Lord Gaura's Sweet Nandotsava (13th Aug'2001) Pastimes

[Guest guest]

Cc Madhya 15.17

 

krsna-janma-yatra-dine nanda-mahotsava

gopa-vesa haila prabhu lana bhakta saba

 

The devotees celebrated the festival of Janmastami, Krsna's birthday, which

is also called Nanda-mahotsava, the festival of Nanda Maharaja. At that time

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees dressed themselves as cowherd boys.

 

18

dadhi-dugdha-bhara sabe nija-skandhe kari'

mahotsava-sthane aila bali `hari' `hari'

 

Having dressed up like cowherd boys, all the devotees carried pots of milk

and yogurt balanced on rods over their shoulders. Thus they all arrived at

the festival grounds chanting the holy name of Hari.

 

19

kanani-khutiya achena `nanda'-vesa dhari'

jagannatha-mahati hanachena `vrajesvari'

 

Kanani Khutiya dressed himself like Nanda Maharaja, and Jagannatha Mahiti

dressed himself as mother Yasoda.

 

20

apane prataparudra, ara misra-kasi

sarvabhauma, ara padicha-patra tulasi

 

At that time, King Prataparudra was also personally present with Kasi Misra,

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Tulasi Padichapatra.

 

21

inha-saba lana prabhu kare nrtya-ranga

dadhi-dugdha haridra-jale bhare sabara anga

 

As usual, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced jubilantly. Everyone was covered

with milk, yogurt and yellow turmeric water.

 

22

advaita kahe,--satya kahi, na kariha kopa

laguda phiraite para, tabe jani gopa

 

At this time Srila Advaita Acarya said, "Please do not be angry. I speak the

truth. I shall know that You are a cowherd boy only if You can wheel this

rod about."

 

23

tabe laguda lana prabhu phiraite lagila

bara bara akase pheli' luphiya dharila

 

Accepting Advaita Acarya's challenge, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took a big rod

and began to wheel it around and around. Again and again He threw the rod

into the sky and caught it when it fell.

 

24

sirera upare, prsthe, sammukhe, dui-pase

pada-madhye phiraya laguda,--dekhi' loka hase

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wheeled and threw the rod, sometimes over His head,

sometimes behind His back, sometimes in front of Him, sometimes to His side

and sometimes between His legs. All the people laughed to see this.

 

25

alata-cakrera praya laguda phiraya

dekhi' sarva-loka-citte camatkara paya

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu whirled the rod in a circle like a firebrand,

the heart of everyone who saw it was astonished.

 

26

ei-mata nityananda phiraya laguda

ke bujhibe tanha dunhara gopa-bhava gudha

 

Nityananda Prabhu also played at whirling the rod. Who can understand how

They were ecstatically immersed in the deep emotions of the cowherd boys?

 

27

prataparudrera ajnaya padicha-tulasi

jagannathera prasada-vastra eka lana asi

 

Following the orders of Maharaja Prataparudra, the temple superintendent,

named Tulasi, brought one of Lord Jagannatha's used cloths.

 

28

bahu-mulya vastra prabhu-mastake bandhila

acaryadi prabhura ganere paraila

 

This valuable cloth was wrapped around the head of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The other devotees, headed by Advaita Acarya, also had cloths wrapped about

their heads.

 

29

kanani-khutiya, jagannatha,--dui-jana

avese vilaila ghare chila yata dhana

 

In ecstasy, Kanani Khutiya, who was dressed as Nanda Maharaja, and

Jagannatha Mahiti, who was dressed as mother Yasoda, distributed all the

riches they had stocked at home.

 

30

dekhi' mahaprabhu bada santosa paila

mata-pita-jnane dunhe namaskara kaila

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was greatly satisfied to see this. Accepting them as

His father and mother, He offered them obeisances.

 

31

parama-avese prabhu aila nija-ghara

ei-mata lila kare gauranga-sundara

 

In great ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to His residence. In this

way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, known as Gauranga-sundara, performed various

pastimes.