Nityananda Trayodasi
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
Bali, Indonesia, February 6, 2001, am
When Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja came to give class, he asked if any kirtana was done earlier. When the devotees replied that no kirtana/bhajanas had been sung, Maharaja chastised them and requested 'nitai pada kamala' to be sung.]
nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala
je chayaya jagat judaya
heno nitai vine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai,
drdha kori' dharo nitaira paya
se sambandha nahi ja'ra, vrtha janma gelo ta'ra,
sei pasu bodo duracara
nitai na bolilo mukhe, majilo samsara sukhe,
vidyakule ki koribe tara
ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya,
asatyere satya kori' mani
nitaiyera koruna habe, vraje radha-krsna pabe,
dharo nitaiyera carana du'khani
nitaiyera carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya,
nitai-pada sada koro asa
narottama bodo duhkhi, nitai more koro sukhi,
rakha ranga-caranera pasa
["Nitai's lotus feet are more cooling than the shining of millions of moons. Their shade gives solace to the universe. Without such a personality as Nitai, it is not possible to attain Radha and Krishna. Hold on tightly to His lotus feet!
Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityananda Prabhu has passed his life uselessly. He is no more than a gross animal. Not putting the name of Nitai on one's lips, one becomes absorbed in so-called worldly happiness. Then what is the value of one's education and birth in a high family or great nation?
Forgetting Nitai's lotus feet, one becomes maddened by the false concept of bodily life and considers the illusory energy as real. Receiving the mercy of Nitai, he can attain Radha and Krishna in Vraja. Firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Nitai!
The feet of Nitai are real, service to him is eternal. Always hope and pray for the lotus feet of Nitai. 'Narottama is very unhappy! Nitai, please make me happy! Keep me tucked close to Your feet which are like reddish lotuses.'"(Giti-guccha)]
Srila Gurudva: Can you explain the meaning? You.
[Radhakanta Prabhu starts to read the translation.]
Radhakanta Prabhu: "Nitai's lotus feet are more cooling than the shining of millions of moons. Their shade gives solace to the universe. Without such a personality as Nitai, it is not possible to attain Radha and Krishna. Hold on tightly to His lotus feet!"
Srila Gurudeva: Not to read, but to explain.
Radhakanta Prabhu: You cannot directly attain the divine service of Radha and Krishna without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu.
Srila Gurudeva: Narottama Thakura is telling that those who are not taking the shelter of Nitai are all animals.
Aranya Maharaja: In this kirtana Narottama dasa Thakura is saying the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu are more cooling than millions of moons. Why? Samsara-davanala nidhi loka, all jivas burning in endless cycle of birth and death. Can Camphor or candana cool them? No. Not even the moon's rays can cool them.
Srila Gurudeva: So many problems, always quarreling, moon cannot touch.
Prema-prayjona dasa: Without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu one cannot attain the service of Radha and Krishna. Aparadhas cannot be uprooted from heart so hard for one to do bhajana. Those with no relation to akhanda guru tattva, will just be like animals, wandering in cycle birth and death, mating, defending, like animals.
Those whose mouth not utter "Nitai! Nitai!", all will be bewildered and immerse themselves in the dirty swamp of material happiness. He's saying vidyakule ki koribe tara, they may be born in a very high family, they may have a very great wealth and power and position in this world, and they may have a very good education from the material standard. But what is the use of their birth? What is the use of their knowledge? What is the use of their education? Even if they study all sastra, still being learned in all the Vedas and memorizing all sastra, this will not help them. Anyway without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu they must by the force of the material energy be immersed in the mud of material sense gratification. So then he's saying ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kori' mani. If anyone will forget the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, what will be the result? They will be covered by false ego, they will have ahankara, they will think 'I am the doer'. And in this way, asatyere satya kori' mani, having a false ego and identification with a material identity, not knowing their spiritual identity, they will accept that which is asat or temporary, to be sat. And in this way asatyere satya kori' mani, ahankare matta hoiya, they become, they act like a mad person
So then he's saying nitaiyera koruna habe, vraje radha-krsna pabe, but if one can receive a drop of the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, then very easily he can attain the lotus feet of Radha and Krishna in Braja. Therefore dharo nitaiyera carana du'khani, I am taking shelter of the two lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu.
