Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga - The golden volcanoes of divine love.

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Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga - The golden volcanoes of divine love.

 

Hare Krishna!

 

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I worship their Lordships Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, whose long arms extend down to their knees, whose beautiful

complexions are the radiant yellow of molten gold and whose elongated

eyes are like red lotuses. They are the topmost of the brahmanas, the

guardians of religious principles for this age, the munificent

benefactors of all living entities, and the most compassionate

incarnations of Godhead. They initiated the congregational chanting

of the names of Lord Krishna.

 

O Lord! You are the eternal truth - past, present, and future - and

You appeared as the son of Sri Jagannatha Misra. I offer my repeated

obeisances unto You along with Your inseparable servitors, Your

unalloyed devotees, Your sons (referring to His renounced Gosvami

disciples, or the devotional process of chanting the holy name of

Lord Krishna), and Your relatives (Bhudevi as Sri Vishnu Priya,

Sridevi as Sri Laksmi Priya, and Lila, Nila or Durga as Navadvipa

Dhama). According to devotional tastes there are the two Gadadharas,

Damodara, Narahari, Ramananda, Jagadananda etc. One is Sri Gadadhara

Pandita - the expansion of Srimati Radharani and Sri Gadadhara Bhatta

from South India who is Rangadevi.

 

I worship the two brothers, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri

Nityananda Prabhu, who are the embodiment of magnanimity. By Their

inconceivable potency They are the transcendental, eternal supreme

controllers of all. Now They have descended to the material world.

 

All glories to Sri Gaurasundara, the supremely powerful Lord of pure

transcendence. He has an aura of molten gold, with lotus petal eyes,

and six long graceful arms extending to His knees. While He sings the

glories of the Lord, He dances in various pleasing postures, His

heart inundated by the ecstatic emotions of devotional mellows.

 

All glories, all glories to the moonlike Sri Krishna Chaitanya. He is

the fully independent Supreme Person, always engaged in

transcendental pastimes. He is the Lord of the universe, the supreme

controller of all controllers, and the personification of

transcendence. All glories, all glories to the devotees of Sri

Gauracandra. All glories, all glories to the ecstatic dancing of the

Lord's intimate associates.

 

In the beginning I offer my humble obeisances to the feet of the

loving, confidential devotees of Lord Sri Chaitanya. I then offer my

obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna

Chaitanya. He incarnated in Navadvipa, and He is known as Visvambhara.

 

That same Supreme Personality of Godhead has declared in the Vedas

and Bhagavat, "Worship of My devotees is superior to worship of Me."

 

Lord Krishna said to Uddhava, "O Uddhava, serving My devotees is many

times better than worshipping Me." (SB 11:19:21).

 

Therefore, I offer my worshipful prayers unto the devotees of the

Lord before I begin to write this book. By this act may my present

endeavor be successful.

 

I offer my respectful obeisances to my worshipable Lord and spiritual

master, Sri Nityananda Raya, by whose mercy the transcendental

pastimes of Lord Sri Chaitanya become spontaneously manifest. With a

thousand tongues we should incessantly glorify the Supreme Lord

Balarama, because His thousand mouths as Ananta Sesa constantly

glorify Lord Krishna. Just as priceless gems are kept in secure

custody, so also the invaluable jewel of knowledge about Krishna's

pastimes is kept safely in the mouth of Anantadeva. Therefore the

tongue which initially glorifies Balarama will automatically be

qualified to vibrate the transcendental pastime of Sri Chaitanya.

 

The Supreme Lord Haladhara holds His thousand hoods like snakes. He

is a gigantic figure and the source of all inspiration. As Nityananda

He is fully transcendental and eternally existent, intoxicated by the

nectar of Sri Chaitanya. Whoever sings or hears about Nityananda's

supramundane character is offered the supreme shelter of Lord

Chaitanya.

 

Mahesa and his consort Parvatidevi take great pleasure in eulogizing

the object of their love - Sankarsana, Nityananda Prabhu. In the

midst of a million fresh young maidens, the pure devotee, Sri Siva,

and his consort pour out nectarean devotional hymns to Lord

Sankarsana.

 

All this is revealed in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Balarama is worshipped by the entire Vaisnava world with songs of

praise. Balarama danced with His gopis in Vrndavana, and their rasa

dance is the pinnacle of sublimity. The Puranas describe that

Balarama performed His rasa dance during the two months of spring,

Madhava and Madhu. The Srimad Bhagavatam verses narrating this

subject were spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit.

