The Grace of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu

The following article from our upcoming publication ‘Gaura Kathā’ is adapted from a class given by Swami B.G Narasiṅgha Mahārāja on February 4th, 2004 on the occasion of Śrī Nityānanda Trayodaśī.

vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya nityānandau-sahoditau

gauḍodaye puṣpavantau citrau śān-dau tamo-nudau

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

This is the second verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, offering obeisances to both Śrī Caitanya Deva and Lord Nityānanda, who have both appeared on the horizon of Gauḍadeśa, Gauḍa-maṇḍala, just as the sun and the moon may appear on the same horizon. But such a phenomena is very rare, maybe impossible. Has anyone seen the sun and the full moon on the same horizon? Therefore, such a great benediction came to the world in the time of caitanya-līlā, when both Nityānanda Prabhu and Lord Gaurāṅga appeared simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa. Mahāprabhu is compared to the moon. And Nityānanda Prabhu is compared to the sun.

**Science and the Vedas **

In the Vedas, there are descriptions of the universe, which, of course, includes the sun and the moon, and all of these have a personal conception. The moon is there, and the Deva named Candra is behind that. Likewise, Sūrya is behind the sun. The Devas are situated everywhere. In the modern world, almost cent per cent, the same descriptions are given, but everything is given in a godless way. There is no personality anywhere in the universe and ultimately, above the universe, there is also nothing – no personality. It is godless, atheistic knowledge.

However, in so many places, Vedic knowledge and scientific knowledge, coincide side by side. I was pointing out the other day that devotees say that God created the world, and the atheists say that the world evolved from an explosion. And devotees will argue with this.

Then I told that actually, God created the world with an explosion. This is the point. If you go around in the world, you will see the phenomenon of the world. Some evolution of the world is taking place, but behind that is a Supreme Controller. And also, within that, there are many appointed subsidiary controllers – the Devas.

Gaura-Nityānanda – The Sun and the Moon

In the Vedic conception, the moon, Candra, has his effulgence. He is the source of the light which we see from the moon. And the sun, Sūrya, also has his power of effulgence. It is said, however, that that light of the sun is the source of all light in this world. The source of the light of the sun is the brahma-jyoti, and behind that is Kṛṣṇa. The sun is the most powerful illuminating force and all light is derived from there. Yet in another place it is said that Candra has his own effulgence. In the modern sense, however, it is said that the moon only has light due to the sun.

Without Nityānanda, One Cannot Understand Mahāprabhu

Today I thought, is a very good day to accept the scientific version – that the moon only has got light due to the sun. When we compare Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to the moon and Nityānanda Prabhu to the sun, then how we will be able to see the moon? Only with the help of the sun. The sun will identify the moon. The light comes from there. Similarly, it is said that unless one has the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he cannot discover the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One can wander for millions of lifetimes together and never know the divinity of Mahāprabhu.

We experience this in South India where Mahāprabhu is accepted as a great saint. However, this is actually like a needle in our ear. We cannot really appreciate that. Mahāprabhu is not just a great saint – rather, Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Lord, and hundreds of crores of saints are praying for a particle of dust from His lotus feet. They will not say He is a great saint. Those that do say He is a great saint do not have the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. Without the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, no one can understand who is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore, we must get the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu first.

Particularly it is remembered that Nityānanda Prabhu delivered the two famous dacoits, Jagāi and Mādhāi. They are our old ancestors! In India, when someone asks me, “What is your caste?” I tell them, “Jagāi and Mādhāi.. That is my caste.” Nityānanda Prabhu delivered these two most fallen souls. It is said in Caitanya-maṅgala by Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura, that when they admitted their sins, they told, “We have killed thousands of brāhmaṇas, women and children.” Still, they were delivered by the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. Therefore, our concern is in that way – the line of mercy. Mercy will come down to the world through Nityānanda Prabhu. He is considered the mercy expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By His mercy, one may have access to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu one will have access to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and everything divinely related to vraja-rasa.

