Song 1 – Invocation, dasavatara-stotra

"Sri Gita-govinda is a 'jewel book' brought by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We all know that Sri Jayadeva Gosvami has written this beautiful Gita-govinda, but without Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu it would have remained locked like a pearl in the oyster shell or a jewel in a locked case. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu manifested the glories of Sri Gita-govinda. Just as without Srila Rupa Gosvami no one would have known the inner moods of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, similarly, by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relishing the moods of Sri Gita-govinda its glories became manifest for the whole world. I have explained this very high-class philosophy, but only rare devotees in this world can understand it. I have called you here only to give you this." -An excerpt from a lecture entitled "The Jewel Book" by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaj PremaDhvani.org Sri Dasavatara-stotra (from Gita-govinda) by Jayadeva Gosvami (1) pralaya-payodhi-jale dhritavan asi vedam vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedam kesava dhrita-mina-sarira jaya jagadisa hare (2) kshitir iha vipulatare tishthati tava prishthe dharani-dharana-kina-cakra-garishthe kesava dhrita-kurma-sarira jaya jagadisa hare (3) vasati dasana-sikhare dharani tava lagna sasini kalanka-kaleva nimagna kesava dhrita-sukara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (4) tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-sringam dalita-hiranyakasipu-tanu-bhringam kesava dhrita-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (5) chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana pada-nakha-nira-janita-jana-pavana kesava dhrita-vamana-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (6) kshatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-papam snapayasi payasi samita-bhava-tapam kesava dhrita-bhrigupati-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (7) vitarasi dikshu rane dik-pati-kamaniyam dasa-mukha-mauli-balim ramaniyam kesava dhrita-rama-sarira jaya jagadisa hare (8) vahasi vapushi visade vasanam jaladabham hala-hati-bhiti-milita-yamunabham kesava dhrita-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (9) nindasi yajna-vidher ahaha sruti-jatam sadaya-hridaya darsita-pasu-ghatam kesava dhrita-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare (10) mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavalam dhumaketum iva kim api karalam kesava dhrita-kalki-sarira jaya jagadisa hare (11) sri-jayedeva-kaver idam uditam udaram srinu sukha-dam subha-dam bhava-saram kesava dhrita-dasa-vidha-rupa jaya jagadisa hare (12) vedan uddharate jaganti vahate bhu-golam udbibhrate daityam darayate balim chalayate kshatra-kshayam kurvate paulastyam jayate halam kalayate karunyam atanvate mlecchan murchayate dasakriti-krite krishnaya tubhyam namah Translation: (1) 0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You! You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish just to give protection to the Vedas, which had become immersed in the turbulent sea of devastation. (2) 0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a tortoise! All glories to You! In this incarnation as a divine tortoise the great Mandara Mountain rests upon Your gigantic back as a pivot for churning the ocean of milk. From holding up the huge mountain a large scarlike depression is put in Your back, which has become most glorious. (3) 0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a boar! All glories to You! The earth, which had become immersed in the Garbhodaka Ocean at the bottom of the universe, sits fixed upon the tip of Your tusk like a spot upon the moon. (4) 0 Kesava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one’s fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasplike demon Hiranyakasipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands.