Song 1

(Karuṇa-Śrīrāga)

1. O life master of Naraharī and Gadādhara, pleas be kind to me. Please make Your auspcious glance fall upon me.

2. The Adī-khaṇḍa is concluded. Now the Madhyakha ṇḍa will begin. Whoever hears it will quickly attain a great treasure of ecstatic spiritual love.

3. Now I will speak the Madhya-khaṇḍa, which is full of nectar, and which describes the Lord’s Nadīyā pastimes of preaching the gospel of ecstatic love.

4. In the Madhya-khaṇḍa the Lord deliverd the sinners Jagāī and Mādhāī and gave them a gift of ecstatic spiritual love even the demigod Brahmā finds difficult to attain.

5. In the Madhya-khaṇḍa the Lord openly manifested the Harī-nāma-saṅkīrtana movement of chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names, and in that khaṇḍa, to deliver the fallen people, the Lord accepted sannyāsa.

6. I will tell all these stories. The Madhya-khaṇḍa is full of nectar. Any person who hears it will find that the offenses in his heart are all destroyed.

7. with a hapoy heart the Lord returned to Nadīyā. Happily He stayed with His friends and kinsmen.

8-9. To the brāhmaṇa boys of Navadvīpa, boys whose actions were pure, boys who were the most pious and fortunate in the three worlds, Lord Viśvambhara personally gave transcendental knowledge.

10. To these boys, His students, Lord Gaura-Harī one day kindly said:

11. "Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feet are the only truth you should study. One who knows that truth has devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

12. Do not study any other truth the śāstras describe, any truth other than devotion to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

13. "Persons intoxicated with pride in their learning, wealth, and honorable families do not attain Lord Kṛṣṇa. Only by devotional service does one easily attain Lord Kṛṣṇa, the king of the Yadus.

14. "Lord Kṛṣṇa is conquered by the nectar of devotional service. To prove this I quote these words from the śāstras (Padyāvalī 8):

15. vyādhasyācaraṇaṃ dhruvasya ca vayo vidyā gajendrasya kiṃ kubjāyāḥ kim u nāma rūpam adhikaṃ kiṃ tat sudhāmno dhanam vaṃśaḥ ko vidurasya yādava-pater ugrasya kiṃ pauruṣaṃ bhaktyā tuṣyatī kevalaṃ na ca guṇair bhakti-priyo mādhavaḥ

"Where was the hunter Dharma’s piety, Dhruva’s maturity, and Gajendra’s knowledge? Where was Kubjā’s beauty? Where was Sudāmā’s wealth? Where was Vidura’s noble birth? Where was Ugrasena’s chivalrous strength? Lord Mādhava is pleased only by devotional service and not by material qualifiications."

16. Teaching His students in this way, the Lord manifested the ecstatic spiritual love and bliss He felt.

17. One time, as He lay sleeping in His own home, He wept in the ecstsy of love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.

18. Overcome with the love Rādha. feels, the Lord called out: "Now that He has gone to Mathurā, a weapon is plunged into My heart. Now I am dead.

19. "Wretch Akrūra, it was you who took My Kṛṣṇa away." Speaking in this way and weeping, the Lord was overcome with feelings of ecstatic love.

20. "Wicked-hearted Kubjā, you took My Kṛṣṇa away. Ah! Kṛṣṇa was always a rake, a cheater, a thief of young girls hearts."

21. Speaking in this way, the Lord wept, His weeping like a great rumbling roar. the hairs of His body stood erect. His manifestation of ecstatic love was astonishing.

22. Astonished, Śacī asked Lord Viśvambhara: "Dear, why do you weep? Why are You unhappy?"

23. The Lord heard His mother’s words, but gave no reply. He only wept. He was overcome with ecstasy.

24. In her heart Śacī-devī thought: "By Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy He manifests the symptoms of ecstatic love."

25. Very fortunate Śacī knew all the truths of spiritual life. Facing her son, she sweetly said:

26. "Listen. Listen, my dear, my golden son. I see that You have something very wonderful, something very rare in all the worlds.

27. "Whatever wealth You find in Your journeys You always bring to me.

28. "In Gayā You found a great treasure of ecstatic love for Lord Kṛṣṇa, a treasure more valuable than priceless jewels, a treasure even the demigods cannot attain.

29. "If You truly have kindness in Your heart, then please give to me that treasure of ecstatic love for Lord Kṛṣṇa, a love that I fear to look upon."

30. In this way Śacī-devī spoke. His heart melting, the Lord gazed at His mother and said:

31. "Mother, by the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas you will attain that ecstatic love. Please know this for certain. What I say is the truth."

32. Hearing these words, Śacī became very joyful at heart. That moment she attained ecstatic love and devotion.

33. The hairs on her limbs stood erect. Her body trembled. Endless flooding rivers of tears flowed from her eyes.

34. With a joyous heart she called out: "Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!" In this way Locana dāsa describes the first time Lord Gaura manifested of ecstatic love.