Song 12

Refrain: Lord Gaura weeps. May Lord Gaura be manifest in my heart.

1. Now I will tell another wonderful story. No one has seen or heard of these pastimes of Lord Gaura.

2. Lord Gaura is the master of all the worlds, the Supreme Personality of Godhead now descended to the earth.

3-4. Persons who are offenders at heart, who are worthless like piles of ashes, whose intelligence is destroyed, and whose hearts are made dull and stunted by Lord Viṣṇu’s māyā, will all become pure and holy saints when they hear of Lord Gaura’s glories. They will become saints because their disease of materialism will die.

5. Once, during the ninth hour of the night, Lord Gaura suddenly began weeping.

6. Surprised, Śacī asked her son: "Dear one, why do You weep? Will You not tell me.

7. "Hearing You weep, I could not be peaceful. I felt as if my body had burst into flames, or as if an arrow was shot into my heart."

8. Hearing His mother’s words, Lord Gaura was silent. Then, sitting on His bed, He described what He saw in a dream.

9. He said: "I saw a person with a body handsome and glorious like a dark monsoon cloud. His crown was of peacock feathers. His effulgence was wonderful.

10. "He wore bracelets, armlets, necklaces, and anklets. On His forehead were sandal-paste moons. He was very effulgent.

11. "He wore yellow garments and held a flute in His left hand. With a joyful heart I gazed at His handsome form."

12. Lord Gaura wept. A flood of tears streamed from His eyes. "Don’t tell anyone. No one should hear of this.", He said.

13. Hearing these nectar words from Lord Viśvambhara’s mouth, Śacī became filled with bliss.

14. The hairs on Lord Viśvambhara’s body stood erect. His body was effulgent.

15. At that moment Lord Nityānanda Rāya arrived from Śrīvāsa’s house.

16. Lord Nityānanda saw Lord Viśvambhara manifest a very handsome form, an effulgent form with great arms and a deep navel.

17. In His right hand was a club, and in His left a flute. In another right hand was a lotus, and in another left hand was a bow.

18. His complexion was like molten gold. On His chest was a Kaustubha gem. A pair of shark-shaped earrings glistened at His cheeks.

19. A necklace of emeralds glistened on His chest. Avadhūta Nityānanda Rāya gazed at this wonderful form.

20. Lord Nityānanda gazed at this four-armed form. Suddenly there were no bow, no flute, and no four arms.

21. In a moment He was a two-armed form, a form very merciful to the people, His form of Lord Gaura.

22. Lord Nityānanda gazed at Lord Gaura, embraced Him, and then began to sing and dance.

23. Overcome, He wildly danced. He was plunged in a great ocean of ecstatic spiritual love.

24. Lord Gaura said: "Taking Śrīvāsa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrī Rāma and Murārī with You, please depart.

25. "Go, O Avadhūta, to Advaita Acārya’s house. Tell Him of these wonders."

26. Hearing Lord Gaura’s command, They all became joyful at heart.

27. Accompanied by Lord Nityānanda, with joyful hearts they hurried to Advaita Acārya’s house.

28. Bowing down, they told everything. Hearing their words, Advaita Acārya danced, overcome with bliss.

29. Two by two They joyfully embraced. Nityānanda and Advaita joyfully danced.

30. They were plunged in an ocean of bliss. Tossed by the waves of that ocean, They called out like thundering clouds.

31. Nityānanda and Advaita talked of Lord Gaurāṅga’s confidential pastimes. Talking and listening, They both becasme wild at heart.

32. Two days blissfully passed in this way. The Vaiṣṇavas blissfully sang Lord Gaura’s glories.

33. After first placing their request at Lord Advaita’s feet, the devotees quickly left to see Lord Gaura-Hari.

34. Approaching Lord Gaura, they all offered respectful obeisances. Folding his palms, Murārī recounted everything.

35. He described the confidential pastimes at Lord Advaita’s home. Hearing these pastimes, Lord Gaura became joyful. A smile took birth upon His face.

