Madhurashtakam: (A Most Beautiful Illustrated Edition) (Text, Transliteration and Detailed Word-to-Word Explanation)

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Vallabhacary, the founder of the Pusti marg was a poet, scholar and passionate lover of Lord Krsna.

Madhurashtakam is one of his immortal composition, all the more popular because of its simplicity. These set of eight verses talk of Sri Krsna’s bewitching personality, His pastimes and His pranks all of which make Him loving and lovable.

Pujya Guruji’s commentary on this composition gives us a sense of immediacy with highlights of episodes from the lives of recent saints.

It also makes us introspect on our hypocrisies which prevent us from flowering with sweetness. But above all, it opens our eyes to the healing energies of the Divine, clothed in a name and form.

It is beyond human comprehension to define or describe the personality of Lord Krsna who encompasses the whole universe as revealed in Srimad Bhagavad-gtta. Yet Vallabhacarya, being a distinguished poet, scholar and an ardent lover of Lord Krsna has brought out the most lovable aspects of the enchanting personality of Lord Krsna in his immortal composition, Madhurashtakam.

We are fortunate that Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda has rendered exhaustive explanations of this Sanskrit composition in simple English, for the common man to perceive the sweetness of a divine form that heals and nourishes us. The discourses given by Pujya Guruji in USA in 2009, form the text of this book.

CCMT has great pleasure in publishing this commentary on Madhurashtakam and appreciates the substantial contribution of Brni Vividisha Chaitanya in editing the text.

We hope this divine theme will enrich the lives of devotees round the world with sweetness and devotion.

What is it in your life or this world that attracts or captivates your mind?

Please mull over this. You are all blessed with sense organs. When you see a thing of beauty—it could be the sunrise, the sunset, the rainbow or snow-clad mountains, the blue oceans or a valley of flowers, or then it could be a sweet, chubby child, a handsome man or a pretty woman—they please your eyes and attract your attention immediately.

Then again, your ears are drawn to pleasant sounds. Say, the sounds one hears at dawn, the chirping of birds, the blowing of the wind, the gush of the river, the cuckoo’s call or a musician’s riyaaz (practice)—these sounds hypnotize you by virtue of their melody. So what is pleasant and beautiful gives you joy.

What then to talk of delicious food! Its aroma tempts you before you actually eat it and the food itself melts in your mouth. Ah! There you are—already thinking of your favourite ice cream or chocolate or your favourite sweet.

So, the forms or colours you see, the food you eat, the sounds you hear, the fragrance you smell and the different sensations of touch—the hot stuffy air, the cool breeze or shower, all attract you, please you and give you joy.

But is it merely sense organs and their perceptions delight you? What about a humorous thought or an inspiring, noble one? A single such thought changes the course of your life and transforms you completely. Quotes like ‘if you don’t stand for something you fall for everything, ‘leave an impression on our minds.

What to talk of feelings then? When you are in distress and you find a person sympathizing and empathizing with you, don’t you feel better after you have opened up to him? As you think, so you become, if a person thinks sweet thoughts, than person becomes a sweet person and bitter thoughts make for a bitter person.

Thus we find that sense objects, emotions and feelings – all these can be gross or subtle, and fill us with bitterness or sweetness.

All that attracts you, pleases you, delights you, all that you find sweet and beautiful is summed up in a single Sanskrit word – ‘madhu’.