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. |
