23. Nityananda pastimes from Sri Caitanya Bhagavata with commentary (Madhya 4.26-51)

Shri Chaitanya-bhagavata

Madhya-khanda -

By 

Vyasa Avatara Shrila Vrindavana dasa Thakura

Chapter Four: The Revelation of Nityänanda's Glories 

TEXT 26

gauracandra nityanande snehera ye sima  sri-ramalaksmana  vahi nahika upama

 There is no comparison to the affection between Gauracandra and  Nityananda other than that which is found between Rama and Laksmana.

TEXT 27

bahya pailena nityananda kata-ksane hari-dhvani jayadhvani  kare sarva-gane

After some time, Nityananda regained His external conscious- ness and  all the devotees chanted the name of Hari.

TEXT 28

nityananda hole kari' ache visvambhara viparita dekhi'  mane hase gadadhara

When Gadadhara saw Nityananda on the lap of Visvambhara, he was  surprised by the reversal of roles and smiled within.

Seeing Nityananda on the lap of Gaurasundara. Gadadhara be- came  astonished. Rather than Nityananda carrying and serving Gaurasundara,  Gaurasundara held Nityananda at this juncture and thereby created the  impression of a reversal in roles.

 TEXT 29

"ye ananta niravadhi dhare visvambhara aji tara garva  curna—kolera bhitara"

"The pride of Ananta, who constantly holds Visvambhara, is smashed  today, while being held in the Lord's lap."

TEXT 30

nityananda-prabhavera jìata—gadadhara nityananda—  jìata gadadharera antara

Gadadhara knows the glories of Nityananda, and Nityananda knows the  mind of Gadadhara.

Gadadhara is Gaurasundara's most confidential energy, therefore he  knows the wonderful glories of Gaura's servant Nityananda. Nityananda  also more of less knows the mind of Gadadhara.

TEXT 31

nityananda dekhiya sakala bhakta-gana nityanandamaya  haila sabakara mana

After seeing Nityananda, the minds of all the devotees became filled with  eternal bliss.

TEXT 32

nityananda gauracandra doìhe doìha dekhi' keha  kichu nahi bale, jhare matra aìkhi

As Nityananda and Gauracandra gazed at each other, They did not speak  a word as tears flowed from Their eyes.

TEXT 33

doìhe doìha dekhi' bada harisa haila doìhara nayanajale  prthtvi  bhasila

 TEXT 29

They were both filled with happiness on seeing each other. The earth  became flooded with Their tears.

 TEXT 34

visvambhara bale,—"subha divasa amara dekhilaìa  bhakti-yoga—cari-xeda-sara

Visvambhara said, "Today is an aupicious day for Me, for I have seen  devotional service, which is the essence of the four Vedas.

Devotional service alone is the purport and essence of the four Vedas.  The Vedic literatures have ascertained devotional service as the only  "essence.'' When the living entity's full knowledge is awakened, then  devotional service, which is his eternal propensity, is aroused. A heart  that is filled with the service attitude is qualified to achieve knowledge of  the Supreme Lord, and, after achieving knowledge, it becomes fixed in  the service of the Lord.

TEXT 35

e-kampa, e asm, e garjana huhuìkara eha ki isvarasakti  bai haya ara

"Are such shivering, such tears, and such loud roaring possible for  anyone other than one who is empowered by the Lord?

TEXT 36

sakrt e bhakti-yoga nayane dekhile tahare o krsna na  chadena kona-kale

"Krsna will never forsake one who even once directly sees such  devotional service.

Krsna can never leave the fortunate servant who sees such men- tal and  physical transformations of love in the course of Nityananda's service.

