20200207 Morning Class on Nityānanda Trayodaśi Day

The following is a morning class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 7th,2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. The Morning Class was given on Lord Nityananda's Trayodaśī Day.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Today I will speak in Bengali here. Today, is Nityānanda Trayodaśī. śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya, balarāma haila nitāi! Are you all able to understand me? If you have some inconvenience, then raise your hand and we will have it repeated. The scriptures, śāstras, say that Gaura Pūrṇimā and Nityānanda Trayodaśī are the most important and auspicious days for us. Today is Nityānanda Trayodaśī, the appearance of Lord Nityānanda and from this starts a month-long festival day. In the middle of this we have the GBC meetings, the TOVP Exhibits meeting, MEB meeting and the ILS. All this is in between. Kīrtana-melā, parikramā, festivals etc. Sri Caitanyadeva said, that if we once say NITYĀNANDA, we will be blessed. If you want Lord Caitanya’s mercy, then you need Lord Nityānanda’s mercy! If you don’t get Lord Nityānanda’s mercy, then you cannot get close to Caitanyadeva, not understand Him. This mercy of Caitanyadeva is got through the mercy of Lord Nityānanda. And if guru gives some mercy, he is the representative of Nitāi. And if Nitāi gives mercy, the guru can give mercy! This way, Nityānanda is especially important for us. These three people, Viṣṇu-tattva, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda and Advaita Gosāñī.

Nityānanda Prabhu appeared in Ekacakra village, now name is Bircandrapur. And, where He appeared is called Garbhavāsa. There His mother Padmāvatī lived in the Garbha. Mother was Padmāvatī and father Hadai Ojha. They were brāhmaṇas, they were from Mithila and settled in Ekacakra village. There is mention of Ekacakra in the Mahābhārata. There the five Pāṇḍavas and Kuntī-devī, they stayed in the Ekacakra village for a few days. There was a pastime there. There was a demon, and the Pāṇḍavas were there. That is a long history. Bhīma agreed that I will fight with the demon. And there were many types of food for the demon to eat. Bhīma thought let me eat this. The demon came and saw that Bhīma had eaten all the food. Ha! Ha! Anyway, we can see this place where the Pāṇḍavas were in Ekacakra. Anyway, Nityānanda Prabhu He was there for 12 years in Ekacakra, and there He enacted Kṛṣṇa-līlā, Rāma-līlā with His friends in the form of dramas. But all were amazed, how are these children, no one has really taught them, but they are enacting the pastimes so well and with such great detail.That which is not even in the scriptures, they were wondering if Nityānanda Prabhu was imagining and making up the pastimes. No, the nitya-līlā was being dramatized.

Caitanya-Maṇgala, gives description of one pastime there. One day Nityānanda played the part of Lakṣmaṇa. Nityānanda is Balarama with Kṛṣṇa, and Lakṣmaṇa with Rāma. All were acting and Indrajīta, Rāvaṇa’s son, he injures and makes him unconscious. So to make Him alright, they send Hanumān to get the special herb. This Indrajīta, the boy who acted as that Indrajīta and Nityānanda acted as Lakṣmaṇa and He was made unconscious by the weapon of Indrajīta. Then Hadai Pandit came there and called them for prasāda. But all the children were there but Nityānanda was asleep. He was not waking up. They brought the doctor and he checked and said, I don’t see anything wrong with Him. Then Hadai Ojha the father came and was worried, what to do. He asked the children what was going on. They said, we were doing a drama and the boy as Indrajīta, he sent an arrow and injured him. So we have to send Hanumān to get the herbal medicine. So he frantically, called to the boy acting as Hanumān, and told him, go fast, get the medicine! Hanumān brought the medicine and then Lakṣmaṇa had the medicine and He woke up. Ha! Ha! Haribol! Nityānanda was young boy. He was still doing such wonderful pastimes. This way, one sannyāsī came when he was 12 years old. Hadai Ojha asked him what service can I do for you? He said, will you give me what I want? Hadai said, yes! The sannyāsī said, promise? Hadai said, yes!! Then give me Nitāi! I need a brahmacārī who can go with me and Nitāi can travel with me. Hearing this Hadai started imploring NITAI! NITAI! OH! OH! OH! How could he give Nitāi? But a brāhmaṇas nature is that he cannot say anything false. One day I had gone to buy a boat. Then I was in Diamond Harbor. Then seeing me, a foreigner, they quoted a higher price. There was a brāhmaṇa and bargaining he said 7 thousand rupees and that was quite cheap. One other man came and said you foreigner, I am a brāhmaṇa and I cannot change my word. Then I got the boat cheap. Hearing my talking in Bengali they understood that I was not really a foreigner. This way Hadai Ojha whatever he said, he had to keep that word. But he would not be able to live without Nitāi! One day, Śrīla Prabhupāda said, sannyāsī Jaya Tīrtha Mahārāja, Mādhavendra Purī’s guru.