 

Balarama spent the moonlit nights of the months of Vaisaka and Caitra

with the cowherd damsels in the supramundane abode of Vrndavana. The

place was set aglow with the rays of the moon. The lotus and kadamba

flowers bloomed freely under the influence of the moon's rays, and a

soft breeze circulated their scent. In the groves on the bank of the

Jamuna, Balarama danced with the gopis, increasing their conjugal

mood. The Supreme Lord Balarama, like an exquisite gem decorated by

the cluster of gopis, performed His pleasurable pastimes. He behaved

like Indra's elephant Airavata - the controller of many she-

elephants. The Gandharvas observed the rasa dance and offered their

prayers.

 

The sound of kettle drums rose from the heavens, the demigods

joyously showered flowers upon Them, and the Gandharvas and sages

worshipped the Supreme Lord Balarama with verses praising His

activities. The sages unequivocally denounce association with women,

yet they sung hymns in praise of Balarama's rasa dance with His

cowherd damsels. The demigods attended Balarama's rasa dance to

shower flower petals. They knew that there was no difference between

Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama, Haladhara. The transcendental

qualities of Balarama are obscure in the four Vedas, but the Puranas

describe them boldly. What power do I have to describe them? Out of

ignorance, some people disregard the Puranas and reject Balarama's

rasa dance as unauthentic.

 

The two brothers, Lord Krishna and Balarama, performed the rasa dance

with the gopis in the same place in Vrndavana. On the radiant full

moon night of holi, at the end of sivaratri vrata, Lord Krishna and

Lord Balarama, accompanied by Their cowherd boy friends, enjoyed

Themselves in the midst of the beautiful maidens of Vrndavana. They

were both pleasingly decorated with the finest jewelry, sandalwood

pulp, wildflower garlands and exquisite clothes. The fortunate gopis

sang sweetly, their hearts enraptured by love for Krishna and

Balarama.

 

Evening had not set in; the moon and the stars appeared. The

fragrance of Arabian jasmine intoxicated the bumblebees, and a light

breeze carried the aromas of white lilies and lotus flowers.

Considering that very moment to be appropriate, Krishna and Balarama

began Their pleasurable dalliances. They sang together for the

pleasure of all living entities, Their voices rising and falling

melodiously.

 

If a person, after reading Srimad Bhagavatam, is not affectionately

inclined towards Lord Balarama, then he is rejected by the Supreme

Lord Vishnu and His devotees. In the words of Srimad Bhagavatam, a

non-believer is a yavana (a barbarian). He is destined to suffer in

hell, birth after birth.

 

There are others who, like eunuchs, make emotional gesticulations,

challenging, "Which scripture describes the rasa dance of Balarama?"

Who is so sinful that even after reading the scriptures, he can not

accept the truth, but misinterprets the real meaning and gives his

own distorted understanding?

 

Lord Balarama is the abode of Lord Chaitanya's deep affection.

Offense at Balarama's lotus feet destroys all possibilities for

salvation. In His incarnation as Laksmana the younger brother of Lord

Ramacandra, Balarama enacted the role of the Lord's servitor. Yet in

His manifestation as the Supreme Lord, Balarama serves Himself in

every respect - as a friend and a brother, by fanning Him, putting

Him to sleep, glorifying Him with Vedic invocations and expanding

Himself as His house, umbrella, attire, jewelry and seat. "O Lord !

Your direct, partial expansion, Ananta Sesa, is the source of all the

various ingredients for Your service in the transcendental realm of

Vaikuntha. Ananta Sesa is famous because He is manifest as Your

residence, bed throne, shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. When shall I see

you with Laksmidevi seated on the throne of Ananta Sesa?

 

Ananta Sesa's partial expansion is the mighty Sri Garuda whose

satisfaction is derived from acting as the Lord's carrier in every

pastime. Ananta's devotees include Brahma, Siva, the four Kumaras,

Srila Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami, Narada Muni and others. His

glorious qualities are unlimited and are not fully understood by

anyone. He is the original personality, the greatest mystic, the

Supreme Lord, and the greatest devotee of the Vaisnavas.

 

Thus far you have heard about the wonderful services performed by

Ananta Sesa; now hear about His great opulence. He is enthroned in

the lower planetary system of patala as his own source and repose. He

is worshipped by all as His thousand mouths continually taste the

full nectar of love of Godhead. In the court of Brahma, Narada Muni

plays on his vina, and with well-composed verses he sings the

wonderful glories of Ananta. Is it humanly possible to know the

supramundane nature of Anantadeva? Just by His glance, He sets in

motion the three modes of material nature which are the cause of this

world's creation, maintenance, and annihilation. Although He is one,

He supports the entire variegated material cosmic manifestation

Himself (within the pores of His person). He is beginningless and

eternal. Other then Lord Sankarsana, who can offer shelter to persons

devoid of all material aspirations? He is the support on which the

material world manifests and acts. That Supreme Lord, the cause of

all causes, has appeared in His sublime spiritual form. He is the

most powerful; in comparison, the power of a lion is insignificant.

