The One Who Does Everything | Sri Nityananda Prabhu's Appearance
Goswāmī Mahārāj: śrī nityananda āvirbhāv-mahotsava tithi kī jaya!
śrī nitaī-gaurāṅga kī jaya!
jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa-parivrājakāchāryya-varyya aṣṭottara-śata-śrī śrīmad śrīla bhakti sundar govinda dev-gosvāmī mahārāj kī jaya!
jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda śrīla bhakti rakṣak śrīdhar dev-gosvāmī mahārāj kī jaya!
bhagavān śrīla bhakti siddhānta saraswatī ṭhākur kī jaya!
śrī rūpānuga guru-varga kī jaya!
śrī rūpa-sanātan bhaṭṭa raghunāth śrī jīvā gopāl bhaṭta dās radhunāth ṣaḍ goswāmī prabhu kī jaya!
namāchāryya śrīla haridās ṭhākur kī jaya!
śrī-kṛṣṇa-chaitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhar śrī vāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda kī jaya!
śrī-śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa gopa-gopīnāth śyāma-kuṇḍa rādhā-kuṇḍa giri-govardhan kī jaya!
vṛndāvan dhām kī jaya!
navadwip dhām kī jaya!
śrī chaitanya sāraswat maṭh kī jaya!
śrī gupta-govardhan kī jaya!
gaṅgā-devī jamunā-devī bhakti-devī tulsī-devī kī jaya!
oṁ viṣṇupād viśva-vareṇya śrīla a.c. bhakti vedanta swāmī prabhupād kī jaya!
śrī chaitanya sāraswat maṭh ācārya vṛnda kī jaya!
jaya śrīla bhakti bimal avadhūt mahārāj kī jaya!
sevā vṛnda kī jaya!
samaveta bhakta-vṛnda kī jaya!
śrī nityānanda prabhu trayodaśī kī jaya!
śrī nityananda prabhu āvirbhāv-mahotsava tithi kī jaya!
nitāi-gaura-premānande haribol!
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Śrīla Guru Mahārāj has said, “To not know the glories of Nityānanda Prabhu, is like not knowing who your mother is.” Right. He'd... The glories of Nityānanda Prabhu are not an after thought. They're prelude, prerequisite to establishing Kṛṣṇa conception. We're told in this song, that we just heard, nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe (Manaḥ-Śikṣā: 3.3). Without the grace of Nit... the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, then you cannot get Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. You cannot enter Vṛndāvan.
And, we think, “Why? Why is it a prerequisite? Why is it necessary?” As Guru Mahārāj said, “One might think...” Because, in the pastimes in Vṛndāvan, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and Balarām... Rādhārāṇī and Balarām that there's some... you know... contrast there. Think, when Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa have their pastimes, Balarām cannot be there. And, when Balarām and Kṛṣṇa's doing their pastimes, Rādhārāṇī and vraja-gopīs cannot participate as they might want. So, why are you being told that Balarām Nityā... you need the grace of Balarām and Nityānanda to go into the rādhā-kṛṣṇa-līlā pastimes.
Because, he's giving entrance into that plane, nitāiyera karuṇā habe, vraje... (Manaḥ Śikṣa: 3.3). And, what is the other one, heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi (Manaḥ Śikṣa 1.3). And, if someone doesn't appreciate this point, or thinks it's optional, or they're somehow exempt from that, Narottam Dās Ṭhākur saying, sei paśu boḍo durāchāra (Manaḥ Śikṣa 2.2). That person... I mean... I'm just... the words he says, “Is an animal.” Right, is very unfortunate to think... a like... He may think he's some sort of devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but not really. Right. Vṛndā... [clearing throat] Vṛndāvan Dās Ṭhākur says in the Chaitanya-bhāgavat, “Even if you have viṣṇu-bhakti, but you don't appreciate Nityānanda, you won't make any progress. Right.
These kind of emphatic statements coming when... when you read the Chaitanya-bhāgavat... I mean, the very name Chaitanya, we would expect it to be about Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, and of course it is. But, you cannot but notice that in the beginning; in the introductory chapters, you... you [clearing throat] you could think this is a book about Nityānanda. Right. You're reading on, and saying, “When's the part about Chaitanya Mahāprabhu going to come? This is all about Nityānanda, the grace of Nityānanda, the mercy of Nityānanda.” Yet, the book is called The Chaitanya-bhāgavat. Then, maybe you should consider that to really substantially appreciate who Mahāprabhu is, you have to get the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu.
And, it appears as though, some, a foundation is being established. It's the foundation for understanding Mahāprabhu, it's the foundation for kṛṣṇa-līlā. Like, we see here and elsewhere, whenever some building is being made, particularly the skyscraper comes to mind. And, you see they're digging so deep. Right. And, for the longest time they're digging deep. And, then what are they doing, pile-driving. They're driving those giant... what are they?.. girders. I don't... is there another name? These metal giant metal bars, they're pounding them into the... and, they've dig... dug deep into the ground.
