20200527 Gaura Naṭarāja - the Crown Jewel Among All dancers dances with Millions of Devotees Along the Banks of Bhāgīrathī

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

Gaura Naṭarāja - the Crown Jewel Among
All dancers dances With Millions of Devotees Along the Banks of Bhāgirathī

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.202

prabhura bhāgīrathī-tīre nṛtya o kīrtanakārī bhaktagaṇa-saha gamana—

bhāgīrathī-tīre prabhu nṛtya kari' yāya
āge pāche `hari' bali' sarva-loke dhāya

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Gaurāṅga along the side of the Ganges, Bhāgīrathī river, along the bank. And everybody in front of Him and behind Him were chanting, Haribol! And chanting the names of Hari.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.203

ācārya gosāñi āge jana kata lañān
ṛtya kari' calilena paramānanda hañā

Jayapatākā Swami: So Advaita Ācārya, He took some men and went to the front, with His group, He danced in great ecstasy and they proceeded along, remember that Lord Caitanya had said that Advaita Ācārya should lead the first group.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.204

tabe haridāsa kṛṣṇa-rasera sāgara
ājñāya calilā nṛtya kariyā sundara

Jayapatākā Swami: Haridāsa Ṭhākura was leader of another group and he was an ocean of pure love of Kṛṣṇa. By the order of Lord Caitanya, He beautifully danced, as he proceeded along, leading his group.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.205

tabe nṛtya kariyā calilāśrīnivāsa
kṛṣṇa-sukhe paripūrṇa yāṅhāra vilāsa

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was in charge of leading the third group, and there he danced as the group went on. He was in full ecstasy of transcendental bliss of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he was enjoying this dancing in the procession.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.206

ei mata bhakta-gaṇa āge nāci' yāya
sabāre veḍiyā eka sampradāya gāya

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this way, the devotees were dancing in front of each procession, and they were surrounded by a group of singers.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.207

sakala-paścāte prabhu gaurāṅga-sundara
yāyena kariyā nṛtya ati manohara

Jayapatākā Swami: As the Lord Gaurāṅga-sundara was behind everyone, He was dancing most enchantingly.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.208

madhu-kaṇṭha hailena sarva bhakta-gaṇa
kabhu nāhi gāye—seho haila gāyana

Jayapatākā Swami: Each devotee sang very sweetly, even those who never sang before also engaged in singing.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.209

murāri, mukunda-datta, rāmāi, govinda
vakreśvara, vāsudeva-ādi bhakta-vṛnda

Jayapatākā Swami: Murāri, Mukunda-Datta, Rāmāi, Govinda Vakreśvara, Vāsudeva and others were among the devotees present there.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.210

sabei nācena prabhu veḍiyā gāyena
ānande pūrṇita prabhu-saṁhati yāyena

Jayapatākā Swami: All were dancing around Lord Gaurāṅga, they were also singing, in full ecstasy the Lord, He continued along.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.211

prabhura dui pārśve nityānanda o gadādhara—

nityānanda-gadādhara yāya dui pāśe
prema-sudhā-sindhu-mājhe dui jana bhāse

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda and Gadādhara were on either side of Lord Gaurāṅga. The two were floating in an ocean of pure love of Kṛṣṇa, ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.212

prabhura nitya-darśanārtha asaṅkhya lokera gamana—

calilena mahāprabhu nācite nācite
lakṣa koṭi loka dhāya prabhure dekhite

Jayapatākā Swami: As Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu was dancing along, hundreds of thousands and millions of people, ran and rushed to see the Lord dancing. At that time, we can see that the procession of Lord Caitanya was like a great festival. The entire Navadvīpa town, millions of people, they came out to see the dancing of Lord Caitanya. Everyone was filled in an ocean of transcendental, nectarean, bliss, especially Lord Nityānanda and Lord Gadādhara Prabhu.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.213

tat-kālīna śobhā—

koṭi koṭi mahā-tāpa jvalite lāgila
candrera kiraṇa sarva śarīre haila

Jayapatākā Swami: Millions and millions of burning torches reflected on the bodies of the people, like the moon rays. The people were all carrying burning torches, millions of people, and millions of torches. It was an amazing sight, with all the peoples’ bodies reflecting the rays of the torches. And although the burning torches were somehow, the comparison is made to the moon rays, which is very cooling. These are not small torches; these are large fiery torches.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.214

catur-dike koṭi koṭi mahā-dīpa jvale
koṭi koṭi loka catur-dike `hari' bale

Jayapatākā Swami: On the four sides, there were millions of people, and millions of burning, flaming torches. Millions of these people were dancing, and chanting the names of Hari. Haribol! Haribol! When the Chand Kazi saw these millions of people, all carrying torches, it must have been very amazing for him!

