Lord Nityananda's Life & Glories. ( by Great Acaryas)

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees:

 

Please accept my most humble obeiscances & All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

For the most auspicious appearance day of the Supreme Lord and most merciful

Lord Nityananda, i have compiled in one text the life and part of the

glories of Lord Nityananda by prominent Acaryas (Srila Vrndavana dasa

Thakura; Srila Locana dasa Thakura; Srila Dhyanacandra Gosvami;Srila Bhakti

Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada; Narottama dasa Thakura's Prarthana

with a purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

 

May Parama Karuna Sri Nityananda Prabhu bless all the devotees and empower

them in all their preaching activities.

 

Sri Nityananda Prabhu Ki Jay..!

 

ys

 

Tusti Mohan Krsna das.

 

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Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Rarely is the name Nimai (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) taken

without that of Nitai (Lord Nityananda). Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or

understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru

of

all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His

devotees. He is the Lord's active principle in both creation and lila. He is

the second body of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Sri Krishna, Lakshman

to

Sri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All other forms and

expansions of the Lord emanate from this second body. Nityananda Prabhu is

thus

the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu's, and Ananta Sesa. As Vishnu tattva

He

and Advaita Acarya are worshipped in the same category as Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

In the manifested earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Caitanya

Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He is statuesque, like His Ma!

ster, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a

cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the

grandeur of a rising moon at sunset. He has a deep melodious voice, constant

singing the glories of Sri Krishna and carries a red stick with benedictions

for the devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a

wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows

what

He will do next.

 

Nityananda Prabhu was born in Ekacakra, a small village in present West

Bengal,

around the year 1474. His birthsite is commemorated by a temple named

Garbhasva

and is visited by throngs of pilgrims today. His father, Hadai Ojha and

mother

Padmavati, were pious Brahmans originally from Mithila. Nityananda Prabhu

was

born on the auspicious thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month

of

Maga. As a child, Nitai (as Nityananda Prabhu was called), loved to enact

the

pastimes of Sri Krishna or Lord Rama. He did this so authoritatively and

with

such rapture, that the entire village would be immersed in the love of

Godhead.

 

Nitai's favorite part was that of Lakshman, and He enacted it with so many

apparently authentic scenes not described in the Ramayana, that people would

wonder if He was making it up or actually relishing His own pastimes. The

village of Ekacakra was completely absorbed in the love of little Nitai,

where

He spend the first 12 years of his earthly life. In the 13th year, a

travelling

sannyasi, said to be the famous Lakshmipati Tirtha, enchanted by Nitai"s

devotion and service, requested Nitai from his parents, as a travelling

companion. His parents, bound by Vedic culture, could not refuse the request

of

a guest and reluctantly parted with Nitai. However, devastated by the

separation with Nitai, that Hadai Pandit soon gave up his life.

 

Nitai traveled with Lakshmipati Tirtha for about 20 years, during which He

visited all the holy places in the country, reminiscent of the manner that

Balarama traveled while the battle at Kurukshetra raged on. Nitai is said to

be

later on initiated by Lakshmipati Tirtha. He also associated with another of

Lakshmipati Tirtha's famous disciple, Madhavendra Puri, who although his

godbrother, was revered by Nitai was as a spiritual master. Madhavendra Puri

is

famous for establishing the sweet truth of Madhurya-rasa which later become

an

integral part of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Among the other disciples of

Madhavendra

Puri is Advaita Acarya, and Isavara Puri (the spiritual master of Caitanya

Mahaprabhu).

 

Nityananda Prabhu met Caitanya Mahaprabhu in 1506, when He was 32 years old

and

the Lord 20 years. It is said that when Nityananda Prabhu reached the land

of

Nadia, He hid in the house of Nandanacarya, to heighten the ecstasy of

meeting

through separation. Caitanya Mahaprabhu aware of the arrival of His eternal

associate dispatched Haridas Thakur and Srivas Pandit to search out Nitai,

but

they failed. Finally unable to bear the separation any longer, Caitanya

Mahaprabhu Himself went directly to Nityananda Prabhu and the ecstasy of the

meeting was so transcendental that every one witnessing it were awed by the

sublime experience. A temple called Sri Gaura-Nityananda commemorates this

meeting place in Nadia.