Nitaiyera carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya, nitai-pada sada koro asa. I always desire the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, His lotus feet are not material, nitaiyera carana satya they are eternal and transcendental and the abode of all existence and transcendental realization. So those who serve the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu, they are His servants, they are also transcendental personalities, so I always desire the shelter of their lotus feet.
Finally Narottama dasa Thakura is saying that: O Nityananda Prabhu, I am suffering so much in this world. Narottama bodo duhkhi, I am filled with so much fear. Narottama dasa Thakura is expressing the pain of separation he feels from Nityananda Prabhu. So nitai more koro sukhi. O Nityananda Prabhu, please make me happy? How. By giving me one small corner of Your lotus feet where I can take shelter and serve You. This is the essence of this song written by Narottama dasa Thakura.
Srila Gurudeva:
sankarsanah karana-toya-sayi
garbhoda-sayi ca payobdhi-sayi
sesas ca yasyamsa-kalah sa nitya-
nandakhya-ramah saranam mamastu
["Sankarsana, Sesa Naga and the Visnus who lie on the Karana, Garbha, and Ksira Oceans, are the plenary portions and portions of the plenary portions of Sri Nityananda Rama. May He give me shelter." (Giti-guccha)]
Krishna is sat-cit-ananda vigraha. 'Sat' means predominating deity of satta. 'Sat' has come from sandhini. Krishna is sat-cit-ananda. First Baladeva Prabhu who's sat, He's the predominating deity of satta, sandhini. Without Him there is nothing. Krishna stands, sits on that. Then cit, Krishna is cit. And then ananda, hladini, Herself Radhika. So where Nityananda Prabhu that is Baladeva Prabhu, Radhika and then Krishna. So three are always there. If no sandhini then no Vrindavana. The form of Krishna, Baladeva Prabhu and anyone, so rupa of all these things is sandhini. Upon sandhini, cit, ananda and everything can be.
So Baladeva Prabhu Himself is Nityananda Prabhu. First Krishna, and then Baladeva Prabhu. Baladeva is two, like Krishna is two-aisvarya and madhurya. Those who took birth from the womb of Devaki is Vasudeva putra, Vasudeva, like Narayana. They never go to Vrindavana. Always in Mathura sometimes, or in Dvaraka. But He who came from the womb of Devaki, the 7th son in the womb of Devaki, and by Yogamaya He was taken to the womb of Rohini mother in Gokula and He mixed in full or fullest [form of] Baladeva Prabhu. Baladeva Prabhu was from before there, already there in Rohini's womb, and He [Baladeva from Devaki] mixed in that. Understand? As Krishna coming from the womb of Devaki, mixed in the two-armed form of Krishna, the son of Nanda and Yasoda, He mixed, He merged in that [form of Krishna], similarly Baladeva who came from womb of Devaki, He was amsi, manifestation and the root Baladeva Prabhu was in Rohini's womb, and He went there and He was merged in that Baladeva.
The Baladeva Prabhu in Gokula is non different to Krishna. Only there is some differences of black complexion and golden complexion, and some flute [with black complexioned form] and srnga (buffalo horn) [with golden complexioned form], and other things, but both are of Vrindavana.
Then from Him, this Baladeva Prabhu comes Mula Sankarsana in Dvaraka and Mathura. Especially in Dvaraka is Mula Sankarsana. And from Him comes all, like Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. They are of Mula Sankarsana [Baladeva]. From Mula Sankarsana comes Maha Sankarsana in Vaikuntha. He serves in so many ways Narayana in Vaikuntha. As Baladeva in Vrindavana, similarly Mula Sankarsana in Dvaraka, and from there Maha Sankarsana in Vaikuntha and so many, and one of His manifestations comes to this world, like Karanodakasayi Visnu. He's mixed in some worldly causes, not pure tattva. Himself is pure, but His actions are not pure. Though He is like a lotus in water, ocean, but yet if world is demolished, then no need for Him. Where He goes? He, Karanodakasayi Visnu, goes to Maha Sankarsana. From Karanodakasayi Visnu so many universes are coming, thousands and thousands and crores and corers of universes are coming. And one part of the, amsa of the Karanodakasayi Visnu comes in that, in each universe, that is Garbhodakasayi. Then Garbhodakasaya becomes Hiranyagarbha Brahma and from him Viraja Brahma and thus creation is going on. From Garbhodakasayi, in each part is Ksirodakasayi. A part of Ksirodakasayi is everywhere, He is called Paramatma, Visnu, like this. So we are meditating on them. And last is Sesa. What is Sesa? Sesa means 'remaining, what is remaining'. The last part of, fraction of Baladeva Prabhu is Sesa. He is serving Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi in so many ways - asana, vasana, bhusana and so many things. As Baladeva Prabhu to Krishna, Mula Sankarsana to Vasudeva Krishna in Dvaraka, Maha Sankarsana to Vaikunthapati, in this way. But Sesa is the last fraction. So Nityananda Prabhu is Himself Baladeva Prabhu, non different to Baladeva Prabhu. So we should try to know Baladeva-tattva.