Living in Vraja Without Gaura’s Mercy

We see that there are many people who want to live in Vraja, but they want to live there without the mercy of Lord Gaurāṅga. In their own fanciful way, they go on with some bhajanas, some pūjā etc, but actually they are not considered to be actual devotees. In some distant way, they are devoted to Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, but they have no access to vraja-rasa, and in almost every case, they perform rāsābhāsa, because without getting the proper introduction, they fall victim to some mistake. So, first there must be Nityānanda Prabhu, then an introduction will come to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

yathā yathā gaura-padāravinde*

**vindeta bhaktiṁ kṛta-puṇya-rāśiḥ **

tathā tathotsarpati hṛdy akasmād

*rādhā-padāmbhoja-sudhāmburāśiḥ

As one attains devotion at the lotus feet of Gaura, having amassed a store of pious merit, so suddenly, there surges within the heart an ocean of the nectar of the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā. (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 88)

Through Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we will get an introduction and become properly situated in kṛṣṇa-līlā. But if we try to go direct to kṛṣṇa-līlā, we will face some difficulty there.

The ‘Half-Chicken Philosophy

Similarly, trying to go directly to Mahāprabhu, leaving aside Nityānanda Prabhu, is said to be the philosophy of half a chicken (ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya). What do you get from half a chicken? Nothing. If you want an egg, you must have a full chicken. If someone says, “I accept the divinity of Mahāprabhu, but not the divinity of Nityānanda Prabhu,” then he following this half-chicken philosophy. The whole thing is spoiled. Our fortune begins with Nityānanda Prabhu.

Nityānanda-Balarāma

Who is Nityānanda Prabhu? He is not an incarnation, but the source of all incarnations. All incarnations of the Supreme Lord come through Balarāma first. From Balarāma comes Saṅkarṣaṇa. From Saṅkarṣaṇa expands the catur-vyūha and this catur-vyūha is expanding. From Saṅkarṣaṇa in the catur-vyūha, then Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and all the avatāras come into the world. Nityānanda Prabhu is directly Balarāma. He is not an incarnation of Balarāma. Balarāma is synonymous with Nityānanda Prabhu. Ananta-śeṣa is His plenary expansion. Ananta-śeṣa carries the world on His hoods, and expands as all the paraphernalia for worshipping the Supreme Lord – His bed, His home, His slippers, His cloth etc. Similarly, in the temple where the Lord is worshipped, the dīpam, the bell, the siṁhāsana, etc, are all considered to be non-different manifestations of Ananta-śeṣa.

In kṛṣṇa-līlā, Baladeva’s potency, Yogamāyā, is found in four rasas – vātsalya, sakhya, dāsya, and śānta. Yogamāyā expands the līlā of Kṛṣṇa and provides all the paraphernalia for His pastimes. Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa wants to expand His līlā, that is the affair of Baladeva and Yogamāyā.

Spreading Gaura-Nāma

Similarly, in gaura-līlā, when Mahāprabhu wants to expand the influence of the Holy Name, He calls upon Nityānanda Prabhu for that work. Nityānanda Prabhu was the first of the foremost preachers in the nāma-saṅkīrtana movement. Through Nityānanda Prabhu, the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa spread throughout Navadvīpa, Orissa and other parts of India at that time. Not just the Name of Kṛṣṇa, but also the Name of Gaurāṅga. Nityānanda Prabhu used to shout like this:

bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāma

ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje se haya āmāra prāṇa

Whoever chants the Name of Gaurāṅga, if you will worship Gaurāṅga, I will give myself to you. You become the heart of my heart.

One devotee asked Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, “Does it mean that Nityānanda Prabhu is telling everyone to simply chant ‘Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!’?”

We see some devotees do that. Many times they will say, “Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga! Gaurāṅga!” In kīrtana we also chant the Name of Gaurāṅga – “Gaura-haribol!” Does it mean that? Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja said, “Yes, it means that.”

Actually, we must take the Name of Gaurāṅga and chant gaurāṅga-nāma. But it also means that the mahā-mantra must be taken to His feet. You can take the Name of Kṛṣṇa before the all-merciful glance of Mahāprabhu – not that we will take the Name of Kṛṣṇa independent of Gaurāṅga.

Nityānanda/Baladeva as Guru-Tattva

In kṛṣṇa-līlā, the first line of guru-tattva is traced to Baladeva. He is the guru of śānta, dāsya, sakhya and vātsalya-rasa. Similarly, in gaura-līlā, Nityānanda Prabhu, being Baladeva, is also guru-tattva. Again, that has to do with vātsalya, sakhya, dāsya and śānta-rasa, and our guru is considered to be His representative. One rasa is remaining and that is mādhurya-rasa. The guru of *mādhurya-rasa *in kṛṣṇa-līlā is Śrīmati Rādhārāṇī. Then who is the guru representation of mādhurya-rasa in gaura-līlā? That is Gadādhara Paṇḍita.