And, they spend it seems like the longest time doing that. Right. They're going deeper, and deeper, and deeper. Why? Because, if they don't do that, whatever's built upon... a foundation that is not so deep, and not so structurally sound will topple. So, people who'd try to, in this context, build their Kṛṣṇa conception without any reference to the pastimes of Mahāprabhu, or particularly the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. Their Kṛṣṇa conception, no matter how impressive it might appear to be, it will topple. It will come, it will end up in ruin and rubble on the ground, because it's not based upon anything structurally sound.
The grace of Nityānanda, the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu that's the foundation upon which these things can be built substantially. Then, you can get a substantial Kṛṣṇa conception. And, we're told, Nitāi is bringing everyone in connection with the lotus feet of Gaurāṅga. Right. And, Mahāprabhu's bringing everyone in connection with Rādhā-Govinda. That is the system. And, if you understand Gauḍīya ontology, and you send... as I mentioned in the last talk about, sort of teasingly saying that, “Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do.” He has... He... He doesn't do anything. Right. Meaning, He... What does He... He's always playing on the flute, pastimes with Rādhārāṇī, vraja-gopīs, the cowherd boys, nāndīs, these are the things that Kṛṣṇa's doing. Right.
The first other than Kṛṣṇa, is Balarām. And, as his name gives indication, that's where all the strength is. Is where the strength of Kṛṣṇa conception comes from. And, sometimes he's known as Rāma—one whose like gives happiness or pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. But, Bala, his strength. Not that he's just strong. But, coming in connection with him gives strength in Kṛṣṇa conception. But, everything after come... And, we could say Balarām being Kṛṣṇa's equal in every way, except form. His form is slightly different. But, otherwise he's Kṛṣṇa's equal in every way imaginable. And, he expands into the mūla-saṅkarṣaṇa, you know Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.
The second quadruple expansion, then into Mahā... the puruṣa-avatārs, Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. From there the guṇa-avatārs, etc... Then, you understand really, he's everything. He's doing everything, and he is everything. Right. And, as Ananta he has unlimited serving capacity. So... what... like, we hear in the love poetry, or love songs, or from the hearts of those who feel that they are in love they'll say... you know... They express this aspiration, “I want to be the ground beneath your feet.” That, you know, it's a sweet sentiment. Right. They're trying to say how much they want to be with that person.
“I want to be the ground you walk on, the chair you sit on. I want to be the cloths that you wear.” Right. It's a... It's a particular type of sentiment. But, in the case of Nityānanda—Balarām, it's realized. [laughing] He is the ground that... beneath the feet of Kṛṣṇa, the chair that He sits in, the clothes that He wears, the brāhmin thread. You know, everything, the āsa... the singha-āsan, the ropes that pull the chariot of Jagannāth are Anantadev. So, Ananta, unlimited serving capacity. And, śeṣ means he's reached the ulitmate end, the ultimate achievement; which was what? Servitude to Kṛṣṇa, ekale ī... in the Balarām... Nityānanda Glories Chapter in Charitāmṛtam says, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (Cc: Ādi-līlā, 5.142.1). It sounds very simple, but it's profound. Saying, “There's really, truly one Īśvara—Kṛṣṇa.”
īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Brahma-saṁitā: 5.1)
That Kṛṣṇa, whom what I said, you know, “Has nothing to do.” Not doing anything, He's sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs: 5.1.4), the supreme cause of all causes. Through expansions and part kalā... etc... all these things are being done. Right. Like, in the this world, they're the manager, they're managing, the guys making the skyscrapers don't actually build it. Right. The're... you... By their intelligence, and through the extension of their assets, and what... they're building a skyscraper. But, they're not doing it, you know. It's a crude example, but in some ways Kṛṣṇa and Balarām they're playing—līlā. Right, ananta-līlā, ānanda-līlā. Right. But, through their expansions, all these other things are taking place. Right.
So, Balarām... And, interestingly... See, these things cannot conceived through logic, and so-called rational thought. They transcend logic and rational thought. So, if we say, Kṛṣṇa's the original. And, then Balarām —if you're going to do a time, space kind of thing— you think like, “Well, then if he's, in a sense, after Kṛṣṇa then, so in their pastimes, then naturally Kṛṣṇa would appear first and then His younger brother would be Balarām.” But, that's not the case. So, Kṛṣṇa's other is His elder brother. So, it transcends rationale and logic. Right. So, His other self, in this sense, is an elder brother. And, that... And it's significant.
Because, that allows Him to be like a friend. But, as elder brother, to have certain elements —that's what we call vātsalya-rasa, or parental concern— to look out for his little brother on the order of Yaśodā. Right. She's told... given Balarām the service of watching over Kṛṣṇa. And, Guru Mahārāj told but, sometimes in their pastimes... boy... they're brothers, there're some fighting, it happens. So, once Balārām slapped Kṛṣṇa. And, Kṛṣṇa went to Mother Yaśodā. And, Mother Yaśodā chastised Balarām. Then, later Balarām saying, “Little brother, come here.” Because, Kṛṣṇa's name Rāmānuja, the ānuja of Rāma. Right. The little brother.
