A well-known Kīrtanīyā

Śrī Gaura Nārāyaṇa came from a family with a keen appreciation for music and singing, so it was natural that he would have an immediate affinity for the lively Gauḍīya bhajanas. He quickly mastered the tunes and kīrtana styles.

One day, he was practising singing by himself this song by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura:

(প্রভু হে!) এমন দুর্মতি, সংসার-ভিতরে, পডিযা আছিনু আমি
তব নিজ-জন, কোন মহাজনে, পাঠাইযা দিলে তুমি

(prabhu he!) emana durmati, saṃsāra-bhitare, paḍiyā āchinu āmi
tava nija-jana, kona mahājane, pāṭhāiyā dile tumi

(1) O Lord, I am so unfortunate that I have fallen into this material world, but one of Your pure and elevated devotees has come to deliver me.

দযা করি’ মোরে, পতিত দেখিযা, কহিল আমারে গিযা
‘ওহে দীন-জন, শুন ভাল কথা, উল্লসিত হ’বে হিযা

dayā kari’ more, patita dekhiyā, kahila āmāre giyā
‘ohe dīna-jana, śuna bhāla kathā, ullasita ha’be hiyā

(2) Seeing me so fallen and wretched, he took pity on me, saying, O humbled soul, listen to this good news which will bring joy to your heart.

তোমারে তারিতে, শ্রী কৃষ্ণ চৈতন্য, নবদ্বীপে অবতার
তোমা’ হেন কত, দীন হীন জনে, করিলেন ভব-পার

tomāre tārite, śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya, navadvīpe avatāra
tomā’ hena kata, dīna hīna jane, karilena bhava-pāra

(3) Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya has appeared in the land of Navadvīpa to deliver you. He has already safely conducted so many other suffering souls across the ocean of birth and death.

বেদের প্রতিজ্ঞা, রাখিবার তরে, রুক্ম-বর্ণ বিপ্র-সুত
মহাপ্রভু নামে, নদীযা মাতায, সঙ্গে ভাই অবধূত

vedera pratijñā, rākhibāra tare, rukma-varṇa vipra-suta
mahāprabhu nāme, nadīyā mātāya, saṅge bhāi avadhūta

(4) Fulfilling the promise of the Vedas, the son of a brāhmaṇa, bearing the name Mahāprabhu and of a golden complexion, has descended with His brother, the avadhūta Nityānanda. Together They have overwhelmed all of Nadīyā with divine ecstasy.

নন্দ-সুত জিনি, চৈতন্য গোসাই, নিজ-নাম করি’ দান
তারিল জগত্, তুমি-ও জাইযা, লহ নিজ-পরিত্রাণ

nanda-suta jini, caitanya gōsāi, nija-nāma kari’ dāna
tārila jagat, tumi-o jāiyā, laha nija-paritrāṇa

(5) Śrī Caitanya, who is directly Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda, has saved the world by freely distributing His own holy name. Go also and receive your deliverance.

সে কথা শুনিযা, আসিযাছি, নাথ! তোমার চরণ-তলে
ভকতিবিনোদ, কাঙ্দিযা কাঙ্দিযা, আপন-কাহিনী বলে

se kathā śuniyā, āsiyāchi, nātha! tomāra caraṇa-tale
bhakativinoda, kāṅdiyā kāṅdiyā, āpana-kāhinī bale

(6) O Lord, hearing those words, Bhaktivinoda has come weeping to Your lotus feet and tells the story of his life.

At that time, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja was in his room. Hearing this melodious and soulful singing, he came out and asked who was singing so attractively. When he discovered that it was his Śrī Gaura Nārāyaṇa, he positioned him as a prominent kīrtanīyā, even though Śrī Gaura Nārāyaṇa had only been in Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha for a very short time.