Our paramparā is primarily mādhurya-rasa, but we begin with Baladeva who represents the general conception of guru-tattva. Therefore, we come on the lotus feet of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

Nityānanda and Viśvarūpa

The parents of Nityānanda Prabhu were Hadai Paṇḍita, and Padmāvatī. When Śrī Caitanya Deva descended, Jagannātha Miśra and Mother Śacī were His parents. In kṛṣṇa-līlā, Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī Devī are Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā. Similarly, Hadai Paṇḍita, and Padmāvatī are Vasudeva and Rohiṇī. Vasudeva had two wives – Devakī and Rohiṇī. Devakī was imprisoned along with Vasudeva, and Rohiṇī stayed in the house of Nanda Mahārāja. It was there that Lord Balarāma appeared.

The first male child from the womb of Mother Śacī was an expansion of Nityānanda Prabhu. His name was Viśvarūpa, and he took sannyāsa and left when Mahāprabhu was still very young. Later in caitanya-līlā, Mahāprabhu went to look for His brother in South India. He finally reached Pandarapura in Maharashtra, which is famous for the Deity known as Viṭhṭhaladeva. That is also the place of Tukarāma. There, Mahāprabhu received information that a sannyāsī from Bengal had achieved his final samādhi on the banks of the River Bhīma, and He could understand who that was. No other detail are given, other than it is said that the ātmā of Viśvarūpa then merged into the body of Nityānanda Prabhu, from whom he had originally expanded.

“Give Me Your Son!”

Nityānanda Prabhu was actually considerably older than Caitanya Mahāprabhu, about twelve years or so. He manifested in this world at a place called Ekacakra – a beautiful, charming village in an area of Gauḍa, known as Rāḍhadeśa. It’s characteristic is as a place where the Ganges does not flow. Primarily, it was dry land and irrigation was a problem. The villages were not so prosperous because water was necessary for agricultural development. It was on the impoverished side, economically destitute. But from the time of Nityānanda Prabhu, that place flourished. It became lush and beautiful and all benedictions came upon the people of Ekacakra.

Then, at an early age, one sannyāsī came to Ekacakra and requested Hādāi Paṇḍita, “You please give your son.”

Nowadays, no one will give their son. If I go to any village in India, the people will say, “Oh Mahārāja, please sit,” They’ll give milk, sweets etc. But if I ask them, “You please give your son,” they’ll pick up a stick and chase me out of the village.

Now, we have evolved another technique – we convert the whole family and bring them to the āśrama. In this way, they give the sons.

In those days though, society was different, and in this particular case, the supreme will of the Lord was also there. So, Nityānanda Prabhu left home and became the assistant of that sannyāsī. Shortly after that, Hādāi Paṇḍita expired. He could not bear such separation from his son. Similarly, when Viśvarūpa left home and he went out into the world as a renunciate, Jagannātha Miśra also could not tolerate that separation. And after some time, he also left the world due to separation.

Discovering Nityānanda Through Mahāprabhu

When travelling with that sannyāsī, Nityānanda Prabhu went to all the holy places of India. Later, He continued travelling alone for some time, and could understand that Mahāprabhu had started His saṅkīrtana movement in Navadvīpa. Therefore, He travelled to Navadvīpa and came to the house of Nandanācārya.

At that time, Mahāprabhu had a vision that Lord Balarāma had come on a great chariot. He told the devotees, “I have seen in My dream that Baladeva has come to Navadvīpa on a grand chariot. Surely a great Vaiṣṇava must have come here. Please go and find that great personality who has come to Navadvīpa today.”

Mahāprabhu’s associates went out, but they reported back that they couldn’t find anybody.

Mahāprabhu said, “No, for sure a great mahātmā has come!”

Three more times they went out and searched all around. They could not understand. Finally, they came back to Mahāprabhu – “No one has come, Lord.”

Then Mahāprabhu said, “Follow me!” He went with His saṅkīrtana party straight to the house of Nandanācārya, where Nityānanda Prabhu was sitting on the veranda.

The devotees had searched everywhere, but they could not discover Nityānanda Prabhu. What is the meaning of that?

From this we understand that Nityānanda Prabhu is also understood only by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. By the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are given Nityānanda Prabhu. By the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, then we will get a position in the entourage and vicinity of Mahāprabhu.

