man-manase tamasa-rashi-ghore karagrihe duhkha-maye nibaddhah labhasva he caura! hare! ciraya sva-caurya-doshocitam eva dandam
karagrihe vasa sada hridaye madiye mad-bhakti-pasha-dridha-bandhana-nishcalah san tvam krishna he! pralaya-koti-shatantare ’pi sarvasva-caura! hridayan na hi mocayami
Translation
I offer pranama to that foremost of thieves – who is famous in Vraja as the butterthiefand He who steals the gopis’ clothes, and who, for those who take shelter of Him,steals the sins which have accrued over many lifetimes.
I offer pranama to the foremost of thieves – who steals Shrimati Radhika’s heart, whosteals the dark luster of a fresh raincloud, and who steals all the sins and sufferingsof those who take shelter of His feet.
He turns His surrendered devotees into paupers and wandering, homeless beggars –aho! such a fearsome thief has never been seen or heard of in all the three worlds.
Mere utterance of His name purges one of a mountain of sins – such an astonishinglywonderful thief I have never seen or heard of anywhere!
O Thief! Having stolen my wealth, my honour, my senses, my life and my everything,where can You run to? I have caught You with the rope of my devotion.
You cut the terrible noose of Yamaraja, You sever the dreadful noose of materialexistence, and You slash everyone’s material bondage, but You are unable to cut theknot fastened by Your own loving devotees.
O stealer of my everything! O Thief! Today I have imprisoned You in the miserableprison-house of my heart which is very fearful due to the terrible darkness of myignorance, and there for a very long time You will remain, receiving appropriatepunishment for Your crimes of thievery!
O Krishna, thief of my everything! The noose of my devotion remaining forever tight,You will continue to reside in the prison-house of my heart because I will not releaseYou for millions of aeons. (This ashtaka is recited in the poetic meter known as“Upajati”.)