Bhaktimarga Maharaj reading his poetic rendition of Chaitanya Shikshashtakam
Channel: Chaitanya Charan
Date: 2020-06-12

From:  How to make our outreach more relevant - The Monk's Podcast 22 with Bhaktimarga Maharaj. https://youtu.be/wr8cuhdZHMA
 
Chaitanya's Verses by Bhaktimarga Maharaj

Victory to the sacred sound, that cleanses all around. 
There’s filth in the heart, piled up from the start. 
Many births of desires, have burst up like fires. 
Therefore, the kirtan charge, is for humanity at large. 
It’s a practice so cool, like the rays of the moon. 
It’s the fruit of wisdom, with joy that’s arisen, 
So sweet to the taste, we go with great haste. 

You who are Divine, this sound is sublime,
With thousands of names, they all are the same.
In them all energies are invested, the names are tested. 
Rules? Not hard and fast, it’s easy to pass.
Out of sheer kindness, the sound is sure to bind us. 
Attractive! Accessible! Approachable! Doable!
But what is most unfortunate.... I can’t always appreciate. 

To approach the sound, one must be humbly-bound, 
Like the straw in the street, one has to be meek, 
Like a tall, stout tree, tolerant as can be,
I’m telling you brother, it’s the ego we have to smother. 
R.E.S.P.E.C.T...., respect is how it should be.
With the right attitude, the constant sound has platitude. 

Oh, power behind the universe,I’m not looking to be fabulously rich, 
Not to be overwhelmed by the lustful itch, 
Nor entangled in the name/fame hitch, 
I’ll have my bhakti list, though births persist. 
                            
Son of Nanda,
I love you and I will assist you,
But I’m in an ocean, drowning without devotion.
Pick me up from this ocean of death, before my last breath, 
While those lotus feet are handsome, place me there like an atom. 

When will the time come, when tears of love will run, 
And flow so constantly, while chanting in ecstasy? 
When will my voice choke up, in the course of shake up? 
When will hairs stand on end, as we chant to transcend? 

Govinda is your name, separation makes me insane. 
One moment lasts forever, like twelve years or whatever. 
Tears come like rain, your absence gives such pain. 
This vacancy in life, creates so much strife. 

But I know only you as my lover, there is no other – 
Even when its rough, I’ll never have enough,
Of heart felt embrace, or when we find no trace 
Of you in your freedom to act, so I’ll state the fact 
That I love you! I love you! I always will love you! 

Chaitanya's Verses by Bhaktimarga Maharaj Pdf file: https://mega.nz/file/j2hmxC4R#aKSGJGR0wFRkFpoB5upCbtQUbvFrklr8kIOQvSUabLg

BHAKTIMARGA SWAMI, popularly known as THE WALKING MONK, took to a monk’s life in 1973 as a youthful 20 year old. Prior to becoming a monk, he did chores on the family farm in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, and was a college student of Fine Arts. His walks are extensively and internationally featured on radio, television, in newspaper, and film. THE WALKING MONK first took to the road as a marathon walker in 1996 to honour the centennial year of his guru, SRILA PRABHUPADA, the Founder Acharya of ISKCON - the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. At that time, BHAKTIMARGA SWAMI walked across Canada (Earth's 2nd largest country) from coast to coast for the spiritual healing of the nation. From there on in he was hooked and later repeated the journey 3 more times! His walking fever quickly spread beyond Canada across international borders. 

Bhaktimarga Maharaj profile: https://gbc.iskcon.org/bhakti-marga-swami/
Bhaktimarga Maharaj Blog: https://sadhana.bhaktimarga.org/blog