Awakening the Soul in Sri Mayapur Dhama: March 24, 1975

March 24, 1975, marked the first full day of the annual Mayapur Festival at the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. Coming just a day after Srila Prabhupada’s grand arrival, the temple room radiated a high-energy transcendental atmosphere as devotees gathered from around the world to begin the festival's daily program.

The morning program began with a stirring kirtan of Jīv Jāgo, the beloved song composed by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that urges sleeping souls to awaken to spiritual consciousness. Following the vibrant chanting, Rupanuga Prabhu delivered a tremendous Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam lecture on SB 2.9.33, the opening verse of the famous Catuḥ-ślokī.

About the Recording

Place: Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir temple room

Date: March 24, 1975

Recorded by: Gopati dāsa (ACBSP)

Jīv Jāgo (Awake, Soul, Awake!)

By Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

Song Lyrics

(1)

jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gaurācanda bole

koto nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole

(2)

bhajibo boliyā ese saṁsāra-bhitare

bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhore

(3)

tomāre loite āmi hoinu avatāra

āmi binā bandhu āra ke āche tomāra

(4)

enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi’

hari-nāma mahā-mantra lao tumi māgi’

(5)

bhaktivinoda prabhu-caraṇe paṛiyā

sei hari-nāma mahā-mantra loilo māgiyā

English Translation

(1) Lord Gaurāṅga is calling: "Wake up, sleeping souls! Wake up, sleeping souls! How long will you sleep in the lap of the witch called Māyā?"

(2) "You entered this material world promising to worship Me, but you have forgotten and remain submerged under the heavy burden of ignorance."

(3) "I have descended just to save you; other than Myself, who else is your true friend in this world?"

(4) "I have brought the medicine to destroy the disease of illusion: take this Hari-nāma Mahā-mantra by begging for it."

(5) Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura falls at the lotus feet of the Lord, begging for and accepting that Holy Hari-nāma Mahā-mantra.

You can experience the vintage devotional atmosphere of this era through which captures audio recordings from the historic 1975 Mayapur Festival.