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.215

prabhura nṛtya darśane nadīyāvāsigaṇera ānanda-kolāhala—

dekhiyā prabhura nṛtya apūrva vikāra
ānande vihvala saba loka nadīyāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing Lord Gaurāṅga’s dancing, which was in an incomparable, wonderful manner, the people of Nadia became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.216

kṣaṇe haya prabhu-aṅga saba dhūlā-māyā
nayanera jale kṣaṇe saba pākhālaya

Jayapatākā Swami: Sometimes Lord Gaurāṅga’s body was covered with dust, and sometimes the water from His eyes would completely wash His entire body. He was crying constantly in love of Kṛṣṇa. These tears washed His body.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.217

se kampa, se gharma, se vā pulaka dekhite
pāṣaṇḍīra citta-vṛtti lāgaye nācite

Jayapatākā Swami: To see the trembling in His body, the perspiration of His body, the way His hairs were standing on end, even the atheists’ consciousness was affected, and they started to dance.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.218

nagare uṭhila mahā-kṛṣṇa-kolāhala
`hari' bali' ṭhāñi ṭhāñi nācaye sakala

Jayapatākā Swami: Navadvīpa city was filled with the loud vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s names, everyone was chanting the name of Hari, and dancing in ecstasy.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.219

‘hari o rāma rāma, hari o rāma rāma’
‘hari' bali nācaye sakala bhāgyavān

Jayapatākā Swami: All the fortunate people danced and chanted, ‘Hari’ and ‘Rāma Rāma!’ ‘Hari’ and ‘Rāma Rāma! Haribol!’

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.220

ṭhāñi ṭhāñi ei mate meli' daśa-pāñce
keha gāya, keha vā'ya, keha mājhe nāce

Jayapatākā Swami: At various places along the way, ten or five people would gather together and sometimes they would chant, and sometimes they would play instruments, and sometimes they would dance. They would be dancing in their midst.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.221

lakṣa lakṣa koṭi koṭi haila sampradāya
ānande nāciyā sarva navadvīpe yāya

Jayapatākā Swami: Hundreds of thousands of millions of various groups, they, in great ecstasy, went throughout the entire Navadvīpa town.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.222

‘haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ
gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana’

Jayapatākā Swami: One thing they chanted was, “Hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ, gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana.”

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.223

keha keha nācaye haiyā eka meli'
daśe-pāñce nāce kāṅhā diyā karatāli

Jayapatākā Swami: Some were dancing alone, and some in groups of ten or five, clapped their hands and danced.

Caitanya-Bhāgavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 23.224

dui-hāta yoḍā dīpa tailera bhājane
e baḍa adbhuta tāli dilena kemane

Jayapatākā Swami: Although they were holding in their two hands, torches, and oil, it was very wonderful how they managed to also clap their hands.

Thus, ends the chapter entitled: Gaura Naṭarāja – the Crown Jewel Among All dancer’s dances with Millions of Devotees Along the Banks of Bhāgīrathī.

Jayapatākā Swami: How the people by seeing the Lord dancing, by seeing the procession along the path, they spontaneously became enthused to also sing and dance, and play musical instruments. By this saṅkīrtana, the entire Navadvīpa city was swept along, and we can see how amazing was the dancing of the Lord, in the midst of these hundreds, of thousands and millions of devotees. So, everyone was completely ecstatic, completely Kṛṣṇa conscious. This procession was unparalleled. We have in Māyāpur during our Gaura-Pūrṇimā festival, ten or fifteen thousand people participate, and that seems like a lot of people, but it is nothing compared to this procession, where hundreds of thousands and millions of people all participated, singing the names of Hari, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Or chanting hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ, gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana! Even the atheists were swept along, and began to sing and dance. Lord Caitanya, He vowed not to carry any weapon of violence, but His amazing display of ecstasy of dancing, was able to change the hearts of everyone who saw or participated. So, in this way the demonic nature was completely destroyed by Lord Caitanya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everybody became happy and ecstatic in love of Kṛṣṇa.

