Sri Nityananda Prabhu

 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.
(CC Ādi 1.2)

Balarāma appeared with Him as Lord Nityānanda.
(CC Adi 5.6)

Vrindavan Das Thakur has written this song “Sarac Candra Bhrantim”. The official name of this song is “Nityanandastakam’. In this song, Vrindavan Das Thakur sings the glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

(1)
sarac-candra-bhrantim sphurad-amala-kantim gaja-gatim
hari-premonmattam dhrta-parama-sattvam smita-mukham
sadaghurnan-netram kara-kalita-vetram kali-bhidam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(2)
rasanam agaram svajana-gana-sarvasvam atulam
tadiyaika-prana-pramita-vasudha-jahnava-patim
sada-premonmadam param aviditam manda-manasam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(3)
saci-sunu-prestham nikhila-jagad-istam sukha-mayam
kalau majjaj-jivoddharana-karanoddama-karunam
harer akhyanad va bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haram
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(4)
aye bhratar ninam kali-kalusinam kim nu bhavita
tatha prayascittam racaya yad-anayasata ime
vrajanti tvam ittham saha bhagavata mantrayati yo
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(5)
yathestham re bhratah kuru hari-hari-dhvanam anisam
tato vah samsarambudhi-tarana-dayo mayi laget
idam bahu-sphotair atati ratayan yah pratigrham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(6)
balat samsarambhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho
satam sreyah-sindhunnati-kumuda-bandhum samuditam
khala-sreni-sphurjit-timira-hara-surya-prabham aham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(7)
natantam gayantam harim anuvadantam pathi pathi
vrajantam pasyantam svam api na dayantam jana-ganam
prakurvantam santam sa-karuna-drg-antam prakalanad
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(8)
su-bibhranam bhratuh kara-sarasijam komalataram
mitho vaktralokocchalita-paramananda-hrdayam
bhramantam madhuryair ahaha madayantam pura-janan
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi
 
(9)
rasanam adharam rasika-vara-sad-vaisnava-dhanam
rasagaram saram patita-tati-taram smaranatah
param nityanandastakam idam apurvam pathati yah
tad-anghri-dvandvabjam sphuratu nitaram tasya hrdaye
 
TRANSLATION
(1) I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, whose bright face mocks the full autumn moon, whose pure complexion glistens, whose gait is like that of a maddened elephant, who is always intoxicated in Krsna-prema, who embodies pure spiritual energy, whose face holds a gentle smile, whose eyes are always rolling due to His absorption in Krsna-prema, whose lotus hand holds a glowing staff, and who, by the performance of nama-sankirtana, pierces the influence of Kali-yuga.
 
(2) I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is the mainstay of all the rasas, who is everything to His devotees, who is beyond compare, who is the master of both Vasudha and Jahnava-devi, who consider Him more dear than their own lives, who is always maddened in Krsna-prema, and who is unknown only to those of meager intelligence.
 
(3) I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is very dear to Sri Saci-nandana, who is worshipped by the entire universe, who is the embodiment of happiness, who possesses infinite mercy for delivering the souls who are drowning in the age of Kali, and who, by the performance of sri-harinama-sankirtana, thwarts the progressing false pride of the ocean of repeated birth and death.
 
(4) I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who said to Sri Krsna Caitanya, “Hey brother Gauranga! What will be the destination of the sinful souls of Kali-yuga and how will they be redeemed? Please devise a method by which they will easily attain You.”
 
(5) I perpetually worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who wandered around Bengal and, approaching the door of each and every home, threw open His arms and exclaimed, “O brothers! All of you should eternally perform sri-harinama-sankirtana together. By doing so, I will take the responsibility to deliver you all from the ocean of material existence.”
 
(6) I eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who is the Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean of repeated birth and death, who is a rising full moon which increases the ocean of the saintly persons’ welfare, and who is a sun which dissipates the darkness of ignorance cast by the various classes of miscreants.
 
(7) I eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the tree of Krsna-bhakti, who wandered on every path in Bengal dancing, singing, and calling out “Hari bol! Hari bol!” and who lovingly bestowed merciful sidelong glances upon those who were not compassionate to even their own selves.
 
