Çré-Nityänandäñöaka

“Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord Nityänanda”

by Çréla Våndävana däsa Öhäkura

Translated by Kuçakratha däsa

TEXT 1

sarac-candra-bhräntià sphurad-amala-käntià gaja-gatià

hari-premonmattaà dhåta-parama-sattvaà smita-mukham

sadäghürëan-netraà kara-kalita-vetraà kali-bhidaà

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

sarat—autumn; candra—the moon; bhräntim—appearance; sphurat—shining; amala—pure; käntim—splendid beauty; gaja-gatim—graceful gait of an elephant; hari—for Lord Hari; prema—by pure love; unmattam—maddened; dhåta—carries (i.e., is); parama—Supreme; sattvam—Truth; smita—smiling; mukham—face; sadä—always; ghürëat—rolling; netram—eyes; kara—in His hand; kalita—placed; vetram—cowherd-boy’s stick; kali—Kali-yuga; bhidam—dispersing; bhaje—I worship; nityänandam—Lord Nityänanda; bhajana—of devotional service; taru—of the tree; kandam—the root; niravadhi—limitless.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. As He walks with the grace of a majestic elephant, His pure, splendid beauty shines like the full autumn moon. though He Himself is the Absolute Truth, He is maddened with pure love for Lord Hari. He smiles as He rolls His eyes in apparent intoxication, He carries a stick in His hand [in the mood of a cowherd boy], and He breaks the power of the Age of Kali.

TEXT 2

rasänäm ägäraà svajana-gaëa-sarvasvam atulaà

tadéyaika-präëa-pramita-vasudhä-jähnava-patim

sadä-premonmädaà param aviditaà manda-manasäm

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

rasänäm—of the mellows of devotional service; ägäraà—abode; svajana—of His devotees; gaëa—of the multitude; sarvasvam—the be-all and end-all; atulam—without compare; tadéya—His own; eka—only; präëa—life breath; pramita—measured; vasudhä—vasudhä; jähnava—jähnava; patim—Lord; sadä—always; prema—by pure love of Godhead;; unmädam—maddened; param—the the supreme Lord; aviditam—not known; manda-manasäm—by the dim-witted.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He is the abode of the mellows of devotional service, and no one can be compared to Him. He is the be-all and end-all for His devotees, and the husband of Vasudhä and Jähnava, to whom He is more dear than life itself. Because He is always maddened with pure love for Kåñëa, the foolish nondevotees cannot understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

TEXT 3

çacé-sünu-preñöhaà nikhila-jagad-iñöaà sukha-mayaà

kalau majjaj-jivoddharaëa-karaëoddäma-karuëam

harer äkhyänäd vä bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haraà

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

çacé—of Çacé-devé; sünu—to the son (Lord Caitanya); preñöham—most dear; nikhila—entire; jagat—by the universe; iñöam—worshiped; sukha-mayam—happyy; kalau—in the Kali-yuga; majjat—immersed; jéva—conditioned souls; uddharaëa—rescue; karaëa—cause; uddäma—great; karuëam—mercy; hareù—of Lord Hari; äkhyänät—by chantng the holy name; vä—or; bhava—of material existence; jaladhi—of the ocean; garva—of the pride; unnati—increase; haram—removing.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He is very dear to the son of Çacé-devé and is worshiped by the entire universe. Out of His great mercy He chants the holy name of Lord Hari, thus rescuing the souls drowning in the age of Kali and crushing the pride of the ocean of repeated birth and death.

TEXT 4

aye bhrätar néëäà kali-kaluñiëäà kià nu bhavitä

tathä präyaçcittaà racaya yad-anäyäsata ime

vrajanti tväm itthaà saha bhagavatä mantrayati yo

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

aye—O; bhrätaù—brother; néëäm—of the people; kali—of the Kali-yuga; kaluñiëäm—full of the sins; kim nu—how much more?; bhavitä—will be; tathä—in that way; präyaçcittam—atonement; racaya—please make; yat—because; anäyäsataù—with ease; ime—these; vrajanti—go; tväm—to you; ittham—in this way; saha—with; bhagavatä—the Lord; mantrayati—consults; yaù—who.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He said to Lord Caitanya, “O brother, the people are all becoming infected by the sins of Kali-yuga. How will they atone for these sins? Please give them a way to easily approach You.”

TEXT 5

yatheñöhaà re bhrätaù kuru hari-hari-dhvänam aniçaà

tato vaù saàsärämbudhi-taraëa-däyo mayi laget

idaà bähu-sphoöair aöati raöayan yaù pratigåham

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

yathä-iñöam—if you wish; re—O; bhrätaù—brother; kuru—please perform; hari-hari—Hari Hari; dhvänam—sound; aniçam—constantly; tataù—therefore; vaù—of you; saàsära—of material existence; ambudhi—of the ocean; taraëa—the crossing; däyaù—gift; mayi—to me; laget—may be; idam—this; bähu—of the arms; sphoöaiù—raising; aöati—walks; raöayan—shouting; yaù—who; prati-gåham—to every house.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He went to each house in Bengal and, raising His arms, said, “ O brother, if you will, please constantly chant the holy name of Lord Hari. If you do this, you will become free from the ocean of repeated a death. Please give Me this gift of your liberation.”