 

Nityananda Prabhu in His role as the original spiritual master, was

instrumental in spreading the yuga dharma of sankritana all over the Gaudia

desh (Bengal, Orrisa). His mercy knew no bounds, and people fortunate to

come

in contact with Him were inundated with the love of Godhead. It was by His

mercy that Raghunatha dasa, one of the six Goswamis started the famous Danda

Mahotsava festival of Panihatti, a tradition that continues to this day, and

was thus able to serve Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He extended His mercy to even

fallen souls like Jagai and Madhai, delivering them from the sinful lives

and

protecting them from the wrath of even Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed His mercy

knew no bounds, and fortunate were the people who tasted the nectar of His

instructions.

 

When Nityananda Prabhu returned to Bengal at the request of Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, His decided to abandon His avadhuta status and become a

grahastha

(householder). He married Jahnava devi and Vasudha, the two daughters of

Suryadasa Sarakhel, who the brother of Gauridasa Pandit (an intimate

associate

of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the spiritual master of the famous Shyamananda

Pandit). Nityananda Prabhu had a son (Virchandara) and a daughter

(Gangadevi)

from Vasudha. Soon after Vasudha passed away and Jahanva devi looked after

the

children. She later initiated Virchandra, and also became an instructing

spiritual master to the likes of Shyamananda Pandit, Shrivasa Pandit and

Narottama dasa Thakur. Jahnava devi is revered as a Vaishnavi and she

established the pre-eminent positon of women in the Vaishanava tradition.

 

Lord Nityananda wound up His earthly pastimes, by merging into the deity of

Krishna, known as Bankim Ray, not far from Ekacakra. Vaishanava acaryas

emphatically state that people who try to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu

without getting the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu will never succeed. and one

must

pray very sincerely to Lord Nityananda Prabhu as the adi-guru (original

spiritual master) to be delivered to the Lotus feet of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu.

The presence of Nityananada Prabhu is always felt in the presence of one's

own

guru, for the guru is considered to be the living manifestation of

Nityananda

Prabhu's love and mercy, and his sakti (power) is what gives the disciple

the

ability to perform devotional service and experience spiritual bliss.

 

-------

SRI NITYANANDASTAKA

"Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord Nityananda"

 

by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura

(Translated by Kusakratha dasa)

 

 

TEXT 1

 

sarac-candra-bhrantim sphurad-amala-kantim gaja-gatim

hari-premonmattam dhrta-parama-sattvam smita-mukham

sadaghurnan-netram kara-kalita-vetram kali-bhidam

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. As He walks with the grace of a majestic elephant, His

pure, splendid beauty shines like the full autumn moon. Though He Himself is

the Absolute Truth, He is maddened with pure love for Lord Hari. He smiles

as He rolls His eyes in apparent intoxication, He carries a stick in His

hand [in the mood of a cowherd boy], and He breaks the power of the Age of

Kali.

 

TEXT 2

 

rasanam agaram svajana-gana-sarvasvam atulam

tadiyaika-prana-pramita-vasudha-jahnava-patim

sada-premonmadam param aviditam manda-manasam

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He is the abode of the mellows of devotional service,

and no one can be compared to Him. He is the be-all and end-all for His

devotees, and the husband of Vasudha and Jahnava, to whom He is more dear

than life itself. Because He is always maddened with pure love for Krsna,

the foolish nondevotees cannot understand that He is the Supreme Personality

of Godhead Himself.

 

TEXT 3

 

saci-sunu-prestham nikhila-jagad-istam sukha-mayam

kalau majjaj-jivoddharana-karanoddama-karunam

harer akhyanad va bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haram

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He is very dear to the son of Saci-devi and is worshiped

by the entire universe. Out of His great mercy He chants the holy name of

Lord Hari, thus rescuing the souls drowning in the age of Kali and crushing

the pride of the ocean of repeated birth and death.

