1sarac-candra-bhrāntiḿ sphurad-amala-kāntiḿ gaja-gatiḿ
hari-premonmattaḿ dhṛta-parama-sattvaḿ smita-mukham
sadāghūrṇan-netraḿ kara-kalita-vetraḿ kali-bhidaḿ
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, whose bright face mocks the full autumn moon, whose pure complexion glistens, whose gait is like that of a maddened elephant, who is always intoxicated in Krsna-prema, who embodies pure spiritual energy, whose face holds a gentle smile, whose eyes are always rolling due to His absorption in Krsna-prema, whose lotus hand holds a glowing staff, and who, by the performance of nama-sankirtana, pierces the influence of Kali-yuga.
2rasānām āgāraḿ svajana-gaṇa-sarvasvam atulaḿ
tadīyaika-prāṇa-pramita-vasudhā-jāhnava-patim
sadā-premonmādaḿ param aviditaḿ manda-manasām
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is the mainstay of all the rasas, who is everything to His devotees, who is beyond compare, who is the master of both Vasudha and Jahnava-devi, who consider Him more dear than their own lives, who is always maddened in Krsna-prema, and who is unknown only to those of meager intelligence.
3śacī-sūnu-preṣṭhaḿ nikhila-jagad-iṣṭaḿ sukha-mayaḿ
kalau majjaj-jivoddharaṇa-karaṇoddāma-karuṇam
harer ākhyānād vā bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haraḿ
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is very dear to Sri Saci-nandana, who is worshipped by the entire universe, who is the embodiment of happiness, who possesses infinite mercy for delivering the souls who are drowning in the age of Kali, and who, by the performance of sri-harinama-sankirtana, thwarts the progressing false pride of the ocean of repeated birth and death.
4aye bhrātar nīṇāḿ kali-kaluṣiṇāḿ kiḿ nu bhavitā
tathā prāyaścittaḿ racaya yad-anāyāsata ime
vrajanti tvām itthaḿ saha bhagavatā mantrayati yo
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who said to Sri Krsna Caitanya, "Hey brother Gauranga! What will be the destination of the sinful souls of Kali-yuga and how will theyt be redeemed? Please devise a method by which they will easily attain You."
5yatheṣṭhaḿ re bhrātaḥ kuru hari-hari-dhvānam aniśaḿ
tato vaḥ saḿsārāmbudhi-taraṇa-dāyo mayi laget
idaḿ bāhu-sphoṭair aṭati raṭayan yaḥ pratigṛham
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who wandered around Bengal and, approaching the door of each and every home, threw open His arms and exclaimed, "O brothers! All of you should eternally perform sri-harinama-sankirtana together. By doing so, I will take the responsibility to deliver you all from the ocean of material existence."
6balāt saḿsārāmbhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho
satāḿ śreyaḥ-sindhūnnati-kumuda-bandhuḿ samuditaḿ
khala-śreṇī-sphūrjit-timira-hara-sūrya-prabham ahaḿ
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is the Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean of repeated birth and death, who is a rising full moon which increases the ocean of the saintly persons' welfare, and who is a sun which dissipates the darkness of ignorance cast by the various classes of miscreants.
7naṭantaḿ gāyantaḿ harim anuvadantaḿ pathi pathi
vrajantaḿ paśyantaḿ svam api na dayantaḿ jana-gaṇam
prakurvantaḿ santaḿ sa-karuṇa-dṛg-antaḿ prakalanād
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the tree of Krsna-bhakti, who wandered on every path in Bengal dancing, singing, and calling out "Hari bol! Hari bol!" and who lovingly bestowed merciful sidelong glances upon those who were not compassionate to even their own selves.
8su-bibhrāṇaḿ bhrātuḥ kara-sarasijaḿ komalataraḿ
mitho vaktrālokocchalita-paramānanda-hṛdayam
bhramantaḿ mādhuryair ahaha madayantaḿ pura-janān
bhaje nityānandaḿ bhajana-taru-kandaḿ niravadhi
भावार्थI eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who held the supremely soft lotus-hand of His brother Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, whose heart became filled with the highest bliss when the two brothers gazed into each other's faces, and who wandered here and there delighting the townspeople with His sweetness.
9rasānāḿ ādhāraḿ rasika-vara-sad-vaiṣṇava-dhanaḿ
rasāgāraḿ sāraḿ patita-tati-tāraḿ smaraṇataḥ
paraḿ nityānandāṣṭakam idam apūrvaḿ pathati yaḥ
tad-ańghri-dvandvābjaḿ sphuratu nitarāḿ tasya hṛdaye
भावार्थMay Sri Nityananda Prabhu place His lotus feet in the heart of one who lovingly recites this unprecedented Nityanandastaka, which is the reservoir of rasa, the greatest treasure of the most exalted of rasika Vaisnavas, and the storehouse of the essence of bhakti-rasa. This astaka is sung in the melody known as 'Sikharini".