TEXT 6

balät saàsärämbhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho

satäà çreyaù-sindhünnati-kumuda-bandhuà samuditaà

khala-çreëé-sphürjit-timira-hara-sürya-prabham ahaà

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

balät—violently; saàsära—of material existence; ambhonidhi—of the ocean; harana—removing; kumbha-udbhavam—Agastya Muni (who was born from a pot); aho—O; satäm—of the saintly devotees; çreyaù—of the good fortune; sindhu—the ocean; unnati—expanding; kumuda—of the lotus; bandhum—the friend (the moon); samuditam—rising; khala—of the demons; çreëé—of the multitude; sphürjit—manifested; timira—darkness; hara—removal; sürya—sun; prabham—splendor; aham—I.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He is the Agastya Muni who forcibly swallows the ocean of repeated death. He is a rising full moon (friend of the night-blooming lotus) who expands the ocean of the saintly devotees’ good fortune. He is the blazing sun who extinguishes the darkness of the community of demons.

TEXT 7

naöantaà gäyantaà harim anuvadantaà pathi pathi

vrajantaà paçyantaà svam api na dayantaà jana-gaëam

prakurvantaà santaà sa-karuëa-dåg-antaà prakalanäd

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

naöantam—dancing; gäyantam—singing; harim—Hari; anuvadantam—saying; pathi pathi—in every road; vrajantam—going; paçyantam—seeing; svam api—own relative; na—not; dayantam—sympathizing; jana—of the people; gaëam—multitude; prakurvantam—doing; santam—the saintly devotees; sa—with; karuëa—mercy; dåk—of the eyes; antam—corner; prakalanät—slightly.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He traveled on every path, dancing, singing the names of Lord Hari, and describing His glories. Without considering His own interests, He was merciful to the people, and He cast upon them His merciful sidelong glance.

TEXT 8

su-bibhräëaà bhrätuù kara-sarasijaà komalataraà

mitho vakträlokocchalita-paramänanda-hådayam

bhramantaà mädhuryair ahaha madayantaà pura-janän

bhaje nityänandaà bhajana-taru-kandaà niravadhi

su—nicely; bibhränam—holding; bhrätuù—of His brother (Lord Caitanya); kara—hand; sarasijam—lotus; komalataram—very soft and beautiful; mithaù—together; vaktra—face; äloka—by seeing; ucchalita—arisen; parama—transcendental; änanda—bliss; hådayam—heart; bhramantam—wandering; mädhuryaiù—with sweetness; ahaha—O; madayantam—delighting; pura—of the towns; janän—the people.

I worship Lord Nityänanda, the limitless root of the tree of devotional service. He fondly grasped His brother Lord Caitanya’s soft and beautiful lotus hand, and together they wandered here and there, delighting the townspeople with Their sweet beauty. They both became filled with bliss when They gazed upon each other’s lotus faces.

TEXT 9

rasänäà ädhäraà rasika-vara-sad-vaiñëava-dhanaà

rasägäraà säraà patita-tati-täraà smaraëataù

paraà nityänandäñöakam idam apürvaà pathati yaù

tad-aìghri-dvandväbjaà sphuratu nitaräà tasya hådaye

rasänäm—of the mellows of devotional service; ädhäram—reservoir; rasika—expert at relishing the mellows of devotional service; vara—excellent; sat—pious; vaiñëava—of the devotees of the Lord; dhanam—the wealth; rasa—of the sweet taste of devotional service; ägäram—the abode; säram—the best; patita—of the fallen conditioned souls; tati—of the multitude; täram—the liberation; smaranataù—from remembering; param—transcendental; nityänanda—glorifying Lord Nityänanda; añöakam—eight verses; idam—this; apürvam—unprecendented; paöhati—reads; yaù—who; tat—His (Lord Nityänanda’s); aìghri—feet; dvandva—two; abjam—lotus; sphuratu—may be manifested; nitaräm—constantly; tasya—his; hådaye—in the heart.

These eight verses glorifying Lord Nityänanda are the abode of the mellows of devotional service, and they are the wealth of the pure devotees expert at relishing those mellows. All the fallen, conditioned souls can get liberation just by remembering them. These verses are very excellent, transcendental, and unprecedented. May the two lotus feet of Lord Nityänanda appear eternally in the hearts of those who read these verses and remember the Lord.