19. Nityananda pastimes from Sri Caitanya Bhagavata with commentary (Madhya 3.58-100)

Shri Chaitanya-bhagavata

Madhya-khanda -

By 

Vyasa Avatara Shrila Vrindavana dasa Thakura

Chapter Three: The Lord Manifests His Varäha Form in the House of Muräri and His Meeting with Nityänanda

TEXT 58

rnthla  sakala bhakta, bai nityananda bhai na dekhiya  bada duhkhi gauracandra

All the devotees assembled together, except Nityananda. Gauracandra  became unhappy on not seeing His brother.

When Gaurasundara saw that all the devotees participated in the blissful  kirtana pastimes except Nityananda, He became especially unhappy due  to separation from Nityananda.

TEXT 59

nirantara nityananda smare visvambhara janilena  nityananda—ananta isvara

Visvambhara constantly remembered Nityananda, and Nityananda, who  is nondifferent from Ananta, could understand this.

Due to the absence of Nityananda, Visvambhara constantly thought of  Him and realized His original position. Mahaprabhu knew Srl Nityananda  as the Supreme Lord, Ananta Vasudeva.

TEXT 60

prasaìge sunaha nityanandera akhyana sutra-rupe  janma-karma kichu kahi tana

In this connection, please hear the narrations regarding Nityananda. I  will briefly describe His birth and activities in the form of codes.

 TEXT 61

radha-dese ekacaka-name ache grama yaìhi janmilena  nityananda bhagavan

In Radha-desa there is a village named Ekacakra, where Lord  Nityananda took birth.

TEXT 62

'maudesvara'-name deva ache kata dure yare  pujiyache nityananda haladhare

Near this village there is a deity of Maudesvara Siva that was worshiped  by Nityananda Haladhara.

Lord Nityananda appeared in the village named Ekacakra, in Radhadesa,  which is on the western side of the Ganges. A short distance from  this village is a deity of Siva named Maudesvara (Mayuresvara, by other  opinion). Sometimes Lord Nityananda wor- shiped him.

TEXT 63-66

sei grame vaise vipra hadai pandita  maha-viraktera praya dayalu-carita

tama patni padmavati xiama pati-vrata parama  vaisnavi-sakti—sei jagan-mata

 parama-udara dui brahmana brahmara taìra ghare  nityananda janmilaapani

sakala putrera jyestha—nityananda-raya sarvasulaksana  dekhi' nayana judaya

In this village lived a brahmana named Hadai Pandita, who was greatly  renounced and full of compassion. His chaste wife's name was  Padmavati. She was a great Vaisnavi and the mother of the universe.  Both the brahmana and his wife were most mag- nanimous. In their  house, Nityananda took birth. Lord Nityananda was the eldest of their  sons. On seeing all His auspi- cious symptoms, one's eyes were satiated.

 In that village of Ekacakra lived a magnanimous renounced  brahmana named Hadai Pandita. His chaste wife, named Padmavati- devi, was the mother of the universe. She was profusely invested with  Lord Visnu s energies. Among their few sons, Lord Nityananda was the  eldest.

TEXT 67

tana balya-lilaadi-khandete vistara ethaya kahile haya  grantha bahutara

His childhood pastimes have already been described in the Adi-khanda. If  I narrate them here again, this book will become voluminous.

TEXT 68

ei-mata hata-dina nityananda raya hadai panditera  ghare achena lilaya

In this way Lord Nityananda engaged in blissful pastimes as He lived for  some days in the house of Hadai Pandita.

TEXT 69-73

grha chadibare prabhu haìlena mana na chade jananitata- duhkhera karana

tila-matra nityanande na dekhile mata yuga-praya  hena vase', tato 'dhika pita

tila-matra nityananda-putrere chadiya kotha o hadai  ojha na yaya caliya

 kiba krsi-karme, kiba yajamana-ghare hiba hate, kiba  bate yata karma kare

pache yadi nityananda-candra cali' yaya tilarthe  sateka-bara ulatiya caya

Nityananda Prabhu then decided to leave home, but His parents, fearing  distress in His absence, did not leave His com- pany. If Nityananda's  mother did not see Him for a moment, she

 considered that moment as equal to a yuga, and His father con- sidered  it even longer. Hadai Ojha  could not go anywhere without Nityananda,  even for a moment. Whether farming, in the house of his disciple, in the  marketplace, or on the road—whatever he was doing—he would glance  at Nityananda a hundred times in a moment out fear that He might  leave.

