Song 14

(Śrī rāga-Diśā)

Refrain: Lord Gaura is my very life! O! O! O! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Hari, Rāma, and Nārāyaṇa, has now become Śacī’s son effulgent like gold!

49. Everyone please listen. I will tell a very wonderful story. Anyone who hears this story will become free of all sins.

50. Making His home in Navadvīpa, Lord Gauracandra enjoyed many pastimes with His students.

51. The devotees would assemble and, with great love and bliss, chant the holy names in saṅkīrtana.

52. Smiling, Lord Gaura told the devotees: "In house after house please chant the holy names of Lord Hari.

53-54. "Teach the children, adults, caṇḍālas, unfortunates, saints, sinners, and everyone else in Navadvīpa how to chant the holy names of Lord Hari. Then everyone will easily cross over this world of birth and death."

55. Hearing these words, the devotees said to the Lord: "We have no power to chant Lord Hari’s holy names from house to house.

56. "In Navadvīpa dwell two very wicked persons. Their sins have no end.

57. "They are two brothers. Though they are brāhmaṇas, they are great sinners. They have great power in Navadvīpa. Their names are Jagāī and Mādhāi.

58. "They will not leave any woman, be she a brāhmaṇī, a yavanī, or a guru’s wife, in peace. They drink wine. They turn from any pious deed.

59. "Again and again they violently attack the brāhmaṇas, gurus, and Deities. If they do not see their victims outside, they invade their homes and attack them there.

60. "Hundreds and hundreds of times they have murdered brāhmaṇas, women, and cows. How many are their sins? I have no power to count them.

61. "Though they live by the Gaṅgā’s bank, they never bathe in her waters. In this birth they have never worshiped the Supreme Lord.

62. "Again and again they hurt even their friends and kinsmen. They are great offenders. They hate Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, the chanting of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names."

63. On that day the devotees spoek these words to Lord Gaura.

64. When he heard everyone speak these words, Lord Gaura became angry in His heart.

65. His two eyes became red like the rising sun. In His heart He thought:

66. "A sinner-brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila spoke at the moment of his death the word Nārāyaṇa.

67. "Though he spoke the word Nārāyaṇa only out of love for his son, that brāhmaṇa attained a spiritual body and went to Vaikuṇṭha.

68. "But Jagāī and Mādhāī are more sinful than Ajāmila. How will I deliver them?

69. "When I think of them I fell unhappy at heart." Then the Lord openly spoke. He said: "Everyone please hear My words.

70. "Harī-nāma-saṅkīrtana, the chanting of Lord Hari’s holy names, is the kalī-yuga-dharma, the religion for Kalī-yuga. By chanting the holy names one performs all pious deeds.

71. "Everyone should gather with his friends and kinsmen and chant the holy names.

72. "There should be a fragrant breeze of song. There should be mṛdaṅgas and karatālas. There should be sweet loud chanting of the holy names.

73. "I will fill the city with kīrtana, the chanting of the holy names. When the people hear it, they will all come and join the chanting.

74-76. Lord Advaita Acārya and His followers, the smiling Avadhūta Lord Nityānanda, Haridāsa, and Śrīvāsa with his four brothers, as well as Murāri, Mukunda Datta, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Śrī Candraśekhara Acārya, Śuklāmbara, and all the other personal associates of the Lord assembled at Lord Gaura’s house.

77. By Lord Gaura’s command all the devotees assembled there.

78. Everyone began a great kīrtana of chanting the holy names. Then Lord Gaura led them in a procession.

79. Tossed by waves of bliss, they walked through the neighborhoods of Nadīyā. Their chanting of

"Hari! Hari!" rose and filled the sky.

80. Meanwhile Jagāī and Mādhāī slept in their house. Drunk with wine, the two brothers slept.

81. Lord Gaura brought His kīrtana along the path to their house. Everyone in Nadīyā ran to watch.

82. There was a tumultuous kīrtana with karatālas, mṛdaṅgas, and other musical instruments. In the four directions "Hari! Hari!" were the only sounds anyone could hear.

83. The tumultuous kīrtana wakened the two brothers. Raising their heads, they looked. Then they screamed with rage.

84. With eyes red with rage, they watched. When they heard the kīrtana’s sound it was like an iron club striking their ears.

85. The kīrtana’s sound was like an iron lance pushed into their hearts. "If you wish to stay alive, then please be quiet."

86. These words the people in the neighboring houses said. They said: "Please stop at once. Who is it that has made these powerful men so angry?

87. "We command you: Go at once. We forbid you to sing. By whose power have you come by this path?"

88. The neighbor-messenger said to Jagāī and Mādhāi: "Accompanied by a host of brāhmaṇas, the brāhmaṇa Nimāī Paṇḍita, who is Jagannātha Miśra’s son, performs kīrtana of chanting the holy names."

89. Jagāī and Mādhāī said: "Forbid Him to sing. Make Him walk on another path. If He wishes to remain alive, He should be quiet.