So, he's saying, “Look, you know in these pastimes; in particularly, they're like Divine pastimes, stuff's going to happen. [laughing] It's not like you have to tell Mother Yaśodā everything.” [laughing] Kṛṣṇa's like, “Ah, alright but you know, dādājī you...” “Just listen. We have unlimited pastimes, it's nitya-līlā there going on, it's very extensive, you know that. You can't tell, and she'll be worried unnecessarily. Nothing can actually happen to you. Everything's happening by your...” “No, but you Balarām...” “Yes.” Kṛṣṇa will tell, “Look Balarām...” When they were in Vṛndāvan. “Look how the trees, they're bending over offering their fruits to you. And, the hearts of the vraja-gopīs, they're so excited to see you.”
So... And, Guru Mahārāj mentioned, “Everything Balarām does is service.” Right. As, Ananta-śeṣ with his thousands of heads heard, these universes which were a billion by a billion in dimensions. There like white mustard seeds. When you see the cobra and the little white dots on their heads. So, there like white mustard seeds. If one fell off or is on, he's unaware of that. So, how... and, that's one of his expansions. Because, you wonder then, “How is he doing everything?” Balarām, himself is playing with Kṛṣṇa in kṛṣṇa-līlā, but through his expansions. And, those Ananta-śeṣ, what does Vṛndāvan Dās say that just like if you have some valuable gems and you want to store them. You go to your, like dearest, most trustworthy friend, and say, “Can you keep these jewels for me, protect them?”
He's saying, “So, the gems of the topics of Kṛṣṇa, are in the mouth, entrusted to the mouths of Ananta-śeṣ.” So, Vṛndāvan Dās Ṭhākur is saying like, “I, how can I say anything to adequately glorify Nitāi and Gaurāṅga? But, by the mercy of Nityānanda —who's been entrusted with the gems of all the topics of Kṛṣṇa, and Gaur... Gaurāṅga— then something is possible from my side.” That's how he's thinking. So, he's saying, “This whole Chaitanya-bhāgavat, is by the mercy of Nityānanda.” Right. And, there some mention of the... mentioned previously, Mahāprabhu has come.
His inner desire to experience the heart of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has coincided with the appearance of the yuga-avatār. And, Advaita's calling. So, He's descending at that time. And, He will be seen as Nimāi Paṇḍit, pastimes of, you know, being a scholar, sometimes arrogant scholar, the primary Sanskrit school teacher. But, gradually He will, by the influence of the devotees, awaken devotion to Kṛṣṇa, experience bhakta-bhāv. Sometimes, in some Divine hysteria, showing avatārs or assuming the position of the Supreme Lord. But, for the most part, bhakta-bhāv, devotion as awakened in Him and it will culminate in rādhā-bhāv.
So, there's a sequence. And, great devotees, and what to think of the greatest; Nityānanda Prabhu, he's waiting for the time to come where he will join in the pastimes of Mahāprabhu. Right. But, appearing we know in the place... what is it called?.. Ekacakrā. What's it's other name?
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Vīracandra-pur. So, to Hāḍāi Paṇḍit. What was his mother's name, Padmāvatī? We're told... Pardon me.
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Yeah. So, how much... I remember once, we were taking prasādam with Śrīla Gurudev; Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj, and he's taking this one preparation and he asked him. He said, “So, how do... what do you think about this?” And, he's going, “Ah, not so much, I like this other one, you know, better.” And Gurudev he's like, his heart was wounded. He said, “This is the favorite preparation of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit, Nityānanda Prabhu's father.” And, then I was saying, “Mahārāj, you know what kind of people we are.” But, by your mercy, you're allowing us to... you're trying to help us and upgrade our conception.”
So, Hāḍāi Paṇḍit had... we're told, he had so much love for Nityānanda Prabhu. When he would embrace Nityānanda Prabhu, they're saying, “And the body of Nityānanda Prabhu was so soft, that it would appear like he's merging into his body.” And, so there was the body of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit and the prāṇ, or the life air of the body of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit was Nityānanda Prabhu. That's how it appeared. And... As is that custom... custom in Vedic society in those times, sannyāsīs visit. Whenever the sannyāsīs come, and they're saying... Really, the householders offer them everything. Everything. And, anything and everything.
And, we're told they only stay there for like a day, so as not to become attached to that family. Like, once I was saying to Gurudev, we we talking about when Śukadev goes a gets milk. It's mentioned like, how they stop for just the milking of cow, and they go... And, I was saying like, “Ah, and maybe like they give some kṛṣṇa-kathā or hari-kathā.” And, Gurudev said, “No, no. They just get the milk and go.” [laughing] I say, “Oh, like Thailand.” [laughing] Because, I thought, “Well, maybe they say something.” And he goes, “No, no. They just take the milk and go.” [laughing] But, staying overnight is another thing. And, we're told this sannyāsī, and again I once said to Gurudev, I said, “Some say it's Mādhavendra Purī.” And, he said, “Some say, it is Mādhavendra Purī.” Meaning like, that's the definitive answer on that, is that, 'some say' it was Mādhavendra Purī.
Be that as it may, that then it's time for that sannyāsī to leave. And, then Hāḍāi Paṇḍit says, you know, “Śrīpād, anything else we...” “Well, I was thinking of visiting holy places; going on parikramā, and I don't have a brahmacārī assistant. And, that boy you have, he's so charming and qualified. That boy I want, Nityānanda.” The life and soul of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit and Padmāvatī. And, he's like, “Oh, my God.” He's reasoning, “If I don't agree we're ruined.” This is the dharm... dharmic Vedic culture; dharmic-buddhi.
