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Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda

Wednesday 31 January 2007

Please come along with your family and friends to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

Glories of Lord Nityananda

Sri Krishna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda
Sri Advaita Gadhadhara Srivasa Adi Gaura Bhakta Vrnda

Just as Lord Caitanya is Sri Krishna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Nityananda is Sri Balarama, Sri Krishna's first expansion and elder brother. Therefore Lord Nityananda appeared some years before Lord Caitanya, although in a different family. Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda are also called Gaura and Nitai.

Nityananda Prabhu was born in Ekacakra, a small village in present West Bengal, around the year 1474. His birthsite is commemorated by a temple named Garbhasva and is visited by throngs of pilgrims today. His father, Hadai Ojha and mother Padmavati, were pious Brahmans originally from Mithila. Nityananda Prabhu was born on the auspicious thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Maga. As a child, Nitai (as Nityananda Prabhu was called), loved to enact the pastimes of Sri Krishna or Lord Rama. He did this so authoritatively and with such rapture, that the entire village would be immersed in the love of Godhead.

Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rarely is the name Nimai (Caitanya Mahaprabhu) taken without that of Nitai (Lord Nityananda). Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru of all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His devotees. He is the Lord's active principle in both creation and lila. He is the second body of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Sri Krishna, Lakshman to Sri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All other forms and expansions of the Lord emanate from this second body. Nityananda Prabhu is thus the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu's, and Ananta Sesa. As Vishnu tattva He and Advaita Acarya are worshipped in the same category as Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In the manifested earthly lila, Nityananda Prabhu is senior to Caitanya Mahaprabhu by more than a decade. He is statuesque, like His Master, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset. He has a deep melodious voice, constant singing the glories of Sri Krishna and carries a red stick with benedictions for the devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows what He will do next.

Like two suns appearing in the horizon, Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda appeared along with the pancha-tattva to dissipate the veil of ignorance that covered the hearts of the conditioned souls. Eternally known as bothers, Nimai and Nitai performed sankirtan in the streets of Nadia and thus uplifted the hearts of many of it’s residents and thus krsna-prema or love of god was able to manifest in hearts that were once considered barren. Even those that evaded Mahaprabhu’s grips were unable to escape the merciful grips of Lord Nityananda for he was relentless. Though the Supreme Lord of all, Lord Nityananda humbly begged each door he went to chant the name of “Gauranga” and thus fulfil life’s goal.

It is known by the great devotees of the Lord that the only way to the divine couple is through Mahaprabhu and the only way to Lord Caitanya is by surrendering to Lord Nityananda who is represented by Sri Guru. Who then will not take the opportunity and surrender to the unlimitedly merciful Lord Nityananda? With His most beautiful and elegant form, body of golden hue, words as sweet as nectar, splendor greater than that of millions of moons, arms that stretched down to his knees, pearls of sweat that trickled down his soft form, tongue that continuously vibrated the sweet name of “Gaura, Gaura”, and the manifestation of a variety of symptoms of love of god, Nitai charmed the whole universe.

“Anyone who desires to cross to the farther shore of the ocean of birth and death, and then dive into the ocean of devotional service, should worship Lord Nityananda.”. Lord Nityananda is very dear to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and thus those who want his favour must humbly take shelter of Lord Nityananda who is very merciful even to the most fallen and destitute devoid of any good qualities. By thus surrendering to Lord Nityananda with faith and humility and imploring His mercy one can thus receive all auspiciousness, end the cycle of ignorance and firmly be situated in the boat of krsna-prema.

Donations

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Manau-siksha

(1) nitäi-pada-kamala, koöi-candra-suçétala je chäyäy jagata juräy heno nitäi bine bhäi, rädhä-kåñëa päite näi dåòha kori’ dharo nitäir päy

(1) The lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityänanda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Rädhä-Kåñëa. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Rädhä-Kåñëa, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda.

(2) Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityänanda Prabhu is understood to have spoiled his valuable human birth. Such a human being is actually an uncontrollable animal. Because he never uttered the holy name of Nityänanda, he has become merged into so-called material happiness. What can his useless education and family tradition do to help him?

(3) Being maddened after false prestige and identification with the body, one is thinking, Oh, what is Nityänanda? What can He do for me? I don't care.î The result is that he is accepting something false to be truth. If you actually want to approach the association of Rädhä-Kåñëa, you must first achieve the mercy of Lord Nityänanda. When He is merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Rädhä-Kåñëa. Therefore you should firmly grasp the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda.

(4) The lotus feet of Nityänanda are not illusion; they are a fact. One who engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityänanda is also transcendental. Always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda. This Narottama däsa is very unhappy, therefore I am praying to Lord Nityänanda to make me happy. My dear Lord, please keep me close to Your lotus feet.