 

TEXT 4

 

aye bhratar ninam kali-kalusinam kim nu bhavita

tatha prayascittam racaya yad-anayasata ime

vrajanti tvam ittham saha bhagavata mantrayati yo

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He said to Lord Caitanya, "O brother, the people are all

becoming infected by the sins of Kali-yuga. How will they atone for these

sins? Please give them a way to easily approach You."

 

TEXT 5

 

yathestham re bhratah kuru hari-hari-dhvanam aniSam

tato vah samsarambudhi-tarana-dayo mayi laget

idam bahu-sphotair atati ratayan yah pratigrham

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He went to each house in Bengal and, raising His arms,

said, " O brother, if you will, please constantly chant athe holy name of

Lord Hari. If you do this, you will become free from the ocean of repeated a

death. Please give Me this gift of your liberation."

 

TEXT 6

 

balat samsarambhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho

satam sreyah-sindhunnati-kumuda-bandhum samuditam

khala-sreni-sphurjit-timira-hara-surya-prabham aham

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He is the Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean

of repated death. He is a rising full moon (friend of the night-blooming

lotus) who expands the ocean of the saintly devotees' good fortune. He is

the blazing sun who extinguishes the darkness of the community of demons.

 

TEXT 7

 

natantam gayantam harim anuvadantam pathi pathi

vrajantam pasyantam svam api na dayantam jana-ganam

prakurvantam santam sa-karuna-drg-antam prakalanad

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He traveled on every path, dancing, singing the names of

Lord Hari, and describing His glories. Without considering His own

interests, He was merciful to the people, and He cast upon them His

merciful sidelong glance.

 

TEXT 8

 

su-bibhranam bhratuh kara-sarasijam komalataram

mitho vaktralokocchalita-paramananda-hrdayam

bhramantam madhuryair ahaha madayantam pura-janan

bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

 

I worship Lord Nityananda, the limitless root of the tree of

devotional service. He fondly grasped His brother Lord Caitanya's soft and

beautiful lotus hand, and together they wandered here and there, delighting

the townspeople with Their sweet beauty. They both became filled with bliss

when They gazed upon each other's lotus faces.

 

TEXT 9

 

rasanam adharam rasika-vara-sad-vaisnava-dhanam

rasagaram saram patita-tati-taram smaranatah

param nityanandastakam idam apurvam pathati yah

tad-anghri-dvandvabjam sphuratu nitaram tasya hrdaye

 

These eight verses glorifying Lord Nityananda are the abode of the

mellows of devotional service, and they are the wealth of the pure devotees

expert at relishing those mellows. All the fallen, conditioned souls can get

liberation just by remembering them. These verses are very excellent,

transcendental, and unprecedented. May the two lotus feet of Lord Nityananda

appear eternally in the hearts of those who read these verses and remember

the Lord.

 

----

 

NITAI MORA JIVANA

"Lord Nityananda, the Wealth of My Life"

(by Srila Locana dasa Thakura)

 

1)

nitai mora jivana dhana nitai mora pati

nitai bihane mora ana nahi gati

 

O my Lord Nityananda, wealth of my life! O my master Nitai!

I have no other means of deliverance except the mercy of Nitai!

 

2)

samsara sukhera mukhe tuilya dia chai

nagare magiya khaba gahiya nitai

 

Leaving behind all worldly pleasures,

I want to reduce the happiness of family life to ashes.

Like a mendicant I shall live begging in town

and glorifying the holy names of Lord Nitai.

 

3)

ye dese mora nitai nai sei dehe na yaba

nitai vihina kara mukha na dekhiba

 

Places where Lord Nityananda is not present I will not enter.

At peoples faces I wish not to look. Only Nitai I want to see.

 

4)

ganga yara pada jala harasire dhara

hena nitai na bhajiya dukha paiya mare

 

The water of the Ganga has emanated from His lotus feet

and Lord Siva has accepted it on his head.

In great distress the non-devotees give up their lives

without worshipping Lord Nityananda.

 

5)

locana bale mora nitai yeba nahi mane

anala bhejai tara majha mukha kane

 

Locana dasa says, "I will light a fire in the mouths of those who do not

worship my Lord Nityananda."

