NANDANA ACARYA

Nandana Acarya saw the best of the Maha-Bhagavatas standing before him, His bodily effulgence shining like the rays of the sun. Dressed in the garb of an avadhuta, His body appeared very large, like the trunk of a great tree. He was continuously and intensely absorbed in a very grave mood and appeared very serene and calm. He incessantly repeated the name of Krsna and thus it is understood that he is the other, one without a second, abode of Caitanya. In other words it is he who reveals Lord Caitanya to the inhabitants of the three worlds.

Occasionally he would roar very loudly while experiencing ecstatic love within Himself. He appeared to be highly intoxicated like Balarama Himself. His lotus face was so captivating that it stole the mind away, a beauty which defeated ten million moons. His charming smile, which plays on His lips, gives life to this otherwise dead and dying world. The rays of light, which shine from His teeth, defeat the splendour of pearls. And His wide, reddish eyes, the colour of the eastern sky in the early morning, enhance the radiance of His lotus face. His arms extend down to His knees and His chest is raised and erect. Though His lotus feet are very soft, He is a very accomplished traveller. Bestowing His mercy on everyone, He makes them completely satisfied. Simply by hearing His sweet words one becomes free from the bondage of his material activities.

Nityananda Raya has now come to Nadiya pur and so the whole world raises an uproar with loud cries of joy. Who is there, who is formidable enough, to pronounce His glories? He who broke the sannyasa staff of Sri Gauranga. The whole universe is purified by uttering the name of Him, who delivered so many fallen fools and merchants. Thus Nandana Acarya was very delighted to have such a person in his home and so he kept Him there and served Him to the best of his ability. Whomsoever hears of the arrival of Sri Nityananda Candra in Navadvipa, will undoubtedly be able to procure the great wealth of love of God. Boli hari jai!

Sri Visvambhara could understand that Nityananda had arrived and this filled Him with unending happiness. He would make remarks alluding to this fact, but no one could penetrate into the inner meaning of His words. "O my brothers! Within two or three days a great Mahapurusa will come here."

On the actual day of Nityananda Prabhu's arrival, the Vaisnavas happened to all come together in the morning at Sri Gauracandra's house, while He was engaged in worshiping Lord Visnu. He then narrated to them, "Today I saw a very wonderful dream. A chariot, decorated with a flag on which was emblazoned the insignia of a palm tree, came and stopped before my door. I could understand that this chariot had come to give substance to this otherwise meaningless world.

Seated upon that chariot, was a very powerful looking personality, carrying a great plough on His shoulder. He appeared to be restless. In His left hand, He carried a cane, to which was tied his waterpot. He wore blue cloth on his head, as well as the other parts of His body. In his left ear hung a very dazzling earring. I thought that His mood and manners exactly resembled those of Sri Haladhara. Then that wonderful personality inquired, "Is this the house of Nimai Pandita?" At least ten or twenty times He asked this question. In the dress of a maha avadhuta He appeared extremely formidable. In fact I don't think that I have seen anywhere before anyone as powerful as He. Seeing Him, I felt very much awed and so I inquired: "May I know something of Your distinguished and illustrious self?" Then He laughed and replied, "I am Your brother. We will make each others acquaintance tomorrow." When I heard these words, My happiness increased even further. I even began to forget my own existence, feeling that I had become the same as this wonderful visitor."

While speaking of His dream, Prabhu's external consciousness retreated far away and He began to roar very loudly again and again, totally imbued with the mood and manner of Sri Haladhara.

"Bring me my wine, bring me liquor!", called Prabhu. His menacing shouts were almost enough to shatter one's eardrums. Srivasa tried to pacify Him, "Hear me Gosai! The liquor that you want is just by Your side. Whatever You wish to distribute to someone, he will easily obtain that." The devotees retreated to some distance, their bodies trembling with fear, while they simply gazed with wide open eyes upon what was happening. In their minds, the devotees considered, "There must be some explanation for all this!

Prabhu continued to storm in a rage, his eyes shining like the morning sky during th sunrise. His gait was unsteady, as He laughed to Himself. Truly He appeared just like Sankarsana.

