Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat

Lord Nityananda was like the brilliant sun surrounded by His inspired and enthusiastic devotees as they roamed all over Nabadwip performing kirtana. His divine body was covered with ornaments and flower garlands. His lips were ruby red from chewing betel and camphor. Seeing the activities of Lord Nityananda, some experienced divine exhilaration, but there were others who became suspicious.

A certain brahmana residing in Nabadwip and who had studied together with Lord Chaitanya became suspicious of Lord Nityananda's behavior. The brahmana was very attached to his devotion to Lord Chaitanya, but unfortunately he was unaware of Lord Nityananda's transcendental potencies. One day the brahmana decided to go to Nilacala, Puri, and stayed there immersed in sublime joy. Every day, he visited Lord Chaitanya and felt a gradual increase in attraction for the Lord. On one of his daily visits he suddenly felt the urge to ask the Lord some questions in confidence.

The brahmana inquired, "O Lord, I have a request. If you allow me then I can present it before You. If You consider me as one of Your servants, then I would like to hear Your views on certain points. Lord Nityananda, the avadhuta, is now in Nabadwip. I cannot understand His behavior. People say He is in the renounced order of life, namely sannyasa, yet I see Him chewing betel and camphor all the time. A sannyasi is not supposed to even touch certain things like gold, silver, precious gems and so on, but I see Him decorating His body all over with ornaments made from these substances. Instead of a saffron loin cloth He is putting on flowing silk robes and using sandalwood and flower garlands.

Another of the Lord's quaintness is that He does not carry the sannyasa staff but an iron rod. He is always seen in the company of sudras, persons coming from lower castes. I could not see Lord Nityananda always acting strictly according to the instructions of the scriptures, hence I am assailed with doubts about Him. Many persons hail Him as a great personality, yet why does He not act in a way befitting His position as a sannyasi? O Lord, please remember that I am just Your menial servant. Please tell me what all this actually means."

The pious brahmana thus inquired submissively at an opportune moment from Lord Chaitanya, and the Lord revealed to him the esoteric meanings of everything without reservations. The Lord smiled gently at the brahmana's words and spoke the following. He said, "Listen carefully, O brahmana. One who is very elevated and a realized soul is free from all faults.

In the Srimad-Bhagavatm it is stated, `Those who are free from unwanted desires such as attachment for things unconnected to Lord Krishna, Those who have transcended the mundane vision of seeing only the material covering of the soul, namely this gross body, and have risen to the platform of perceiving the spiritual spark in every living entity, thus having attained equal vision, those who have become elevated to the spiritual platform of seeing face to face the Supreme Lord who is beyond the three modes of material nature, these great souls, who are dedicated to Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, do not have to enjoy or suffer the results of either pious or impious activities nor do they have to act according to rules and regulations."

Lord Nityananda is absolutely pure. He is in this material world like the lotus which is untouched by the water it stands in. O brahmana, know for certain that Lord Krishna is eternally within Him. If any person tries to imitate Lord Nityananda, then he will suffer terrible consequences and incur heavy sinful reactions. If anyone other than Lord Siva tries to drink deadly poison, then he will surely die. The scriptures carry sufficient examples to substantiate this fact. In the Srimad-Bhaagvatam "No one should try to act in this manner, not even in the mind. Just as if a person other than Lord Siva tries to drink the deadly the deadly poison that came out of the ocean will certainly die, similarly if due to foolishness someone tries to imitate the pastimes of the Supreme Lord he will surely be destroyed.' `O King, the fire is all-consuming, yet it remains unaffected and uncontami- nated by any sin or dirt, similarly a very powerful and potent personality should not be condemned for transgressing religious laws or staring lustily at a woman.' Therefore if anyone criticizes Lord Nityananda's activities, then he will have to suffer for his own mistakes severe reactions life after life. Even if a very elevated soul acts in a derogatory manner, if he is criticized, nay even ridiculed, then he is surely doomed. All these conclusions one can learn from the Srimad-Bhagavatm, but only if it is explained by a pure Vaishnava. Listen attentively what the Srimad Bhagavatm has to say about the person who laughed and ridiculed a great personality.

Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama were staying and studying in the house of Their guru. After completing Their education They wanted to return home, so They inquired from the guru what They could offer him as a daksina or donation. The guru consulted his wife and said to Them that he and his wife would like to have their dead son brought back to life. Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama immediately went to see Yamaraja, the lord of death. On request from Them all the formalities were concluded and the son was brought back alive to Their guru.

When Mother Devaki heard about this wonderful happening, she also wanted her dead sons back. So one day she approached Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama and begged them saying, `O please listen to me, Krishna, Balarama. You are the Lords of the mystics. You are both the original Lords, eternal and absolutely pure. You are the father of this universe. I know You are the cause of all causes. Creation, maintenance and annihilation of this universe are carried out by the partial expansion of Your expansions. Yet in spite of these potencies, You both have appeared in this world as my sons only to alleviate the suffering of this world.

