20230405 By the Mercy of Nityānanda, the Dacoit Leader Obtains Love of Kṛṣṇa

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on April 5th,2023 Los Angeles,California, USA.

By the Mercy of Nityānanda, the Dacoit Leader Obtains Love of Kṛṣṇa
Under the Section: The Pastimes of Nityānanda

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.635

patitapāvana nityānandera dasyudala-uddhāra —

kṛpā-maya nityānanda-candra avatāra
śuni’ karilena dasyu-gaṇera uddhāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda Candra is the incarnation of mercy. Hearing the prayers of the dacoit leader, He delivered those dacoits.

So, dacoits mean armed robbers and Lord Nityānanda He has a great sense of humor and He is also mercy personified, so I was telling some of these pastimes when we arrived. We see Lord Caitanya, he took sannyāsa and He was dressed very austere and He told Lord Nityānanda to dress opulently as a cowherd leader, King so Lord Nityānanda He had diamond earring, he had pearl necklaces and also other necklaces of golden jewels, armbands of golden jewels, on every finger He had rings with jewels, ankle bells. So, a group of dacoits they saw this, thinking, a great mercy of the Goddess Candi, we are getting millions in one place, we just steal from Lord Nityānanda all these wealth and we are gone have incalculable wealth, Goddess Candi ki Jaya! The dacoits the armed robbers in India they worship Candi, who is the incarnation of Durgā in the mode of ignorance or expansion. The leader of the dacoits was a very sinful person born in a brāhmaṇa family. Normally brāhmaṇas are merciful but he was serial killer, he was cold hearted, he would kill in cold blood, he said to the other dacoits that now is our chance we got all the jewels all the gold in one place. So, they all got armed up swords, shield, trident they were ready. ? Then they went to the house where Lord Nityānanda was staying, they sent someone to peak someone as a spy and Lord Nityānanda was taking prasāda and around Lord Nityānanda were various associates who were chanting in ecstasy and someone of them were roaring, Gaurāṅga! so the spy he went back, he said in Bengali, bhāta kache, Eating his rice! ? We say like take prasāda or anna kache! But that is a slang way of saying in Bengali. Anyway, He was surrounded by devotees, by people, they were all awake and all of them were chanting and dancing. And the leader, “it’s alright, they will eat and then sleep, then we will do our job! Let us go and sit down and wait for them.”

So, they sat under a tree and were discussing – one said, “I will steal His diamond earrings!”. one said, “I will steal His pearl necklace!” Like this, they were meditating on all parts – another said I will steal His silver ankle bells.

So, actually somehow Lord Nityānanda spread His illusory potency over them and they all fell asleep! When the sun rose, they were still sleeping. The crows started caw! caw! started making their beautiful sound! Then they woke up and everyone said to each other, you are sleeping! Another said, Ya, you were wide awake haan? Then they had all their arms with them in daylight, they couldn’t go back as they could be caught, so they hid their arms and they went back. One of them said, that’s because we didn’t worship Candi, the leader he said, we have to offer meat and wine to Goddess Candi. So, then next day they worshiped Candi ready with all their arms as well and they saw there were soldiers guarding the house. Each solider was like super human! Looked like he could kill a hundred people if they have to! So they said, if we stay here we will get caught. Maybe some king is coming to see the Avadhuta and he brought his whole infantry. So we will go back and when they leave we will come again. So they went home and they came back after a week or ten days.

Lord Nityananda, each time He was playing another joke on them. Now they came with their arms, ready to go. And then they were scheming, the robbery, they were ready but this was the third time, they say a cloud came over and it became pitch dark. They couldn’t see, they were like blind. They couldn’t use torches; they did not have flash lights those days. They would be exposed and around the house there was a ditch and some fell in the ditch, some fell in the hole where they fill in the remnants of food, they were all the time being bitten by leaches and other insects. Some fell in the nearby canal and broke their bones. So, they were suffering great difficulty. Then Indra, he sent rain and even hailstorms, they were really suffering like anything. They wanted to cause harm to Lord Nityānanda, but He was playing harm on them. Somehow, they escaped, then the leader of the dacoits, the leader of the armed robbers, he got the mercy of Lord Nityananda. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa says I give remembrance and forgetfulness. So, the dacoit leader after all these experiences his heart softened and he remembered. He went to Lord Nityānanda and said that “I am a great sinner and even if we trip and fall on the ground, we have to take shelter of the ground to stand up. I wanted to harm You and it was appropriate that we had to suffer so much. Now I realize that You are actually the Supreme Lord.”

So, Lord Nityānanda asked what to do, some people said that he may be faking, he is a thief. Lord Nityānanda asked him, “what is your realization?” He said, “I came to steal from You, to harm You. And I should go in the Ganges and take my life.” He was crying, rolling on the ground. After hearing the dacoit leader, Lord Nityananda continues. This is where we were till now.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.636

dasyugaṇera yābatīya daṇḍa o utpāta-mocana, gṛhe gamana o gaṅgāsnāna—

ei mata cintite sakala dasyu-gaṇa
sabāra haila dui cakṣu-vimocana

Jayapatākā Swami: In this way all the armed robbers they were all thinking, both of their eyes were opened, So not only the dacoit leader, the serial killer, but all the dacoits got this realization.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.637

nityānanda-svarūpera śaraṇa-prabhāve
jhaḍa-vṛṣṭi āra kāra dehe nāhi lāge

Jayapatākā Swami: By the influence of taking shelter of Lord Nityānanda Svarupa, the rainstorm, the hailstorm did not fall on anyone’s bodies.