Then, he consults with his wife. She says, “Prabhu, whatever you decide.” It's unthinkable. Then Hāḍāi Paṇḍit has to agree to allow Nityānanda to go with this sannyāsī. And, we're told, he was so affected that he didn't eat or drink for three months, and, was like a statue. And, when you're there, Vīracandra-pur; Ekacakrā there's a pond. Right. They, in the name of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit, and they say he... “His tears created this pond.” A pond of tears in separation from his life and soul, Nityānanda Prabhu.
And, Nityānanda's traveling in... really, he's anticipating joining with Mahāprabhu. What sort of separation is he feeling? Right. It... some... It's not the right time, yet. So, he's saying, “What will I do? I will visit the holy places.” And... you know... And, he's going to the holy places. And, he reaches Vṛndāvan, where's he going? The place where Kṛṣṇa and Balarām have their pastimes. He's doing like... Those who've had the good fortune to do these things, but just imagine, if Balarām; Nityānanda, he's visiting the place where they had these pastimes.
What sort of feelings are coming to him? But, he's also seeing, from some Divine perspective, like where is Kṛṣṇa? Right. And, [chuckling] like there's in those pastimes at the house of Candraśekhara Ācārya, Nārad Muni was saying, “I just got back from Vaikuṇṭha and it's empty. Where did everybody go?” [laughing] Right. As you have, Gaur-Nārāyaṇ and Gaur-Kṛṣna. So, Nityānanda Prabhu, he's seeing Vṛndāvan, something's missing. [chuckling]
And, like the gravitational pull of the heart of Nityānanda Prabhu and Nimāi Paṇḍit, Nimāi Paṇḍit is in Navadwip. And, Nityānanda saying to people, “Where is Kṛṣṇa? I just realized, where, where's Kṛṣṇa? I'm in Vṛndāvan, I'm not seeing Kṛṣṇa.” And, those people, jñāna-śūnyā bhaktas; simple-hearted folks, they're going, “He's in Navadwip. We heard He's in Navadwip.” “Kṛṣṇa, He went to Navadwip?” “Yes, you should go there.” You know.[laughing] So... And, then meanwhile back in Navadwip, Mahāprabhu; Nimāi Paṇḍit, He's sending, like search parties for Nit... He's going, “I had a dream. And, I saw someone on a chariot, like Balarām, he's coming you know.”
And, He sends them out. They're searching, Haridās Ṭhākur, Advaita; they're searching, they can't find him. When they come back, they say, “We're searching everywhere, there... there's no signs of Nityānanda.” And, we're told Nimāi Paṇḍit, He's just smiling [laughing] and says, “Go to the house of Nandana Ācārya.” Right. And, lo and behold, that is where Nityānanda is. And, Guru Mahārāj told... who was that?.. Goswāmī Mahārāj to make a Maṭh there. So, the time comes for... just think. When they left, in terms of just ease of speaking, but it is all happening in... beyond time and space in the eternal world.
But, it's manifesting these pastimes in this plane. So, we can say, when last seen; when they last saw each other, they're in Vṛndāvan as Kṛṣṇa and Balarām. Now, they've descended in gaura-līlā. And, as Guru Mahārāj has said, “It's like hide-and-seek.” A type of hide-and-seek where people scatter, and then try to find each other. So, when they're... When the great devotees are discovering one another, they don't look exactly as they looked previously. But, they're recognized by devotional tendencies, which is the actual form of the svarūp. Right. So, by seeing certain devotional qualities, characteristics, they recognize that someone is there.
So, now it is time for the meeting. And, it's nityā-līlās, still time for this meeting of Nimāi Paṇḍit and Nityānanda. And, Nityānanda... When they do meet, he is overwhelmed by how beautiful Kṛṣṇa looks; Kṛṣṇa who's enveloped in the heart and halo of Rādhārāṇī. In this sense, it's his first glimpse of Gaurāṅga. And, he's so charmed and thinking like, “This is not Kṛṣṇa, Vṛndāvan, you know, we where Kṛṣṇa and Balarām. Kṛṣṇa, what's happened to you?” He looks so, you know, beautiful, svarṇa-koṭi-darpaṇābha-deha-varṇa-gauravaṁ (Śrī Śrī Prema-dhāma-deva Stotram: 2.1)
As, Guru Mahārāj wrote, “Ten million brilliant mirrors of gold shining.” And... And, Mahāprabhu; Nimāi Paṇḍit is overwhelmed to see the beauty of Nityānanda. And, then they embrace and they're lost in one another. And, Nitāi faints in ecstasy. Actually, a little bit before that, to like to, reconfirm. Mahāprabhu has Śrīvās Ṭhākur start singing a Vṛndāvan śloka. That causes Nityānanda to faint. He's singing,
barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ
bibhrad vāsaḥ kanaka-kapiśaṁ vaijayantīṁ ca mālām
randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayāpūrayan gopa-vṛndair
vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.21.5)
It's a... It's gopī vision, the angle of vision of the vraja-gopīs when they see Kṛṣṇa and Balarām surrounded by the cowherd boys entering the Vṛndāvan forest. It's from them, right, what they're seeing. They said, barhāpīḍaṁ naṭa-vara-vapuḥ. Barhāp it means, they're seeing the beautiful lotus face of Kṛṣṇa adorned with a lotus... with a peacock feather. Naṭa-vara, and saying, and what does he look like? Like a movie star. Right. Like, that the way everyone sees them and everyone's excited. And, every movement and gesture, and they just look so special. [laughing] Right.