So without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu we cannot do anything. He's akhanda guru tattva. That is why He killed Dhenakasura. What is Dhenakasura? He was ignorance, like an ass is. So Nityananda Prabhu is that [destroyer of ignorance]. He also cut the head of Romaharsana. Why He cut out? Because Romaharsana was not giving proper respect to vaisnavas and guru, Baladeva Prabhu, at once He cut out. He at once inspired a little boy of that who is son of Romaharsana Suta. He's Ugrasrava. Why Ugrasrava? Baladeva Prabhu gave him power, that what he will hear he will remember forever, and he will never forget anything. That without reading Vedas, Upanisads, sastra, Vedanta, everything, all the Puranas and all, everything should come out in his heart. Quickly it came by the mercy of Baladeva Prabhu. So by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu everything can come. So those who are not taking shelter of this Baladeva Prabhu or Nityananda Prabhu, really they are animals. So we should glorify Nityananda Prabhu.
Also we see from the pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu that He took birth not as a brother here in Navadvipa. Mahaprabhu took birth in Navadvipa from the womb of Sacidevi. Prior to this, so many years before, Nityananda Prabhu took birth in Ekacakra. His mother Padmavati and father Hadai Pandit. When He was a small boy of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, He used to play only the parts of Baladeva Prabhu in Krishna pastimes, sometimes Laksmana in Rama pastimes. They were in a group of so many children, so many boys and they used to play sometimes Krishna's pastimes, sometimes Rama's, sometimes Varaha's, sometimes Nrsimha's and all. Especially when Baladeva was needed He used to take that part.
We will glorify more in evening or at ten this morning.
So He became once what? Laksmana, and He was on the side of Rama. Ravana was on the other side. And thus [before playing] He had told everything to His companions that, "I will fight with [the boy playing] Meghanatha, and he will shot Me with an arrow and then I may be senseless. You should go to Himalayas and bring some herbs and give in My nose and then I will quickly revive." Then they began to fight each other [in the mock battle between Rama and Ravana]. Laksmana was fighting Meghanatha, and Meghanatha shot Him. When he shot Laksmana, Nityananda Prabhu became senseless. All began to weep, they never remembered that what Nityananda Prabhu has told to bring, herbs from Himalayas. They all began to weep and they went to village and they told this that, "Oh, Nityananda Prabhu is about to die." His father, mother, and all villagers came and became very upset. He was about to die, not breathing, nothing. Then anyone told, an old man told that, "Oh, you were playing this. What did Nityananda Prabhu tell in the last? That if He was to be senseless what to do?"
They remembered. "Oh, He told, but we became so upset." Then one being like a monkey, Hanuman, he jumped up and he went to Himalayas. Not real Himalayas but anywhere [they pretended to be Himalayas]. He took some pieces of stone, like Himalayas, Gandhamadana and Parvata, and from that herb was brought and given to the nose of Nityananda Prabhu. And then He was saved.
How He used to be so absorbed in that. We should try to be absorbed totally in bhajana. How you can? How you can do it? If you have a relation to Nityananda Prabhu, and He's giving all these things. What things? A very strong relation with Krishna. Then everything will be inspired, He will inspire you. So then you can do. Without Nityananda Prabhu's mercy you cannot do. So the guru inspired by, given power by Nityananda Prabhu, he can help the devotees. Otherwise a bogus guru cannot. For a bogus guru Nityananda Prabhu will not inspire anything. So if the guru is sincere and he's maha-bhagavata, bhagavata at least, then His [Nitai's] mercy will come. At least he should be sincere. If he's madhyama adhikara, but madhyama-adhikari in what stage? At least madhyama-uttama he should be, otherwise he cannot do anything.
