Posted by manitabh on October 16, 2011 at 11:34am in Krishna
Nityananda Das‚ the author of Prema-viläsa,was born at Sri Khanda in 1537 AD in a dynastyof physicians. His original name wasBalaram, and his father’s name was AtmaramDas. Both of his parents passed away when hewas a small boy. When he took initiation fromSrimati Jahnava Thakurani, the consort of LordNityananda Prabhu, she gave him the nameNityananda Das. Some scholars say he wrote ÇréPrema-viläsa in the year 1600.Prema-viläsa is composed in the standardBengali verse style known as päyar. Yet, unlike mostBengali Gaudiya vaiñëava literatures, the facts arenarrated in a comparatively brief and straightforwardmanner, without much poetic ornamentation.Although both vaiñëava and secular scholars considerparts of Prema-viläsa to have been later interpolated,the book is still valued in devotional aswell as academic circles for its historical merit andphilosophical content. There are two editions of thebook available today, an older edition that contains20 chapters and the Berhampur edition that containstwenty-four and a half chapters.Nityananda Das gives some description of thepastimes of Mahaprabhu and information concerningmany other devotees such as Lord Nityananda Prabhu,Jahnava Mata, Sri Virabhadra Gosai, AdwaitaAcharya Prabhu, and Rupa, Sanatan and JivaGoswamis. However, the book is mostly an account ofthe lives of Srinivas Acarya and Syamananda Prabhu.Prema-viläsa is quoted by both SrilaBhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in their purportsto Caitanya-caritämåta ädi 13.60.The following excerpt from Prema-viläsa (chapter16, texts 174 – 191) is from a conversation betweenNityananda Das and Srila Raghunath Das Goswamithat took place while the two were at Radha-kunda.Raghunath Das Goswami said, “While stayinghere and visiting the various pastime places,be careful not to commit any offense even in yourmind. The pastimes of Krishna cannot be understood,but if you read the books of Srila RupaGoswami then you will understand them. If youcannot hear about these subjects from the mouthof your guru then you should hear from personsin whom you have full faith, for by doing so youwill become fixed in your mind. You should understandthe different pastimes that Radha andKrishna are performing day and night in differentplaces in Vrindavan. Although Radha andKrishna are always performing pleasure pastimesin Vrindavan, no one can perceive them. Theamazing conjugal pastimes of Radha andKrishna are only understood by the gopés.”Nityananda Das replied to Raghunath Das,“There is one doubt in my heart. If you give meyour kind permission I will express it to you.My inquisitive mind has become blessed by hearingfrom your lotus mouth about Vrindavan.“The distance between Vrindavan and the bankof Radha kunda and Syama kunda is about eightkroças [a kroça is about two miles orthree kilometers] and Govardhana is two kroçasfrom the kuëòas. Sanketa is eight kroças fromVrindavan, Nandiswara is two kroças and Yavat isone kroça. Radha and Krishna travel between theseplaces in a moment. How is it possible for Radha,Krishna, and their associates to travel such distancesdaily? For a long time I have had a desire tohear the answer to this question. Otherwise howcan a sädhaka understand these pastimes?”Mercifully, Das Goswami said, “Listen,Nityananda Das! Krishna’s pastimes are alwaysgoing on in these places. Through çästra,Mahaprabhu has established that Vrindavan isjust like a lotus flower.mudita prakäça haila dui ta prakäraviläse mudita hana léläya vistära“As a lotus, Vrindavan is manifested in twoways, closed and open. It closes itself in pleasure,viläsa; and opens itself in sport, lélä.ei rüpe haya saba gamanägamanatadäçrita yei täìra haya ei manaIn this way Radha Krishna and Their associatescome and go. Only those favored devoteesof the Lord can understand this.yogamäyä bale ihä ghaöanä ächayayäìhära gamana sei kichu nä jänayaBy the strength of yogamäyä one can understandthese matters. Other persons cannot understand.
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