Comment: Lord Gaurāṅga’s intimate associates witnessing Śrī Mahāprabhu in ecstasy together with all the fortunate residents of Navadvīpa, Śrīla Guru Mahārāja by your mercy, we are recipients of hearing this Crest Jewel dancing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Cūḍāmaṇi dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: What can I say? This was the order of Śrīla Prabhupāda, that I should write the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. So, taking the different books of Caitanya pastimes, this nectar is pouring out! I don’t have any qualification to properly explain these things. I am being swept along by these ecstatic waves, and it is beyond my ability to do anything, but somehow, I am just floating in this ocean of bliss! And what can I say?!

Submission: Hare Kṛṣṇa Guru Mahārāja! Please accept my respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Begging for your blessings Guru Mahārāja. Please give your blessings and mercy. I am asking for forgiveness, falling at your lotus feet. I committed many mistakes and offences. Please forgive me. But I am now very, very, serious in practicing suddha-bhakti, chanting more and more rounds, constantly taking names of Kṛṣṇa. Please bless me Guru Mahārāja.

Your spiritual daughter,
Nagnajit Rāṇī devī dāsī.

Jayapatākā Swami: I think you are in America now? I am very happy to hear that you are very, very, very, serious, practicing pure bhakti. There is unlimited happiness in the two syllables ‘kṛṣ’ and ‘ṇa’. By the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda and the previous ācāryas, we have the opportunity to chant these holy names, and to hear how Lord Caitanya, He was giving out His mercy, freely to everyone. He got the entire Navadvīpa to dance in bliss, dance in ecstasy. So Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying that Lord Caitanya could even get the animals in Jhārikhaṇḍa to dance. But by His mercy, if we can get at least the human beings to dance and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa that will be wonderful. Now with the corona virus pandemic, which has come on to human species, because of our breaking laws of nature, breaking laws of God, therefore, if people would chant the holy names then they can be forgiven for their offences, and the whole world can change. Thank you very much for being so serious, Nagnajit Rāṇī devī dāsī, my dear spiritual daughter.

Question: Guru Mahārāja, what is the significance of chanting in the brāhma-muhūrta. Not able to practice at home. Bālājī, Tirupati.

Jayapatākā Swami: Brāhma-muhūrta, is the most auspicious time of the day. If we chant at that time, it is very beneficial. Even during this lockdown period, we can see the āratis in Māyāpur and different places, by the Mayapur.tv. In my room, I am not allowed to go down to the temple, but I am seeing the maṅgala-ārati. So, if you have a mobile phone, or TV with YouTube or something, you can see the Mayapur.tv, you can see the maṅgala-ārati live. I saw many devotees they have in their house, Deities. So as early as possible, get up and chant, and do ārati for your Deities.

We had, what you call here a storm from the North East, called the Kāla-Vaiśākhi, it is a gale wind, about 60 or 80 km an hour. So, few days ago we had the Amphan super cyclone, which did a tremendous damage in Southern Bengal and even Kolkata, and also blew down some trees in Nadia, two of our houses were blown over. It seems that we are having a lot of storms at this time. At the same time, we are having the corona virus. So, I hope that you are all keeping well and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Announcement: Ājānubāhu Gaurahari dāsa from Howrah is sponsoring 108 Bhagavad-gītās, today is his birthday, seeking blessings from Guru Mahārāja.

Jayapatākā Swami: Birthday blessings, ‘kṛṣṇe matir astu’. Everyone chant, Hare Kṛṣṇa for Ajānubāhu Gaurahari dāsa!

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Thank you for sponsoring books. In this way, we hope to distribute many books to the tribals, to the libraries, various people. Thank you very much! Haribol!