Sri Cauragraganya Ashtakam

Kirtan, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

This prayer has been written by Vallabhacharya describing the sweet stealing pastimes of Sri Krishna in Vrindavana. This ashtakam is daily sung by the devotees during Purushottama-month praying at the lotus feet of the chief among the thieves, Sri Nandanandan, who can steal the myriad mountains of our sins.

  • vraje prasiddhaḿ navanīta-cauraḿ
    gopāńganānāḿ ca dukūla-cauram
    aneka-janmārjita-pāpa-cauraḿ
    caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

    I offer pranama to that foremost of thieves -- who is famous in Vraja as the butterthief and He who steals the gopis' clothes, and who, for those who take shelter of Him, steals the sins which have accrued over many lifetimes.

    śrī rādhikāyā hṛdayasya cauraḿ
    navāmbuda-śyāmala-kānti-cauram
    padāśritānāḿ ca samasta-cauraḿ
    caurāgragaṇyaḿ puruṣaḿ namāmi

    I offer pranama to the foremost of thieves -- who steals Srimati Radhika's heart, who steals the dark luster of a fresh raincloud, and who steals all the sins and sufferings of those who take shelter of His feet.

    akiñcanī-kṛtya padāśritaḿ yaḥ
    karoti bhikṣuḿ pathi geha-hīnam
    kenāpy aho bhīṣaṇa-caura īdṛg
    dṛṣṭaḥ-śruto vā na jagat-traye ’pi

    He turns His surrendered devotees into paupers and wandering, homeless beggars -- aho! such a fearsome thief has never been seen or heard of in all the three worlds.

    yadīya nāmāpi haraty aśeṣaḿ
    giri-prasārān api pāpa-rāśīn
    āścarya-rūpo nanu caura īdṛg
    dṛṣṭaḥ śruto vā na mayā kadāpi

    Mere utterance of His name purges one of a mountain of sins -- such an astonishingly wonderful thief I have never seen or heard of anywhere!

    dhanaḿ ca mānaḿ ca tathendriyāṇi
    prāṇāḿś ca hṛtvā mama sarvam eva
    palāyase kutra dhṛto ’dya caura
    tvaḿ bhakti-dāmnāsi mayā niruddhaḥ

    O Thief! Having stolen my wealth, my honour, my senses, my life and my everything, where can You run to? I have caught You with the rope of my devotion.

    chinatsi ghoraḿ yama-pāśa-bandhaḿ
    bhinatsi bhīmaḿ bhava-pāśa-bandham
    chinatsi sarvasya samasta-bandhaḿ
    naivātmano bhakta-kṛtaḿ tu bandham

    You cut the terrible noose of Yamaraja, You sever the dreadful noose of material existence, and You slash everyone's material bondage, but You are unable to cut the knot fastened by Your own loving devotees.

    man-mānase tāmasa-rāśi-ghore
    kārāgṛhe duḥkha-maye nibaddhaḥ
    labhasva he caura! hare! Cirāya
    sva-caurya-doṣocitam eva daṇḍam

    O stealer of my everything! O Thief! Today I have imprisoned You in the miserable prison-house of my heart which is very fearful due to the terrible darkness of my ignorance, and there for a very long time You will remain, receiving appropriate punishment for Your crimes of thievery!

    kārāgṛhe vasa sadā hṛdaye madīye
    mad-bhakti-pāśa-dṛḍha-bandhana-niścalaḥ san
    tvāḿ kṛṣṇa he! pralaya-koṭi-śatāntare ’pi
    sarvasva-caura! hṛdayān na hi mocayāmi

    O Krsna, thief of my everything! The noose of my devotion remaining forever tight, You will continue to reside in the prison-house of my heart because I will not release You for millions of aeons.

Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math © 2025
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