(Auspicious Invocation)

Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja would recite the following verses before beginning his discourses:

nama-sreṣṭham manum api saci-putram atra svarūpam
rūpam tasyagrajam uru-purim mathurim goṣṭhavaṭim
radha-kundam giri-varam aho radhika-madhavasam
prapto yasya prathita-kṛpaya sri-gurum tam nato ’smi

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master because he has given me the most exalted Holy Name and, due to his causeless mercy, I hope to serve the son of Mother Saci—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Svarūpa Damodara Gosvami, Sri Rūpa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Mathura-mandala, the village of Vraja, Radha-kunda, Giriraja Govardhana, and, aho! Srimati Radhika and Madhava Themselves.

sri-caitanya-mano-’bhiṣṭam
sthapitam yena bhū-tale
svayam rūpah kada mahyam
dadati sva-padantikam

When will Srila Rūpa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfil the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?

vañcha-kalpa-tarubhyas ca
kṛpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaiṣnavebhyo namo namah

I repeatedly offer my obeisances to the Vaiṣnavas who fulfil all desires like wish-fulfilling trees, who are oceans of compassion and who are redeemers of the fallen souls.

saṅkarṣanah karana-toya-sayi
garbhoda-sayi ca payobdhi-sayi
seṣas ca yasyamsa-kalah sa nitya-
nandakhya-ramah saranam mamastu

I take absolute shelter of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu, Who is Balarama Himself and Whose Partial Manifestations and Parts of the Partial Manifestations are Saṅkarṣana, the Viṣnus Who lie on the Karana Ocean (Karanabdhisayi), Garbha Ocean (Garbhodasayi) and Milk Ocean (Kṣirodasayi), as well as Seṣa.

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandana

May the Supreme Lord Who is known as the son of Srimati Sacidevi be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no avatara has ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service—the mellow of conjugal love.

pañca-tattvatmakam kṛṣnam
bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam
bhaktavataram bhaktakhyam
namami bhakta-saktikam

I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Sri Kṛṣna, Who is non-different from His features as a devotee, devotional descent, devotional manifestation, pure devotee and devotional energy.

jayatam suratau paṅgor
mama manda-mater gati
mat-sarvasva-padambhojau
radha-madana-mohanau

Glory to the all-merciful Radha and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill advised, yet They are my owners, and Their Lotus Feet are everything to me.

divyad-vṛndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah-
srimad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau
srimad-radha-srila-govinda-devau
preṣṭhalibhih sevyamanau smarami

In a temple of ornaments and jewels situated beneath a desire tree in Goloka Vṛndavana, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda, served by Their most confidential and dear associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them.

sriman rasa-rasarambhi
vamsi-vaṭa-taṭa-sthitah
karṣan venu-svanair gopir
gopinathah sriye ’stu nah

Sri Gopinatha, Who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa dance, stands on the shore of Vamsivaṭa, attracting the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His transcendental flute. May They all confer upon us Their benediction.

adharo ’py aparadhanam
aviveka-hato ’py aham
tvat-karunya-pratikṣo ’smi
prasida mayi madhava

Although I am a mine of offences, and although I cannot tell right from wrong, I still hope for Your mercy. O Lord Madhava, please be merciful to me.

vande nanda-vraja-strinam
pada-renum abhikṣnasah
yasam hari-kathodgitam
punati bhuvana-trayam

I repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances to the dust from the lotus feet of the cowherd damsels of Nanda Maharaja’s village of Vraja. I place that dust upon my forehead. When these damsels loudly chant the glories of the Supreme Lord Sri Kṛṣna, the vibration purifies the three worlds (heaven, earth and the underworld)—the entire universe.

vag-isa yasya vadane
lakṣmir yasya ca vakṣasi
yasyaste hṛdaye samvit
tam nṛsimham aham bhaje

Goddess Sarasvati is always present in His mouth, Lakṣmidevi always sports on His chest, and His heart is the abode of grand refulgence of the opulence of Absolute Knowledge. I worship that Lord Nṛsimhadeva.

bhaktya vihina aparadha-lakṣaih
kṣiptasca kamadi-taraṅga-madhye
kṛpamayi tvam saranam prapanna
vṛnde namaste caranaravindam

I am devoid of devotion, replete with millions of offences and distracted by waves of evil desires. O compassionate Vṛndadevi, I take shelter of You and pay my innumerable prostrated obeisances at Your lotus feet. Kindly rescue me.

narayanam namaskṛtya
naram caiva narottamam
devim sarasvatim vyasam
tato jayam udirayet

Before commencing this recitation, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Sri Kṛṣna, unto His eternal friend (the supermost human being), unto mother Sarasvati (the goddess of learning), and unto Srila Vyasadeva (who compiled the Lord’s pastimes).