Although Nityananda Prabhu was not bound by His parents' affection like  an ordinary conditioned soul who wants to enjoy the fruits of his karma  and He intended to leave home for the benefit of the living entities, His  most affectionate parents would not leave Him even for a moment. For  this reason, Nityananda Prabhu be- came morose. His parents would not  let Him out of sight for even the shortest time; they always stayed with  Him. In the course of their household activities, farming, acting as  priest, traveling, and acquiring items, they repeatedly looked at their  son, who accom- panied them, out of fear that their son would leave  home.

TEXT 74-75

dhariya dhaìya puna aliìgana kare nanira putall yena  milaya sarire

ei-mata putra-saìge bale sarxa-thai prana haila  nityananda, sarira hadai

As Hadai Pandita repeatedly embraced Him, the soft-as-butter, delicate  body of Nityananda would merge in his body. In this way, Hadai Pandita  went everywhere accompanied by his son. It seemed Hadai Pandita was  the body and Nityananda was the life air.

The father traveled everywhere with his son, and he would always keep  Him on his lap. Just as the body and life airs are inseparable as one unit,  Hadai Pandita, the father of Nityananda, was like the body and his son  was like the life airs within the body.

TEXT 76

antaryami nityananda, iha sabajane pitr-sukha-dharma  palV ache pita-sane

 TEXT 80

As the Supersoul, Nityananda knew everything. He stayed with His  father for his pleasure and as a matter of duty.

As Nityananda Prabhu is directly the Supersoul, Visnu, He knew  everything in detail. In order to increase His father's happiness, He  remained appropriately engaged in His father's service.

TEXT 77

daive eka-dina eka sannyasl sundara ailena  nityananda-janakera ghara

One day, by providence, an attractive sonnyasi arrived at the house of  Hadai Pandita.

TEXT 78

nityananda-pita tone bhiksa karaira rakhilena paramaananda- yukta haìa

 Nityananda's father invited him for a meal and happily kept him in his  house.

With great happiness, Hadai Pandita invited an attractive wandering  sannyasl to his house and fed him. Since the paìca-suna  sacrifices are  not meant for the independent sannyasis, they eat at the houses of the  brahmanas. It is the principle duty of the householders to offer meals  and other nonduplicitous service to the sannyasis, who are situated in  the highest order of spiritual life.

TEXT 79

sarva ratì nityananda-pita taìra saìge achilena krsnakatha- kathana-prasaìge

Nityananda's father passed the entire night discussing topics of Krsna  with the sannyasi.

He fed the sannyasi  and spent the entire night discussing topics of Krsna  with him.

 gantu-kama sannyasi hailausa-kale nityananda-pitaprati  nyasi-vara bale

In the early morning, when the sannyasl was about to leave, he spoke  to Nityananda's father as follows.

Sannyasis do not become bound by the affection of householders by  spending much time in their homes. That is why the following morning  the sannyasi  was preparing to leave the house of Hadai Pandita and go  somewhere else, when he began to speak.

TEXT 81-84

nyasi bale,—"eka bhiksaachaye amara" nityanandapita  bale,—"ye iccha tomara"

nyasl bale,—"kaìbaìa tirtha-paryatana samhati amara  bhala nahika brahmana

ei ye sakala-jyestha-nandana tomara kata-dina lagi  deha' samhati amara

prana-atirikta ami dekhiba uhane sarva-tirtha  dekhibena vividha-vidhane"

The sannyasi  said, "I have a request for you." Nityananda's father  replied, "Ask whatever you like." The sannyasi  said, "I have a plan to  visit the holy places, but I do not have a suitable brahmana companion.  Please give me this eldest son of yours to accompany me for some days.  I will take better care of Him than my own life, and He will be able to  see all the holy places."

The Vaisnava sannyasi  said, "I have appeal." In answer to this, Hadai  Pandita gave him permission to disclose his mind. The sannyasi  said,  "Now I am engaged in visiting holy places. Since it is not the duty of a  sannyasi  to light fires and cook, and since everywhere there is a  shortage of suitable brahmanas, I do not get meals at proper times.  Therefore I require a brahmana companion. If you give me your eldest  son for some time, I will love Him more

 TEXT 80

than my own life and your son will become conversant with various holy  places."

The word samhati means "with" or "in the company of."

TEXT 85

suniya nyasira vakya suddha-vipra-vara mane mane  ante bada haiya katara

On hearing the words of the sannyasl, the pure brahmana became  afflicted with distress and contemplated as follows.

TEXT 86

"prana-bhiksa harilena amara sannyasl na due o  'sarva-nasa haya' hena vasi

"This sannyasl has asked for my very life; and if I don't give him, I will  be ruined.

