Lord Chaitanya (1486-1535) introduced the Samkirtan movement of chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Rama in India and is considered to be a complete incarnation of Krishna Himself. He is known, therefore, as Krishna Chaitanya. The Eight Prayers, or Instructions are Lord Chaitanya's only literary contribution. All other Chaitanya literature is written by His disciples.
1.
Glory to Thy Name, O Lord!
Glory to Thee, O Krishna!
Glory to Samkirtan!
Chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
my heart is purified,
the dust of this world
swept away,
and the fires of birth and death
extinguished.
Through Thy Names alone, O Krishna,
I am liberated
from the binds of the flesh,
for Thy Names spread the rays
of the benediction moon,
rejuvenate transcendental knowledge,
expand the ocean of transcendental bliss,
and enable all to taste
the true nectar of the pleasure
that all desire,
for by hearing Thy Name alone, O Krishna,
all men are blessed.
2.
Because only Thy Names, O my Lord,
can bless all Thy creations,
Thou hast millions of Names
like Krishna, Rama, Govinda,
Madhusudana, Nandanandana, Devakinandana,
Yasodanandana, Radharamana, Gopinath,
and in Thy Names, my Lord,
Thou hast imparted
Thy transcendental energies
giving grace to all
to chant Thy praise
without difficulty,
making Thyself
so easily approachable, O Lord,
by Thine omnipotence,
by Thy compassion.
Truly all misfortune and unhappiness
is due to neglect
of Thy Holy Names,
O Krishna.
3.
Chanting Thy Names, O Lord,
in all humility,
mindful of my own
insignificance,
as tolerant as the grass,
forbearing as the tree, prideless, unattached,
like a leaf in the wind,
offering respect to all
without requiring
respect for myself
in such a state, O Krishna,
I can sing Thy Name
eternally.
4.
O Nandanandana, Supreme Lord,
I do not pray for wealth,
beautiful women, disciples of my own,
nor for objects of sense enjoyment
nor for materials, O Lord
I pray only
that I may serve
at Thy Lotus Feet
with causeless, unalloyed devotion
life after life after life.
5.
Yet somehow, O Krishna,
although Thy eternal servitor,
I have fallen into this ocean
of birth and death
and am now tossed and overwhelmed
by the tumultuous waves
of material existence.
O Krishna, kindly lift me
from these waters of misery and death
and place me as one of the atoms
at Thy Lotus Feet.
6.
O my Lord, when shall my eyes
praise Thee with tears of Love
flowing constantly by chanting
Thy Holy Name?
And when, O Krishna,
shall my voice falter
and my hair rise
and I tremble to vibrate
Hare Krishna, Hare Rama?
7.
Feeling Thy separation, O dear Lord,
to me a moment is a millenium.
When may I see Thee, at last, O Krishna?
Now, as Thy rain,
tears flow down my cheeks.
I am lost without Thee
in a vacant and empty world
O Thou Shining One,
Answerer of all, be merciful.
8.
O dear Krishna, You may crush me
as a woman at Thy Feet
or handle me roughly
by Thine embrace
or break my heart
by Thy absence,
for Thou art free, O Lord,
to do as Thou pleasest;
but still Thou are always
my worshipful Lord
unconditionally,
for Thou art no other
than my Lord of life.