36. Then next day Advaita Acārya came to see Lord Gaura’s lotus feet.

37. Sitting in the temple room at Śrīvāsa’s home, Lord Gaura gently smiled.

38. Then Lord Gaura joyfully sat on the Deity’s throne. The effulgence of His body filled the room with light.

39. His body was effulgent like molten gold. Then, filled with the passion of ecstatic spiritusl love, His body became reddish like the morning sun.

40. His ornaments, garlands, and fragrant sandal all glistened. He was glorious like the full moon.

41. Gadādhara and Naraharī stood there. Śrī Raghunandana gazed at the graceful moon of Lord Gaura’s face.

42. The devotees surrounded Lord Gaura on four sides. Glorious like a moon surrounded by a host of stars, Lord Gaura, the king of the brāhmaṇas, smiled.

43. Filled with the bliss of ecstatic love, Lord Nityānanda sat down before Lord Gaura. Gazing at Lord Gaura’s face, Lord Nityānanda boisterously laughed and deeply wept.

44. At that time Lord Advaita also gazed at Lord Gaura. Lord Advaita Acārya, the moon of the brāhmaṇas, loudly roared like a lion.

45. From head to foot, the hairs of Lord Advaita’s His body stood erect. The whole world could not contain the bliss in His heart.

46. Lord Advaita offered prayers and many gifts. He placed splendid new cloth before Lord Gaura’s lotus feet.

47. Offering tulasī-mañjarīs, He worshiped Lord Gaura. He offered fragrant sandal and a fragrant jasmine garland.

48. Falling down like a stick, He offered respectful obeisances. Lord Gaura picked Him up and embraced Him.

49. Lord Gaura accepted the offerings and then distributed the remnants of them to the devotees.

50. The garments and ornaments adorned His graceful body. Calling out, "Hari! Hari!", He danced with the devotees.

51. LordAdvaita Acārya, Lord Nityānanda Rāya, Śrīvāsa, Murāri, and Mukunda sang Lord Gaura’s glories.

52. All the Vaiṣṇavas there were filled with bliss. Forgetting themselves, they tasted the nectar of rasa.

53. Praising each other, they said: "You are fortunate. Fortunate." They thought the happiness of impersonal nirvāṇa was very pathetic and unimportant.

54. Filled with the bliss of spiritual love, they did not know if it was day or night. Their hearts were overcome with bliss.

55. At sunrise their dancing began. When night came they continued to dance. When the sun rose again they were still dancing.

56. )vercome with the bliss of spiritual love, they passed day and night in this way. Finally Lord Gaura commanded them to stop dancing.

57. He said: "Return to your homes, bathe, and worship your Deities. After you have taken your meals, return here. "

58. When these duties were completed, the devotees met again at Lord Gaura’s feet.

59-61. At that time the great soul Haridāsa, who with a joyful heart always chanted Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names, who was like a bumblebee intoxicated by tasting the pollen of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, and who, wild by tasting the nectar of the spiritual rasas was like a lion cub, unexpectedly came to Navadvīpa. Happily smiling, Lord Gaura said: "He has come. He has come."

62. With great love Lord Mahāprabhu embraced Haridāsa and offered him a sitting place.

63. Wise Haridāsa bowed down to offer respects. The Lord grasped his hand and picked him up.

64. The Lord anointed his body with fragrant sandal paste. The Lord placed His own prasādam flower garland on Haridāsa’s body.

65. Then the Lord commanded him to eat. He offered him abundant mahā-prasādam food.

66-67. In this way, accompanied by Haridāsa, Advaita Acārya, Nityānanda, Śrīvāsa, and a host of devotees, with a joyful heart Lord Mahāprabhu enjoyed saṅkīrtana pastimes of chanting Lord Hari’s holy names.

68. Day and night passed in these blissful pastimes. At the end, saying, "Now please go home", Lord Gaura bid farewell to Advaita Acārya.

69. Obeying Lord Gaura’s command, Advaita Acārya returned to His home. Whoever saw or heard these pastimes was overcome with bliss.

