|
KC Nectar - Feb 26 | |
| Madhai's prayers to Nityananda Prabhu and his Devotional service From Nityananda Caritamrita. Srila Vrindavan das Thakur Translated by Bhumipati dasa. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, both Jagai and Madhai lived at Nadia as the most pious persons. They woke up early in the morning and bathed in the Ganges at a solitary place. They regularly chanted the holy names of Krsna two hundred thousand times. They constantly condemned themselves and cried while chanting the holy names. Receiving the mercy of Krsna, they became the most magnanimous. They saw everyone as dear to Krsna. Remembering their former envy, they would constantly cry and fall on the ground. "Gauracandra, O dear father, You are the deliverer of the fallen souls." Remembering this constantly, they cried again and again. In ecstatic love for Krsna, they forgot to eat. Remembering the causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya, they would cry repeatedly. Lord Visvambhara and His followers would constantly solace them with sweet and assuring words. Although the Lord personally made them take prasada, this did not pacify their hearts. Particularly Madhai often cried remembering his violence to Nityananda Prabhu. Though Nityananda Prabhu forgave all his offenses, still his mind did not become peaceful. "I made Nityananda bleed." Lamenting constantly like this, he would beat his chest with his hands." The body in which Sri Caitanya enjoys His pastimes, I, the most sinful, have beaten that very same body." Remembering this, Madhai would swoon anew. He had no other activity except crying. Nityananda Prabhu happily wandered all over Nadia in the mood of a young boy. Nityananda Prabhu was naturally most ecstatic. He wandered all over Nadia without any pride. One day seeing Nityananda Prabhu alone, Madhai fell down and caught hold of His feet. He washed Lord Nityananda's feet with the tears of love streaming from his eyes, and taking straw in his mouth, began to offer prayers. "0 Lord, as Visnu, You maintain the entire universe. As Ananta, You hold untold universes on Your hoods. You are the epitome of devotional service. Lord Siva and Parvati always remember You. You bestow Your own devotional service to all. There's no one more dear to Lord Caitanya than You. By Your mercy alone, the most powerful Gaura happily carries Krsna as a matter of pastimes. You chant the glories of Krsna with Your unlimited mouths. You teach people that devotional service is the highest duty. The great sage Narada forever sings Your glories. Lord Caitanya is Your only wealth. Your other name is Divider of River Kalindi. King Janaka received transcendental knowledge by worshipping You. You are the embodiment of all religious principles and You are the original Personality of Godhead. The Vedas describe You as Adideva, or the Primeval Lord. You are the father of the universe and master of all mystic perfections. You are the great archer Laksmanacandra. You are the destroyer of atheists and the master of all who savor devotional mellows. You know the internal mood and mission of Lord Caitanya. By seeing You, Mahamaya herself became worshipable. The innumerable universes desire the shadow of Your lotus feet. You are the devotee of Lord Caitanya and the source of pure devotional service. You are everything to Sri Caitanya. You are the omnipotent Personality of Godhead. "You are the companion, the friend, the resting place, the umbrella, and the life and soul of Sri Caitanya. No one is more dear to Krsna than You. You are the origin of all the incarnations of Sri Gauracandra. O Lord, You save the fallen souls and You destroy the lives of the atheists. You always protect the Vaisnavas and You teach everyone the principles of Vaisnavism. By Your mercy, Lord Brahma creates the cosmic manifestation. Your consorts Revati and Varuni eternally serve you. You are the cause of everything, yet You are aloof from all things. You hold the Lord of countless universes on Your chest. Your transcendental body, the reservoir of all happiness, is as soft as the petals of lotuses. Lord Krsna enjoys His pastimes with your body. I have harmed such a transcendental body. There is none more sinful than I am. Shame on me! Shame on me! "Lord Siva and Parvati along with millions of chaste women worship Your transcendental form as their very life. Worshipping Your form destroys one's material bondage. It is I who injured such a body. By adoring Your divine form, King Citraketu became the foremost Vaisnava and spent a happy and prosperous life. People in innumerable universes meditate upon Your transcendental body. I am so sinful: I tried to harm this body. Service to Your divine form freed the sages at Naimisaranya headed by Saunaka from material bondage. Being envious of this body, Indrajit was destroyed. Being envious of this body, Dvivida was killed. Jarasandha was destroyed by offenses to this body. Since I cut such a body, I have no hope of good fortune. "What to speak of wounding, just