English
Japa talk – 22nd February 2024
Speaker – HG Sarvabhauma Prabhu
Guru Maharaj speaks – Today’s Japa Talk will be given by Sarvabhauma prabhu.I will give Bhagvatam class about Nityanand katha at 8 am in the temple today after which I will be going to Noida for the 10th Brahmotsav.We will do katha and kirtan there.
ha ha prabhu nityananda, premananda sukhi
kripabalokana koro ami boro duhkhi
My dear Lord Nityananda, You are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since You always appear very happy, I have come to You because I am most unhappy. If You kindly put Your glance over me, then I may also become happy. [Song name is Savarana Sri Gaura padma padme from prarthana by Narottama Das Thakur]
Lord Nityanand is always in ecstasy,He is always in Nitya Anand.Narottama Das Thakur says premanand sukhi,that you are always engaged in ecstasy.But such an incarnation of Balaram,I pray to you that please show some mercy on us ,we are immersed in the ocean of misery.We all shall pray this today.It is my prayer to Nityanand Prabhu to pull us out from this ocean of misery and make us eternally happy.He is always happy and I pray to Him to make all of us also happy.In the first shloka of Chaitanya Bhagvat,there is a prayer that is applicable for both Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Nityanand Prabhu.Let us chant together-
ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau
I offer my respects unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, whose arms extend down to Their knees, who have golden yellow complexions, and who inaugurated the congregational chanting of the Holy Names. Their eyes resemble the petals of a lotus. They are the maintainers of all living entities. They are the best of brahmanas, the protectors of religious principles for this age, the benefactors of the universe, and the most merciful of all incarnations. [Caitanya-bhagavata 1.1.1]
Both Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityanand Prabhu are founders of the Sankirtan movement,this prayer is for both of them. While doing this they are protecting us in kaliyuga. Both of them have given us this mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.Its is also said that the words Hare Rama in this signifies Lord Balaram or Nityanand Mahaprabhu or even Krishna or even Lord Rama. We chant this everyday and the message of Kirtaniya sada hari is given by both Lord Chaitanya and Nityanand Mahaprabhu. After this we will be happy so chant Hare Krishna and be happy. This is all I want to say today. Pls listen to Nityanand Katha by Sarvabhauma Prabhu himself. Thankyou all for your presence.
HG Sarvabhauma Prabhu Speaks – All my obeisance to Guru Maharaj and the devotees present here.
Gurave gaura chandraya radhikaya tadalaye Krsnaya Krishna bhaktaya tad bhaktaya namo namah
I offer my humble pranams unto my gurudeva, unto Sri Gaura Chandra and Sri Radha and Krsna.
Sarvabhauma Prabhu offers prayers.
Introduction
I welcome all the fortunate devotees who are present in the Japa Talk of Guru Maharaj.Today is Nityanand Trayodashi and today we all have been fortunate to associate with Gurumaharaj and chant and hear from Him.Last time we spoke about the significance of Nityanand Mahaprabhu.We discussed that He is the first expansion of Lord Krishna who serves in 5 forms ,4 of which are for the cosmic manifestation and one is itself serving by being in Krishna leela.All the expansions of Lord Vishnu which descend on Earth or perform leela in Vaikuntha are nothing but expansion of Lord Nityananda.Also the paramatma form in our hearts is also an expansion of Lord Nityananda.All our acharyas and guru’s mercy is also a form of Lord Nityananda.He is so merciful that he never sees the eligibility of a person he just delivers a person who completely surrenders unto Him.Sri Kaviraja Goswami was considering Himself fortunate to be able to stay in Vrindavan and take darshan of their Lorships Madanmohan and Gopinath darshans.We are also lucky that because of the mercy of all devotees and this institution ISKCON by the mercy of Lord Nityananda that we were able to see Vrindavan.It is all because of their mercy that we are able to read Bhagvad Gita and Bhagvatam.
Birth of Lord Nityananda –
Lord Nityananda was born to a religious Bengali Brahmin known as Pandit Hadai, and his wife, Padmavati in Ekachakra around the year 1474.He was the most beloved in Ekachakra and was born 12 years before Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and in He was very beautiful and when He would perform pastimes of Lord Krishna and Lord Rama.Once when he was playing the role of Laxman in a drama and the scene was killing of Meghnath and Laxman fell unconscious.Lord Nityananda actually became unconscious and everybody was wondering what had happened.Then the one who was playing the role of Hanuman had to actually get Sanjeevani to wake up Lord Nityananda.So He would get so involved in these pastimes.Once when He was 12 years old a sanyasi who was Laxmi Tirth Maharaj told Hadai Pandit that I like your son pls give Him to me as I have to leave for a pilgrimage.This was the sanatan culture in the olden days that a sanyasis order was always followed by the grihastas ,but nowadays we are forgetting this culture and doing the exact opposite.
