Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Prayer to Lord Nrsimhadeva.

Here's a prayer to Lord Nrsimhadeva, written by one of Radha-Madhava's devotees in Oxford. I'm sure we can all relate to the sentiments expressed therein!


Dear Lord today once more I pray
Hiranyakasipu you’ll slay;
For though to save Prahlad he died,
He lives within my heart as Pride.

His lusty greed for name and fame
Is my sad search for just the same;
Like him I long for words that flatter,
Not truths that leave this ego shattered.

And just like him I think I’m king,
Of mice and men and Oxford kin.
I wince in pain and loudly moan
When others would usurp my throne .

This demon Pride destroys true sight
And turns all truth to darkest night.
Instead of seeing myself as Thine,
I think this world should all be mine.

Although my name ends in ‘das'
I act more like a stubborn ‘ass' .
When someone pleases not my will,
I deem them fools and rascals ‘till…

They come to share my view and see -
The world’s best ‘know-it-all’ is me .
I fail to see how life’s an act,
Of practising one of two true facts:

‘You are Lord and I am servant’.
My role is overdue and urgent,
But Pride likes not this deep insight:
‘How dare these fools deny my right.

To be the one upon the throne
And have servants all of my own!’
So Dearest Lord today I pray,
(With heart contrite for going astray)

"Please help me serve, that’s all that matters
And rip Pride out once more in tatters. "

1 comment:

Unknown said...

That was beautiful. I had friends who were Krishna-devotees when i was in college, but i've only just read the Bhagavad-Gita for the first time in the past few weeks, and am trying to learn about bhakti yoga, as i... feel like that was the path i've always been called to. Your poem helped me understand the story of Nrsimhadeva. Thank you.