Nityananda-tattva

Nityananda-tattva

Nityananda and Advaita

Two Main Branches of the Caitanya Tree

5.1

advaita acarya, nityananda, dui anga

dui-jana lana prabhura yata kichu ranga

            Nityananda Prabhu and Advaitacarya are the two expansions of Lord

Caitanya Mahaprabhu who assist His transcendental pastimes. (Cc. Adi 5.146)

5.2

sankarsanah karana-toya-sayi

garbhoda-sayi ca payobdhi-sayi

sesas ca yasyamsa-kalah sa nitya-

nandakhya-ramah saranam mamastu

            May Sri Nityananda Prabhu be the object of my constant remembrance.

Sankarsana, Mahavisnu, Garbhodaksayi Visnu, and Ksirodaksayi Visnu, as well as

Sesa are His expansions and the expansions of His expansions. That

same Nityananda Prabhu, is none other than Balarama. (Cc. Adi 1.7)

5.3

mayatite vyapi-vaikuntha-loke

purnaisvarye sri-catur-vyuha-madhye

rupam yasyodbhati sankarsanakhyam

tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye

            I surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, who is known

as Sankarsana in the midst of the catur-vyuha. He has full opulences and

resides in Vaikunthaloka far beyond the material creation. (Cc. Adi 1.8)

5.4

maya-bhartajanda-sanghasrayangah

sete saksat karanambhodhi-madhye

yasyaikamsah sri-puman adi-devas

tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye

            I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose

partial representation called Karanodakasayi Visnu, lying on the Karana

ocean, is the original Purusa, the master of the illusory energy and the shelter

of all the universes. (Cc. Adi 1.9)

5.5

yasyamsamsah srila-garbhoda-sayi

yan-nabhy-abjam loka-sanghata-nalam

loka-srastuh sutika-dhama dhatus

tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye

            I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, a partial

part of whom is Garbhodaksayi Visnu. From the navel of Garbhodaksayi

Visnu sprouts the lotus stem that is the birthplace of Brahma, the engineer

of the Universe. The stem of that lotus is the resting place of the multitude

of planets. (Cc. Adi 1.10)

5.6

yasyamsamsamsah paratmakhilanam

posta visnur bhati dugdhabdhi-sayi

ksauni-bharta yat-kala so 'py anantas

tam sri-nityananda-ramam prapadye

            I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose

secondary part is the Visnu lying in the ocean of milk. That Ksirodakasayi

Visnu is the Supersoul of all living entities and the maintainer of all the

universe. Sesa Naga is His further sub-part. (Cc. Adi 1.11)

Baladeva is the Original Sankarsana

5.7

sri-balarama gosani mula-sankarsana

panca-rupa dhari' karena krsnera sevana

apane karena krsna-lilara sahaya

srsti-lila-karya kare dhari' cari kaya

            Lord Balarama is the original Sankarsana. He assumes five other forms

to serve Lord Krsna. He helps in the pastimes of Lord Krsna, and He does

the work of creation in four other forms. (Cc. Adi 5.8,9)

Balarama and Nityananda are non Different

5.8

prema-pracarana ara pasanda-dalana

dui-karye avadhuta karena bhramana

            For two purposes to spread the cult of bhakti and to defeat and sub-          

due the atheists Lord Nityananda, the most dedicated devotee of the Lord,

moved throughout the country. (Cc. Antya 3.149)

The Glories of Nityananda Prabhu

5.9

jagat mataya nitai premera malasate

palaya durdanta kali padiya vibhrate

ki sukhe bhasila jiva gauracandera nate

dekhiya suniya pasandira buk phate

            [All glories to Nityananda Prabhu!] Maddened by ecstatic love of

Godhead, he overwhelmed the universe with ecstasy. He slapped his hands

together like a warrior who is about to attack, and upon seeing this, the

wicked Kali fled in terror, fearing for his life. All souls were drowned in

happiness because of the dancing of Sri Gauranga [and Nityananda]. Seeing

such dancing, or even hearing of it, melts the hearts even of great atheists.

