1) GOPINATH LORD OF THE GOPI’S

Gopinath is one of the unlimited names for God in His form as Krishna , the original lover. In India , God is understood to be a unique individual, as unique as we are. As we enjoy relationships with everyone and everything around us, in the same way we can experience our intimate and unique relationship with God, unique in that no other person can have exactly quite the same relationship with Him. It’s beautiful when we fully appreciate that our relationship with our creator is indeed special, intimate and intensely personal, unbound by rules and social norms. As a natural consequence of this individual relationship between us and God, He has unlimited manifestations, each possessing different names to help describe the different relationships. Gopinath, or Lord of the Gopi’s describes Krishna as the ultimate lover. Just as we have unlimited variety in our earthly relationships, sometimes we are lovers, sometimes we are parents, sometimes we are friends and so on, this same variety exists in relation to the supreme person. While there is no ‘highest’ relationship in one sense, still it is described in Vedic scriptures that the relationship of ‘lover’ with God is the highest.

This song is a humble request sung in earnest, begging to become Gods lover. Often in romantic love affairs we feel that we are unqualified for the love of another. How can he love me? He’s so wonderful, too good for me, I am unworthy… It’s a reflection of just how high a regard we have for the other person. That same mood permeates this song. The lyrics are begging for Gopinath to steal us away from worldly desires and to make us His lover.

Gopinath, mama nevedana suno

Visayi durjana, sada kama-rata

Kichu nahi mora guna

O Gopinatha, Lord of the gopis, please hear my request. I am such a materialist, I’m addicted to worldly desires and no good qualities do I possess.

Gopinath, amara bharasa tumi

Tomara carane, loinu sarana

Tomara kinkora ami

O Gopinatha, You are my only hope and I’m throwing myself at your lotus feet, I want to be Your eternal servant.

Gopinatha, kemone sodhibe more

Na jani bhakati, karma jada-mati,

Porechi somsara-ghore

O Gopinath, how can even You purify me? Truthfully, I don’t even know what devotion is, my mind is so absorbed in materialistic desires. Somehow I fell into this dark world.

Gopinath, sakali tomara maya

Nahi mama bala, jnana sunirmala

Swadhina nahe e kaya

O Gopinatha, You created everything, so even all this ‘illusion’ is Your manifestation, but I have no strength to overcome it, I have no transcendental knowledge and my body is a slave to this material world. All I want is to be free from this world and be Your lover.