90. "If He does not understand, if He continues this senseless uproar, then with my own hands I will take away His caste, His kinsmen, and the breath that keeps Him alive."

91. Saying these words, Jagāī and Mādhāī sent the messenger back to the devotees. The messenger said to Lord Gaura: "Please listen, O son of Śacī.

92. "Raising Your arms, You chant the holy names of Lord Harī from house to house.

93. "In this way You double the spiritual love and bliss in the world. Your chanting of "Hari! Haribol!" touches the sky."

94. Meanwhile, unable to tolerate the sound of the kīrtana, the two sinful-hearted brothers rushed out the door of their house.

95. Their faces and eyes were red with rage. Their garments fell and fell from their limbs.

96. They trembled as they walked. They were almost unconscious with rage. Their voices roared with a host of threats and curses.

97. They looked in the four directions. They walked up to Lord Gaura. "Be smart and get out!", they screamed.

98. "Ha! Ha! Brāhmaṇa, You should try to save Yourself a lot of trouble." Then they spoke a host of threats and curses.

99. Seeing this angry outburst, the people of Nadīyā looked at each other in the four directions. They were frightened.

100-101. Accompanied by Lord Advaita Acārya Gosāi, Lord Nityānanda, Haridāsa, Śrīvāsa, Murāri, Mukunda, and all His associates, Lord Viśvambhara again sang the holy names of Lord Hari.

102. They happily sang Lord Hari’s holy names. They never tired of singing Them. At this point Jagāī and Mādhāī became wild with rage.

103. Grabbing a stick, one of them smashed a clay pot into pieces. Then the two brothers ran toward the devotees.

104. They angrily pelted the devotees with fragments from the broken pot. One of those pieces struck Lord Nityānanda’s head.

105. Where the pot fragment struck blood began to flow. Seeing this, the devotees said: "Alas! Alas!"

106. Seeing this, Lord Gaura became filled with sorrow. To the two sinners He shouted:

107. "No one is more sinful than you. Reports of Your sins fill the whole earth.

108. "You have done what no one else dare do. Look at what you have done!"

109. Saying these words, Lord Gaura went to Lord Nityānanda. With cloth from His own garment Lord Gaura bandaged Lord Nityānanda’s wound.

110-111. Lord Gaura knew the great glory of Śrīpada Nityānanda. If a single drop of Lord Nityānanda’s blood had fallen to the ground, great inauspiciousness would have come to the earth. Therefore with care and fear Lord Gaura, with cloth from His own garment, bandaged the wound on Lord Nityānanda’s head.

112. Then Lord Gaura angrily called for His Sudarśana-cakra, With folded hands the Sudarśanacakra respectfully stood before the Lord.

113. The Sudarśana-cakra said: "Glory, glory to Lord Mahāprabhu, to Śacī’s son! O master, what is Your command for me?"

114. Lord Gaura said: "Kill Jagāī and Mādhāi. They wounded Lord Nityānanda and brought great sorrow to My heart."

115. Hearing these words, the Sudarśana-cakra burst into flames, the same flames that destroy the universe when the worlds are all destroyed. Then the flaming Sudarśana-cakra charged at Jagāī and Mādhāi.

116. Seeing the flaming Sudarśana-cakra attacking them, Jagāī and Mādhāī felt their hearts fill with fear. Their bodies trembled.

117. Glancing at the Sudarśana-cakra, Lord Nityānanda smiled and said: "Lord, why reveal Your powers in this way?

118. "We have kindly come here to deliver all the fallen, wretched, patheic sinners in the three worlds.

119. "We should deliver Jagāī and Mādhāi. We should be the friends of the fallen. Then We will protect Our good reputation as the purifiers of the fallen (patita-pāvana)."

120. Speaking these words, Lord Nityānanda fell at Lord Gaura’s feet. Before Lord Gaura’s feet He placed this humble request:

121. "Lord, please give these two sinners to Me. Then the people will call Us by the name Patitap āvana (the purifiers of the fallen).

122. "In other yugas We killed many demons. But these two sinners We should deliver. We should deliver them, body and soul."

123. Hearing Lord Nityānanda’s words, merciful Lord Gaura said: "Glory to You, Nityānanda! Glory to You, O son of Rohiṇī!

124. "I am Your submissive servant. This all the scriptures say. I agree with all You have said.

125. "Anyone who just once his life speaks the word

‘Nityānanda becomes purified. He becomes My pure devotee."

126. Then, accompanied by His personal associates, Lord Gaura returned to His own home. Filled with wonder, Jagāī and Mādhāī stood there.

127. The sound of saṅkīrtana and the sight of Lord Mahāprabhu filled them with wonder. Stunned, they stared ahead.

128. Again and again in their hearts they tried to understand the meaning of Lord Mahāprabhu’s words.

129. "There is no sin that we have not done, that we have not done. We attacked a sannyāsī."

130. As they thought in this way again and again, their hearts became pure and free from sin. Look! Look at the power of Lord Mahāprabhu’s mercy!

