Shri Krishna Chaitanya-carita Mahakavya
BY: SUN STAFF
Feb 24, CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of Shri Krishna Chaitanya-carita Mahakavya, written by Shrila Murari Gupta (1513 A.D.). Translation into English by Bhaktivedanta Bhagavata Swami.
Fourth Prakrama - Twenty-third Sarga
nityananda-vilasah
The Pastimes of Nityananda
tata agatya prathama / shri-shaci-darshanotsukah
pranamya caranopante / matar agato 'ha sukham 1
tata - then; agatya - coming; prathamam - first; shri-shaci-darshana-utsukah - eager to see Shri Shaci; pranamya - bowing down; carana-upante - close to her feet; matah - O Mother; agatah - come; aham - I; sukham - happily.
When Nityananda Prabhu arrived in Navadvipa, He at first felt an intense eagerness to see Shaci Mata. Entering her home, He bowed down close to her feet, saying, "O Mother, I am very pleased to come and see you!"
shrutva sa sa-tvara mata / tasya murddhni kara-dvayam
dhtva tateti sambodhya / sancumbya ca muhur mmuhuh 2
shrutva - having heard; sa - she; sa-tvaram - swiftly; mata - mother; tasya - His; murdhni - on the head; kara-dvayam - two hands; dhtva - held; tata - O dear child; iti - thus; sambodhya - addressing; sancumbya - kissing all over; ca - and; muhu muhuh - again and again.
Hearing these words, she quickly took His head in her hands and kissed it again and again, addressing Him, "My dear child!"
uvaca madhura tata / sthatum arhasi mad-ghe
yena tva sarvvada tata / pashyami duhkha-cchedakam 3
uvaca - she said; madhuram - sweetly; tata - O dear child; sthatum - to stay; arhasi - You ought; mat-ghe - in my house; yena - whereby; tvam - You; sarvada - always; tata - dear child; pashyami - I see; duhkha-cchedakam - remover of sorrow.
She said sweetly, "Dear child, please stay in my house, for thus I can always look at You and become free from sorrow."
prahasan praha ta matah / shnu satya vadami te
vasami sanujo 'ha te / sada sannihito 'pi ca 4
prahasan - laughing loudly; praha - He said; tam - to her; matah - O Mother; shnu - please listen; satyam - truth; vadami - I speak; te - your; vasami - I dwell; sa-anujah - with my younger brother; aham - I; te - your; sada - always; sannihitah - near; api - even; ca - and.
Laughing loudly, Nityananda replied to her, "Hear Me, Mother, I tell you truly: Along with My younger brother, I forever live by your side.
tvaya pacitam anna yat / shri-knadhara-puritam
tal-lobhena sada matas / tithami tava sannidhau 5
tvaya - by you; pacitam - cooked; annam - food; yat - which; shri-kna-adhara - lips of Shri Krishna; puritam - covered; tat-lobhena - by desire for that; sada - always; matah - O Mother; tithami - I stay; tava - your; sannidhau - in the presence.
"Since Shri Krishna's lips thoroughly savor the food you cook, I always stay in your presence out of greed for tasting it."
eva shrutva hasanti sa / pakva-shaly-annam uttamam
supa ta payasadya ca / tam anna paramadbhutam 6
tasmai sarvva vinivedya / pashyanti mukha-pankajam
bubhuje sanuja so 'pi / prahasan bhakta-vatsalah 7
evam - thus; shrutva - hearing; hasanti - smiling; sa - she; pakva - cooked; shali-anna - rice; uttamam - excellent; supam - dahl soup; tam - that; payasa - sweet rice; adyam - headed by; ca - and; tam - that; annam - food; parama-adbhutam - very wonderful; tasmai - to Him; sarvam - all; vinivedya - offering; pashyanti - seeing; mukha-pankajam - lotus faces; bubhuje - He enjoyed; sa-anujah - with His younger brother; sah api - He was indeed there; prahasan - laughing; bhakta-vatsalah - the lover of His devotees.
Hearing this, Shaci Devi laughed and offered to Him all the foods which she had prepared. There was very fine cooked rice, soup made of dahl and vegetables, plus various sweets such as sweet rice. All of these foods had a very wonderful flavor. While the lover of His devotees, Shri Nityananda, ate laughing in the company of His younger brother (who was indeed present), Shaci Mata gazed upon Their lotus faces.
dtva sa rama-knau ca / bhuktavantau sukharnave
magna babhuva ta dtva / nityananda-daya-nidhih 8
praha matah satyam eva / vacah ki me vadadhuna
sa praha tata te satyam / ishvarasya vaco yatha 9
dtva - seeing; sa - she; rama-knau - the divine duo; ca - and; bhuktavantau - eating; sukha-arnave - in the ocean of joy; magna - merged; babhuva - she became; tam - her; dtva - seeing; nityananda - personified eternal bliss; daya-nidhih - ocean of mercy; praha - He said; matah - O Mother; satyam - true; eva - indeed; vacah - words; kim - whether?; me - to Me; vada - do tell; adhuna - now; sa - she; praha - said; tata - dear one; te - Your; satyam - true; ishvarasya - of the Lord; vacah - words; yatha - like.