So if by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, if you are so much fortunate to have the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, then you can be absorbed like Him or others. Even like Murari Gupta, upon seeing the peacock feathers, he remembered Krishna's pastimes and he was senseless state.
[A couple of corrections where later on added: Gurudeva mentioned how Murari Gupta fainted at the sight of a peacock feather. In a couple of lectures Srila Svami Prabhupada also told the story of how Murari Gupta fainted at the sight of a peacock feather. However in Caitanya-caritamrta it is mentioned that it was Mukunda who fainted at the sight of a peacock feather. When we asked Srila Maharaja, he replied that both Murari Gupta and Mukunda were physicians, and so a slip of the tongue was there. That he meant Mukunda instead of Murari Gupta.]
So this Nityananda Prabhu, doing all these things. In the meantime when He came about 12 years, a renounced order sannyasi came. He told His father, "Oh, this boy is very good, very intelligent, and very religious. I want that I should travel throughout whole India, pilgrimage to holy places. Please give me this boy for this, He will help me. Otherwise now I am old I cannot do anything."
Then he began to weep but at once anyhow he remembered the pastimes of Ramacandra and Laksmana. He remembered that Dasaratha never wanted to do like this, that he should give his Rama and Laksmana to Visvamitra. But Vasistha told that, "Oh, this is a very good thing. This is the mercy of Visvamitra that he has come. At once give up your sons, otherwise he may curse you and you will be all ruined with your whole dynasty and everything." And anyhow he [Hadai Pandit] gave Nityananda Prabhu, and then with Nityananda Prabhu that sannyasi traveled throughout the whole of India on pilgrimage, South India, West India, North India, East India, everywhere. Not only one time but so many times, especially in South India so much.
Now He has become some grown up more, and He went in His last trip. Where? Pandarpura. And there luckily Laksmipati Tirtha, the guru of Madhavendra Puri met Him. Both met, and Laksmipati Tirtha was so much attracted to Nityananda Prabhu, even though He was like a young boy. He wanted to initiate Him, Nityananda Prabhu. Then Nityananda Prabhu trickily gave that mantra to him [Laksmipati Tirtha], "Oh, do you want to give this mantra to Me?"
"Yes, I want."
He [Nitai] told this mantra [to Laksmipati] and He made him disciple, and then he [Laksmipati] initiated Him [Nitai]. After initiation Madhavendra Puripada met Him. Madhavendra Puri was always weeping, always absorbed, crying, 'ayi dina dayardra natha he', 'he deva he dayita he bhuvaika bandhu'. All these, always weeping. And he was so much bigger in age also.
Prema-prayjona dasa: So much senior, elder.
Srila Gurudeva: Senior, so much senior. So He always, Nityananda Prabhu respected him like His siksa-guru.
After that Nityananda Prabhu came to Vrindavana and He was searching everywhere. "O Krishna where? O Kanhaiya! O Kanhaiya, My brother, where You are? Where You are?" He used to embrace deer even, cows also. "Where's My Kanhaiya? Where's My Kanhaiya?" Everywhere searching. The cowherd boys, they began to fear that He's a ghost or what, that He's embracing us.
Anyhow when He was in Vrindavana in a temple, He heard a voice, "O Kanhaiya is not here. He has taken birth in Mayapura, Navadvipa dharma, and His name is also changed. Now His name is Sacinandana, Gaurahari, Nimai. So if You want to meet Him, You can go there and You can meet Him. He is waiting for You."
So Nityananda Prabhu quickly went to Navadvipa dharma. He crossed the Ganges. There was a beautiful asrama. Asrama?
Madhava Maharaja: Nandana Acarya's garden.
Srila Gurudeva: Nandana Acarya's garden.
Prema-prayjona dasa: Isodhyana.
Srila Gurudeva: Isodhyana. In Isodhyana was Nandana Acarya's asrama, kutir, hut.
Prema-prayjona dasa: Cottage.
Srila Gurudeva: Cottage, and He used to do kirtana always. It was some far away from Navadvipa, Mayapura. Have you gone? Navadvipa? So on the bank of Ganges, near bank of Ganges, nearer to Svarupa Ganja and Godruma and Navadvipa. There was not any way [due to thick forest] when I went first with my gurudeva, about 50, or more than 50 years before. So you can think like at that time.
