Chaitanya Bhagavata

by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words

The Chaitanya Bhagavata by Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura is a scripture belonging to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition from the 16th century. It is similair in content to the Caitanya Caritamrita, but asserts that Chaitanya was the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan). The Caitanya Bhagavata contains three major parts including many details regard...

This chapter describes the various devices employed by Śrī Gaurasundara to reveal Nityānanda’s glories to His devotees, Mahāprabhu’s instruction to Śrīvāsa to recite a verse from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Nityānanda’s falling unconscious and exhibiting various transformations of love on hearing the verse from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Mahāprabhu’s embracing Nityānanda, Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda’s conversation by signs, Nitāi’s revealing the purpose of Mahāprabhu’s appearance, and the author’s description of Nityānanda’s glories.

When Mahāprabhu understood that Nityānanda Prabhu had arrived at the house of Nandana Ācārya, He immediately went there with His associates and offered Nityānanda obeisances. Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, who is nondifferent from Śrī Baladeva, enacted the pastime of relishing the beauty of His eternally worshipable Śrī Gaurasundara through all His senses. Then Śrī Gaurasundara, the Supersoul of everyone, instructed Śrīvāsa to recite a verse from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to reveal the glories of Nityānanda Prabhu. Understanding the hint of the Lord, Śrīvāsa recited a verse describing Kṛṣṇa’s Vṛndāvana pastimes, whereupon Śrī Nityānanda, who is the personification of ecstatic love, fell unconscious to the ground. According to the instructions of Mahāprabhu, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita continued reciting verses, and after some time Nityānanda Prabhu regained His consciousness. When Nityānanda again fell to the ground, everyone became frightened and prayed to Kṛṣṇa for His protection. As the devotees saw various transformations of love of God manifest in the body of Nityānanda, they all became stunned and attempted to hold Him still. When they failed in their attempts, Mahāprabhu personally took Nityānanda in His arms. After a while Nityānanda regained His external consciousness, and the Vaiṣṇavas all became jubilant. As Gadādhara, who knows Nityānanda’s glories, saw that apparent contradiction—in other words, when he saw the same Nityānanda who in the form of Ananta serves Gaurasundara in His ten different forms was now lying on the lap of Mahāprabhu—he began to smile within his mind. After thus meeting Nityānanda, Gaurasundara disclosed Nityānanda’s confidential characteristics through various words of praise. And after the two sufficiently conversed with each other through gestures, the Lord asked Nityānanda where He came from. As Nityānanda Prabhu described His travels to the holy places, He revealed the purpose of Mahāprabhu’s appearance. In other words, He personally disclosed that Mahāprabhu was nondifferent from the son of Nanda Mahārāja and had now appeared in Navadvīpa in His most magnanimous form. On hearing the conversation between Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda, the devotees began to contemplate in various ways. Although they did not understand the confidential meaning of Their conversation, they nevertheless understood that both were long known to each other and both were worshipable Lords.

Although Nityānanda Prabhu belongs to the category of ‘worshipable,’ He eternally engages in various services to Śrī Gaurasundara, who is nondifferent from the son of Nanda Mahārāja. No one is qualified to serve Gaurasundara without the mercy of Nityānanda. The body of Nityānanda Prabhu is nondifferent from that of Śrī Gaurasundara. Those who desire to cross the ocean of material existence and merge in the ocean of devotional service should take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Nityānanda, for this is the only means to achieve the desired goal.

jaya jaya jagat-jīvana gauracandra anukṣaṇa hau smṛti tava pada-dvandva

All glories to Śrī Gauracandra, the life and soul of the entire universe! May Your lotus feet be constantly fixed in my mind.

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