And, karṇayoḥ karṇikāraṁ... And, He's got flowers on His ear, he's wearing fel... vaijayantī flower garland, many different forest flowers, randhrān veṇor adhara-sudhayā. And, when He's playing His flute, a stream of nectar, is like He plays... the nectar from the lips of Kṛṣṇa enters the flute, and then streams again in the form of inconceivably beautiful nectarean sound. Right. And, He has all these gopas; cowherd boys, surrounding Him, including the best, Balarām. It's said, vṛndāraṇyaṁ sva-pada-ramaṇaṁ prāviśad gīta-kīrtiḥ (SB: 10.21.5.4). And, the Earth is shivering in conjugal ecstasy, due to the touch of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That verse Śrīvās Ṭhākur sings. Right.
And, the remembrance of that causes Nityānanda Prabhu to faint into the lap of Nimāi Paṇḍit. And, the others, they're fanning. When he returns to consciousness, in this plane... Remember, the fainting just means, so deeply conscious in that world, as to not maintain external awareness. And, he is in the lap of Nitāi... er... Nimāi; Nimāi Paṇḍit. And, Gadādhar Paṇḍit —remember, who's Rādhārāṇī's remainder after Kṛṣṇa's plundered the heart and halo of Rādhārāṇī— Gadādhar Pāṇḍit is there. And, Gadādhar Paṇḍit starts smiling and thinking like, “Oh, look at this role reversal.”
Normally, as we say śeṣaśāyī, you see Viṣṇu lying on Ananta-śeṣ. Right. And, Gad... And, Gadādhar Paṇḍit thinking, “Oh, this is like in the Rāmāyaṇ.” When, Lakṣmaṇ was shot by an arrow and comforted in the lap of Rāmacandra. As in rām-līlā, it's an odd pairing, that Rām... Rāmacandra is the older brother, and Lakṣmaṇ is the younger brother. So, Guru Mahārāj says, “In another place, Balarām; Nityānanda said, 'Those aren't my favorite pastimes, because I'm somewhat restrained in my service. I'm ananta, I like to serve unlimitedly. I don't like any service constraints.
But, in rām-līlā, because you're the elder brother, I can't cross your order. So, when your exiled, and I can't tolerate it and I want to stop it, I'm not allowed to. I have to do what you say. I like the pastimes, [chuckling] but not my favorite.'” So, Gadādhar Paṇḍit saying, “Oh, this is like in rām-līlā where Lakṣmaṇ's in the lap Rāmacandra, having been wounded.” Saying, “But, the normal position is for śeṣaśāyī—Ananta-śeṣ is the couch, and the Lord is lying on the couch.” [chuckling] And, normally when you say, “Devotion is shown where the Infinite comes under the control of the finite.”
But, as Guru Mahārāj says, “The Infinite shall be conceived as an Infinite who sleeps on a bed of Infinite.” So, in this case, since they're both Infinite, it's fine. [laughing] If they want to play like this, they can. But, it's a little embarrassing for Nityānanda Prabhu, [laughing] momentarily. Right. But, it shows how much love and affection the Lord has. He's in His... He's comforting Nityānanda on His lap. Right. So... [pause] And, when we told the other day about Murāri Gupta, Mahāprabhu; Nimāi Paṇḍit taking the form of Varāha.
After the prayers of Murāri Gupta as Varāha, he's saying, “Just as I descended to rescue the Earth, I've come now also to save everyone. But, just as in that time, actually when I rescued the Earth. Due to my touch she was impregnated.” And, she had a son. Right. And, Narak. Right. And, that son, so just think he's my son in this context. Due to bad association, the bad association was Bāṇāsura. Due to bad association, he became an enemy of devotees. He said, “I can not tolerate any one who does not appreciate my devotees.”
So much so, he was killed. “That's how dear my dev... They're more dear than my own son.” He making a point. Which, segues to appreciation for Nityā,.. sei paśu boḍo durāchāra (Manaḥ Śikṣa 2.2). If someone does not appreciate Nityānanda Prabhu, Narottam says, “Like, the person is like an animal. Incapable of proper sentiments. Ignorant to the extreme.” So... And, Nityānanda Prabhu, Guru Mahārāj said, “He possesses the greatest disinfecting capacity.” So although, Mahāprabhu has been described as the mahā-vadānyāya-avatar; the most merciful. He's saying, “Nityānanda Prabhu, even a little more merciful.”
And, we're told Vīracandrapur, the son of Nityānanda; Vīracandra, even more merciful. [clearing throat] So, that Nityānanda, the two sinners Jagāi and Mādhāi; he delivered them. He was attacked by them, and didn't take their offense, and saw to their deliverance, and implored Mahāprahbu to be merciful. When Mahāprabhu came and understood that one of them had attacked... that the had attacked Nityānanda, you know. When He's ready to call his sudarśan cakra and finish the both of them, Nityānanda intervened and said that, who, Mādhāi had stopped him from... Then he saying, “Oh.” And, immediately, He's giving His grace to him... Nityā... they worked it out.