Seeing Rama and Krishna eating, she became merged in a sea of joy. Nityananda, the ocean of mercy, glanced at her and said, "Mother, tell Me now. Were My words true?" She replied, "Dear child, Your words are as true as the words of I~shvara.
tathapi sanuja tva hi / dratum icchami sarvvada
yathajna te sukha matah / karttavya me nirantaram 10
tatha api - still; sa-anujam - with Your younger brother; tvam - You; hi - certainly; dratum - to see; icchami - I desire; sarvada - always; yatha-ajna - by your order; te - your; sukham - happily; matah - O Mother; kartavyam - should be done; me - of me; nirantaram - perpetual.
"Still I wish that I could always see You and Your younger brother." Nityananda replied, "Dear Mother, whatever you may order Me, it is always My duty to fulfill it with gladness."
eva tatra sthito nityanandah sarvva-sukha-pradah
janayan paramananda / navadvipa-nivasinam 11
evam - thus; tatra - there; sthitah - staying; nityanandah - perpetual joy personified; sarva-sukha-pradah - bestower of all happiness; janayan - generating; parama-anandam - transcendental bliss; navadvipa-nivasinam - for the residents of Navadvipa.
Thus Nityananda, the bestower of all bliss, stayed in the house of Shaci and created transcendental happiness for the residents of Navadvipa.
kurvvan sarva-janan kna-chaitanya-rasa-bhavitan
gauranga-kirttananando / nanartta sva-janaih saha 12
kurvan - doing; sarva-janan - all people; kna-chaitanya - teacher of service to the name; rasa-bhavitan - inspired by the rasa; gauranga-kirtana-anandah - filled with joy of Gauranga-kirtana; nanarta - He danced; sva-janaih - with His own men; saha - in company.
He inspired all men to taste the rasa of munificence and service to the name, as taught by Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and as He danced with His associates, His heart was filled with the joy of Gauranga-kirtana.
gandha-candana-liptango / nilambara-samavtah
svarna-raupya-pravaladyair / alankaraish ca manditah 13
gandha - scents; candana - sandalwood paste; lipta - anointed; angah - body; nila-ambara - blue garment; samavtah - covered by; svarna-raupya-pravala - gold, silver, coral; adyaih - and so on; alankaraih - by ornaments; ca - and; manditah - decorated.
His body was anointed by fragrant scents and sandalwood paste, and He was dressed in a garment of deep blue color. He was decorated by ornaments of gold, silver, coral and other precious substances.
karpura-tambuladyaish ca / purna-shri-mukha-pankajah
loha-danda-dharo rupya-hara-kaustubha-bhuanah 14
karpura - camphor; tambula - betel-nut and chewing spices; adyaih - headed by; ca - and; purna - full; shri-mukha - lustrous mouth; panka-jah - mud-born (lotus); loha-danda-dharah - holder of a copper staff; rupya - of silver; hara - necklace; kaustubha-bhuanah - enhanced by the Kaustubha gem.
His fully blossomed lotus-like mouth was fragrant with camphor and betel. He held a copper staff, and He was further ornamented by a silver necklace holding the Kaustubha gem.
kundalaika-dharah shriman / vana-mala-vibhuitah
venu-panih sada kurvvan / gauranga-guna-kirttanam 15
kundala-eka-dharah - wearer of one earring; shriman - illustrious; vana-mala-vibhuitah - ornamented by a forest flower-garland; venu-panih - a flute in the hand; sada - always; kurvan - doing; gauranga-guna-kirtanam - the chanting of Gauranga's qualities.
That illustrious Lord wore a single earring, and He was decorated by a garland of forest-flowers. He held a flute in His hands, and He sang incessantly of Shri Gauranga's qualities.
caura-dasyu-ganah sarvve / dtva tasya vibhuanam
harttu kurvvanti te nana / sva-yatnam atatayinah 16
caura - thieves; dasyu - brigands; ganah - gangs; sarve - all; dtva - seeing; tasya - His; vibhuanam - ornaments; hartum - to take; kurvanti - made; te - they; nana - many; sva-yatnam - personal attempts; atatayinah - armed men.
Seeing His fine ornaments, all the bands of thieves and dacoits made many attempts to steal them.
tan eva kpaya purno / nityanando maha-prabhuh
gauranga-kirttanananda-paripurnan cakara ha 17
tan - they; eva - indeed; kpaya - out of mercy; purnah - full; nityanandah - the Lord of eternal bliss; maha-prabhuh - the great Master; gauranga-kirtana; ananda-paripurnan - totally absorbed in the joy; cakara - made; ha - indeed.
