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Your servant,

Ranganatha Dasa

 

 

Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat

Adi Lila Chapter One

 

I worship their Lordships Sri Caitanya 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 Krsna.

 

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 Caitanya 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 His long graceful arms extend 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 Caitanya. 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 Caitanya. I then offer my

obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna

Caitanya. 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 worshiping 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 Caitanya 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 Krsna'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 Caitanya.

 

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 Caitanya. Whoever sings or hears about Nityananda's

supramundane character is offered the supreme shelter of Lord

Caitanya.

 

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 worshiped 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 a 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

worshiped 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 Krsna 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

inauthentic.

 

The two brothers, Lord Krsna 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 Krsna 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, Krsna 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 Caitanya'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 worshiped 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 Krsna. He continuously describes every aspect of the Lord's

divine attributes. Lord Krsna 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 Krsna Caitanya. How wonderfully Lord

Krsna 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 Krsna'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 Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this book.

 

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

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

storehouse of information about Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna's

pastimes. Although Sri Ananta Sesa is the embodiment of Krsna

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

 

Hearing Lord Caitanya'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 Caitanya? 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 Caitanya's pastimes. They are

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

to compose them.

 

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