He performs pure transcendental pastimes to capture the hearts of His

dear devotees, and He destroys countless sins by manifesting His

transcendental form. What more is there to say than this? One becomes

purified by hearing or calling out the name of Lord Anantadeva,

either respectfully or accidentally. Even a degraded person is

purified when he tauntingly utters the name of Sri Ananta.

 

Anantadeva's mighty potency is beyond measure. That Supreme Lord

carries on just one of His thousand heads the entire universe with

all its living entities, mountains, and rivers, and that universe

appears to be only a minute, atomic speck. Even if a person acquires

a thousand tongues, how can he describe the power of the omnipotent

Supreme Lord? Anantadeva is His own shelter and source, filled with

unlimited power and strength. While residing in the lower planetary

system of rasatala, He holds this gigantic cosmic manifestation with

ease born of detachment. This material world's creation, maintenance,

and annihilation, as well as the three modes of material nature, are

activated by His glance. Who can fathom Anantadeva's non-dual,

transcendental, eternal and unborn existence?

 

Out of mercy toward the living entities the Lord manifests His

supramundane spiritual form while He performs His variegated

pastimes. All living entities reside within that transcendental form.

The mighty Lord Nrsimhadeva represents but a wave in the ocean of the

Lord's unlimited pastimes which satisfy the hearts of His devotees.

Anantadeva's unlimited names, when heard or chanted by anyone in any

manner, immediately sever the noose of innumerable births and deaths.

Thus the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord always appreciated those who

glorify Him. Ananta Sesa is the supreme destination of the entire

universe; His holy name is the only means for the living entities's

redemption. The Lord holds on His head the unlimited material nature -

along with its mountains and oceans - simply for its protection and

maintenance. The entire universe is a speck on one of His thousand

hoods, and because of His unlimited strength, He does not feel the

burden.

 

Lord Anantadeva, the original Supreme Personality and maintainer of

the entire cosmic manifestation, incessantly sings in glorification

of Lord Krishna. He continuously describes every aspect of the Lord's

divine attributes. Lord Krishna is eternal and His attributes are

unending, therefore He can never be fully described or glorified. But

Ananta is also eternal and His ability to glorify the Lord is

unending. In Their divine relationship, neither is ever victorious.

Even today Ananta Sesa's thousand mouths continuously sing the

glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna Chaitanya. How wonderfully Lord

Krishna and Lord Balarama compete with each other! Brahma, Siva,

other demigods and the perfected sages look on, feeling great

exhilaration. The eulogies of Anantadeva pursue the ever-expanding,

elusive shores of Lord Krishna's ocean of qualities.

 

O Narada, I Brahma, and your elders, Sanaka and other sages cannot

even fathom the extent of this material nature, what to speak of

knowing the Supreme Lord's spiritual potencies. Anantadeva, the

origin of all demigods, is unable to exhaustively glorify the Supreme

Lord's transcendental opulence and potencies with His thousand

mouths. Therefore how is it possible for ordinary mortals to

understand these divine potencies? Anantadeva is Himself the master

of unlimited attributes, and He resides in rasatala simply to support

the vast material creation.

 

In the court of Brahma Narada Muni plays His vina and sings about

these very same transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord. Brahma

and others are stunned in ecstasy upon hearing about the supramundane

qualities of the Supreme Lord, and Narada Muni is worshiped by all

because he sings about those qualities. I have also been moved to

write a few phrases in praise of the unlimited potencies of Lord

Nityananda, Anantadeva, so I humbly request all of you to develop a

loving devotional mood toward the Lord. Those who desire to cross

over the dangerous ocean of material existence, yet drown in the

ocean of devotional ecstasy, may take shelter of Lord Nityananda.

 

I pray to the merciful Vaisnava devotees of the Lord to fulfill my

hearts yearning, that I may serve my Lord Balarama birth after birth.

Just as dvija, vipra, and brahma are different names for the same

person, similarly Nityananda, Ananta and Balarama are different names

for the same Supreme Personality. My Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared

within my heart and instructed me to narrate the transcendental

qualities of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in this book.

 

The pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are revealed by Nityananda's

mercy only, because His personal expansion, Ananta Sesa, is the

storehouse of information about Lord Chaitanya and Lord Krishna's

pastimes. Although Sri Ananta Sesa is the embodiment of Krishna

kirtana, I have been able to offer only a humble prayer in His honor.