On hearing the heart-rending words of the Vaisnava sannyasi, the  brahmana became extremely afflicted with distress and thought, "I am  only the body, and my eldest son is the life air. Therefore this sannyasl  will take away my life and leave my body here. If I do not fulfill his  request, then I will face imminent danger."

TEXT 87

bhiksukere purve mahapurusa-sahala prana-dana  diyachena kariya maìgala

"Many great personalities in the past have given their lives to sonnyasls  and thereby achieved auspiciousness.

It is found in many previous histories that great personalities desiring  their own benefit have given their lives to sannyasls.

TEXT 88-89

ramacandra putra—dasarathera jivana purve  visvamitra tane karila yacana

 yadyapiha rama-vine raja nahi jiye tathapi dilena—ei  puranete kahe

"Visvamitra previously begged Dasaratha for his son Ramacandra, who  was Dasaratha's very life. Although the King could not live without  Rama, he nevertheless gave Him. This is described in the Puranas.

On the request of Visvamitra, Maharaja Dasaratha gave him his own  son, who was the very life of Dasaratha. This is found in the ancient  histories. Although it was very difficult for Dasaratha to survive in the  absence of Rama, in such a situation Maharaja Dasaratha gave up his  son, who was equal to his own life.

TEXT 90-91

sei ta' vrttanta aji haila amare e-dharma-sankate  krsna! raksa kara' more"

daive se-i vastu, kene nahiha se mati? anyatha  laksmana kene grhete utpatti?

"The same thing has happened to me today. O Krsna, please save me  from this dilemma." By providence, it was the same situation, so why  the mentality would not be the same? Otherwise why would Laksmana  appear in his house?

'O Krsna, in this great predicament please protect me from my wavering  mentality, because I am in the same situation as Dasaratha was. By  providence, 1 am that Dasaratha and my son is Rama. Otherwise, why  has my son developed such a mentality? If this was not true, then why  have the symptoms of renunciation manifest in my son?"

TEXT 92

bhaviya calila vipra brahmanira sthane anupuma  kahilena saba vivarane

After contemplating in this way, the brahmana went to his wife and  explained the situation in detail.

 TEXT 93

suniya balila pati-xrata jcgan-mata

 "ye tomara iccha prabhu! sei mora katha"

On hearing about the request, the chaste wife and mother of

the universe said, "Dear Prabhu, I agree with whatever you decide."

TEXT 94

aila sannyasi-sthane nityananda-pita nyasire dilena  putra, noiya matha

 The father of Nityananda then came before the sannyasi  with his head  down and handed over his son to the sannyasi.

TEXT 95 nityananda sange calilena nyasi-xara

hena mate nityananda chadilena ghara

The best of sannyasis then departed with Nityananda. In this way,  Nityananda left home.

TEXT 96

nityananda gele matra hadai pandita bhumite padila  vipra haiya murchita

As soon as Nityananda left home, the brahmana Hadai Pandita fell  unconscious to the ground.

TEXT 97

se xilapa krandana kariba hon jane? vidare pasana  kastha tahara sraxane

Who can describe that brahmana's pathetic crying, the sound of which  melted even stone and wood.

 TEXT 93

 TEXT 98-99

bhakti-rase jada-praya haila vihvala lohe bale "hado  ojha haila pagala"

tina masa na karila annera grahana caitanya-prabhave  sabe rahila jivana

Hado Ojha became overwhelmed and inert in the mellows of ecstatic  love. People said, "Hado Ojha has become mad." He did not eat  anything for three months, he survived only by the mercy of Sri  Caitanya.

After giving away his son, the devotee Hado Upadhyaya became  practically mad. He was overwhelmed by the mellows of devotional  service and appeared like inert matter in the eyes of ordinary people.  For three months Hadai Pandita abstained from accepting food and  drink, as generally taken by ordinary human beings. Still, his body- did  not deteriorate as would happen in the case of ordinary people.  Although he survived, he remained lifeless.

TEXT 100

prabhu kene chade, yara hena anuraga? visnuvaisnavera  ei acintya-prabhava

Why does the Lord leave someone who is so attached to Him? This is the  inconceivable authority of Lord Visnu and the Vaisnavas.

One may question in this regard, that, being affectionate to His  devotees, how did Lord Nityananda ignore His father's attachment for  Him? In answer to this it can be said that the potency of Lord Visnu and  the Vaisnavas is incomparable. Their prowess is im- measurable by  human calculation.