The Heart
of citralekha

What is the Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam?
This book is a momentous scripture consisting of eight sacred verses composed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Remarkably, it is the only literary composition known to have been authored by Śrī Caitanya Himself, making it a uniquely precious treasure of devotional literature.

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Who is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu(1486–1534) is revered as the combined incarnation of Radha and Krishna, appearing on earth to teach the science of divine love (prema-bhakti). He is the spiritual fountainhead of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition that ISKCON follows. His life and teachings are in the heart of ISKCON’s philosophy, worship, and practices

Writing & research process:
The first part of my writing process led me to research the various English translations of the Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam. Two stood out most prominently, one by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, translated by Swami B.V. Giri, and the other, of course, by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

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As both of these English translations are currently under copyright, I could not include them in this book. This presented a rewarding challenge. I now had to study the translations of these two great sages and, with the help of an online Sanskrit translator, compose a rendition that honours both the original Sanskrit and the English interpretations of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

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As I am a poet and by no means a scholar, I highly recommend that you explore these translations yourself for a direct understanding from the masters. Both can be read online for free.

Why this book was written:
I wrote this book as a secret wedding gift for my beloved wife, Citrālekha Devi Dasi. I was seeking to understand her soul more deeply through the core scriptures of her tradition. What began as a secret wedding gift soon blossomed into an adventure that transformed my own understanding of love, devotion, and God in ways I could never have imagined.

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This book, at its essence, is a symbol of love for my wife. It is an attempt to say, "I will walk beside you on your journey to God, not as a spectator, but as a companion in faith and love."

I will leave you with a poem which I wrote many years ago, and hope you enjoy this book as much as I did writing it:

I do not wish to be
Gopi or devotee
but the flute
on your lips

David J. McCartney
12/11/25