Song 28

(Rāmakeli rāga-Diśā)

Refrain: O Hari! O Rāma! O Nārāyaṇa! O Śacī’s son splendid like gold!

79. Sanātana Paṇḍita became joyful at heart. Happily he determined the auspicious day and time.

80. Learning of Lord Gaura’s decision, he called an astrologer to his home and determined the auspicious day.

81. After careful analysis, the astrologer determined the auspicious day, time, lagna, tithi, and star.

82. At the time of the adhivāsa ceremony, the saintly sādhus, brāhmaṇas, and saj-janas met to bless Lord Gaura.

83. Delighted Śacī-devī met with the married ladies. To celebrate her son’s wedding, she gave them many gifts.

84. She gave them oil and turmeric. On their foreheads she placed red sindūra. She gave them bananas, sandeśa, khadira, and betelnuts.

85. The married ladies sang auspicious songs. The brāhmaṇas also attended Lord Gaura’s adhivāsa ceremony.

86. The brāhmaṇas recited the Vedas. Conchshells were sounded. Mṛdaṅgas, paṭāhas, and other musical instruments were played.

87. From the four directions the ladies chanted, "Jaya! Jaya!" The Lord’s adhivāsa ceremony was very glorious.

88. The brāhmaṇas were worshiped with gifts of glorious ornaments, fragrances, garlands, sandal paste, and betelnuts mixed with camphor.

89. At that time faithful Śrī Sanātana Paṇḍita was very joyful at heart.

90. By sending some saintly brāhmaṇas and their wives as his representatives, in his heart he observed the adhivāsa ceremony of his prospective son-inlaw.

91. Then he observed his daughter’s adhivāsa ceremony. Her limbs glistened with many jewel ornaments.

92. At the time of the adhivāsa ceremony he rightly worshiped the devas and pitās. The calls of "jaya! Jaya!" had no end.

93. The brāhmaṇas recited the Vedas. Conchshells were sounded. Mṛdaṅgas, paṭāhas, and other musical instruments were played.

94. In this way the two adhivāsa ceremonies were performed. At dawn of the next day Lord Gaura arose.

95. He performed His morning duties, bathed in the Gaṅgā, and performed the nāndīmukha and śrāddha ceremonies.

96. He carefully worshiped the devas and pitās. Then, to prepare for His wedding, He bathed again.

97. A barber came and did his barber’s work. The saintly ladies anointed His limbs with fragrances.

98. Bliss filled Nadīyā’s villages. Everything was very auspicious for Lord Viśvambhara’s wedding.

99. Then the limbs of Lord Viśvambhara Rāya Mahāprabhu were dressed in glorious garments.

100. He was decorated with glistening jewel ornaments and dressed in garments with a red border. A very fragrant breeze came from Lord Gaura’s limbs.

101. His limbs were naturally fragrant. To that many other glorious fragrances were added. The forehead on His glorious moonlike face was decorated with sandal tilaka.

102. His fingernails and toenails shone like a line of moons. Rings glistened on His fingers. His body was so effulgent no one could bear even to look at Him.

103. His thighs were graceful. His lips were like bimba fruits. Flower earrings rested on His ears and cheeks.

104. He wore bracelts, armlets, and anklets. Gazing at Himn, the ladies felt their hearts tremble.

105. Meanwhile, in his house Sanātana Paṇḍita decorated his daughter with many jewel ornaments.

106. She was dressed in exquisite garments, decorated with flower garlands, and anointed with sandal and fragrances. Even without ornaments her limbs were glorious and effulgent.

107. Viṣṇupriyā’s limbs defeated millions of golden arrows. She was like lightning personified.

108. Her braids defeated the most glorious black serpents. She had the power to enchant the hearts of the greatest sages. Who can speak any metaphor that can properly describe the red sindūra anointing her head?

109. Her charming eyeborws defeated the bow held by the archer Kāmadeva. Her graceful nose defeated the parrot’s beak.

110. Her eyes defeated the doe’s eyes. Her ears defeated the gṛdhinī bird’s ear.

111. Her peerless glorious lips defeated the bāndhūlī flower. Her glistening teeth defeated pearls.

112. Her neck, which charmed every heart in the world, defeated the conchshell. Her graceful neck defeated the lion’s neck.

113. Her arms defeated the splendid grace of golden lotus stems. Her palms defeated the red lotus flower.

114. Her charming fingers defeated campaka buds. Her glistening fingernails and toenails defeated a host of moons.

115. Her graceful breasts defeated Mount Sumeru. Her hair defeated the lion’s mane.

116. Her hips defeated the great wheels on Kāmadeva’s chariot. Her thighs defeated the graceful banana trees.

117. Her great beauty defeated everything created by Brahmā in the three worlds. Her glorious hands and feet defeated the red lotus flowers.

118. Her splendid fingernails and toenails defeated a host of spotless moons. Glistening splendor took its birth on her eyes and on her limbs.

119. She was decorated with splendid garments and with garlands, fragrances, and sandal. Even without ornaments, the splendor of her limbs filled the whole country.

120. She charmed the three worlds. She defeated even Goddess Pārvatī. Her limbs and ornaments filled the earth with light.

121. At the appropriate auspicious moment, Sanātana Paṇḍita sent a brāhmaṇa messenger to bring the bridegroom.

122. Standing before the Lord Gaura, the brāhmaṇa messenger humbly spoke.

123. Gazing at Lord Gaura’s effulgent limbs, the brāhmaṇa thought of how he and Sanātana Paṇḍita had become very fortunate.

124. The brāhmaṇa said: "Please listen, O Viśvambhara. The auspicious moment has come. Please hurry.

125. "What can I say as I stand before You? You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I now see the Supreme Lord standing before me.

126. Gently, gently smiling, Lord Viśvambhara sat on a palanquin and, at the auspicious moment, departed.

127. Śacī and the married ladies gave Him their blessings. The Lord took the dust from His mother’s feet and placed it on His head.

128. Conchshells, dundubhis, bherīs, kāhālas, daṇḍimas, muharis, and diṇḍimas all sweetly sounded.

129. Vīṇās, flutes, vilāsas, rabābs, upāṅgas, and pākhowājas joyfully sounded together.

130. Paḍāhas, mṛdaṅgas, kāṃsyas, karatālas, bugles, and śanais all sounded together.

131. Many different musical instruments were played. I do not know all their names. Befiore the Lord dancers danced and reciters recited the Vedas.

132. Singers sang songs, and poets recited poems. Accompanied by His friends, the Lord proceeded.

133. From home after home the people, waving their arms, ran to see Lord Gaura.