Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam, Purushottam Maas Dīpa-Dāna Prayer Melting Hearts!
- Abhishek Singh
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam & Purushottam Month is synonymous with the subtle melting of one's existence in spiritual ecastacy for any person sensitive to spiritual bhakti vibes that washes away all one's worries and material woes. Let's discover this Spiritual treatise!
Purshottam Maas hides many treasures from the common folk who are oblivious to the glories of this hidden month, but what it's unable to hide is its deep melodious duet for Lord Krishna, which captivates any passerby who even accidentally listens to this devotional song in its numerous melodical forms.
Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam has the same vibes as Damodarashtakam sung in Karthik Month. While Damodarashtakam captures the lila (pastime) of the lord as being tied to okhal and crying when chastised by Ma Yashoda, Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam, created by Bilvamangal Thakhur, glorifies the stealing pastime of Lord Krishna. This ashtakam is sung while offering the ghee lamp to the Lord in this Adhik Maas or Purshottam Maas, earlier known as Mal Maas (Unwanted excreta or extra month)
Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam, recited by devotees in Purshottam Maas During Deepa Daan (Offering Ghee Lamps)
Stealing is a sin! BUT when Krishna does it, it is the most auspicious event for every jiva (spirit soul). Thus, the opening line of Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam glorifies Krishna as the greatest thief!
I offer pranama to that foremost of thieves – who is famous in Vraja as the butter-thief 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.
Here one can see that Lord Krishna, the most beloved thief of Vrindavan, doesn't steal material objects but butter, churned with love for him by Brajvasis (residents of Vrindavan), and to show his causeless mercy to his devotees, he even steals their sins (पाप)!\
Then the next slok is even more captivating. It captures the love of Krishna for Srimati Radharani, the external manifestation of Krishna's love within his heart, the Hladini Shakti (Bliss) of the Lord!
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.
Again, the emphasis is given on the stealing of sins & sufferings of jivas surrendered to Krishna.
The next part is even more interesting, it tells the condition of suurendered souls from whom Krishna steals!
He turns His surrendered devotees into paupers and wandering, homeless beggars – aha! such a fearsome thief has never been seen or heard of in all the three worlds.
Yes, the person from whom Krishna steals becomes a beggar who loses his home, his riches, his respect, his fame, his attachments, his family, only the dependency on Krishna remains in their life.
What do the surrendered souls get in return then?
Krishna gives himself to his devotee!
The next part continues the riveting journey of the Butter Thief of Braja and the hidden transcendental power of his name!
The 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!
Just chanting the name of this thief destroys mountains, and mountains of sin! Such a wonderful thief that no one has heard of or seen! Don't you agree?
The next part of Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam, created by Bilvamangal Thakhur, glorifies the power of devotion that binds Lord Krishna to the devotee, and the devotee begs the lord to tie him up with love of devotion!
O Thief! Having stolen my wealth, my honor, my senses, my life and my everything, where can You run to? I have caught You with the rope of my devotion.
The devotee has caught Krishna with the rope of devotion. the lord of the Universe is tied with ropes! What can Lord Krishna do now then?
Let's see the next paragraph of Bilvamangal Thakhur's creation.
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.
Krishna is so merciful that he cuts the noose of death for his devotees. He easily removes the material existence flaws of Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment, False Ego, and Laziness. The Lord is, however, so kind that he accepts the knot of love of his devotees.
What does the devotee plan for the Lord then? Let's find out in the last sloka!
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!
The devotee keeps Krishna in his heart because he is afraid of ignorance. He playfully says it's the Lord's punishment for thievery!
What will Krishna do next?
O Krishna, 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!
Krishna is now trapped in the heart of his devotee for a very, very long time, aeons! The devotee has thus captured Krishna in his heart, thus completing the permanent reunion of the Lord of the Universe with his humble devotee.
Reading Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam during Purushottam Maas (Adhik Maas) is considered highly auspicious in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition because the prayer awakens deep love and surrender toward Lord Krishna, the “Divine Thief.”
Here is the complete prayer for your recitation:
चौराष्टकम्
व्रजे प्रसिद्धं नवनीतचौरं
गोपाङ्गनानां च दुकूलचौरम् ।
अनेकजन्मार्जितपापचौरं
चौराग्रगण्यं पुरुषं नमामि ॥ १॥
श्रीराधिकाया हृदयस्य चौरं
नवाम्बुदश्यामलकान्तिचौरम् ।
पदाश्रितानां च समस्तचौरं
चौराग्रगण्यं पुरुषं नमामि ॥ २॥
अकिञ्चनीकृत्य पदाश्रितं यः
करोति भिक्षुं पथि गेहहीनम् ।
केनाप्यहो भीषणचौर ईदृग्-
दृष्टःश्रुतो वा न जगत्त्रयेऽपि ॥ ३॥
यदीय नामापि हरत्यशेषं
गिरिप्रसारान् अपि पापराशीन् ।
आश्चर्यरूपो ननु चौर ईदृग्
दृष्टः श्रुतो वा न मया कदापि ॥ ४॥
धनं च मानं च तथेन्द्रियाणि
प्राणांश्च हृत्वा मम सर्वमेव ।
पलायसे कुत्र धृतोऽद्य चौर
त्वं भक्तिदाम्नासि मया निरुद्धः ॥ ५॥
छिनत्सि घोरं यमपाशबन्धं
भिनत्सि भीमं भवपाशबन्धम् ।
छिनत्सि सर्वस्य समस्तबन्धं
नैवात्मनो भक्तकृतं तु बन्धम् ॥ ६॥
मन्मानसे तामसराशिघोरे
कारागृहे दुःखमये निबद्धः ।
लभस्व हे चौर! हरे! चिराय
स्वचौर्यदोषोचितमेव दण्डम् ॥ ७॥
कारागृहे वस सदा हृदये मदीये
मद्भक्तिपाशदृढबन्धननिश्चलः सन् ।
त्वां कृष्ण हे! प्रलयकोटिशतान्तरेऽपि
सर्वस्वचौर! हृदयान् न हि मोचयामि ॥ ८॥
इति श्रीबिल्वमङ्गलठाकूरविरचितं चौराष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ।
चौरग्रगण्य पुरुषाष्टकम् ।
The Main Benefits of reciting
Melts the heart and awakens Bhakti
The prayer transforms devotion from ritual into intimate love for Krishna.
Destroys sins and inner impurities
The verses repeatedly glorify Krishna as the thief of accumulated sins, ego, ignorance, and bondage.
Strengthens remembrance of Krishna
Regular recitation keeps the mind absorbed in Krishna’s form, name, and playful līlās.
Especially powerful in Purushottam Maas
Adhik Maas is glorified as the month dearest to Lord Krishna; devotional practices performed then give multiplied spiritual benefit.
Creates a mood of surrender
The final verses teach loving surrender — binding Krishna permanently within one’s heart.
Traditionally sung during ghee-lamp offering
Many devotees recite it during dīpa-dāna in Purushottam Maas.
This concludes Śrī Śrī Chaurāṣṭakam, recited by devotees in Purshottam Maas to get the unlimited benefits of Bhakti!
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