Jagāi/Mādhāi, right. And... one... When Mahāprabhu was in Purī and was time to go into the depths of rādhā-bhāv, He sent Nityānanda Prabhu on a special mission. Which was to preach in Bengal, He said, “I had to run out of there.” [laughing] But... “I had to run away from Bengal,” Sometimes, Guru Mahārāj would say, “Navadwip, He rejected and Purī He collected.” So... But, He felt some debt to the people of Navadwip. And, wanting to be merciful to them, told Nityānanda Prabhu, “Then you go and, you know, yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa (Cc: Madhya-līlā, 7.128.1), tell them about Kṛṣṇa, deliver the people, give them kṛṣṇa-nām.”
And, what does Nityānanda Prabhu do when he arrives in Bengal? His program is, bhaja gaurāṅga, kaha gaurāṅga laha gauranger nāma (Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu). Saying, “Worship Gaurāṅga, take the name of Gaurāṅga, sing the glories of Gaurāṅga.” Apparently, violating Mahāprabhu's order. But, he knows that, what he wants to give him,
yathā yathā gaura-padāravinde
vindeta bhaktiṁ kṛta-puṇya-rāśiḥ
tathā tathotsarpati hṛdy akasmāt
rādhā-padāmbhoja-sudhāṁbu-rāśiḥ
(Chaitanya-chandrāmṛta: 88)
He knows bring everyone in connection with the lotus feet of Gaurāṅga, and then they'll get Rādhā-Govinda, nitāiyera karuṇā habe, vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe (Manaḥ Śikṣa: 3.3). Right, heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi (Manaḥ Śikṣa 1.3). Nityānanda Prabhu, he's giving access to the and the connection to the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu. And thereby, one is given entrance into Vṛndāvan, into the kṛṣṇa-līlā. So, Śrīla Gurudev would say, “That everyone knows that Guru Mahājāj is Rūpa Goswāmī's man.” Right. The passing of Saraswatī Ṭhākur, hearing the Śrī-Rūpa-Mañjarī-pada from his divine lips, given entrance into the group Śrī Rūpa. He said, “Then, why is he always saying, 'Dayal Nitaī, Dayal Nitaī, Dayal Nitaī.'” Praying for the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu.
To, in Guru Mahārāj's words he's saying, “In discussing kṛṣṇa-līlā, maybe there's some fault in our part. Because, inevitably it is the highest thing, in discussing that we might, there might be some fault.” Right, bhaktyā-aparādh. But, he saying, “So, I take the... and sometimes you have to discuss high things, because it's the highest of the highest thing.” So, he said, “I take the name of Nityānanda to reestablish myself in my safe position.” So, so many times we heard Guru Mahārāj saying, “Dayal Nitaī, Dayal Nitaī, Nitāi Caitanya, Dayal Nitaī.” Right. “Nitāi-gaura-gadādhara-advaita-śrīvāsa..” He liked to chant that. “Nitāi gaura haribol.”
When I was publishing the...Before the publishing of The Search for Śrī Krishna; Reality the Beautiful, just to give everyone a taste, we published two chapters. —just see how the mango trees are coming to offer their fruits to Balarām— [laughing] They're all shook up. So, we printed a couple of chapters, just you know, for the pleasure of Guru Mahārāj and Gurudev, and to show what it's going to be like, get some approval, etc... And, Vṛṣākapi Prabhu; Sureśvarī DD's husband, he paid for this printing. And, when he was reading the transcripts he would see that we were editing out all the nitāi gaura haribols, most of them. And, he's going like, “Mahārāj, why are you doing that.” And, I go, I said, “Vṛṣ, you have to understand like, Guru Mahārāj says Nitāi gaura haribol all the time.”
Like, when he's not speaking he's like, “Nitāi gaur...” He would... Sometimes, could hear him on the tape, Guru Mahārāj for five minutes just going, “Nitāi-gaura-gadādhara-advaita-śrīvās, gaur haribol, gaur hari, nitāi gaur haribol, gaur haribol, nitāi gaur haribol, you know, like he would just do that for a lot. So, I said, “When we have him, when we're making a book we—forgive us—but, we're editing them out.” And, I said, “But, because you've paid for these first two chapters to be printed, on the last page there was a page of Guru Mahārāj going, 'Nitāi gaura haribol'” It's just a page of gaur haribol, nitāi gaur haribol, nitāi gaur... [laughing] to make him happy. He's like, “Then I'm happy.” [laughing]
But, he wanted everyone to know how... and... and, as I was telling you, when we'd hear... And, also I should say, Guru Mahārāj did not imitate... Gurudev; Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj did not imitate Guru Mahārāj doing this. Right. Lest you think like, “Oh, Guru Mahārāj, I'll do that.” Śrīla Govinda Mahārāj did not imitate that. He did not imitate Guru Mahārāj's sayings, or you know... what do you call it?.. what's the word...