---

 

 

 

>From Srila Dhyanacandra Gosvami's

"Sri Gaura-Govindarcana-Smarana-Paddhati"

 

(21)

 

SRI NITYANANDA PRANAMA:

 

nityanandam aham vande

karne lambita-mauktikam

caitanyagraja-rupena

pavitri-krita-bhutalam

 

I offer my humble obeisance unto Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who has a

single pearl dangling from one of His ears. He is the elder brother of Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the purifier of the earth.

 

* * *

 

(50)

 

SRI NITYANANDA DHYANA:

 

kanjarendra-vinindi-sundara-gatim shri-padam indivara-

shreni-shyama-sad-ambaram tanu-ruca sandhyendu-sammardakam

premodghurna-sukanja-khanjana-mada-jin-netra-hasyananam

nityanandam aham smarami satatam bhushojjvalanga-shriyam

 

Let me always remember that brightly smiling face of Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, whose beautiful movement ridicules the graceful gait of an elephant.

His cloth resembles a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His bodily

effulgence conquers the splendor of the rising moon at sunset. His

prema-saturated rolling eyes defeat the pride of a restless khanjana bird

(wagtail).

 

 

 

(72)

 

SRI NITYANANDA MANTRA:

klim deva-jahnavi-vallabhaya svaha

 

SRI NITYANANDA DHYANA GAYATRI:

klim nityanandaya vidmahe sankarshanaya dhimahi tan no balah pracodayat

 

 

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NITAI GUNA MANI

"Nityananda, the Jewel of Virtues"

(from Locana dasa Thakura'S "Sri Caitanya-mangala")

 

Text 1

 

nitai guna-mani amar nitai guna-mani

aniya premer vanya bhasailo avani

 

Text 2

 

premer vanya loiya nitai aila gauda-deshe

dubilo bhakata-gana dina hina bhase

 

Text 3

 

dina hina patita pamara nahi bache

brahmar durlabha prema sabakare jace

 

Text 4

 

abaddha karuna-sindhu nitai katiya muhan

ghare ghare bule prema-amiyar ban

 

Text 5

 

locan bole mor nitai jeba na bhajilo

janiya shuniya sei atma-ghati hoilo

 

Text 1

 

My Lord Nityananda, the jewel of all virtues, my Lord Nityananda, the jewel

of all virtues, has brought the flood of ecstatic love of God that has

drowned the entire world.

 

Text 2

 

Bringing this overwhelming deluge of prema when He returned to Bengal from

Jagannatha Puri on Lord Caitanya's order, Nitai has inundated the assembly

of devotees. The fallen nondevotees did not drown, however, but remained

floating on that ecstatic ocean.

 

Text 3

 

Lord Nityananda freely offered this exalted prema, which is difficult for

Lord Brahma to attain, even to the fallen and wretched souls who did not

desire it.

 

Text 4

 

The ocean of mercy had formerly been sealed tight, but Nitai cut a channel

in its boundary to allow the great flooding waves of nectarean prema to

splash from house to house.

 

Text 5

 

Locana dasa says, "Whoever has not worshiped my Nitai or taken advantage of

this excellent opportunity offered by Him knowingly commits suicide."

 

---------

 

MANAH-SHIKSHA

"Teachings to the Mind"

(from Narottama dasa Thakura's "Prarthana")

 

Text 1

 

nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-sushitala

je chayay jagata juray

heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krishna paite nai

driòha kori' dharo nitair pay

 

The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are a shelter where one will get

the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the

world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityananda.

Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord

Nityananda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krishna. If

one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krishna, he must

firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

 

Text 2

 

se sambandha nahi ja'r, britha janma gelo ta'r

sei pashu boro duracar

nitai na bolilo mukhe, majilo samsara-sukhe

vidya-kule ki koribe tar

 

Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityananda

Prabhu is understood to have spoiled his valuable human birth. Such a human

being is actually an uncontrollable animal. Because he never uttered the

holy name of Nityananda, he has become merged into so-called material

happiness. What can his useless education and family tradition do to help

him?

 

Text 3

 

ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya

asatyere satya kori mani

nitaiyer koruna habe, braje radha-krishna pabe

dharo nitai-carana du'khani

 

Being maddened after false prestige and identification with the

body, one is thinking, nOh, what is Nityananda? What can He do for me? I

don't care.î The result is that he is accepting something false to be truth.