Whatever, Jāhnavā Devī had come to Ekacakra. After Nityānanda Prabhu’s disappearance. She wanted to see her husband’s birthplace. One person came and started crying, Nitāi! Nitāi! NITYĀNANDA! NITYĀNANDA! NITYĀNANDA! NITĀI! Jāhnavā Devī asked what are you saying? The man cried, why did Hadai Ojha give away Nitāi, from the moment He left the whole village is finished! He was the life of our village. Oh Nityānanda! Nityānanda! Why did he give? Even after 50 years of this having occurred, the man was still thinking and crying. Whatever, Nityānanda with the sannyāsī, travelled to all the places of pilgrimage. In Mahābhārata, in the middle of the Kurukṣetra war, Balarāma had travelled to all the holy places. And He was not present in the war. The same way Nityānanda Prabhu went around all holy places of pilgrimage. By that time Caitanyadeva had not started His saṅkīrtana movement. Nityānanda Prabhu was not there. When He went to Vṛndāvana then He heard that Caitanyadeva is starting the saṅkīrtana movement. Then from the Dvāpara-yuga, Śridāma, was in the Govardhan hill in a cave. Nityānanda called, Śridāma! Śridāma! Śridāma! Śridāma! Śridāma is an eternal living entity, eternal associate of the Lord. He came out of the cave and asked who are you? All the trees, etc. are so small, what happened? Nityānanda said, it is Kali-yuga and I am Balarāma. But in Kali-yuga I am like this. Śridāma said, how will I understand that you are Balarāma? Only Balarāma could defeat me in a race. If you are Balarāma, then race with me and we will see!! They started racing in Govardhana. They went round. Slowly side by side they raced, Śridāma in front then Nityānanda, then slowly after two or three laps, Nityānanda slowly over took Śridāma and He finished first! Haribol! Haribol! Then Śridāma said, that yes, you are Balarāma! Now Kanāi has come to Navadvīpa-dhāma to expand the saṅkīrtana movement. Will you go? Yes, I will. Then you should come down to the size of Kali-yuga. He put His hand and shrunk his size to Kali-yuga size. He was then Abhirāma Ṭhākura. Haribol! The two went to Navadvīpa and there in Nandana Ācārya’s home. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śacīnandana, the night before had a dream that Nityānanda Prabhu has come. And He said, Kanāi Gopāla, where is He? Where is Kanāi Gopāla! KANĀI GOPĀLA! KANĀI GOPĀLA! KANĀI GOPĀLA! This was He stood in front of Śacīnandana’s house and shouted. Śacīnandana said, that you go and search, I think My brother, Nitāi has come. All the devotees went in all four directions and searched, where is Nitāi? Knocking every door and asking is Nitāi here? Nitāi! One person said, what is going on? Three people have come to my home and knocked and asked for Nitāi! He was livid with anger! Here there is no Nitai! Whatever, they went back to Caitanyadeva and said, we could not find Nitāi. He asked, did you search for Nitāi? They said yes. The Lord cannot be found by searching. Only if He wishes, He gives darśana. I will find and search Him out, Caitanyadeva said. Tomorrow I will go and find Nitāi! Nitāi! Nitāi! NITYĀNANDA! The next day in the morning He went. With kīrtana, they went around various places in Navadvīpa. Nityānanda was in Nandana Ācārya’s house, in the garden and heard the sound of the kīrtana, chik chik chik chik chik! Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare! Hare RĀMA Hare RĀMA RĀMA Hare Hare! Nityananda got up and Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the associates walked into the house. Gaura saw and cried, Nitai! NITAI! Nitai saw Caitanyadev and started crying GAURANGA! GAURANGA! NITYANANDA! GAURANGA! The two embraced each other. Then they did kirtan in Navadvip dham. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare! Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare! This way, people saw that earlier there was one person, Nimāi and now there are two, what happened? Tall and golden white colored Nityānanda Prabhu, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, golden yellow color. If we get the blessing of Nityānanda we can get the mercy of Caitanyadeva, unlimited mercy we get, no limits. Jagāi and Mādhāi were sinful people, He saved them, He liberated them. And saved them from the anger of Caitanyadeva. Nityānanda Prabhu is so merciful! This way He enacted many pastimes in Navadvīpa-dhāma and Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu danced and Nitāi was trying to get Śacīnandana’s dust of His lotus feet, but Caitanyadeva was such an expert that He did not allow that. Caitanyadeva tried to take the dust of the lotus feet of Nityānanda but Nityānanda was such an expert dancer that Caitanyadeva could not get it. This way there was a competition between the two, who can get the dust of the lotus feet! Ha! Ha! Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! But 26 years after the five of them including Caitanyadeva went to Katwa, where Caitanyadeva had taken sannyāsa. And Nityānanda was one of the five. Then Nityānanda Prabhu told some people that when Caitanyadeva would ask them which direction is Vṛndāvana, they should say towards the south. That way He landed up in Śāntipura. There He saw Advaita Gosāñī was crossing the Ganges on a boat. He wondered, Advaita in Vṛndāvana? How is He there? Then He understood that Nityānanda duped Him and brought Him here. In Śāntipura, He met Śacī mātā after taking sannyāsā. He told His mother, you gave Me the body, you instruct me. But now I have taken sannyāsa, I cannot go back home, as that will cause infamy. He wanted to go to Vṛndāvana but Vṛndāvana was very far, thousand kilometers. But Jagannātha Purī was closer. So Śacī-mātā told Him to go to Jagannātha Purī. So He along with Nityānanda Prabhu and Gadādhara and few others went to Jagannātha Purī. There He instructed Nityānanda Prabhu, You go back to Bengal, because there our work is not complete yet. You will develop the saṅkīrtana movement in every town and village in Gauḍadeśa. You will go and do this. Nityānanda was an Avadhūta, but He went back and He decided to take up gṛhastha-āśrama. He became a gṛhastha and married Jāhnavī and Vasudhā. That time two sisters wanted to marry Nitāi. Those days this practice was allowed. There were two children, the two daughters of Suryadas Sarakhel, who was the brother of Gauridāsa Paṇḍita. Gauridāsa was Nityānanda’s friend and a devotee. He was the guru of Hṛdaya Caitanya, Śyāmananda Paṇḍita. Whatever, they had many children but when they paid obeisances to Abhirāma, the children died. Then, Kṣirodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Gaṅgā-mātā had children. Vīracandra Prabhu and Gaṅgā Mātā Gosvāminī, the two paid obeisances to Abhirāma Ṭhākura and could tolerate it. After giving birth to the children, Vasudhā passed away. Jāhnavā Devī, brought up the two children. They were Vīracandra Prabhu, a dīkṣā-guru and Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, and Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura etc’s śikṣā-guru.