In other words, since they took the shelter of Lord Nityānanda, they admitted their sins, their faults, then they were saved from the rainstorm, the hailstorm.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.638

kata-kṣaṇe patha dekhi’ saba dasyu-gaṇa
mṛta-prāya haye sabe karilā gamana

Jayapatākā Swami: Because they had surrendered to Lord Nityānanda, after a while they could see the path. All the dacoits, the last test was so severe that they almost dead, so all of them then went home, away from there to their homes.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.639

sabe ghare giyā sei mate dasyu-gaṇa
gaṅgā-snāna karilena giyā sei-kṣaṇa

Jayapatākā Swami: All of them went home, in this way the dacoits immediately took bath in the holy river Ganges.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.640

dasyusenāpati dvijera nityānanda-caraṇe uddhārārtha prārthanā o nityānanda-kṛpāya prema-bhakti-lābha—

dasyu-senāpati dvija kāndite kāndite
nityānanda-caraṇe āilā sei mate

Jayapatākā Swami: The leader of the dacoits, they call him as a senāpati, which means like the general, the commander of the dacoits, he was born in a brāhmaṇa family. He was crying and he came to take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda. Haribol.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.641

vasiyā āchena nityānanda viśvanātha
patita-janere kari’ śubha dṛṣṭi-pāta

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda, the Lord of the universe, He was sitting casting His auspicious glance on the fallen souls.

So, Lord Caitanya had told Lord Nityānanda that You should go back to Bengal. We have descended from the spiritual world, We promised that We would deliver four types of people who are normally not delivered – the foolish, the lowborn, the fallen and the distressed.

So, Lord Caitanya said, if We are both here in Jagannātha Purī, then who will do that? So, You should go back and continue Your preaching. So, Lord Nityānanda went back and this what happened and many things happened. There was the pastime of Pānihāṭi, then He went in Ādi Saptagrama he visited all the business people, who are normally busy making money. He got all of them to chant Hare Krsna, and one of them is the forefather of Śrīla Prabhupāda! Like this He went back to Navadvīpa and He saw Mother Śacī. Then He was doing His pastimes in Navadvīpa, all the dacoits, the armed robbers, they saw He had so much wealth they thought they would steal from Him. So now, after them going through these three tests, he is sitting there giving out His mercy.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.642

catur-dike bhakta-gaṇa kare hari-dhvani
ānande huṅkāra kare avadhūta-maṇi

Jayapatākā Swami: Haribol! Nitāi Gaura! Śrī Śrī Rukmiṇī Dvārakānātha, Rukmiṇī Dvārakādish, Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā ki jaya!

So, the devotees in the four directions were chanting the holy name of Hari. Haribol! The crest jewel of the avadhūtas, Lord Nityānanda, He roared in ecstasy. Haribol!

You are so fortunate that you have Nitāi-Gaura here. They come simply to deliver the four types of people that I have mentioned, are there any one like that in North America - people who think they are the body, foolish, people who are lowborn, people who are fallen, break the four principles, at least previously, and people who are distressed in the material world, losing their loved ones and suffer diseases? So somehow, I tell the people in Mumbai they go to Radha-Rasabīhāri and Lalītā Viśākā, and Sitā-Rāma Lakṣmaṇā, Hanuman, usually the altar of Gaura Nitāi is somewhat empty. Actually, it is only by the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura that we could worship Rukmiṇī Dvārakādiśa and Jagannātha, Baladeva, Subhadrā. Haribol! Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying how one-time Nārada muni and different devas, they came to watch how the devotees mlecchas, the yavanas were dancing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So, if you ever feel some special ecstasy, it maybe it is because some of the devas or Nārada nuni is watching!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.643

sei mahādasyu dvija henai samaya
‘trāhi’ bali’ bāhu tuli’ daṇḍavat haya

Jayapatākā Swami: So, at that time, when Lord Nityānanda was casting His merciful glance on all the fallen souls, the great dacoit leader brāhmaṇa, he arrived there, and raising his two arms he called out, “Please protect me!” and offered his prostrate obeisances. This is the hardhearted serial killer, cold hearted, he got completely reformed by the mercy of Lord Nityānanda.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.644

āpāda-mastaka pulakita saba aṅga
niravadhi aśru-dhārā vahe, mahākampa

Jayapatākā Swami: From His head to His feet, the hairs on all the limbs of His body stood o end. Constantly streams of tears flowed from his eyes. He body trembled greatly. This was the change of this coldhearted dacoit leader. This was the mercy of Lord Nityānanda!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.645

huṅkāra garjana niravadhi kare preme
bāhya nāhi jāne vipra karaye krandane

Jayapatākā Swami: The dacoit commander, he constantly roared the Harināma and thundered in ecstatic love. The brāhmaṇa did not have any external consciousness of his body as he cried.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.646

nityānanda-svarūpera prabhāva dekhiyā
āpanā-āpani nāce haraṣita haiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the opulences of Nityānanda Svarūpa, the dacoit leader automatically all by himself began to dance in joy.