for insulting Your transcendental personality, You crushed Rukmi, the brother-in-law of Lord Krsna. Romaharsana Suta, who had a life span equal to Lord Brahma, disregarded You by not welcoming You and was burnt to ashes. By insulting You, King Duryodhana was unable to survive; rather he died along with his entire family. "By providence renowned devotees could easily know You as the cause of all causes. Queen Kunti, Yudhisthira, Bhisma, Vidura and Arjuna confirm your supremacy and greatness. By neglecting You, one's life is doomed. Then where will I, the most sinful, go?" While praying, Madhai floated in love of God. Falling to the ground, he placed the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda on his chest and continued, "0 Lord Nityananda, You are the protector of the surrendered souls. You are the wealth, life and soul of Madhai. All glories to the son of Padmavati! All glories to Nityananda, the treasure of the Vaisnavas! All glories to the most blissful Nityananda who never gets angry. It is befitting to forgive a person who has surrendered unto You. I am the most abominable dog-eater and ungrateful ass. O Lord, please forgive all my offenses." Hearing the humble prayers of Madhai, Nitydnanda Prabhu smiled and said, "Get up, get up, Madhai. You're My servant. I've manifested Myself in your body. Can an affectionate father feel sad if his child hurts him? I took your striking Me like this. Anyone who hears your prayers to Me will definitely become devoted to My lotus feet. You're the recipient of My Lord's mercy. As far as I'm concerned, I don' take even a hint of your offenses. Whoever worships Sri Caitanya is My life and soul. I deliver such a person millennium after millennium. If someone worships Me alone without worshipping Sri Caitanya, I will feel unbearable distress." After saying this, Nityananda Prabhu embraced Madhai. All Madhai's miseries vanished at once. Madhai again caught hold of Lord Nityananda's feet and begged, "My Lord, I have one more request. You reside in the heart of every living entity, and I have become envious and violent to many such living entities. I do not even remember those whom I have hurt. If I could recognize them, I would definitely apologize to them. I wish that those whom I have offended should somehow forgive my offenses. 0 my Lord, if You kindly tell me how to do this, I will forever remain grateful to You." The Lord replied, "Listen as I tell you the ways. Clean and decorate the bathing ghats of the Ganges regularly. When people will take bath happily and comfortably, then they will certainly bless you. This will nullify all your offenses and serve the Ganges as well. What more good fortune do you need than this? Humbly offer obeisances to everyone. Then all your offenses will be forgiven." Being advised by Lord Nityananda, Madhai circumambulated the Lord and departed. When Madhai chanted the holy names Krsna, Krsna, tears would flow from his eyes. People were astonished to see how Madhai cleaned and decorated the bathing ghats of the Ganges. They considered him a wonderful person. He offered them humble obeisances in return. He appealed to everyone, "Please forgive all the offenses I've done knowingly or unknowingly and bestow your mercy on me." Seeing the crying of Madhdi, everyone cried. Out of sheer bliss, they remembered Govinda. When the people of' Nadia heard this, they concluded that Nimai Pandita had turned Jagai and Madhai into glorious Vaisnavas. Hearing this, people were struck with wonder. They all concluded that Nimai Pandita was not an ordinary human being. They said, "Many sinful people criticize Nimai Pandita without grasping His real identity. He truly does kirtana. Nimai Pandita is truly Krsna's servant. Anyone who ridicules Him will be lost. Anyone who can rectify the most degraded Jagai and Madhai must be God Himself or empowered by God. Anyway, Nimai Pandita is not an ordinary mortal being. Now His real glories have been revealed." People of Nadia discussed like this. They did not indulge in any needless criticism. Madhai did severe austerities. Soon he became celebrated in Nadia as a brahmacari, or celibate. Living on the bank of the Ganges, he always saw her flowing waves. He personally used a shovel to build the bathing ghat. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, one can see the ruins of his ghat, which was popularly known as Madhaira-ghat, even today. The causeless mercy of Lord Caitanya and Prabhu Nityananda turned both plunderers into pure devotees. The topics of Madhya-khanda are like drops of nectar describing the salvation of formidable atheists. The principle cause of all this is Mahaprabhu Gauracandra. Anyone who feels distress by hearing this is certainly a cheater. The topics of Srlia Caitanya are unknown even to the four Vedas. Therefore, please continue hearing them attentively. Accepting Sri Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu as my life and soul, I, Vrndavana dasa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet. |