Goswāmī Mahārāj: Mannerisms. Gestures, mannerisms, no. Right. Emerson says, “Imitation is suicide.” What does it mean? You're not being yourself, and putting on a show of something that you're not, in that sense, suicide; “Imitation is suicide.” Sahajiyā-ism is imitation-ism. We know, and we don't need to get... It's not the disciples on a certain level, they start mimicking the behavior of the... It's... It's tolerable maybe in a very like, childlike state. But, one has to grow out of it, to grow up and not do that. And, I've noticed, like Śrīla Prabhupād; Swāmī Mahārāj, he's unique. And, we know his disciples imitated him in many different ways. But, really and stopped after a while when it became just ludicrous. Right.
But, he's not an imitation of Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur. He, you know, substantially his follower not imitator. Right. There's you know... how do you call it?.. anucar, the substance. And, interestingly... Remember, when we were searching for this picture, Vidagdha Mādhava Prabhu and I, and the companion one of Mahāprabhu. Although, Nitāi should be a little more robust. And, we were with those people and they're nityānanda-vaṁśa. This is their worshipable Deity, is this picture and the one with Mahāprabhu in. So, in a meeting with that gentlemen, and his name's Prabupād. Right.
Something Prabupād, you know. And, while we're talking and Vidagdha is like taking the pictures, you know. And, then this baby's crawling towards us while we're saying. And, he goes, “That's Śukadev Prabhupād.” [laughing] You know. Little Śukadev Prabhupād. Is like, “Oh, oh, ok.” So, them and their idea is that A.C. Bhakti's Divine Grace, —A.C. Bhakti Vedanta Swāmī Prabhupāda— he was successful because he was initiated by them, kula-guru, family when he was thirteen, as a boy. So, they're going, “See the success he had.” And, then I was thinking it somehow it didn't bother me at all. I just smiled, and I thought...
Guru Mahārāj is sometimes very generous in his... Just like we're saying Gadādhar saying, “Oh, I'm seeing Rāma-Lakṣman.” Another one saying, “I see like, more like Kṛṣṇa and Balarām.” Someone saying, “I'm seeing the two.” They're all have different ways of seeing, mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān (SB: 10.43.17.1). When Kṛṣṇa and Balarām enters Kaṁsa's arena, you know, the wrestlers are seeing death personified, Vāsudev, Devakī their son, the ladies cupid personified, the Vṛndāvan people, you know, our Kṛṣṇa from Vṛndāvan. The yogis are seeing the param-devatā. There's ten different angles of vision at this... one Kṛṣṇa, ten different angles of vision, identified by Vedavyās and the ācāryas. Right. So, if they're saying like, “That's why he was successful.”
One huge life-member donating lakhs and lakhs and lakhs of rupees, we... Prabhupād would send us to do programs at his house. Once, we were leaving he said... he said like with a tear in his eye, and he said, “And, if Swami Vivekananda had never gone to America, none of this would be possible.” [laughing] You know. But, I'm saying like, “Prabhupād does not want me to blast this huge donating fellow.” So, if that's how he wants to see it, just keep giving those donations. You know. When we went to, Gargamuni Mahārāj was going to show us how to do life-membership. We're like the new devotees, and there he takes you around the place. We go to this man, and this one man... They like to let you know, that they know some philosophy. The man starts going, [using an Indian accent] “What I believe, is that, I am God! And, you are God. We are all God! I am God!”
Gargamuni looks at us, and he goes, turns his back saying, “Yes, you are God.” And, the man goes [ding], rings the bell and the guy comes in, and he gives a check. And, we go out, leave the room, and we're all [heavy breathing sounds]. And, Gargamuni said, “That's how you do it.” [laughing] Taking the check and go [sigh of relief sound]. [More laughter] But, really... So, they can think this way, that way, or the other. Mahāprabhu did not like that kind of talk. And, he's telling as Varāha telling more, he said, “There's, there's a sannyāsī in Vārāṇasī who's mutilating my Divine body.” Referring to Prakāśānanda. “I've sent him leprosy and he still doesn't get it.”
Why is he saying? Because he's quoting the Vedas, apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā (Su: 3.19). He has no legs, He has no eyes, has no ears, etc... Yet, He sees, hears, moves, tastes, does all of these things. In this context, he's expressing some irritation with the Vedas. Not with the actual Vedas, but with the interpreters of the... using... Because, the Vedas don't clearly express these things, or you can really get misled. Right. You can say, “You see the mango tree without mango.” You can think all kinds of things. But, “The only reason it's there, is to produce mangos.” The only... The Veda kalpa-taru only exists to produce... to.... rasa. To take you in the direction of rasa, and the only way you get that is from Rādhārāṇī.
The only way you get there, nitāiyera karuṇā habe, vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe (Manaḥ Śikṣa: 3.3). So, Śrīla Swamī Mahārāj Prabhupād, we're told it says, suvarṇa-varṇo hemāṅgo varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī (Mb: Dana-dharma-parva, 189.1). The suvarṇa-varṇo in this verse, we just saying, “Oh, it means like a golden colored.” It's some indication of Mahāprabhu. But, suvarṇa-varṇo also means 'gold merchants.' And, Prabhupād descended in their line. But, we're told interestingly, these suvarṇa-vaṇik that Nityānanda Prabhu liked this family very much. And, he was very predisposed and merciful to them. So, you can say that, that person this verse is talking about who will descend in that line, the suvarṇa-varṇo. Right, hemāṅgo means 'golden limb,' etc...