If you actually want to approach the association of Radha-Krishna, you must

first achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda. When He is merciful toward you,

then you will be able to approach Radha-Krishna. Therefore you should firmly

grasp the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

 

Text 4

 

nitaiyer carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya

nitai-pada sada koro asha

narottama boro dukhi, nitai more koro sukhi

rakho ranga-caranera pasha

 

The lotus feet of Nityananda are not illusion; they are a fact. One

who engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also

transcendental. Always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. This

Narottama dasa is very unhappy, therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to

make me happy. My dear Lord, please keep me close to Your lotus feet.

 

 

PURPORT

by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

This is a very nice song sung by Narottama dasa Thakura. He advises

that nitai-pada, the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda (kamala means "lotus,"

and pada means "feet"), are a shelter where one will get the soothing

moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. We can just imagine the

aggregate total value of the soothing shine of millions of moons. In this

material world (jagat), which is progressing toward hell, there is always a

blazing fire, and everyone is struggling hard without finding peace;

therefore, if the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter

under the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, which are cooling like the shining

of a million moons. Juraya means "relief." If one actually wants relief from

the struggle of existence and actually wants to extinguish the blazing fire

of material pangs, Narottama dasa Thakura advises, "Please take shelter of

Lord Nityananda."

 

What will be the result of accepting the shelter of the lotus feet

of Lord Nityananda? He says, heno nitai bine bhai: unless one takes shelter

under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, radha-krishna paite

nai-it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krishna. The aim of

this Krishna consciousness movement is to enable us to approach

Radha-Krishna and associate with the Supreme Lord in His sublime pleasure

dance. Narottama dasa Thakura advises that if one actually wants to enter

into the dancing party of Radha-Krishna, he must accept the shelter of the

lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

 

Then he says, se sambandha nahi Sambandha means "connection" or

"contact." Anyone who has not contacted a relationship with Nityananda is

understood to have spoiled his human birth. In another song also, Narottama

dasa says, hari hari bifale janama gonainu: anyone who does not approach

Radha-Krishna through a relationship with Nityananda has uselessly spoiled

his life. Britha means "useless," janma means "life," ta'r means "his," and

sambandha means "relationship." Anyone who does not make a relationship with

Nityananda is simply spoiling the boon of his human form of life. Why is he

spoiling it? Sei pashu boro duracar. Sei means "that," pashu means "animal,"

and duracar means "misbehaved" or "the most misbehaved." Without elevation

to Krishna consciousness through the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda,

life is simply spoiled in the animal propensities of sense gratification.

Narottama dasa says that ordinary animals can be tamed, but when a human

being is animalistic, having only animal propensities, he is most horrible,

for he cannot be tamed. Ordinary cats and dogs or even a tiger can be tamed,

but when a human being goes out of his way and neglects to take to the human

activity of Krishna consciousness, his higher intelligence will simply be

misused for animal propensities, and it is very difficult to tame him. The

enactment of state laws cannot make a thief an honest man-because his heart

is polluted, he cannot be tamed. Every man sees that a person who commits

criminal offenses is punished by the government, and also in scriptural

injunctions punishment in hell is mentioned. But despite hearing from

scripture and seeing the action of the state laws, the demoniac cannot be

tamed.

 

What are they doing? Nitai na bolilo mukhe. Since they do not know

who Nityananda is, they never say the names of Lord Nityananda and Lord

Caitanya. Majilo samsara-sukhe. Majilo means "becomes absorbed." They become

absorbed in so-called material enjoyment. They don't care who Lord Caitanya

and Nityananda are, and therefore they go deep down into material existence.

Vidya-kule ki koribe tar: if one has no connection with Nityananda, and if

he does not come to Krishna consciousness, his vidya, or his so-called

academic education, and kula, birth in a high family or great nation, will

not protect him. Regardless of whether one is born in a very big family or

nation or has a very advanced academic education, at the time of death

nature's law will act, his work will be finished, and he will get another

body according to that work.

