or twenty times He asked this question.
In the dress
NANDANA ACARYA
Nandana Acarya saw the best of the Maha-
Bhagavatas standing before him, His bodily effulgence
shining like the rays of the sun. Dressed in the garb of an
avadhuta, His body appeared very large, like the trunk of a
great tree. He was continuously and intensely absorbed in
a very grave mood and appeared very serene and calm. He
incessantly repeated the name of Krsna and thus it is
understood that he is the other, one without a second,
abode of Caitanya. In other words it is he who reveals
Lord Caitanya to the inhabitants of the three worlds.
Occasionally he would roar very loudly while
experiencing ecstatic love within Himself. He appeared to
be highly intoxicated like Balarama Himself. His lotus
face was so captivating that it stole the mind away, a
beauty which defeated ten million moons. His charming
smile, which plays on His lips, gives life to this otherwise
dead and dying world. The rays of light, which shine from
His teeth, defeat the splendour of pearls. And His wide,
reddish eyes, the colour of the eastern sky in the early
morning, enhance the radiance of His lotus face. His arms
extend down to His knees and His chest is raised and
erect. Though His lotus feet are very soft, He is a very
accomplished traveller. Bestowing His mercy on everyone,
He makes them completely satisfied. Simply by hearing
His sweet words one becomes free from the bondage of his
material activities.
Nityananda Raya has now come to Nadiya pur
and so the whole world raises an uproar with loud cries of
joy. Who is there, who is formidable enough, to pronounce
His glories? He who broke the sannyasa staff of Sri
Gauranga. The whole universe is purified by uttering the
name of Him, who delivered so many fallen fools and
merchants. Thus Nandana Acarya was very delighted to
have such a person in his home and so he kept Him there
and served Him to the best of his ability. Whomsoever
hears of the arrival of Sri Nityananda Candra in
Navadvipa, will undoubtedly be able to procure the great
wealth of love of God. Boli hari jai!
Sri Visvambhara could understand that
Nityananda had arrived and this filled Him with unending
happiness. He would make remarks alluding to this fact,
but no one could penetrate into the inner meaning of His -
words. "O my brothers! Within two or three days a great
Mahapurusa will come here."
On the actual day of Nityananda Prabhu's
arrival, the Vaisnavas happened to all come together in the
morning at Sri Gauracandra's house, while He was
engaged in worshiping Lord Visnu. He then narrated to
them, "Today I saw a very wonderful dream. A chariot,
decorated with a flag on which was emblazoned the
insignia of a palm tree, came and stopped before my door.
I could understand that this chariot had come to give
substance to this otherwise meaningless world.
Seated upon that chariot, was a very powerful
looking personality, carrying a great plough on His
shoulder. He appeared to be restless. In His left hand, He
carried a cane, to which was tied his waterpot. He wore
blue cloth on his head, as well as the other parts of His
body. In his left ear hung a very dazzling earring. I
thought that His mood and manners exactly resembled
those of Sri Haladhara. Then that wonderful personality
inquired, "Is this the house of Nimai Pandita?" At least ten
of a maha avadhuta He appeared extremely formidable. In
fact I don't think that I have seen anywhere before anyone
as powerful as He. Seeing Him, I felt very much awed and
so I inquired: "May I know something of Your
distinguished and illustrious self?" Then He laughed and
replied, "I am Your brother. We will make each others
acquaintance tomorrow." When I heard these words, My
happiness increased even further. I even began to forget
my own existence, feeling that I had become the same as
this wonderful visitor."
While speaking of His dream, Prabhu's external
consciousness retreated far away and He began to roar
very loudly again and again, totally imbued with the mood
and manner of Sri Haladhara.
"Bring me my wine, bring me liquor!", called
Prabhu. His menacing shouts were almost enough to
shatter one's eardrums. Srivasa tried to pacify Him, "Hear
me Gosai! The liquor that you want is just by Your side.
Whatever You wish to distribute to someone, he will easily
obtain that." The devotees retreated to some distance, their
bodies trembling with fear, while they simply gazed with
wide open eyes upon what was happening. In their minds,
the devotees considered, "There must be some explanation
for all this!
Prabhu continued to storm in a rage, his eyes
shining like the morning sky during th sunrise. His gait
was unsteady, as He laughed to Himself. Truly He
appeared just like Sankarsana.