 

Hearing Lord Chaitanya's qualities and pastimes can clean away all

material contaminations. Know for certain that such pastimes are

revealed only through a pure devotee's grace. For who can know the

nature and pastimes of Lord Chaitanya? It is a hidden mystery even in

the Vedas. Therefore, I have compiled only first-hand accounts taken

directly from the lips of the associates of the Lord.

 

I see no beginning or end to Lord Chaitanya's pastimes. They are

eternal and unlimited, and only the Lord's grace gives me the potency

to compose them. I am simply Lord Chaitanya's mouthpiece, repeating

as He desires, just like a doll moved by some unseen hand. I throw

myself at the feet of all pure Vaisnava devotes so they may cleanse

me of all offenses.

 

O my brothers! Please listen very attentively to the transcendental

pastimes Lord Chaitanya performed with His devotee associates. The

ecstatic pastimes of Lord Chaitanya have been divided into three

periods - early, intermediate and later (Adi, Madhya and Antya). The

early period includes a description of the Lord's education, and the

intermediate portion reveals Mahaprabhu's pastimes of congregational

chanting. The concluding portion describes the Lord's pastimes as a

sannyasi in Nilacala, Orissa. He had allocated to Nityananda the

mission of preaching in Bengal.

 

The pious Sri Jagannatha Misra, Chaitanya's father, lived in

Navadvipa. Like Vasudeva, he conscientiously performed his spiritual

duties. His devout and faithful wife Srimati Sacidevi was a second

Devaki - the beloved mother of everyone. The Supreme Personality of

Godhead Lord Narayana appeared in the womb of Srimati Sacidevi, and

as Sri Krishna Chaitanya, He became the most precious possession of

everyone's heart.

 

The Adi Khanda begins by describing the appearance of Lord Chaitanya

on an auspicious full moon evening in the month of Phalguna when the

moon went into eclipse. The tumultuous chanting of Lord Hari's holy

name filled all directions, inspiring everyone to sing together. The

Supreme Lord Chaitanya was born amidst the chanting.

 

The Adi Khanda also describes the Lord's numerous childhood pastimes.

Lord Chaitanya revealed to His parents His otherwise unmanifest place

of residence, the holy Dhama. And as they stared in wonder, He showed

them the physical signs of divinity on His feet.

 

This portion of the book describes how one day thieves kidnapped baby

Nimai from his house, but He tricked them into bringing Him back

home. Another story narrated here is how the Lord ate all the food

offered to Vishnu in the house of Jagadisa and Hiranya on ekadasi

day. Yet another story describes how the Lord once sat on a pile of

contaminated cooking pots and used the situation to instruct His

mother in philosophy. He also acted like a crying baby, using His

tears as a ploy to make everyone chant the holy names of God.

 

The Adi Khanda discusses the Lord as a child playing with His friends

as if He were Krishna in Gokula. It describes how He began His

education and with little effort mastered all the scriptures. It

narrates Sri Jagannatha Misra's disappearance and Visvarupa's

acceptance of sannyasa and how these two disasters afflicted Mother

Saci. Then it describes the Lord's wonderful pastimes as a student.

He was pride personified before the other student scholars.

Chaitanya's travels through eastern Bengal are also described here,

elaborating on how the land became a place of pilgrimage by the touch

of His lotus feet. Chaitanya was the master of all different

scriptures. There was no one in the three worlds to challenge His

erudition.

 

The Adi Khanda describes the Lord sporting with His fellow students

and their water pastimes in the waves of the Ganga. Then came the

Lord's first marriage and the glorious disappearance of His first

wife. He duly accepted a second wife, the daughter of a royal

scholar. Once He pretended to be sick from a wind disorder. He took

that opportunity to reveal symptoms of love of Godhead. While the

Lord roamed about as a great scholar, He empowered all the devotees

who surrendered to Him.

 

The narration of the early life of Sri Chaitanya includes a

description of the immense joy on Mother Saci's face when she looked

at the moon-like, blissful face and the graceful clothes of the Lord.

Then there is the story of how Nimai Pandita piqued the pride of a

scholar who was renowned as Digvijaya, the world conqueror.

Ultimately the Lord slashed the scholar's material bonds. The Lord

put everyone - even His devotees - into illusion about His real

identity, and He roamed the streets of Navadvipa deceiving all. There

is also a description of the Lord's pilgrimage to Gaya dhama and how

He showered causeless mercy on Isvara Puri by accepting him as His

spiritual master.

 

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