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Song Name: He Govinda He Gopala He Govinda

Official Name: Gajendra Moksana

Author: Sura Dasa

Book Name: None

Language: Braja Bhasa

 

LYRICS:

(refrain)
he govinda he gopāla
he govinda rākho śarana
ab to jīvana hāre

(1)
nīra pīvana hetu gayo
sindhu ke kināre
sindhu bīca basata grāha
caraṇa dhare pachāre

(2)
cāra prahara yuddha bhayo
lai gayo mañjhadhāre
nāka kāna ḍubana lāge
kṛṣṇa ko pukāre

(3)
dvārakā meń śabda bhayo
śora bhayo bhāre
sańkha cakra gadā padma
garuḍa leyiń sidhāre

(4)
sūra kaha śyāma suno
śarana hai tihāre
ab ki bāra pāra karo
nanda ke dulāre

TRANSLATION
Refrain: Oh Lord of Cows, Govinda! O Protector of Cows, Gopala! O Govinda! Please protect me, for I have lost the battle of my life.

1) For the sake of drinking water, I went to the banks of a river*. While walking through the middle, an earthquake occurred, such that the Earth split into two sections.

2) I have battled all four parts of the varnasrama. I only have four hours left to live.  While I am in the center of the river, being drowned from the nose and now to the earth, I immediately call for Lord Krsna.

3) My cry and words reached Dvarka, and as a result, great commotion and noise resulted. But at once, with His conchshell, cakra, His mace, and the lotus flower, He immediately comes by with His vehicle Garuda.

4) Sura Dasa says, "Oh Lord Syama! Please hear my humble request. I surrender to Your lotus feet. Please deliver me from this river, Oh Darling of Nanda Maharaja!"

Remarks/ Extra Information:

Bhakti Caru Swami and Laksmi Shankar popularized this bhajan through their albums “Krsna Bhavanamrta Volume 1” in 1996 and “Mira Bhajans” in 1979, respectively. They both rendered it in Raga Ragesri in Dadra Tala.

 

* Verse 1 uses the analogy that the river was material existence. Sura Dasa uses this analogy to explain the entanglements of the jiva and how to free oneself from it.

 

UPDATED: June 26, 2009