What is Sri Sikshashtakam?

Sri Sikshashtakam is the only eight verses personally written by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, containing the complete teachings of pure devotional service in the most concise form.

Why is Sikshashtakam so important for ISKCON devotees?

Because it is the very heart of Gaudiya Vaishnavism — every aspect of bhakti, from glorifying the holy name (verse 1) to the topmost devotion in separation (verse 8), is contained in these eight verses.

When should I recite Sikshashtakam?

Daily — many devotees memorize it and recite it morning and evening. It is also sung at all major Gaudiya festivals, especially Gaura-Purnima.

← Back to Bhajans

Also available in:

Englishहिन्दी (Hindi)తెలుగు (Telugu)മലയാളം (Malayalam)ଓଡ଼ିଆ (Odia)Русский (Russian)

Sri Siksastakam

Eight prayers written by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaching the process of chanting the holy names

Audio Recitation

Verses & Translations

Verse 1

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam

Translation: Glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

Verse 2

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha

Translation: O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

Verse 3

trinad api sunichena taror api sahishnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih

Translation: One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Verse 4

na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isha kamaye mama janmani janmanishvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki twayi

Translation: O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.

Verse 5

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau kripaya tava pada-pankaja- sthita-dhuli-sadrisham vichintaya

Translation: O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

Verse 6

nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira pulakair nichitam vapuh kada tava nama-grahane bhavishyati

Translation: O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

Verse 7

yugayitam nimeshena chakshusha pravrishayitam shunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me

Translation: O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

Verse 8

ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

Translation: I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord unconditionally.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

Spiritual Significance

Sri Sikshashtakam is the spiritual constitution of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya. In just eight verses, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu encapsulated the entire science of bhakti — from the glories of the holy name to the highest pinnacle of love in separation.

Scriptural Source & Tradition

The only writing personally composed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, preserved in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita (Antya-lila, Chapter 20) with elaborate explanations by Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami.

Commentary from the Acharyas

Srila Prabhupada wrote that anyone who studies the eight verses of Sikshashtakam carefully understands the entire science of Krishna Consciousness. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote a complete book of poetic Bengali commentaries on each verse, demonstrating its inexhaustible depth.

When to Sing / Chant

Daily morning and evening, on Gaura-Purnima, Nityananda Trayodashi, at every Gaudiya festival, and as the central meditation during Kartik month.

Benefits for the Devotee

Establishes the chanter directly in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, purifies the heart through verse 1 (the glory of the holy name), develops humility (verse 3), and gradually awakens the highest love in separation (verse 8).

Gratitude to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

We offer our humble obeisances at the lotus feet of our founder-acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, without whose causeless mercy the priceless prayers, bhajans and sacred literature of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition would have remained inaccessible to most of the world. By his herculean preaching efforts, his unparalleled translations and his founding of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the holy names, pastimes and instructions of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are today chanted in every town and village.

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the Vaishnava acharyas in the disciplic succession.