By Shrutadev Das
Dear Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Sri Nityananda Rama Prabhu!!
Every year on the glorious appearance day of Sri Nityananda Prabhu I offer this short story and quotes for the pleasure of the Vaishnavas.
vande sri-krsna-caitanya-
nityanandau sahoditau
gauòodaye puñpavantau
citrau san-dau tamo-nudau
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all. (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi 1.2)
The kirtana was uproarious as Prabhupada entered the airport with the devotees. He was leaving New York after their first, wonderful Ratha-yatra (July 1976). The kirtana grew more intense as he went through the security check. Hari Sauri, Guru dasa, and I followed behind. In the waiting lounge, Srila Prabhupada took a seat and kindly motioned for Guru dasa to sit next to him. A well-dressed man seated on Prabhupada’s other side, noticing that there were others with Srila Prabhupada, very politely moved to another seat. Prabhupada again very kindly offered us a seat, this time motioning toward me and Hari Sauri. I gently nudged Hari Sauri toward the seat. He graciously offered it back to me. After all, he was Prabhupada’s personal servant; I nudged him again. He very kindly again offered it back to me. I couldn’t resist. I sat down next to Srila Prabhupada. He looked very grave, almost sad. Perhaps he knew that this had been his last trip to America. His eyes were overflowing with tears of ecstatic love as he sat silently absorbed in his own transcendental thoughts.
Not wanting to disturb him I also sat silently, but finally I couldn’t resist the opportunity to ask Srila Prabhupada a question that had been on my mind for some time. Previously I had heard of some Bengali devotees chanting “sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda – prabhu nityananda prabhu nityananda – nityananda nityananda nityananda nityananda – sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda.” So occassionally I also chanted like that but was criticized by some devotees for not chanting the full Panca Tattva mantra. Of course, in one sense they were right as Srila Prabhupada instructs in the Caitanya-caritamrta to chant the full Panca Tattva mantra. However, on occassion we do chant “nitai gauranga nitai gauranga – jai sachinandana gaura hari.” So I finally got up the nerve and said, “Srila Prabhupada, sometimes the devotees chant ‘sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda – prabhu nityananda prabhu nityananda.’ Is that all right?” Srila Prabhupada turned to look at me and with his beautiful, deep transcendental voice said, “Yes.”
Through His Mercy Lord Nityananda Will Be Pleased
So Lord Caitanya is combined form of Radha Krsna. If Caitanya is pleased, Radha and Krsna automatically become pleased. Now our mission, Krsna consciousness mission, is to execute the will of Lord Caitanya. In this old age whatever I am trying to do it is just to give a little service according to my capacity to Lord Caitanya’s mission. I have not come here for some personal credit in this old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is non-different from Lord Nityananda.
You are all helping me in the execution of my mission so please do not try to do anything beyond the jurisdiction of my instructions. My will I have already disclosed to you all that each and every one of you should chant the Mahamantra regularly in sixteen rounds, follow the four regulative principles, chant Hare Krsna mantra on the streets, try to distribute our books and literature, and specifically in San Francisco you should observe the annual Ratha Yatra festival very gorgeously. I can assure you that if you follow my instruction as above mentioned there is no doubt about it that through me my spiritual Master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura will be pleased, and through His mercy Lord Nityananda will be pleased. In this way Lord Caitanya and ultimately Radha Krsna will be pleased, and thus your life will be successful.
You are all intelligent boys. Please try to understand me and do the needful.
Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
(Letter to Makhanlal / 3 June, 1970)
The Best Way to Become Krsna Conscious
Nityananda is the principle of the Guru. So, the Gurudeva is the incarnation of Nityananda. Anyone strictly following the instruction of the Guru is following Nityananda. The price one has to pay if he wants to become Krsna conscious is that he must dedicate himself to following the order of the spiritual master, mahat seva. If the Spiritual Master is pleased with his disciple then the blessings of Guru will be there. That is the best way to become Krsna conscious, and Krsna is non-different from Nityananda. You may pray to Lord Nityananda to help you become dedicated in the service of your Guru. Krsna consciousness cannot be achieved artificially. You should approach Nityananda Prabhu through your Spiritual Master.
Hoping this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
(Letter to Makhanlal / 24 October, 1976)
Conquer the Enemies of Krsna Consciousness
A significant word here is acyuta-balah. The spiritual master is certainly very merciful to his disciples, and consequently by satisfying him a devotee gets strength from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Krsna Mahaprabhu therefore says, guru-krsna prasade bhakti lata bija: [Cc. Madhya 19.151] one must first please the spiritual master, and then one automatically pleases Krsna and gets the strength with which to cross the ocean of nescience. If one seriously desires to return home, back to Godhead, one must therefore become strong enough by pleasing the spiritual master, for thus one gets the weapon with which to conquer the enemy, and one also gets the grace of Krsna. Simply getting the weapon of jnana is insufficient. One must sharpen the weapon by serving the spiritual master and adhering to his instructions. Then the candidate will get the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead…
Significant in this verse are the words jnanasim acyuta-balah. Jnanasim, the sword of knowledge, is given by Krsna, and when one serves the guru and Krsna in order to hold the sword of Krsna’s instructions, Balarama gives one strength. Balarama is Nityananda. Vrajendra-nandana yei, sachi-suta haila sei, balarama ha-ila nitai. This bala—Balarama—comes with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and both of Them are so merciful that in this age of Kali one may very easily take shelter of Their lotus feet. They come especially to deliver the fallen souls of this age. papi tapi yata chila, hari-name uddharila. Their weapon is sankirtana, hari-nama. Thus one should accept the sword of knowledge from Krsna and be strong with the mercy of Balarama. We are therefore worshiping Krsna-Balarama in Vrndavana. In the Mundaka Upaniaad (3.2.4) it is said:
nayam atma bala-hinena labhyonaya …
One cannot attain the goal of life without the mercy of Balarama. Sri Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, nitaiyera karuna habe, vraje radha-krsna pabe: when one receives the mercy of Balarama, Nityananda, one can attain the lotus feet of Radha and Krsna very easily.
Se sambandha nahi yara, brtha janma gela tara, vidya kule hi karibe tara
If one has no connection with Nitai, Balarama, then even though one is a very learned scholar or jnani or has taken birth in a very respectable family, these assets will not help him. We must therefore conquer the enemies of Kåñëa consciousness with the strength received from Balarama.
(SB 7.15.45 – Purport)
Without the Mercy of Nitai-Gaura
Without the protection of Gaura-Nitai—Krsna and Balarama—one cannot get out of the dark well of ignorance in material existence. This is indicated here by the word nocet, which means that one will always remain in the dark well of material existence. The living entity must get strength from Nitai-Gaura, or Krsna-Balarama. Without the mercy of Nitai-Gaura, there is no way to come out of this dark well of ignorance. As stated in the Caitanaya-caritamrta (Adi 1.2):
vande sri-krsna-caitanya-nityanandau sahoditau / gaudodaye puspabantau citrau sandau tamo nudau
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.” This material world is a dark well of ignorance. The fallen soul in this dark well must take shelter of the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitai, for thus he can easily emerge from material existence. Without Their strength, simply attempting to get out of the clutches of matter by speculative knowledge will be insufficient.
(SB 7.15.46 – Purport)
caitanya- nityanande nahi e-saba vicara
nama laite perma dena vahi ashrudhara
If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of Krsna does not sprout. However, if one chants, with only some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 8.29-31)
jaya jaya sri krsna caitanya
jaya jaya nityananda jaya karuna hrdaya
All glories to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most merciful incarnation! All glories to Lord Nityananda, whose heart is always compassionate! (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 9.2)
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