Hadai thakur gave His beloved son to the sanyasi for a good time of 20 years!
He was sent for help in the pilgrimage.Nityanand prabhu travelled with Laxmi Tirth Maharaj all over India in many pilgrimages.In Kurukshetra,Lord Balarama did not take part in the war but visited the pilgrimages of India instead.
When you have energy in the body and are young you should cover maximum pilgrimages of India and take darshans to all the sainta and sadhus you can.This is preferable.We must understand this that a fresh flower is always offered to the Lord not a dull flower its similar with the Human body we can take advantage of Yatras when we are old.
Nityanand Prabhu’s Yatra to Vrindavan
When Nityanand prabhu reached Pandharpur,He asked Laxmi Tirth Swami that I am in your service for long but I haven’t got diksha still.Actually He Himself is the master of all acharyas but just to show us He takes diksha from Laxmi Tirth Maharaj who is also the Guru of Madhavendra Puri.
After this Nityanand Prabhu came to Vrindavan,He would ask all the people around and the cowherd boys where is Krishna or Kanhaiya?He would see the cows and deers and ask for Krishna.Then there was a celestial announcement that the Krishna you are finding has appeared in Navadvip so Nityanand Prabhu travelled along the banks of Yamuna to rech Prayag and then from the Banks of Ganga He reached Navadvip where He sat in Nandan acharyas house with the hope that Kanhaiya will come to meet me here.
Meeting of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityanand Prabhu
Similarly Advait Acharya said that if Krishna descended on this planet just in my insistence then he will also come and give me darshan.Then Nimai came to Advait Acharya’s house and here he realized that Krishna has only come in the form of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Similarly,Nityanand Prabhu also waited in Nandan acharyas house with the same hope for the darshan of Krishna.Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told Haridas Thakur,Srinivas Acharya that a Vaishnav has come please find Him.They tried to find everywhere but did not succeed.Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Nandan acharyas house.Here Mahaprabhu is 20 years old and Nityanand prabhu is 23 years old,this is the first time they met.As soon as they saw each other they were very pleased.Lord Chaitanya’s long arms(ajanu lambita bujau),fair complexion and both ran towards each other and embraced each other,there were tears in the eyes and were astonished and in ecstasy.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Sanyas Leela
After this Nityanand Prabhu joined Mahaprabhu in the pancatatva for preaching the Harinama.Mahaprabhu thought that unless I don’t take sanyas I will not be able to accomplish my mission,so Nityanand Prabhu was with Mahaprabhu during His sanyas from Keshav Bharti.
When they reached Vrindavan,they were amazed to see the banks of Yamuna.Mahaprabhu just jumped into Yamuna.Actually He jumped into Ganga thinking it is Yamuna.Nityanand Prabhu had arranged for Mahaprabhu’s clothes ,called it through Advaita Acharya.Mahaprabhu was amazed to see Advaita Acharya, he was satisfied to see him but seeing this Mahaprabhu thought that Nityanand Mahaprabhu had got Him back to Navadvip but actually this was the merging point of rivers,both were flowing from either sides.Here the colour of Yamuna is present but the name is Ganga.
If Mahaprabhu goes away from here after sanyas then how will the residents of Navadvip meet Him?
That’s why Mahaprabhu was got to Shantipur where there are three stops where Mahaprabhu waited.Sachi Mata was anxious of living alone worried that she has no association of her son after His Sanyas.Mahaprabhu instructed her that whenever I descend either you are Yashoda Mata or Sachi Mata and whenever somebody will install my deities I will enter that deity and there also you become my mother and lastly the tongue that takes my name,that tongue turns into my mother and I dance on that tongue.So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has specified three mothers.
Three mothers specified by Mahaprabhu-
1)My own mother in the form of sachi mata or yashoda
2)Whenever a deity is made either of marble or metal then I enter that deity and it becomes my mother there
3)And when we say Gaur Hari the tongue becomes the mother and Mahaprabhu starts dancing on that same tongue
Sachi mata told Mahaprabhu that Vrindavan is very far,but we will meet during Jagannath Ratha Yatra but just fulfill one wish that please stay in Jagannath Puri.
Mahaprabhu’s South India Yatra
Nityanand prabhu is with Mahaprabhu with 4 others.They first go to Kheer Chor Gopinath and glorify Madhavendra Puri from there they go to dand bhang tirth where their sanyasa dand was broken into pieces and thrown away.Nityanand prabhu explains to Mahaprabhu that you are Krishna yourself what is the need of the danda?