 

Why are these human animals acting in this way? Ahankare matta

hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya. They have become maddened by a false concept of

bodily life, and thus they have forgotten their eternal relationship with

Nityananda. Asatyere satya kori mani: such forgetful persons accept the

illusory energy as factual. Asatyere refers to that which is not a fact, or,

in other words, maya. Maya means that which has no existence but is a

temporary illusion only. Persons who have no contact with Nityananda accept

this illusory body as factual.

 

Narottama dasa Thakura then says, nitaiyer koruna habe, braje

radha-krishna pabe: "If you actually want to approach the association of

Radha-Krishna, you must achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda first. When He

is merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Radha-Krishna."

Dharo nitai-carana du'khani. Narottama dasa advises that one firmly catch

the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

 

Then again he says, nitai-carana satya. One should not misunderstand

and think that as he has caught hold of maya, similarly the lotus feet of

Nityananda may also be something like that maya, or illusion. Therefore

Narottama dasa confirms, nitai-carana satya: the lotus feet of Nityananda

are not illusion; they are a fact. Tahara sevaka nitya: and one who engages

in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also transcendental.

If one engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda in Krishna

consciousness, he immediately achieves his transcendental position on the

spiritual platform, which is eternal and blissful. Therefore he advises,

nitai-pada sada koro asha: always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord

Nityananda.

 

Narottama boro dukhi. Narottama dasa Thakura, the acarya, is taking

the position that he is very unhappy. Actually, he is representing

ourselves. He says, "My dear Lord, I am very unhappy." Nitai more koro

sukhi: "Therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to make me happy." Rakho

ranga-caranera pasha: "Please keep me in a corner of Your lotus feet."

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Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes in the Harmonist magazine

about the manifestation of Guru in the form of Sri Nityananda:

 

" The guru is the embodiment of the manifestation of the Divinity to

the pure receptive spiritual essence of the disciple. Nityananda is the

primary manifestive constituent of the Divinity. Nityananda alone possesses

the distinctive function of the guru. In Nityananda the function is

embodied. Nityananda is the servant-God. He serves Sri Gaurasundara by the

distinctive method of reverential servitude. He is identical with Sri

Balaram of Krnsa-lila. Sri Balarama is not the chum of Krsna, but His

respected elder brother. It is an intimate relationship characterised by

becoming reserved on one side, and of respectful deference on the other.

Individual souls are under the direction of Nityananda. They receive their

service of Sri Gaurasundara, i.e., of Krsna, at His hands. Nityananda is not

a jiva. He is Divinity. He is the ultimate source of the jiva. The jiva is a

potency of Nityananda. No jiva can be the medium of the service of the

Absolute to another jiva. The absolute alone may communicate His service to

the separable constituents of Himself. This the real nature of the function

of the guru."

 

"But Nityananda does not directly instruct in the confidential service

of Krsna. Srimati Radhika is the guru of the inner circle of the servants of

Krsna. Srimati Radhika, however, accepts the offer of service of only those

souls who are specially favoured by Nityananda and are deemed by Him to be

fit for Her service. There is, therefore, a most intimate relationship

between the function of Nityananda and that of Srimati Radhika, which is at

once supplementary to and inclusive of the former."

 

"But all jivas are not liable to be eclipsed by the deluding potency.

Those who are liable are again distinct from the eternally free jivas. The

eternally free jivas are inseperable associates of Nityananda. They are

integrated part and parcel of Himself. They never fall into the clutches of

maya. When Nityananda manifests His appearance on the mundane plane, His

inseparable constituents also appear in His company. They sometimes manifest

their function on this lower place in a visible form on the errands of

Nityananda. They are Vaisnavas whose subordination to Nityananda is natural

and ingrained in their nature. It is not necessary for such souls toundergo

the process of enlightenment for being restored to the spiritual place.

Unless this fact is borne in mind, the conditioned soul may be tempted to

undervalue the constant guidance of the guru on the hypocritical plea of

following in the footsteps of the eternally free pure devotees. Those,

therefore, who suppose that deliverance from the bondage of this world

should be practicable without the constant guidance of the spiritual

preceptor, confound the conditioned state with the free."