dhanam visrambha-bhakti-pradam
yacña-yukti-vicaksanam tv aghabhido vaisista-saktyah sada
vande 'ham tripurari-namaka-yatim sri-bhaktivedantinam
Translation:
I worship Swami Sri Bhaktivedanta Tripurari, that swanlike devotee who always playfully relishes the nectar of the lotus blossoms of conclusive knowledge. He is the treasure of the servants of Audarya dhama and the bestower of confidential devotion. Being specially empowered by Aghabhid, he is expert at the art of canvassing.
Bhrigu - February 13, 2005 7:17 pm
I don't know whether that sound file works, but that was the only type of sound file that I was able to upload. Perhaps some of the more technically expert persons out there could tell me what to do if it doesn't.
Madangopal - February 13, 2005 7:24 pm
Wow! 
Great! Beautiful! 
Nectar! Thank you all who were involved in accomplishing this.
I have not been able to access the sound file though...
Oh, pardon my ignorance - please translate Aghabhid. Is there some special reason for this name of Krsna in the pranam?
Shyam Gopal Das - February 13, 2005 7:42 pm
yes, finally!!! Great! For some reason I can't download the sound file. I'd really like to hear it as I have no clue of how to pronounce certain words.
Bhrigu - February 13, 2005 8:07 pm
I've tried uploading the sound file in several other formats, but it always says "You cannot upload this type of file". What to do, Nandatanuja?
Aghabhid means the killer of Agha. Vrindaranya can give a more in-depth purport to why that particular name, since she is the one who wanted it.
Vamsidhari Dasa - February 14, 2005 3:09 am
FINALLY IT IS HERE!!!!
I have been unable to upload the file either. I get kicked off the site when I click on it. So would someone please fix this. Thank you Bhrigu for bringing this to us.
V.
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - February 14, 2005 4:51 am
What to do, Nandatanuja?
Just email the file (mp3) to Vrindaranya, she will uploaded to the server and post the link here in the forum.
Is there some special reason for this name of Krsna in the pranam?
Could be related to Aghasura being a representation of cruelty and violence.
Mathura-natha Das - February 14, 2005 11:29 am
Jay! At last...Just this morning when i offered my pranams to GM, I was really, really longing to get the one that is now here! Thank you Vrindaranya and Bhrigupada for the whole thing. And thank you Guru Maharaj for beein my guiding light. What a perfect gift on Valentines day (is it that what you call it over there?). Haribol!!!
Caitanya-daya Dd - February 14, 2005 3:56 pm
Jaya! As with all of you, i have been eagerly awaiting this moment! I admit during Govardhana-puja, i was in the kitchen and snuck a peek at them while they were in the works.
Ditto re the file--i couldn't DL it either.
Thank you Vrndaranya & Brighu prabhus!
Vrindaranya Dasi - February 14, 2005 5:16 pm
Here is an earlier version of the pranam that has an explanation of why Aghari was used, as well as something about the last line:
I offer my pranam unto
Swami Sri Bhaktivedanta Tripurari,
a vaishnava saragrahi,
who always swims playfully
in the nectar sea of sastric genius.
Being specially empowered by Aghari*,
he is expert at the art of canvassing**.
* In the poetry of the Vrndavana Gosvamis, the slaying of Aghasura commemorated in Krsna’s epithets like Agha-damana, Agha-bhit, and so on, are often juxtaposed with Krsna’s lilas of love with the gopis. The word agha means sin, and Aghasura symbolizes the composite of all sin. Love of Krsna results in the removal of all sin [excerpted from Gopala-tapani Upanisad].
** On behalf of Krsna, in his sadhaka deha he canvasses the baddha jiva, and in his siddha deha he canvasses Radharani on Krsna's behalf.
No luck on uploading the MP3. This board is so finicky. I'll post it to a webpage later when I have some time. I've got to cook for Adwaitacarya's feast now. If someone else wants to post the file to a webpage and has server space, please email Brighu or me for the file.
Ys,
Vrindaranya
Mathura-natha Das - February 14, 2005 5:32 pm
Bhrigu,
Is it possible to have the word for word translation?