At different times in His līlā, Mahāprabhu repeatedly pointed to Nityānanda Prabhu, so that people would not misunderstand His importance in the entourage of Śrī Caitanya. On one particular occasion, He told all the householders that they should take a portion of the kaupīna of Nityānanda Prabhu and wear it as a kavaca. He told them, “Do not think that Nityānanda Prabhu is an ordinary man.”

Nityānanda – Not a Sannyāsī!

At a point, after the saṅkīrtana movement was already going on, Mahāprabhu requested Nityānanda Prabhu to become a householder. Prior to that, Nityānanda Prabhu was showing the signs of an avadhūta.

Some people say that Nityānanda was a sannyāsī, who gave up sannyāsa and became a gṛhastha, but this is not bona fide. He was never a sannyāsī. However, from the time when He was a boy, travelling with that sannyāsī, He used to exhibit extreme renunciation. He wore the most simple, meagre dress. He looked like a sannyāsī, but He never had a daṇḍa or any other paraphernalia which was given to sannyāsīs in those days. He was not known as Nityānanda Swami or Swami Nityānanda. He is known as Nityānanda Avadhūta. There is a type of sannyāsa called avadhūta sannyāsa – that is considered to be the highest stage of renunciation. He was an avadhūta as a brahmacārī, He was an avadhūta when He travelled as the servant of a sannyāsī, and He was an avadhūta also in His gṛhastha-līlā. Nityānanda Prabhu was always an avadhūta. He was always at the stage of extreme renunciation and detachment from the world.

But His pastimes are peculiar, and they are sometimes misunderstood. People think that He was an ordinary person, or that He gave up sannyāsa and lustily entered the gṛhastha āśrama. They massacre the whole conception! It was Mahāprabhu who requested Nityānanda Prabhu to marry.

Nityānanda’s Deception to Save the Devotees

When Mahāprabhu took sannyāsa, Nityānanda was the first to deceive Him. After taking sannyāsa, Mahāprabhu wanted to go to Vṛndāvana and was asking, “Where is Vṛndāvana? Where is Vṛndāvana?”

Nityānanda Prabhu said, “It’s this way, My Lord,” and He deviated Him. No one could do that but Nityānanda Prabhu. The life of the devotees was going to be completely finished – already their Nimāi had taken sannyāsa. That was a maddening scene and almost unacceptable to everyone there, but somehow the devotees were adjusting. But then He wanted to leave and go to Vṛndāvana some thousands of kilometres away! This would have killed all the devotees of Navadvīpa, starting with Mother Śacī. They would all start to die one by one. Why? Because they would not have been able to bear the separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore, Nityānanda Prabhu intervened to save the life of all the devotees and deviated Mahāprabhu towards Śāntipura.

When they reached the Gaṅgā, Nityānanda Prabhu told, “It is the Yamunā,” and Mahāprabhu took bath there. Suddenly, Advaita Ācārya came in a boat. Mahāprabhu thought, “Advaita Ācārya? How have you got to Vṛndāvana before us? How did you come here in a boat?” He thought, “Śāntipura is just here on the other side,” then He realised that He had been deceived by Nityānanda.

When He complained. Nityānanda Prabhu said, “I have come to the Yamunā and taken bath,” and Advaita Ācārya explained, “Actually, Actually, you have not been deceived. You have bathed in Yamunā, because the western side of the Gaṅgā is considered to be the Yamunā.”

When the Yamunā leaves the Himalayas, she comes down and then takes a turn to the west, and the Gaṅgā takes a turn to the east, then they join. So, the western side of the Gaṅgā can be taken as the Yamunā.

Externally, Mahāprabhu showed some anger, but to save the life of all the devotees, Nityānanda Prabhu intervened.

Divine Intervention

What do we require in relation to the Supreme Lord? Divine intervention is always a necessity. And how to live in relation to that? The words of Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja sometimes ring in my ear – “How to live in the relativity of the Absolute Truth?” This means that relatively, we may adjust ourselves in relation to that. The Absolute is fixed; the relative is moving. So, how to live in the relativity of the Absolute? It goes like this. The Absolute is fixed and infinite, but He may also vanish. He may move in some unknown way and we will have to adjust ourselves. It does not come in a straight line. It comes in a zigzag way. How to adjust ourselves? Always look for divine intervention.

