Itna To Karna Swami
(refrain) itnā
to karnā svāmī, jab prāṇa tan se nikale govinda
nāma leke, tab prāṇa tan se nikale
(Refrain) Oh Lord, Please do this much, when the soul leaves my body, that I take Your beautiful name of Govinda.
śrī
gaṅgā jī kā taṭa ho yamunā kā
vaṁśī-vaṭa ho merā
sāṅvarā nikaṭa ho jab prāṇa tan se nikale
Whether it be the Holy Ganges River, or the Yamuna River where Lord Krsna spend His time playing the flute. May my beloved one, Krsna, be present.
śrī
vṛndāvana kā sthala ho mere mukha meṅ tulasī dala ho viṣṇu
caraṇa kā jala ho, jab prāṇa tan se nikale
May it be at the holy abode of Vrndavana and may I have a tulasi leaf in my mouth, and have the water of Visnu's lotus feet on me, as the soul leaves the body.
pītāmbarī
kasī ho chavī man meṅ ye basī ho hoṅṭoṅ
pe kuch hasī ho jab prāṇa tan se nikale
Whether I look at His attractive yellow garment or His beautiful face is etched in my mind, I start to smile at this.
jab
kaṇṭha prāṇa āye koī roga nā satāye yama
darasa nā dikhāye jab prāṇa tan se nikale
When the soul starts to leave from my throat, may I not be diseased at this critical point, may I never see the face of Yamaraja.
us
waqt jaldī ānā nahīṅ śyām bhūla
jānā rādhe
ko sātha lānā jab prāṇa tan se nikale
At this critical time when death comes quickly, please don't forget, O Syama! Please bring Sri Radha with You!
merā
prāṇa nikale sukha se terā nāma nikale mukha se baca
jāūṅ ghor duḥkha se, jab prāṇa tan se nikale
May my soul leave my body in happiness with Your name chanting from my mouth. May all miseries leave me, as my soul departs from my body.
ek
bhakta kī haiṅ arzī khudgarz kī haiṅ garzī āge
tumhārī marzī jab prāṇa tan se nikale
This devotee is making such a needy plea that is selfish. Since I have made such a plea, from this point, You can decide what You wish to do to me.
Translation
(Refrain) Oh Lord, Please do this much, when the soul leaves my body, that I take Your beautiful name of Govinda.
Whether it be the Holy Ganges River, or the Yamuna River where Lord Krsna spend His time playing the flute. May my beloved one, Krsna, be present.
May it be at the holy abode of Vrndavana and may I have a tulasi leaf in my mouth, and have the water of Visnu's lotus feet on me, as the soul leaves the body.
Whether I look at His attractive yellow garment or His beautiful face is etched in my mind, I start to smile at this.
When the soul starts to leave from my throat, may I not be diseased at this critical point, may I never see the face of Yamaraja.
At this critical time when death comes quickly, please don't forget, O Syama! Please bring Sri Radha with You!
May my soul leave my body in happiness with Your name chanting from my mouth. May all miseries leave me, as my soul departs from my body.
This devotee is making such a needy plea that is selfish. Since I have made such a plea, from this point, You can decide what You wish to do to me.
Notes
1980. It's also featured in Sudha Malhotra's ISKCON album "Nam Smaran" released in
1987. This song was rendered in Raga Des and Raga Bilawal, respectively. A variant of Verse 4 is "ānā zarūr ānā rādhe ko sāth lānā; muralī kī dhun sunānā" (Please, definitely come! Definitely come! Please bring Srimati Radharani with you and play Your flute.) A variant of Verse 7 is " yeh nek sī araja hai mano to kyā haraja kuch āp kā faraja hai jab prāṇa tan se nikale " ("If You accept this is a plea in the mode of goodness, what is the trouble to fulfill it? That shall be Your duty when my soul leaves my body.)