Bhrigu - February 14, 2005 7:30 pm
Is it possible to have the word for word translation?
Sure.
siddhaantotpala-saara-nitya-rasika.m ha.msa.m vilaasaatmakam
audaaryaakhya-sudhaama-sevaka-dhana.m vizrambha-bhakti-pradam
yaacñaa-yukti-vicak.sa.na.m tv aghabhido vaizi.s.ta-zaktyaa.h sadaa
vande 'ha.m tripuraari-naamaka-yati.m zrii-bhaktivedaantinam
I worship Swami Sri Bhaktivedanta Tripurari, that swanlike devotee who always playfully relishes the nectar of the lotus blossoms of conclusive knowledge. He is the treasure of the servants of Audarya dhama and the bestower of confidential devotion. Being specially empowered by Aghabhid, he is expert at the art of canvassing.
Siddhaanta -- (of) the conclusive truths; Utpala -- lotus blossoms; Saara -- (of) the nectar; Nitya -- constant; Rasikam -- the relisher; Ha.msam -- the swan; Vilaasa-aatmakam -- the playful; Audaarya-aakhya -- called Audarya; Sudhaama -- (of) the beautiful dhama; Sevaka-dhanam -- the treasure of the servants; Vizrambha-bhakti -- (of) confidential devotion; Pradam -- the giver; Yaacñaa-yukti -- (in) the art of canvassing; Vicak.sa.nam -- the expert; Tu -- and; Aghabhida.h -- of Aghabhid; Vai.si.sta-zaktyaa.h -- because of the special power; Sadaa -- always; Vande -- (I) worship; Aham -- I; Tripuraari-naamaka -- called Tripurari; Yatim -- the Swami; Zrii-bhaktivedaantinam -- The glorious Bhaktivedantin.
Vrindaranya Dasi - February 14, 2005 8:03 pm
Madangopal - February 14, 2005 8:47 pm
Bhriguji,
On the recording the melody and meter sound very similar to Sri Sad-Goswamy-Astaka. Could you tell me if Shardulavikridita is the meter in that prayer also? If so, it sure flows nicely to that melody!
Bhrigu - February 15, 2005 8:19 pm
Yes, it is the same metre.
Karnamrita Das - February 15, 2005 9:48 pm
Bhriguji: I don't know if anyone else would like it but I would like the diacritics---I guess that is because I am dying to be critical. In spite of that tendency, thank you for your labor of love and service. Your chanting is very helpful, though there is still some words I am unsure of that hopefully the diacritics will clear up.
If you made an image file you could show the diacritics like it was a picture. I have done that with a program called snagit, a trial version which is available at http://www.techsmith.com/products/snagit/default.asp
I have "captured" sanskrit text and then posted it where anyone can view it. You could do the same thing with transliterated text or anything. It is not a bad program to have anyway if you deal with images.
Karnam
Bhrigu - February 16, 2005 7:00 pm
(I edited this post to get rid of the red lines)
Babhru Das - February 16, 2005 7:30 pm
It worked quite well for me; I was even able to copy and paste it, which hasn't worked for pix posted here. (When Vrindaranya was posting pix of Moo-han, I tried sending them to my daughters, but I was unable to save them to disk [maybe just copying would have worked, now that I think of it], so I told them how to sign on to take Moo-ji's darshan.)
I also want to thank Vrindaranya and Bhrigu for their work on this. This is clearly inspiring to all the members.
And thanks to Karanamrita for the snagit link.
Shyam Gopal Das - February 16, 2005 8:14 pm
thanks for posting that, Bhrigu!
(ps you don't specifically need snagit if you already have a photo editing program. You can just push shift + print screen and paste the picture)
Rohininandana Das - February 17, 2005 8:15 pm
i dont now it is actual or not, but i can play this file trought "real player". just type in internet that, and free version will be ready for downloading. good luck 
Braja-sundari Dasi - June 23, 2015 12:32 pm
Are there any working links with chanting the mantra that could be accessed now?
Ramakesava - July 4, 2015 6:48 pm
Go to swami.org/downloads