Lord Nityananda

A Brief Biography

Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. Rarely is the name Nimai (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) taken without that of Nitai
(Lord Nityananda). Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of
Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru of all the universes and serves as an
intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His devotees. He is the Lord's active principle in
both creation and lila. He is the second body of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Sri
Krishna, Lakshman to Sri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All other
forms and expansions of the Lord emanate from this second body. Nityananda Prabhu is thus
the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu's, and Ananta Sesa. As Vishnu tattva He and Advaita
Acarya are worshipped in the same category as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In the manifested
earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Caitanya Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He
is statuesque, like His Ma!
ster, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a cluster of blue
lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset.
He has a deep melodious voice, constant singing the glories of Sri Krishna and carries a red
stick with benedictions for the devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree
mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows what
He will do next.

Nityananda Prabhu was born in Ekacakra, a small village in present West Bengal, around the
year 1474. His birthsite is commemorated by a temple named Garbhasva and is visited by
throngs of pilgrims today. His father, Hadai Ojha and mother Padmavati, were pious
Brahmans originally from Mithila. Nityananda Prabhu was born on the auspicious thirteenth
day of the bright fortnight of the month of Maga. As a child, Nitai (as Nityananda Prabhu
was called), loved to enact the pastimes of Sri Krishna or Lord Rama. He did this so
authoritatively and with such rapture, that the entire village would be immersed in the love
of Godhead.

Nitai's favorite part was that of Lakshman, and He enacted it with so many apparently
authentic scenes not described in the Ramayana, that people would wonder if He was
making it up or actually relishing His own pastimes. The village of Ekacakra was completely
absorbed in the love of little Nitai, where He spend the first 12 years of his earthly life. In the
13th year, a travelling sannyasi, said to be the famous Lakshmipati Tirtha, enchanted by
Nitai"s devotion and service, requested Nitai from his parents, as a travelling companion.
His parents, bound by Vedic culture, could not refuse the request of a guest and reluctantly
parted with Nitai. However, devastated by the separation with Nitai, that Hadai Pandit soon
gave up his life.

Nitai traveled with Lakshmipati Tirtha for about 20 years, during which He visited all the
holy places in the country, reminiscent of the manner that Balarama traveled while the battle
at Kurukshetra raged on. Nitai is said to be later on initiated by Lakshmipati Tirtha. He also
associated with another of Lakshmipati Tirtha's famous disciple, Madhavendra Puri, who
although his godbrother, was revered by Nitai was as a spiritual master. Madhavendra Puri is
famous for establishing the sweet truth of Madhurya-rasa which later become an integral part
of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Among the other disciples of Madhavendra Puri is Advaita
Acarya, and Isavara Puri (the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahaprabhu).

Nityananda Prabhu met Caitanya Mahaprabhu in 1506, when He was 32 years old and the
Lord 20 years. It is said that when Nityananda Prabhu reached the land of Nadia, He hid in
the house of Nandanacarya, to heighten the ecstasy of meeting through separation. Caitanya
Mahaprabhu aware of the arrival of His eternal associate dispatched Haridas Thakur and
Srivas Pandit to search out Nitai, but they failed. Finally unable to bear the separation any
longer, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself went directly to Nityananda Prabhu and the ecstasy of
the meeting was so transcendental that every one witnessing it were awed by the sublime
experience. A temple called Sri Gaura-Nityananda commemorates this meeting place in
Nadia.

Nityananda Prabhu in His role as the original spiritual master, was instrumental in spreading
the yuga dharma of sankritana all over the Gaudia desh (Bengal, Orrisa). His mercy knew no
bounds, and people fortunate to come in contact with Him were inundated with the love of
Godhead. It was by His mercy that Raghunatha dasa, one of the six Goswamis started the
famous Danda Mahotsava festival of Panihatti, a tradition that continues to this day, and was
thus able to serve Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He extended His mercy to even fallen souls like
Jagai and Madhai, delivering them from the sinful lives and protecting them from the wrath
of even Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed His mercy knew no bounds, and fortunate were the
people who tasted the nectar of His instructions.

When Nityananda Prabhu returned to Bengal at the request of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His
decided to abandon His avadhuta status and become a grahastha (householder). He married
Jahnava devi and Vasudha, the two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhel, who the brother of
Gauridasa Pandit (an intimate associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the spiritual master of
the famous Shyamananda Pandit). Nityananda Prabhu had a son (Virchandara) and a
daughter (Gangadevi) from Vasudha. Soon after Vasudha passed away and Jahanva devi
looked after the children. She later initiated Virchandra, and also became an instructing
spiritual master to the likes of Shyamananda Pandit, Shrivasa Pandit and Narottama dasa
Thakur. Jahnava devi is revered as a Vaishnavi and she established the pre-eminent positon
of women in the Vaishanava tradition.

Lord Nityananda wound up His earthly pastimes, by merging into the deity of Krishna,
known as Bankim Ray, not far from Ekacakra. Vaishanava acaryas emphatically state that
people who try to understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu without getting the mercy of Nityananda
Prabhu will never succeed. and one must pray very sincerely to Lord Nityananda Prabhu as
the adi-guru (original spiritual master) to be delivered to the Lotus feet of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. The presence of Nityananada Prabhu is always felt in the presence of one's
own guru, for the guru is considered to be the living manifestation of Nityananda Prabhu's
love and mercy, and his sakti (power) is what gives the disciple the ability to perform
devotional service and experience spiritual bliss.