So, Prabhupād came in that line. And, interestingly, his... Saraswatī Ṭhākur had, you know, Guru-Gaurāṅga-Rādhā-Govinda. You know always like, Mahāprabhu, and then Rādhā-Govinda. And, you see in Māyāpur, that's what Prabupād Swamī Mahārāj established. Mahāprabhu and Rādhā-Mādhava, that's what he actually established. Same thing in Calcutta; his birthplace, Mahāprabhu and Rādhā-Govinda. But, in other places he's always putting Nitāi and Gaurāṅga, Nitāi and Gaurāṅga. Right. Gaur-Nitāi all over the world in so many... And... And, inVṛndāvan what is his temple? Kṛṣṇa-Balarām, in the center, not on the side, in the center is Kṛṣṇa-Balarām. Right.
So, so much attachment, and Guru Mahārāj is saying... on his journey in the ocean when he has the heart attacks and he's... and, pursuance of the order of Saraswatī Ṭhākur, to the little known Bhaktivinod's prediction, and Mahāprabhu's divine wishes. Right, the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness spread all over the world. In the middle of the ocean, the heart attack, he's saying, “He'd wholly emptied himself of anything other than the order of his Guru.” Right. And, when we we're saying, when Nityānanda becomes the prāṇ, the life air of Hāḍāi Paṇḍit. … He exis... has no other reason for existence than to fulfill the order of his Guru, no personal consideration. Right. He said, “Divine power had to descend and work on his behalf.” And, Guru Mahārāj identified it, particularly śaktyāveś-avatār, and śaktyāveś of Nityānanda Prabhu. Right.
So, the glories of Nityā... even in the... we can then understand the foundation of the modern day Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement is based upon the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. And, that means it has a good foundation. So, a very strong Kṛṣṇa conception can be built upon that. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
śrī nityananda prabhu āvirbhāv-mahotsava tithi kī jaya!
nitāi-gaura-premānande
Goswāmī Mahārāj: preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra uttama, adhama, kichu nā kare vicāra (Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: Ādi-līlā, 5.208)
Told he's the kṛpā-avatār, and he makes no distinction on who is in a high position or a low position. He's so intoxicated by kṛṣṇa-prem, that he wants everyone else to be intoxicated by this same sweet substance that he's relishing. So, no consideration in his merciful distribution of kṛṣṇa-prem and gaur-prem. So, therefore, it's in our interest to seek the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu.
nityānanda prabhu āvirbhāv-mahotsava tithi kī jaya!
śrī nityānanda trayodaśī kī jaya!
jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda paramahaṁsa-parivrājakāchāryya-varyya aṣṭottara-śata-śrī śrīmad śrīla bhakti sundar govinda dev-gosvāmī mahārāj kī jaya!
jaya oṁ viṣṇupāda śrīla bhakti rakṣak śrīdhar dev-gosvāmī mahārāj kī jaya!
bhagavān śrīla bhakti siddhānta saraswatī ṭhākur, kī jaya!
jaya suparikara śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅga-gandharva-govinda-sundarajiu, kī jaya!
śrī kṛṣṇa-balarām, kī jaya!
śrī rūpānuga guru-varga kī jaya!
rūpa-sanātan bhaṭṭa raghunāth śrī jīvā gopāl bhaṭta dās radhunāth ṣaḍ goswāmī prabhu kī jaya!
namāchāryya śrīla haridās ṭhākur kī jaya!
premera sāgara śrī-kṛṣṇa-chaitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhar śrī vāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda kī jaya!
śrī-śrī rādhā-kṛṣṇa gopa-gopīnāth śyāma-kuṇḍa rādhā-kuṇḍa giri-govardhan kī jaya!
vṛndāvan dhām kī jaya!
navadwip dhām kī jaya!
śrī vīracandra-pur kī jaya!
śrī hāḍāi paṇḍita kī jaya!
śrī padmāvatī-devī kī jaya!
vīracandra prabhu kī jaya!
jāhnavā-devī kī jaya!
śrī chaitanya sāraswat maṭh kī jaya!
śrī gupta-govardhan kī jaya!
gaṅgā-devī jamunā-devī bhakti-devī tulsī-devī kī jaya!
oṁ viṣṇupād viśva-vareṇya śrīla a.c. bhakti vedanta swāmī prabhupād kī jaya!
jaya śrīla bhakti bimal avadhūt mahārāj kī jaya!
jaya śrī bhakti-lalitā devī dasī kī jaya!
śri paramānanda prabhu kī jaya!
śrī enakshi dd kī jaya!
radha raman prabhu kī jaya!
kārtiki dd kī jaya!
sevā vṛnda kī jaya!
samaveta bhakta-vṛnda kī jaya!
nitāi-gaura-premānande!
Devotees: Haribol!
Bs: Brahma-saṁhitā
Cc: Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta
Mb: Mahābhārata
SB: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
Su: Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad
Abbreviations
- SB:
- Śrīmad Bhāgavatam