131. Filled with sorrow and repentance, the two brothers ran. Seeing them, the people of Nadīyā became filled with wonder.

132. Finally coming to Lord Mahāprabhu’s door, they called out: "Lord! Lord!"

133. Sitting at home amongst His associates, Lord Gaura said: "Who calls for Me? Please see who is at the door.

134. "Murāri, please bring the visitors here to Me." Following the Lord’s command, Murārī embraced the two brothers and brought them before the Lord.

135. Seeing the Lord, the two brothers made a great sound of grief and repentance. They fell to the ground before the Lord’s feet. They wept. They said:

136. "You are the purifier of the fallen. You are an ocean of mercy, the master of the worlds, the friend of the fallen.

137. "You are an ocean of mercy. O Lord, Your heart is filled with mercy." Seeing the two brothers anguished repentance, Lord Gaura melted with mercy.

138. Picking them up, Lord Gaura asked them: "Listen, O Jagāī and Mādhāi. Why have you come to My place? Why do you weep?

139. "You are the two great masters of Navadvīpa. You are very wise and learned. Why do you weep?"

140. Hearing the Lord’s eords, Jagāī and Mādhāī said: "It is only because of Your mercy that we have come to You.

141. "How many cows have we killed? How many women? How many men? How many sins have we committed. No one can count them.

142. "Fie on us, the so-called masters of Navadvīpa. We have killed many brāhmaṇas and many gurus.

143. "How many girls from brāhmaṇa, yavana, and caṇḍāla families did we not leave in peace? How many guru’s wives did we not leave in peace?

144. "To the people of the world we gave nothing but violence. We did no pious rituals to peace the demigods or pitās.

145. "We are worthless like piles of ashes. What more can we say to You? The nŚrī umber of hairs on our heads does not equal the number of our sins.

146. "Everyone say the person namwed Ajāmila was a great sinner. Still, they do not say he was not more of a sinner than us.

147. "Whe Ajāmila spoke the name ‘Nārāyaṇa’, Lord Nārāyaṇa delivered him. Lord Nārāyaṇa did not come and deliver us.

148. "People like us are never delivered. Why do You feel compassion for us?"

149. Hearing these words of sincere sorrow and repentance, Lord Gaura said: "I give My mercy to you."

150. When He sees the sorrows of sorrowful souls, the Supreme Lord also feels sorrow. Therefore He is mercy personified. His form is filled with mercy.

151. He is an ocean of mercy. He shows great mercy. Taking the two brothers with Him, the Lord then went to the Gaṅgā’s bank.

152. The people of Nadīyā ran there to see the great wonder. There Lord Gaura manifested very wonderful ecstatic spiritual love.

153. Respectfully standing, the brāhmaṇas and saintly devotees watched. In their presence Lord Gaura spoke these merciful words:

154. "Now I will take upon Myself all your sins. Please give all your sins to Me."

155. Speaking these words, Lord Gaura extended His hand to accept a tulasī leaf. Frightened, the two brothers would not give the tulasī leaf.

156. Then Lord Gaura, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, mercifully said: "Jagāī and Mādhāi, now you must give your sins to Me."

157. Jagāī and Mādhāī said: "Lord, please listen. No one can even count our sins.

158. "We are the lowest of lowly persons, the most sinful of sinners. At the thought of giving our sins to You, our hearts tremble in fear."

159. When Lord Gaura heard these words, tears streamed from His eyes. Then, in a voice like thundering cloud, He said: "Haribol!"

160. Again Lord Gaura extended His hand to accept their sins. Then Jagāī and Mādhāī placed the tulasī leaf in Lord Gaura’s hand.

161. From the four sides came a great tumult of

"Hari! Haribol!" Then Lord Gaura embraced Jagāī and Mādhāi.

162. Touching them, Lord Gaura delivered Jagāī and Mādhāi. He took all their sins upon Himself.

163. Overcome with ecstatic spiritual love, Jagāī and Mādhāī spoke half-formed words with a choked voice. The tears from their eyes drenched their garments.

164. They trembled. The hairs on their bodies stood erect. Before the Lord’s feet they fell to the ground. They spoke many prayers filled with anguished repentance.

165. In this way Lord Gaura delivered them and many others also. Lord Gaura is an ocean of mercy. He is the great purifier of the very fallen.

166. In this way Lord Gaura delivered Jagāī and Mādhāī from their sins. Filled with ecstatic spiritual love by the touch of Lord Gaura’s glorious graceful body, Jagāī and Mādhāī danced.

167. Thus taking on Himself all of Jagāi’s and Mādhāi’s sins, Lord Viśvambhara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, also danced.

168. Who is glorious and supreme like Lord Gaura? He is an ocean of mercy. He does not see faults. He loves everyone.

169. Happy to have delivered some fallen souls, Lord Gaura danced. This pastime brings great hope to Locana dāsa, who remains shackled in the prison of māya.