Nityananda established the Pāṇihāti Cida Dahi Festival. Raghunātha Dāsa Ācārya. Even now we celebrate the Pāṇihāti Cida Dahi festival. Even after 500 years. Iskcon Mayapur organizes that. Nityānanda Prabhu instituted the Nāmahaṭṭa. In Navadvīpa and all over Bengal, He spread the saṅkīrtana movement. That song, nadīyā-godrume nityānanda mahājana patiyāche nāma-haṭṭa jīvera kāraṇa, śraddhāvān jana he, śraddhāvān jana he. Nityānanda Prabhu spread the saṅkīrtana movement and bhakti all over Bengal. When Caitanyadeva asked Advaita Gosain, what news of maṅgala-āratī? He said, now everyone was busy in saṅkīrtana. So Nityānanda Prabhu gave this special mercy. When we get the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu then we understand Caitanyadeva. But if we don’t get His mercy, we will not get the mercy of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Gaurāṇga Mahāprabhu, if one wants, then we need the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. I am ending the talk here. If you have any questions, let me know.

Question: Guru Mahārāja, How did Balarāma become Nitāi?

Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya-Maṅgala it says, that Nārada Muni went to Goloka Vṛndāvana to invite Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu to come. There, Caitanyadeva said, ok, I will go. But you go and tell Balarāma to come as well. Balarāma came ten years before and this way Balarāma came as Nityānanda. Revatī and Vāruṇī came as Jāhnavā Devī and Vasudhā.

Any other question?

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Question: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Maharāja, Jagāi and Mādhāi had no good karma, how did they get this good fortune of this special mercy?

Jayapatākā Swami: This was Nityānanda’s mercy, which has no limits. And Jagāi and Mādhāi said that Ajāmila was a sinner but he chanted the names of Nārāyaṇa, calling out his son. But we have no good quality, as much hair as we have on our head, we have committed that many sins, even more! So much we have sinned, but we got liberated by Nitāi-Gaura! They are the most merciful! THEY ARE THE MOST MERCIFUL! NITĀI GAURĀṆGA! NITĀI GAURĀṆGA! NITAI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA! NITĀI GAURA!