So Nityananda Prabhu was hiding Himself, "If My Kanhaiya is here in Navadvipa, He must come to Me, and then I will know that 'Oh, He's my Kanhaiya'. Otherwise I will return." So He was waiting there.
Mahaprabhu was in Srivasa-angam with other devotes, Gadadhara Pandit, Srivasa Pandit, his four brothers and all, He told that, "Oh, search for any mahapurusa has come, maha-bhagavata. So you should at once go and search Him and bring Him here."
So Srivasa Pandit and all others went to search. They searched everywhere in all the temples, in the houses of all the devotees until evening, but then could not find that mahapurusa.
Then Mahaprabhu took with Him Gadadhara Pandit, Srivasa and all others, and He quickly went to the house of Nandana Acarya. He saw that a very tall, very beautiful, very healthy saint is there, mahapurusa. He was standing and Nityananda Prabhu also standing, each other talking with eyes. Then Mahaprabhu quickly ran towards Nityananda, and Nityananda Prabhu ran towards Mahaprabhu and They embraced each other and became senseless. Then what became? Then Gadadhara Pandit from behind the curtain [recited]:
barhapidam nata-vara-vapuh karnayoh karnikaram
bibhrad vasah kanaka-kapisam vaijayantim ca malam
randhran venor adhara-sudhayapurayan gopa-vrndair
vrndaranyam sva-pada-ramanam pravisad gita-kirtih
(SB 10.21.5)
["Accompanied by His cowherd boyfriends, Syamasundara entered the forest of Vrndadevi. His head was decorated with a peacock feather. He wore yellow karnikara flowers over His ears, a dazzling golden yellow garment on His body, and around His neck, extending down to His knees, hung a fragrant vaijayanti garland made of five kinds of flowers. Splendidly attired as a beautiful natavara, a most expert dancer, He appeared just like a very fine actor on stage. He poured the nectar of His lips through the holes of His flute, and the cowherd boys followed behind Him, singing His glories. In this way, the land of Vrindavana was even more charming than Vaikuntha, due to being beautified by Sri Krishna's lotus feet marked with the conch, disk, and other symbols." (Venu-gita)]
Oh, Nityananda Prabhu, and They began to do [Hindi word].
Prema-prayjona dasa: Roaring.
Srila Gurudeva: Roaring both, and They became more and more excited. Excited?
Brajanatha Prabhu: Ecstatic.
Madhava Maharaja: Excited.
Srila Gurudeva: Then Mahaprabhu took Him, Nityananda Prabhu. Took Him to where? To Srivasa-angam. The wife of Srivasa was Malini. Malini saw that He is like her son, and she took Him in her lap, and thus Nityananda Prabhu was always there with His mother Malini-devi. After then, everything, so many pastimes of Nityananda.
One day Malini-devi was weeping. Nityananda Prabhu told, "Mother, why you are weeping?"
"Oh, a crow came and took my golden or silver pot full of ghee."
"Oh, you weeping for this. 'O crow, come on, come on, come on.'
Madhava Maharaja: 'Bring back the pot.'"
Srila Gurudeva: And crow came, and he brought that container there. She became very happy.
Sometimes in the mood of a very small child He used to run to Sacimaiya's without any clothes. "O mother! Mother! Where is Kanhaiya? Where is Kanhaiya?" Then Mahaprabhu, Nimai saw Him, and He gave His utariya [upper garment] and tightened it round His waist.
Thus Nityananda Prabhu was always absorbed, not remembering that 'I am any male or anything'. So there are so many pastimes. We will try to tell all these things in evening class. It will be better if you can come here just before 5. I may come at 5. You should come before and you should do all the kirtana of Nityananda Prabhu. You must come, and all should come and you should glorify Him by kirtana, and also by meaning. What is the meaning of that kirtana, and go on doing. At about 10.30 or 11 I may come and you should bring all paraphernalia of abisekha. Also some very good dobs. Bring coconut, two or three. And Nityananda Prabhu and Gaura Prabhu, They should come out here. Decorate Them. We will do abisekha and some glorification. Then in evening again kirtana and being glorified. Gaura-premanande!
Devotees: Haribol!