70. Then Lord Gaura bid farewell to Avadhūta Lord Nityānanda Rāya.

71. Walking a few steps with Him, Lord Gaura was overcome with ecstatic love. He did not allow Him to go very far.

72. Lord Nityānanda could not bring Himself to depart, even though Lord Gaura had bid HIm farewell.

73. As He was bidding Him farewell, Lord Gaura said to Him: "Please give a portion of Your kaupīna to these devotees."

74. On Lord Gaura’s word, Avadhūta Lord Nityānanda gave a wonderful portion of His kaupīna to the devotees.

75. Accepting that portion of the kaupīna, Lord Gaura smiled and gave it to His personal associates.

76. Accepting that kaupīna-prasādam, the devotees wrapped portions of it around their heads.

77. Finally bidding farewell to Lord Nityānanda’s lotus feet, Lord Gaura’s associates returned to their homes.

78. Their hearts filled with despair, they all returned to their homes. As they sat in their homes, tears streamed from their eyes.

79. For some moments they bathed and worshiped their Deities. But at dusk they all went to see Lord Gaura-Hari.

80. Lord Nityānanda went to Lord Advaita Acārya Gosāi’s home. Day and night They happily talked of Lord Gaurāṅga.

81. Everyone please hear the story of another day’s pastimes. When you hear it you will attain ecstatic devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feet.

82. Songs glorifying Lord Gaura are the sweetest nectar. The wonderful stories they tell are beyond what the world or the Vedas have the power to know.

83. Lord Gaura gazed at His associates and embraced them. Hearing the chanting of His own glories, He danced in ecstasy.

84. On the four sides everyone joyfully sang and danced. In the center Lord Gaura Rāya danced, overcome with bliss.

85. Taking Śrīvāsa’s hand in His, Lord Viśvambhara suddenly departed. Where did He go? I don’t know.

86. In the four directions the devotees sang and danced, but Lord Mahāprabhu was not in their midst. No one could see Him.

87. Fear took birth in the devotees hearts. Distraught, everyone wept.

88. They rooled on the ground and wept. No one was peaceful and composed. Everyone in Nadīyā wept.

89. They all ran. They searched house after house. They did not find the Lord. Tears streamed from their eyes.

90. "Where did my Lord go? I will drink poison and die."

91. Everyone lamented in this way. Hearing these laments, Śacī fell unconscious.

92. Her garments were not neatly arranged. Her hair was untied. Striking her breatsts and running about, she was like a wild woman.

93. "Son! Dear son!", she called out. "Viśvambhara! Come home! Six hours have already passed!

94. "You are the lamp of our family! You are the moon of Nadīyā! You are the star of my eyes. Unable to see You, I will go blind!"

95. Seeing how everyone was now overcome, Lord Gaura, who dearly loves His devotees, suddenly came before them.

96. As a rising sun suddenly appears in the blinding darkness, so Lord Gaura suddenly appeared in the Vaiṣṇavas hearts.

97. Falling before the Lord’s feet, the devotees loudly wept. Gazing at His graceful face, they wildly danced.

98. Someone said: "Lord Mahāprabhu, when our eyes could not see You, the ten directions became filled with blinding darkness."

99. Now become wild, Śacī embraced her son. Millions of kisses she placed on His lotus face.

100. "I am a blind woman, and You are My walkingstick. You are the stars shining in my eyes. You are the soul that keeps my body alive. You are all I have. I have nothing but You.

101. "My whole world became a barren desert. But now the rising moon of Gaura has killed the blinding darkness."

102. Murāri, Mukunda Datta, and Haridāsa humbly said: "O Śrīvāsa, please hear our words.

103. "The Lord thinks no servant more dear than you. It is by your mercy the Lord’s feet noe stand before us.

104. "What can we say to you? Please be merciful to us."

105. After speaking these words, everyone sang the glories of Lord Hari. Wild with ecstatic spiritual love, Lord Gaura Rāya danced.

106. Everyone please hear this wonderful story, the story of how in Navadvīpa Lord Gaura revealed the jewel of ecstatic spiritual love.

107. Pure ecstatic love and devotion is very rare in the three worlds. Who has the power to attain it?

108. Even Lakṣmī, Ananta, Śiva, and Sanatkumāra do not know the heart of pure ecstatic devotion.

109. Lord Gaura revealed the truth about pure ecstatic love and devotion. With a joyful heart Locana dāsa speaks these words.