Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rarely is the name Nimai (Chaitanya
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 Shri Krishna, Lakshman to Shri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to
Chaitanya 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 Shesha. As Vishnu tattva He and Advaita Acharya are
worshipped in the same category as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the manifested
earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by more than
a decade. He is statue like His Master, 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 Shri 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 Ekachakra, a small village in present West Bengal, around the year
1474. His birthsite is commemorated by a Temple named Garbhashva 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
Shri 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 Ekachakra 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 Acharya,
and Ishavara Puri (the spiritual master of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu).
Nityananda Prabhu
met Chaitanya 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 Nandanacharya, to heighten the ecstasy of meeting through separation.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu aware of the arrival of His eternal associate dispatched
Haridas Thakur and Shrivas Pandit to search out Nitai, but they failed. Finally
unable to bear the separation any longer, Chaitanya 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 Shri Gaura-Nityananda commemorates this meeting
place in Nadia.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu aware of the arrival of His eternal
associate dispatched Haridas Thakur and Shrivas Pandit to search out Nitai, but
they failed. Finally unable to bear the separation any longer, Chaitanya
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. (In the wallpaper: Meeting of Lords Nimai and Nitai at
Nandanacharya's house).
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 Chaitanya
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 Chaitanya 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 Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, He decided to
abandon His avadhuta status and become a grahastha (householder). He married
Jahnava Devi and Vashudha, the two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhel, who the
brother of Gauridasa Pandit (an intimate associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and
the spiritual master of the famous Shyamananda Pandit). Nityananda Prabhu had a
son (Virchandara) and a daughter (Ganga Devi) from Vashudha. Soon after
Vashudha 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 Ekachakra. Vaishanava acharyas emphatically state that
people who try to understand Chaitanya Mahaprabhu without getting the mercy of
Nityananda Prabhu will never succeed. One must pray very sincerely to Lord
Nityananda Prabhu as the adi-guru (original spiritual master) to be delivered
to the Lotus feet of Shri Chaitanya 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 shakti (power) is what gives the disciple the ability to perform
devotional service and experience spiritual bliss. (http://gaudiyahistory.com/lord-nityananda-prabhu)
Always Chant:
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna
Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
For more, visit http://www.nitaigaurnam.org/