(8) I eternally worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the root of the Krsna-bhakti tree, who held the supremely soft lotus-hand of His brother Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu, whose heart became filled with the highest bliss when the two brothers gazed into each other’s faces, and who wandered here and there delighting the townspeople with His sweetness.
 
(9) May Sri Nityananda Prabhu place His lotus feet in the heart of one who lovingly recites this unprecedented Nityanandastaka, which is the reservoir of rasa, the greatest treasure of the most exalted of rasika Vaisnavas, and the storehouse of the essence of bhakti-rasa. This astaka is sung in the melody known as ‘Sikharini”.

Narottam Das Thakur has written this song “Nitai Pada Kamala”. The official name of this song is Prarthana (Section: Nityananda Nistha Song 1). This song is taken from the book Prarthana. In this song, Narottam Das Thakur glorifies the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, which are the shelter for the whole world.

 

(1)
nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala
je chayay jagata juray
heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krishna paite nai
dridha kori’ dharo nitair pay
(2)
se sambandha nahi ja’r, britha janma gelo ta’r
sei pasu boro duracar
nitai na bolilo mukhe, majilo samsara-sukhe
vidya-kule ki koribe tar
(3)
ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya
asatyere satya kori mani
nitaiyer koruna habe, braje radha-krishna pabe
dharo nitai-carana du’khani
(4)
nitaiyer carana satya, tahara sevaka nitya
nitai-pada sada koro asa
narottama boro dukhi, nitai more koro sukhi
rakho ranga-caranera pasa

TRANSLATION
(1) The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityananda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krishna. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krishna, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.
(2) Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityananda Prabhu is understood to have spoiled his valuable human birth. Such a human being is actually an uncontrollable animal. Because he never uttered the holy name of Nityananda, he has become merged into so-called material happiness. What can his useless education and family tradition do to help him?
(3) Being maddened after false prestige and identification with the body, one is thinking, nOh, what is Nityananda? What can He do for me? I don’t care.î The result is that he is accepting something false to be truth. If you actually want to approach the association of Radha-Krishna, you must first achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda. When He is merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Radha-Krishna. Therefore you should firmly grasp the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.
(4) The lotus feet of Nityananda are not illusion; they are a fact. One who engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also transcendental. Always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. This Narottama dasa is very unhappy, therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to make me happy. My dear Lord, please keep me close to Your lotus feet.

Lochan Das Thakur has written this song “Nitai Guna Mani”. This song is taken from the book Caitanya Mangala. In this song, Lochan Das Thakur glorifies Lord Nityananda, the jewel of all virtues.

(1)
nitai guna-mani amar nitai guna-mani
aniya premer vanya bhasailo avani
(2)
premer vanya loiya nitai aila gauda-dese
dubilo bhakata-gana dina hina bhase
(3)
dina hina patita pamara nahi bache
brahmar durlabha prema sabakare jace
(4)
abaddha karuna-sindhu nitai katiya muhan
ghare ghare bule prema-amiyar ban
(5)
locan bole mor nitai jeba na bhajilo
janiya suniya sei atma-ghati hoilo

TRANSLATION
(1) My Lord Nityananda, the jewel of all virtues, my Lord Nityananda, the jewel of all virtues, has brought the flood of ecstatic love of God that has drowned the entire world.
(2) Bringing this overwhelming deluge of prema when He returned to Bengal from Jagannatha Puri on Lord Caitanya’s order, Nitai has inundated the assembly of devotees. The fallen nondevotees did not drown, however, but remained floating on that ecstatic ocean.
(3) Lord Nityananda freely offered this exalted prema, which is difficult for Lord Brahma to attain, even to the fallen and wretched souls who did not desire it.
(4) The ocean of mercy had formerly been sealed tight, but Nitai cut a channel in its boundary to allow the great flooding waves of nectarean prema to splash from house to house.
(5) Locana dasa says, “Whoever has not worshiped my Nitai or taken advantage of this excellent opportunity offered by Him knowingly commits suicide.”