You see Lord Nityānanda, He wasn’t stereotyped, and Jagāi-Mādhāi, we know how Mādhāi broke a bottle of wine on His head, and Lord Caitanya came with His Sudarśana Cakra to kill him, but Lord Nityānanda said that, “just because you caused Me to bleed, does that mean I will not give you love of Godhead?” So Jagāi was saying, “look Mādhāi, you just beat the guy and caused Him to bleed and He is talking about love?” Jagāi is talking to his brother Mādhāi. But when Lord Caitanya, He heard that Lord Nityānanda was struck he called the Sudarśana. Then Lord Nityānanda was telling Lord Caitanya that look You came to deliver the fallen, if You don’t deliver them, then what’s the purpose of our coming? Because in Kali-yuga there will be so many miscreants like this. So every time Lord Nityānanda has a different pastime - it is not stereotype. So here a gang of armed dacoits, they came to attack Lord Nityānanda and He played different jokes on them. Apparently, He really gave it to them bad! But they are armed robbers, they are not like cultured people! Nitāi! Nitāi! (laughing loudly)

Anyway, read the next verse.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.647

“trāhi bāpa nityānanda patita-pāvana!”
bāhu tuli’ ei-mata bale ghane ghana

Jayapatākā Swami: “Protect, O Lord, Nityānanda, deliverer of the fallen souls,” raising his arms, in this way he said again and again.

So, he is begging, deliver me, protect me. Now we see that Lord Nityānanda gave him mercy to have a complete change of heart.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.648

dekhi’ hailena sabe parama vismita
“e-mata dasyura kena e-mata carita”

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing this, everyone became greatly wondered, “Such a dacoit leader! how his action has become like this? He is crying begging for mercy.?”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.649

keha bale,—“māyā vā kariyā āsiyāche
kona pāka kariyā vā hānā deya pāche”

Jayapatākā Swami: Somebody said that, “maybe he has come in deception, finding some opportunity, he may attack later.”

Purport: By nature, duplicitous people externally exhibit simplicity and humility, but when the opportunity arises, they engage in illicit activities.

Jayapatākā Swami: So there is a saying in Bengali, ati bhakti chorer lakhan - too much bhakti could be sign of a thief, “how this leader suddenly changed so much, may be he is deceiving.”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.650

keha bale,—“nityānanda patita-pāvana
kṛpāya ihāra vā haila bhāla mana”

Jayapatākā Swami: Someone else said, Lord Nityānanda is the deliverer of the fallen souls. By His mercy, this dacoit’s heart has become good.”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.651

pūrva dasyuviprera premavikāra-darśane nityānandera viprake āmūlavṛttānta-jijñāsā—

viprera atyanta prema-vikāra dekhiyāji
jñāsila nityānanda īṣat hāsiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: On seeing the great transformations of ecstatic love in that brāhmaṇa thief, Lord Nityānanda slightly smiled and inquired from him.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.652

prabhu bale,—“kaha dvija, ki tomāra rīta
baḍa ta’ tomāra dekhi adbhuta-carita

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Nityānanda said, “tell Me, O brāhmaṇa, what kind of behavior is this? I see that your behavior appears most wonderful in character.”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.653

ki dekhilā, ki śunilā kṛṣṇa-anubhava
kichu cintā nāhi, akapaṭe kaha saba”

Jayapatākā Swami: “What did you see, what did you hear about your realization about Lord Kṛṣṇa? Tell something of this. There is nothing to worry about, tell everything openly.”

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.654

śuniyā prabhura vākya sukṛti brāhmaṇa
kahite nā pāre kichu, karaye krandana

Jayapatākā Swami: Hearing Lord Nityānanda’s words, the pious brāhmaṇa could not say anything, he simply cried.

Previously they described this brāhmaṇa as a sinful brāhmaṇa, but now they are saying sukṛti dvija, pious brāhmaṇa.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 5.655

gaḍāgaḍi’ yāya paḍi’ sakala aṅgane
hāse, kānde nāce, gāya āpanā-āpane

Jayapatākā Swami: Falling on the ground, he rolled about throughout the courtyard, all by himself, he laughed, cried, danced, and sang.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, By the Mercy of Nityānanda, the Dacoit Leader Obtains Love of Kṛṣṇa
Under the section: The Pastimes of Nityānanda

So I read the pastimes every day in India and my secretaries who do the book publishing, they say that I should finish the book, I should continue to translate during my trip to the USA. So I hope it is alright?

I never heard these pastimes before. How Lord Nityānanda He got the whole gang of robbers, like mafia, to surrender to Him. Gave them love of Krsna! Gives us so hope. Haribol!