`Just as You have brought back Your guru's son from the abode of Yamaraja as a parting donation to Your guru and his wife, similarly I also yearn to see all my six sons the mean Kamsa mercilessly murdered. The guru's son had long been dead, and yet You brought him back to life by Your mystical potencies. Then kindly satiate my thirst to see my sons and bring them back to life.' As son as they heard their mother's wish, They immediately preceded to Bali Maharaja's palace. When Bali Maharaja saw that the visitors were his most worshipable Lordships, Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama, he felt a surge of spiritual bliss in his heart. He surrendered all he possessed, his wealth, wife and children, and himself at their Lordship's lotus feet. The ecstasy of love of Godhead was building up inside him. Horripilation appeared all over his body and he began to shed tears of divine bliss. He fell at Their feet, and clutching them to his heart, he offered prayers to Them.

Bali Maharaja prayed, `All glories to Lord Ananta, who has appeared as Lord Sankarsana, and all glory to Lord Krishna, the crest jewel of Gokula. O Lord Balarama, Haladhara, You are the best friend and leader of all the young cowherd boys. And Lord Krishna is the most precious treasure of His surrendered devotees. O Lord, both of You are rarely to be seen even by great purified sages who are on the transcendental platform. Yet, my Lord, You are so magnanimous that You have appeared before me, a demon steeped in dark ignorance. Therefore, as is described in the Vedic literature, You have no friends or enemies, and this I am witnessing at this very moment. The one who came to murder You by making You suck her poisoned breast got liberation to the Vaikuntha planets after being killed by You. Hence it is difficult to understand Your heart. Even the Vedas and the great mystic yogis have failed to do so.

Your illusory potency is so unfathomable that masters of mysticism fail to grapple with it. Then how can a sinful demon ever understand it? O Lord of the universe, my only prayer is that You do not cast me down to the dark well of material existence. I fall at Your lotus feet. Please just let me live under a tree and pass my days in peace. Kindly count me amongst Your servitors and give me their association, that I may never desire for anything else.' Bali Maharaja prayed in this manner at Lord Krishna's and Lord Balarama's lotus feet.

Gangadevi or Bhagirathi springing from Lord Narayana's lotus feet purifies the abodes of Lord Siva, Lord Brahma and so on as she flows through them. Now Bali Maharaja and his family having washed Their Lordships lotus feet were drinking and sprinkling over their heads that same sacred water of Ganga. Bali Maharaja then worshiped Their Lordships offering Them incense, perfumed oils, flowers, camphor and ghee lamps, clothing and beautiful ornaments. He then prayed to the Lords, `O Lord, kindly instruct me if You consider me Your servant. Whoever follows Your instructions easily transcends all rules and regulations.' Bali Maharaja's words pleased Their Lordships and now They attended to the business at hand.

The Lord said, `Dear Sir Bali, please hear Our reason for coming here. My mother's six sons were murdered by the wicked Kamsa. Later he was killed as a reaction to this grievous sin. Mother Devaki is greatly afflicted by this calamity and whenever she remembers this she cries piteously. You have these six boys with you, so I have come to take them to please my mother. All six of them were Brahma's grandsons and they were perfected beings. I will relate to you how they landed themselves in this distressful situation. Previously they were Lord Brahma's son, Marici's, six sons.

Once very surprisingly Brahma was struck by Cupid's arrow. Blinded with lust he chased his own daughter. The six young boys began to smirk and laugh seeing this scene, and this caused them to fall down instantly from their godly positions. Because they had ridiculed a great personality, they had to take birth in the family of the vicious demon, Hiranyakasipu, who had avowed to live by the sword and put everyone into subjugation. During the fight between the demigods and the demons, Indra vanquished these six with his powerful thunderbolt weapon. They died after much torment. Yogamaya then arranged for them one by one to be born as Mother Devaki's sons. In this life they also suffered greatly from birth. Even while mere infants they were murdered by their own maternal uncle, Kamsa. Mother Devaki, of course, is unaware of these hidden facts. She considers them to be her sons. I want to return them to my mother, Devaki, hence My presence here. When they drink Mother Devaki's breast milk, they will be instantaneously acquitted of all their previous sins.