After a few moments however, Prabhu again appeared situated in His normal self. Then Murari Gupta began to explain Prabhus dream according to his interpretation. "To me it appears that some Mahapurusa has come here (to Nadia). Prabhu exclaimed, "I already told you that much. I asked you all where that distinguished person is, whom I am destined to meet. Go Hari dasa! Go Srivasa Pandita! Go and look everywhere to see if anyone has recently arrived here."

Thus these two stalwart Mahabhagavata devotees, in accordance with the order of the Lord, began to wander throughout Navadvipa, keeping their eyes open, and their hearts filled with the joy of expectation. While they looked hither and thither, they remarked to each other, "It is my conjecture that Lord Sankarasana Himself has arrived here." Though they looked and wandered, being as they were overwhelmed with ecstasy, their actual inquiries, which amounted only to the space of half a moment, bore no result. Finally, after wandering around Nadia nagara for nine hours, they returned to Prabhu, only to report, that they had seen no one. This news they submitted at the Lord's lotus feet, saying, "We did not see anyone specifically possessed of any uncommon attributes. Though we looked in the homes of everyone, be they Vaisnava, Sannyasi's, householders, or even the infidels. As far as Navadvipa goes, we have looked everywhere. The only places we were not able to search, are in the nearby villages.

Sri Gauracandra simply laughed at hearing their report. By some artifice, He now began to intimate something of the mysterious and esoteric position of Nityananda. During this incarnation, some people sing the glories of Sri Gauracandra, but when they hear mention of the name Nityananda, they get up and run away. However, this is likened unto those who worship Govinda, but who have no regard for Lord Sankara. Due to this sin, many will have to go to the house of Yamaraja. The incarnation of Lord Nityananda is a treasure house of many profound and concealed secrets. Only those who have been shown these mysteries, by Sri Caitanya, are able to penetrate their hidden meaning. However, those who, without proper understanding criticise Nityananda Prabhu's unfathomable character, though they may even possess some devotion to Lord Visnu, must nevertheless meet with many impediments and hindrances. Srivasa, and the other devotees are perfectly conversant with all of the truths regarding Him. It was only part of the pastime of the Lord, that they were not able to find Him.

After a few moments, Prabhu smiled and told them: "Come along with Me, and I will show you were He is." So it was that with great exultation the devotees set out with Mahaprabhu all the while raising a hue and cry of "Jaya Krsna!" Sri Gaurasundara took them directly to Nandana Acarya's house, wherein He Himself immediately entered. There was seated a very high souled and saintly person, appearing like a valuable gem stone, and who appeared to those present as the simultaneous presence of ten million suns. His imperceptible absorption in devotional service, was beyond understanding. Totally absorbed in the object of His meditation, His lotus face displayed a perpetual smile. Through union in devotion, Nityananda could understand that His Prabhu had arrived. And thus He offered His salutations to the Lord along with all of His associates. All of the devotees remained standing in order to show proper respect, as they all remained perfectly silent, while simply taking in this scene through their eyes. Mahaprabhu, Visvambhara remained in front, having recognised Nityananda, the Lord of His life.

The form of Sri Visvambhara is like that of Cupid himself, adorned with heavenly scented flower garlands and first class clothes, which are very light and soft to the touch. What is the effulgence of gold compared to the radiance emanating from His body? By seeing His beautiful face the moon himself develops a longing for such beauty. The captivating and enchanting forms of Sri Gauranga-Nityananda Raya literally steal ones mind away. As they wander throughout the town of Nadia, in the company of their devoted followers. Simply by seeing the radiance emanating from their teeth one forgets about the value of pearls. And by seeing their beautiful locks of hair, bound with strings of pearls, one loses his consciousness all together, and falls into a swoon.

By seeing their wide expanded eyes, one can think only of lotus flowers. Their hands extending down to their knees, with their chest highly raised, and decorated with very fine strands of white thread (i.e. brahman threads). Their foreheads were decorated with beautiful lines of tilaka and though Their bodily limbs are unadorned by ornaments, still they appear very attractive. Simply by seeing the radiance emanating from the nails of Their lotus feet, one forgets entirely about the splendour of tens of millions of jewels. By seeing the laughter which emanates from Their lotus faces, one forgets all about the qualities of nectar.

Thus Vrndavana dasa sings of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya and Nityananda Candra, who are his life and soul.