So from here they took darshan of Lord Jagannath and here Mahaprabhu fainted,from here they went to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and then doing Kirtan they awakened Mahaprabhu.
So we see that Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by Nityanand Prabhu in the sanyas lila.After this Mahaprabhu goes alone in the yatra of South India travelling from Pandharpur to Vrindavan by the banks of Yamuna.
Nityanand Parbhu would always say
bhaja gaurańga kaha gaurańga laha gaurańgera nama re
je jan gaurańga bhaje, sei (hoy) amara praṇa re
Bhaja gauranga means serve Mahaprabhu,take His name and the one who will serve Mahaprabhu is dear to me.We can serve Chaitanya Mahprabhu by the maha-mantra.
Nityanand prabhu’s mercy-Epitome of mercy
Without the mercy of Nityanand Mhaprabhu we cannot get the mery of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Example of this is Raghunath Das Goswami.He first saw Chaitanya Mahaprabhu before and after sanyas.Mahaprabhu told Goswami ji that you be neutral your wish will automatically be fulfilled .His wish was to associate with Mahaprabhu.But Goswami Ji’s father got him married to a beautiful girl.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had come to Bengal with His associates in Panihati.He was seated there.Raghunath Das Goswami came for Mahaprabhu’s darshan.But Nityanand Prabhu got angry that you are a theif, you want to directly get the wealth of meeting Mahaprabhu bypassing me?I will punich you.Nityanand prabhu said that you must do a dahi cheeda festival here with dahi,puffed rice and banana.If the Vaishnavas are pleased then all your wishes will come true.When the Prasad was ready Nityanand Prabhu offered a plate to Mahaprabhu.We find Mahaprabhu in these four places –
1) In Sachi Mata’s kitchen
2)In the house of Srivas Acharya
3)In the house of Raghavendra Puri where his wife would make dry spices which Raghavendra would offer for the Yatra every year
4)In Nityananda Prabhu’s Kirtan
So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu cam there and everyone had Prasad.This was followed by Kirtan.Raghunath das Goswami placed his head at Nityanand prabhu’s feet and got the boon that he will soon obtain the shelter of the Lotus feet of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Pastimes with Raghunath Das Goswami-
At that time Raghunath Das Goswami left his home from the uneven road and in 12 days he reached Jagannath Puri.Mahaprabhu handed Goswami ji to Svaroop Damodar Das and Goswami ji was witness to the special leelas of Mahaprabhu during the last years of His pastimes and he received the Govardhan shila and Gunjan mala from Mahaprabhu.After Mahaprabhu entered tota gopinath and Svaroop Damodar Goswami left his body,Raghunath Das Goswami took that shila and gunjan mala and came to Vrindavan. At Radha Kund , Goswami Ji preached the eternal pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.This is the Prasad of Nityanand Mahaprabhu who made Goswamiji a prayojan acharya.
Merciful Nityanand Prabhu-
Amongst the disciples of Nityanand Prabhu,he even showed mercy to Kaviraja Goswami.Kaviraj Goswami’s brother insulted Nityanand Prabhu in some way,but Nityanand Prabhu came in Kaviraj Goswami’s dream that come to Vrindavan where he got the shelter of the six goswami’s.
Iskcon’s main books are BBC, Bhagavad Gita (what Krishna says),Bhagvatam (what Krishna does) and Chaitanya charitamrita(what Krishna thinks).
All those who have written these are disciples of Nityanand prabhu.Vrindavan Das Thakur enlightened the leela of Chaintanya Mahaprabhu in Umang Gacchi which was his staying place.
Even for Narottama Das Thakur,Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had kept the mercy of His love alive with the help of the flowing water and told Nityanand Prabhu that you have to give this to Narottama Das Thakur.So Nityanand Prabhu only motivated Narottama Das Thakur.After Nityanand Prabhu Janhava Mata continued his legacy.
Once a Brahman walked from navadvip and asked Mahaprabhu that inspite of being a sanyasi Nityanand Prabhu wears shiny clothes,eats pan.Mahaprabhu replied that even if Nityanand prabhu has alcohol in his hand and and sits with women still Brahma and I will pay obeisance unto Him.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that we should never do vaishnav aparadh.Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was very strich with sanyas life,but Nityanand prabhu was avadhoot.After eatinf Nityanand Prabhu would throw his food at Advait acharya and say that your getting mahaprasad so eat it,so its very difficult to understand the leela of Nityanand Prabhu.
To get Nityanand Prabhu’s mercy we must follow the steps of Shrila Prabhupad and preach the way he has instructed us.
Thankyou!!
Padmamali Prabhu speaks – Thankyou Prabhuji for such a detailed explination!!
All glories to Shrila Prabhupad.