`Take heed, O Bali Maharaja, The consequences of ridiculing a devotee of the Lord are very severe. Even perfected yogis suffer heavily if they disrespect a Vaishnava, what to mention about lesser humans. A Vaishnava offender has to pay a heavy price life after life. I am delving on this subject for your benefit so you may learn from this and never insult a Vaishnava. If a person worships Me and chants My name, but offends a Vaishnava, he has to suffer severe setbacks in his devotional life. And as for those who love and respect My devotees, I make Myself easily available to them.' In the scriptures it says, `There may exist some doubt about the success in attaining perfection by serving the SUpreme Personality of Godhead, but there is no doubt whatsoever in achieving perfection by serving the pure devotees of the Supreme Lord'(Varaha Purana). Further, in another place it states, `Those who only worship Lord Govinda, Krishna, but do not worship and serve the Lord's devotees, are highly insolent. They never receive the Lord's blessings.' Dear Bali, you are dear to Me and you are My servitor, hence I have revealed these esoteric meanings of the scriptures to you."

Bali Maharaja felt divine exhilaration from hearing the Lord's instructions. He acted on that moment and brought the six sons and offered them as gifts to the Lord. Lord Balarama and Lord Krishna escorted the six boys to Their mother, Devaki. Mother Devaki was overwhelmed with joy and love seeing her six dead sons now before her. Her breast milk flowed out of affection and she suckled the six sons. When these six boys sucked Mother Devaki's breast milk, they were in fact taking the remnants of the Supreme Lord. This gave them instant realization of the truth. They fell flat on the ground like sticks offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord and everyone else. The Lord looked kindly upon them and started instructing them. He said, `Now you may return to the heavenly abodes of the demigods, your actual residence. But remember never to ridicule or laugh at a great spiritual personality. Lord Brahma is an expansion of the Supreme Lord, hence is to receive equal respect as the Supreme Lord. He is not to be condemned even if found doing wrong. You have already suffered severe consequences by deriding him, so in the future beware of such mistakes. Now you must go and beg for- giveness from Lord Brahma, then only will you feel cleansed and blissful.' So. my dear brahmana, I have related to you these topics from the Srimad Bhagavatm so that you may give up your suspicions about Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda is in the highest transcendence. Persons with little knowledge and piety cannot comprehend His position. And if any person becomes attracted to Him because of the miracles He performs from time to time, then also he will attain liberation. Lord Nityananda has advented only to liberate the fallen conditioned souls. They will be actually liberated because of His causeless mercy.

Lord Nityananda's behavior is beyond the jurisdiction of any rules and regula- tions. Who has the capacity to understand His mind? Without properly gauging His extraordinary and supramundane character, if anyone criticizes Him though he may be serving the Supreme Lord still he will lose all his devotion. So you must immediately leave for Nabadwip and make everyone there understand these esoteric facts about Lord Nityananda. If by any chance someone criticizes Him, then no one can save him from his imminent doom. On the other hand, whosoever loves and respects Him is true in his devotion to Me. This I confirm firmly. If Lord Nityananda marries a Muslim girl or enters the drinking house, His lotus feet are still most worshipable, even for Lord Brahma."

Lord Chaitanya's potent words acted effectively in the brahmana's heart. He became blissful and his faith and love for Lord Nityananda increased tremend- ously. The brahmana came to Nabadwip. The first thing on arrival he went to meet Lord Nityananda. The brahmana honestly admitted his offenses to the Lord. The Lord in turn heard him patiently and then graced him with His causeless mercy.

Lord Nityananda's activities and character are the most confidential topics in the Vedas. They are inscrutable by human norms. He is the supreme mystic who is also known as the original Supreme Lord, Ananta, holding up the entire material creation on one of His thousand hoods. His body is absolute and transcendental. Without Lord Chaitanya's mercy it is impossible to fully understand Him.

Different people know Lord Nityananda in different ways. Some say He is exact- ly like Lord Balarama. Another says He if the foremost and dearest of Lord Chaitanya's devotees. Again someone says He is supremely potent, an expansion of the omnipotent Lord. Many persons honestly admit that they cannot fathom His character. In this manner people freely air their opinions about the Lord. Whatever the people might say about Lord Chaitanya or Lord Nityananda, may Their lotus feet be permanently imprinted in my heart. I pray at everyone's feet to invoke their blessings that birth after birth I can remain the Lord's servant and He my eternal master. This is my only desire.

After hearing all this about Lord Nityananda,s boundless mercy, if anyone is so degraded and sinful as to still criticize the lord, then I firmly kick him on his head. Lord Chaitanya is the Lord of my Lord and master, Lord Nityananda. This fact gives me great hope and strength. Will I ever be bless to see my Lord Nityananda and Lord Chaitanya sitting on a throne surrounded by all Their servitor associates? All glory to Lord Chaitanya. O Lord Gauranga, kindly bless me so that I may have Lord Nityananda's shelter.

Along with this plea I further pray that even after gaining Lord Nityananda's association I may never forget Your lotus feet.

Wherever You and Lord Nityananda appear as incarnations,there I want to be eligible to be Your eternal servitor.

Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabu are my life and soul. I, Vrndavana dasa, humbly offer this song at Their lotus feet.

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