TEXT 37-43

bujhilama—isvarera tumi puma-sakti toma' bhajile  sejiva paya krsna-bhakti

 tumi kara catur-dasa bhuvana pavitra acintya agamy a  gudha tomara caritra

toma dekhibeka hena ache kon jana murtimanta tumi  krsna-prema-bhakti-dhana

tilardha tomara saìga ye janara haya koti papa thakile

o tara manda naya  bujhilama—krsna more karibe uddhara toma hena  saìga ani' dilena amara

mahabhagye dekhilama tomara carana toma bhajile se  pai krsna-prema-dhana"

avista haiya prabhu gauraìga-sundara nityanande stuti  kare—nahi avasara

T understand that You are the full power of Godhead. Only by worshiping  You can a living entity attain devotional service to Krsna. You are able to  purify the fourteen worlds. Your confiden- tial characteristics are  inconceivable and unfathomable. Who is qualified to recognize You, for  You are the personified wealth of loving devotion to Lord Krsna. If a  person associates with You for even a moment, he will be delivered even  if he has committed millions of sinful activities. I have understood that  Krsna will deliver Me, because He has given Me Your association. Out of  great fortune I have seen Your lotus feet. Just by worshiping You I will  achieve the wealth of love for Krsna." Lord Gauraìga was fully absorbed  as He incessantly offered prayers to Nityananda.

Gaurasundara was fully absorbed as He offered incessant prayers to  Nityananda. He said, "You are the full manifestation of the Lord's energy  and the personification of the sandhini-sakti. Just by serving You a living  entity's propensity for serving Krsna is awakened. O Nityananda, You are  capable of easily purifying the seven upper planetary systems of Bhur,  Bhuvar, Svar, Mahar, Janas, Tapas, and Satva as well as the seven lower  planetary systems headed by Atala. Your activities are beyond the  jurisdiction of the living entities' mental perception. Your confidential  characteristics are incom- prehensible to the living entities. In fact, no  one is able to

 understand You in truth. You are the direct manifestation of ecstatic love  in devotional service to Krsna. If anyone infested with millions of sinful  activities attains Your association for even a moment, he can never be  called unfortunate. Although he is sinful, he is never- theless most  fortunate. I have clearly understood that Lord Krsna has sent You to  deliver Me. One who worships You will certainly attain the wealth of love  for Krsna. Since I have attained the good fortune of seeing Your lotus  feet, it is to be understood that I have met with some particularly good  fortune."

TEXT 44

nityananda-caitanyera aneka alapa saba hatha  tharethore, nahika prdkasa

Nityananda and Caitanya conversed with each other through signals and  gestures that were unknown to others.

The phrase tharethore means "through signals," "through ges- tures," or  "without direct speaking."

TEXT 45

prabhu bale,—"jijìasa harite hari bhaya kon dika haite  subha karile vijaya?"

The Lord said, "I am afraid to ask, but from which direction have You  come?

Mahaprabhu asked Nityananda Prabhu, "Sripada, from where have You  made Your auspicious arrival?"

TEXT 46

sisu-mati nityananda—parama-vihvala balakera prava  vena vacana caìcala

The greatly overwhelmed Nityananda displayed the mentality of a child.  He spoke with the restlessness of a young boy.

 TEXT 47

'ei prabhu avatirna' janilena marma kara-yoda kari'  bale hai' bada namra

He understood, "This is My Lord who has descended." He folded His  hands and humbly spoke.

TEXT 48

prabhu kare stuti, suni' lajjita haiya vyapadese sarva  hatha kahena bhaìgiya

 He was embarassed on hearing the Lord glorify Him, so He tactfully  clarified the Lord's statements.

The word vyapadese means "through gesture" or "through sig- nal."

TEXT 49-51

nityananda bale,—"tirtha karila aneka dekhila krsnera sthana yateka  yateka

sthana-matra dekhi, krsna dekhite na pai jijìasa karila  tabe bhala-loka-thaìi

simhasana saba kene dekhi acchadita kaha bhai saba, 'krsna gela kon  bhita?'

Nityananda said, "I have visited many holy places and seen various sites  connected with Lord Krsna. I could only see the place, but I could not  see Krsna. Then I inquired from some responsible persons why all the  thrones were covered. I asked them, 'O brothers, where has Krsna  gone?'

Nityananda said, "I have traveled to many holy places, but 1 found that  Krsna was absent from every place related with Krsna. Then 1 asked  from the local people, Why are these places and thrones vacant? Where  is Krsna, who sits on these thrones and in these places?'"