(Gitavali, Nagara-kirtana, 8)

5.10

jaya jaya nityananda, nityananda-rama

yanhara krpate painu vrndavana-dhama

jaya jaya nityananda, jaya krpa-maya

yanha haite painu rupa-sanatanasraya

yanha haite painu raghunatha-mahasaya

yanha haite painu sri-svarupa-asraya

sanatana-krpaya painu bhaktira siddhanta

sri-rupa-krpaya painu bhakti-rasa-pranta

jaya jaya nityananda-caranaravinda

yanha haite painu sri-radha-govinda

            All glory, all glory to Lord Nityananda Balarama, by whose mercy I

have attained shelter in the transcendental abode of Vrndavana. All glory,

all glory to the merciful Lord Nityananda, by whose mercy I have attained

shelter of Sri Rupa and Sanatana. By His mercy, I have attained the shelter

of the great Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, and by His mercy I have found

the refuge of Sri Svarupa Damodara. By the mercy of Sanatana Gosvami I

have learned the final conclusions of devotional service, and by the grace of

Sri Rupa Gosvami I have tasted the highest nectar of devotional service.

All glory, all glory to the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, by whose mercy I

have attained Sri Radha-Govinda.

(Cc. Adi. 5.200-204)

Nityananda is the Savior of the Most Fallen

5.11

jagai madhai haite muni se papistha

purisera kita haite muni se laghistha

mora nama sune yei tara punya ksaya

mora nama laya yei tara papa haya

emana nirghrna more keba krpa kare

eka nityananda vinu jagat bhitare

preme matta nityananda krpa-avatara

uttama, adhama, kichu na kare vicara

ye age padaye, tare karaye nistara

ataeva nistarila mo-hena duracara

            I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai and even lower than the worms

in stool. Anyone who hears my name loses the results of his pious activities.

Whoever utters my name becomes sinful. Who in this world but Nityananda

could show His mercy to such an abominable person as me? Because He is

intoxicated by ecstatic love and is an incarnation of mercy, He does not dis-

tinguish between the good and the bad. He delivers all those who fall down

before Him. Therefore He has delivered such a sinful and fallen person as

me. (Cc. Adi 5.205-209)

Freedom from Anarthas and the Desire for Bhakti

is Strengthened by the Mercy of Nitai

5.12

samsarera para hai' bhaktira sagare

ye dubibe se bhajuk nitai-candere

            One who would cross over the ocean of material existence and swim in

the bhakti ocean should worship the lotus feet of Nityananda.

(Cb. Adi 1.77)

Nityananda is the Foremost Preacher

5.13

caitanyera adi-bhakta nityananda-raya

caitanyera yaso vaise yanhara jihvaya

aharnisa caitanyera katha prabhu kaya

tan're bhajile se caitanye bhakti haya

            Lord Caitanya's first and foremost devotee is Nityananda Raya. The

glories of Lord Caitanya are always on his tongue. Day and night Lord

Nityananda speaks only of Lord Caitanya. Whoever worships Him is a real

devotee of Sri Caitanya. (C.Bhag. Adi 9.217-218)

Nityananda mad About Serving Sri Caitanya

5.14

nityananda avadhuta sabate agala

caitanyera dasya-preme ha-ila pagala

            Nityananda, the wandering mendicant, is the foremost of all the ser-

vants of Lord Caitanya. He is like the gateway through which all service to

Lord Caitanya must pass. He became mad in the ecstasy of service to Lord

Caitanya. (Cc. Adi 6.48)

Those who Have no Faith that Gaura and Nitai

are Inseparable are Offenders and Atheists

5.15

dui bhai eka-tanu samana-prakasa

nityananda na mana, tomara habe sarva-nasa

ekete visvasa, anye na kara sammana

"ardha-kukkuti-nyaya" tomara pramana

            These two brothers (Gaura and Nitai) are like one body; they are iden-

tical manifestations. If you do not believe in Lord Nityananda, you will

down. If you have faith in one, but disrespect the other, your logic is like the

logic of accepting half a hen. (Cc. Adi 5.175,176)

Faith in Gaura Without Nitai, or Nitai Without Gaura,

is Flickering Faith and in Opposition to Pure Devotional Service

5.16

kimva, dooha na manina hao ta' pasanda

eke mani' are na mani, ei-mata bhanda

            It would be better to be an atheist by slighting both brothers than a

hypocrite by believing in one and slighting the other. (Cc. Adi 5.177)

Thus ends the Fifth Jewel of Gaudiya Kanthahara, entitled Nityananda-tattva.

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