Feeling great compassion for them, Nityananda Mahaprabhu transformed them from murderous dacoits into men wholly absorbed in relishing the nectarean bliss of Gauranga-kirtana.
eva sa viharan kna-chaitanya-rasa-bhavukah
karoti vividha krida / gopala-bala-lilaya 18
evam - thus; sah - He; viharan - enjoyed; kna-chaitanya-rasa - the mellows of Krishna Chaitanya; bhavukah - one who madly experiences ecstasy; karoti - does; vividham - various; kridam - sports; gopala-bala - cowherd boy; lilaya - by the pastime.
Thus Nityananda took His pleasure as a Gaura-bhavuka, one who madly experiences the ecstatic emotions and transcendental moods taught by Krishna Chaitanya, and He performed many kinds of sportive pastimes as a cowherd boy.
ganga-tira samasadya / sva-bhaktana ghe prabhuh
viharan sneha-sampurnah / kna-dasa-gha yayau 19
bada-gachi-nivasi sa / prapya duprapyam ishvaram
anandenakulo bhutva / dhunvan vaso nanartta ha 20
ganga-tiram - the bank of the Ganga; samasadya - coming to; sva-bhaktanam - of His own bhaktas; ghe - in the houses; prabhuh - the Master; viharan - enjoying; sneha-sampurnah - completely filled by affection; kna-dasa-gham - the house of Krishna Dasa; yayau - He went; bada-gachi-nivasi - a resident of Baa-gachi town (meaning "big tree"); sah - he; prapya - attaining; duprapyam - the unattainable; ishvaram - Supreme Lord; anandena - out of bliss; akulo - filled; bhutva - becoming; dhunvan - waving; vasah - garment; nanarta - he danced; ha - indeed.
Overflowing with affection for all, Nityananda Prabhu travelled along the bank of the Ganga, visiting the homes of His bhaktas and tasting bliss. Once, He visited the home of Krishna Dasa, who was a resident of Baa-gachi. Having attained the unattainable Supreme Personality of Godhead as a guest within His home, Krishna Dasa became filled with joy and danced while waving his upper garment.
maha-punyatamo gramo / bada-gachiti sanjnakah
nityananda-svarupasya / viharo bhavi yatra vai 21
maha-punyatamah - most pious; gramah - town; bada-gachi - big tree; iti - thus; sanjnakah - known; nityananda-svarupasya - of the original form of Nitai; viharah - pleasure-pastimes; bh_vi - took place; yatra - where; vai - truly.
That town known as Baa-gachi is most pious, for in that place Nityananda-svarupa enjoyed many pleasure-pastimes.
kna-dasena sarddha shri-navadvipa samagatah
viharan kirttananando / rama-dasadibhir vtah 22
kna-dasena - with Krishna Dasa; sardham - in company; shri-navadvipam - the town of nine islands; samagatah - approached; viharan - enjoying; kirtana-anandah - delighted by kirtana; rama-dasa-adibhih - by those headed by Rama Dasa; vtah - surrounded.
Then, surrounded by His devotees headed by Krishna Dasa and Rama Dasa, and revelling in the bliss of kirtana, Nityananda approached Shri Navadvipa.
shri-kna-chaitanya-namna / paripurna jagat-trayam
ktva raraja gopalaih / sama nanda-vraje yatha 23
shri-kna-chaitanya-namna - by the names of Krishna Chaitanya; paripurnam - entire; jagat-trayam - the three worlds; ktva - made; raraja - He shone; gopalaih - with the cowherds; samam - in company; nanda-vraje - in the land of Vraja ruled by Nanda; yatha - as.
In company with those gopalas, Nityananda made the three worlds fully satisfied through the chanting of Shri Krishna Chaitanya's names, just as it had formerly been in the land of Vraja when Nanda ruled as king of the cowherds.
vetra-vashi-shnga-venu-gunja-mala-vibhuitaih
paradair avtah kna-kirttanamta-varakaih 24
baladevah svaya gopo / vndaranya-vilasavan
tad-rupa darshayan loke / gauranga-prana-vallabhah 25
vetra - staff; vashi - long flute; shnga - bugle; venu - small flute; gunja-mala - strings of red berries; vibhuitaih - with ornaments; paradaih - with His associates; avtah - surrounded; kna-kirtana-amta-varakaih - by those who caused the rains of nectarean Krishna kirtana; baladevah - Krishna's big brother; svayam - spontaneously; go-pah - the cowherd; vndaranya - in the forest of Vrinda; vilasavan - performer of pastimes; tat-rupa - His form; darshayan - showing; loke - to the world; gauranga - the golden Lord; prana - life force; vallabhah - the beloved.
Nityananda's love for Shri Gauranga was the very energy which sustained His life. He was surrounded by associates who inundated the world with the nectarean rains of Krishna-kirtana. They were decorated by staffs for herding cows, various kinds of flutes, buffalo horn bugles, and strands of red gunja berries. In their company He who is none other than the original Baladeva, and who formerly played the pastimes of a cowherd in Vrindavana, displayed that same form to the world.
Thus ends the Twenty-third Sarga entitled "The Pastimes of Nityananda," in the Fourth Prakrama of the great poem Shri Chaitanya Carita.