It is not that everything will be within our power and we will become masters of knowing everything. Sometimes many devotees feel that they have to answer every question. But one can also say, “I don’t know.” And that is not a shameful thing because ultimately, even Lord Balarāma may fold His hands and say, “I don’t know.” The Supreme Lord is an autocrat above all. *Ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa āra-saba-bhṛtya – *Kṛṣṇa is One, and all else are servants. Even Nityānanda Prabhu considers Himself the servant of Śrī Caitanya Deva. Balarāma considers Himself to be the servant of Kṛṣṇa. We must always try to adjust with divine intervention. The best divine intervention is the influence of any devotee, help of any devotee in our life.

I noticed something in Vṛndāvana a few years ago. Many devotees were disappointed with the movement, particularly, due to some significant guru situation – maybe the guru left etc, I noticed that many of the devotees were taking shelter of śānta-rasa. Maybe they gave up their previous beads that they received during initiation, so they would come to Vṛndāvana, get new beads from the market, and go and get them blessed by putting them in the Yamunā or in Rādha-kunda.

When I enquired from them, they told me, “I am just taking shelter of Vṛndāvana.” Taking shelter of Vṛndāvana means the śānta-rasa section. There is limited intervention there. Vṛndāvana, Navadvīpa, or Jagannātha Puri has its influence and divine guidance, but within that dhāma, if we can connect with any living representative in the form of a Vaiṣṇava, that will include whatever śānta-rasa can give us, and that will give us maximum support in our endeavours to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Without divine intervention we are lost. We must try to see divinity in a Vaiṣṇava. That is the prime plane of divinity.

Who Sets the Standard For Devotion?

It says in the scripture that one should take bath in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, but it’s very hard to understand the scripture. How do we know what is the proper standard? If we look to the higher devotees, then we will find that for sādhakas like ourselves, the proper standard of taking bath at Rādhā-kuṇḍa is to place three drops of water on our head. Where is that traced to? Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He has set the standard for the Gauḍīyas, for Mahāprabhu’s mission in an organised way. He is the giver of the tridaṇḍi–sannyāsa, the giver of the sannyāsa-mantra. So many things have come from his hand. He has set the standard for devotion. Pūjala-rāga-patha gaurava-bhaṅge The highest plane of divinity and service is Rādhā-kuṇḍa. It is not to be dealt with lightly. It is always to be held with the greatest respect. He took three drops of water on his head, and all of his followers – our Prabhupāda, Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, Śrīla Puri Goswāmī Mahārāja and so many others – are following in this way.

People from other sections are jumping in, or they may even be taking a sacred bath. They may be putting water on their heads first, but then they are stepping into Rādhā-kuṇḍa with their feet. I also made that mistake in the old days, before getting in touch with the higher representative who can guide and adjust.

Divine intervention will save us in many ways. It will save us from making offences, it will give life, and it will save us from death also.

How Devotees Limit Themselves

There are slogans: “Everything is in Prabhupāda’s books,” “I have Prabhupāda—it’s all I need,” “My guru is the best!” This kind of thing is going on in the world. In this way, devotees limit themselves from divine intervention. We should always think of ourselves as students. We have a prime necessity. We come from the section of fallen souls—we are the most fallen of the fallen – so how is it that, after a few years of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we think we have finished our necessity, that we no longer need anything, that we are independent? That is not possible.

The higher position is that we are eternally students of the truth. We may even become masters on some plane, yet within we will always feel ourselves to be students of the higher truth. We are never the master – always students.

Śrīla Prabhupāda – Empowered by Nityānanda

There is one nice thing I wanted to mention in relation to our Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Just after the disappearance of our Gurudeva, there were some programmes held in Vṛndāvana and many people who knew Prabhupāda and appreciated him came and spoke. Amongst them was a very close friend of Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja named Yāyāvara Mahārāja, who was the last person to take sannyāsa from Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvati Ṭhākura. In his talk at the samādhi function, Yāyāvāra Mahārāja said that he considered Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to be a śaktyāveśa-avatāra. He was the first one to actually voice that.

We had heard the word ‘śaktyāveśa-avatāra’ before from Prabhupāda’s books. He mentions in his purports about the pure devotees who are the good sons of the Lord, the śaktyāveśa avatāras, the empowered representatives. We were sitting there, and we could understand in our feeble, neophyte way, that our Guru Mahārāja was all of those things – he’s a pure devotee, he’s the good son of the Lord, and he’s an empowered representative, a śaktyāveśa-avatāra – but it never became a thing. It never became prominent until the word came from a higher Vaiṣṇava – then it got the attention of everyone.