After a few moments however, Prabhu again
appeared situated in His normal self. Then Murari Gupta
began to explain Prabhus dream according to his
interpretation. "To me it appears that some Mahapurusa
has come here (to Nadia). Prabhu exclaimed, "I already
told you that much. I asked you all where that distin-
guished person is, whom I am destined to meet. Go Hari
dasa! Go Srivasa Pandita! Go and look everywhere to see
if anyone has recently arrived here."
Thus these two stalwart Mahabhagavata
devotees, in accordance with the order of the Lord, began
to wander throughout Navadvipa, keeping their eyes open,
and their hearts filled with the joy of expectation. While
they looked hither and thither, they remarked to each
other, "It is my conjecture that Lord Sankarasana Himself
has arrived here." Though they looked and wandered,
being as they were overwhelmed with ecstasy, their actual
inquiries, which amounted only to the space of half a
moment, bore no result. Finally, after wandering
around Nadia nagara for nine hours, they returned to
Prabhu, only to report, that they had seen no one. This
news they submitted at the Lord's lotus feet, saying, "We
did not see anyone specifically possessed of any
uncommon attributes. Though we looked in the homes of
everyone, be they Vaisnava, Sannyasi's, householders, or
even the infidels. As far as Navadvipa goes, we have
looked everywhere. The only places we were not able to
search, are in the nearby villages.
Sri Gauracandra simply laughed at hearing their
report. By some artifice, He now began to intimate
something of the mysterious and esoteric position of
Nityananda. During this incarnation, some people sing the
glories of Sri Gauracandra, but when they hear mention of
the name Nityananda, they get up and run away. However,
this is likened unto those who worship Govinda, but who
have no regard for Lord Sankara. Due to this sin, many
1
will have to go to the house of Yamaraja. The incarnation
of Lord Nityananda is a treasure house of many profound
and concealed secrets. Only those who have been shown
these mysteries, by Sri Caitanya, are able to penetrate their
hidden meaning. However, those who, without proper
understanding criticise Nityananda Prabhu's unfathomable
character, though they may even possess some devotion to
Lord Visnu, must nevertheless meet with many im-
pediments and hindrances. Srivasa, and the other devotees
are perfectly conversant with all of the truths regarding
Him. It was only part of the pastime of the Lord, that they
were not able to find Him.
After a few moments, Prabhu smiled and told
them: "Come along with Me, and I will show you were He
is." So it was that with great exultation the devotees set
out with Mahaprabhu all the while raising a hue and cry
of "Jaya Krsna!" Sri Gaurasundara took them directly to
Nandana Acarya's house, wherein He Himself
immediately entered. There was seated a very high souled
and saintly person, appearing like a valuable gem stone,
and who appeared to those present as the simultaneous
presence of ten million suns. His imperceptible absorption
in devotional service, was beyond understanding.
Totally absorbed in the object of His meditation,
His lotus face displayed a perpetual smile. Through union
in devotion, Nityananda could understand that His Prabhu
had arrived. And thus He offered His salutations to the
Lord along with all of His associates. All of the devotees
remained standing in order to show proper respect, as they
all remained perfectly silent, while simply taking in this
scene through their eyes. Mahaprabhu, Visvambhara
remained in front, having recognised Nityananda, the
Lord of His life.
The form of Sri Visvambhara is like that of
Cupid himself, adorned with heavenly scented flower
garlands and first class clothes, which are very light and
soft to the touch. What is the effulgence of gold compared
to the radiance emanating from His body? By seeing His
beautiful face the moon himself develops a longing for
such beauty. The captivating and enchanting forms of Sri
Gauranga-Nityananda Raya literally steal ones mind away.
As they wander throughout the town of Nadia, in the
company of their devoted followers. Simply by seeing the
radiance emanating from their teeth one forgets about the
value of pearls. And by seeing their beautiful locks of hair,
bound with strings of pearls, one loses his consciousness
all together, and falls into a swoon.
By seeing their wide expanded eyes, one can
think only of lotus flowers. Their hands extending down to
their knees, with their chest highly raised, and decorated
with very fine strands of white thread (i.e. brahman
threads). Their foreheads were decorated with beautiful
lines of tilaka and though Their bodily limbs are
unadorned by ornaments, still they appear very attractive.
Simply by seeing the radiance emanating from the nails of
Their lotus feet, one forgets entirely about the splendour of
tens of millions of jewels. By seeing the laughter which
emanates from Their lotus faces, one forgets all about the
qualities of nectar.
Thus Vrndavana dasa sings of the lotus feet of
Sri Krsna Caitanya and Nityananda Candra, who are his
life and soul.