Later, while visiting Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja, the devotees reported that Yāyāvāra Mahārāja had told that Swami Mahārāja (our Prabhupāda) was a śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Then Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja gave his consideration also, and particularly clarified śaktyāveśa. Śakti–āveśa means garbed, or dressed in the śakti of the Lord. But the Lord has many śaktis. Which śakti? Then Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī Mahārāja said it was the potency of Nityānanda Prabhu – the empowered representative of Nityānanda Prabhu. How did he trace that? He said that the kind of propagation work carried out by Swami Mahārāja in just a short period was not humanly possible. How many great Gauḍīya ācāryas have there been since then till now, coming from different maṭhas and missions? We have seen great, great mahātmās such as Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Mahārāja, and even Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja. Still, the propagation work of their godbrother superseded anything anyone could imagine. Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja said that this was not humanly possible, even for a Vaiṣṇava. Such a broad and dynamic programme could be propagated only if the potency of Nityānanda Prabhu was directly engaged there.

Then he said, “My consideration is that Nityānanda Prabhu lived for years within the body of Swami Mahārāja and made him dance. That is a very wonderful thing. And then kṛṣṇa-nāma and gaurāṅga-nāma came out, almost in every town and village.”

Actually, some of the godbrothers of our Guru Mahārāja once commented that this verse actually was sticking in their mind.

*pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma

*sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

In every town and village of the world, My Holy Name will be sung. (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

“How is this going to happen? How will it go?” Two devotees had already gone – Vana Mahārāja and then Bhakti Sāraṅga Gosvāmī, had travelled to England. They came back with two or three members, and one small house was established in London which is still there. Not even London could be taken – what to speak of every town and village of the world.

They said, “We thought that for this to happen, it would take a miracle. But through Swami Mahārāja, we saw how it was happening. It was going on in every town and village. Now many are coming and everyone is doing. But that is not humanly possible, even for the Vaiṣṇava, unless the Supreme Lord Himself has given the empowerment.”

So, by the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, the Holy Name is going all over the world. He is the giver of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa and Gaurāṅga. Gaura-Nityānanda ki jaya!

Please excuse me for my inabilities to speak nice things about the Supreme Lord – but it should be expected. I am a fallen soul…

Related Krishna Talk Articles:

📚 Prema Dhāma Deva Stotram Series Index Prakaṭa Pūrṇimā (The Appearance of the Full Moon) by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrī Sarasvatī Saṅlāpa (A Discourse by Sarasvatī Ṭhākura) by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrī Gaura ki Vastu? (Who is Sri Gaura?) by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura The ‘Vṛndāvana Express’ and the ‘Navadvīpa Special’ by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja Our Prospect is Through Gaura-Līlā by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja Paṇḍita Śrī Gadādhara Gosvāmī by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja The Magnanimous Nature of Nityānanda Prabhu by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja Makara Saṅkrānti by Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara Mahārāja Śrī Gaura-līlāmṛṭa-sāra (The Essence of the Nectar of Śrī Gaura-Līlā) by Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvāmī Mahāprabhu as Rasarāja-Mahābhāva by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja Mahāprabhu as Prabhupāda by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja The Five Precepts of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Everything is by Mahāprabhu’s Grace by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja Mahāprabhu’s Mudrā by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja The Worship of Gaura-Gadādhara by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja This Saṅkīrtana Movement Is the Līlā of Mahāprabhu by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja Nityānanda Avadhūta by Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja

Further Reading from the Bhaktivinoda Institute:

📖 Śrīman Mahāprabhura Śikṣā by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma Māhātmya by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 Gaurāṅga-līlā-smaraṇa-maṅgala Stotram by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 Śrī Navadvīpa Bhāva Taraṅga by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 Chaitanya Mahaprabhu His Life and Precepts by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 Śrī Caitanya Upaniṣad by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) 📖 The Essence of the Ten Foundational Principles (Daśa Mūla Niryāsa) by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura (Book) The Non-Difference Between Śrī Gaura and Kṛṣna by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Prema-Bhakti and Śrī Gaurāṅgadeva by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Sunrise of Eternal Dharma by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura A dispute about Śrī Śrī Mahāprabhu by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura A New Gaurāṅga by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura