Chapter 11. The Light of Nabadwip

শ্রীনবদ্বীপ বৃন্দাবন অভিন্ন

sri-navadvipa vrndavana abhinna

Sri Nabadwip and Vrndavan are nondifferent

ব্রহ্মাণ্ডে ধরণী ধন্য, ধরায় গৌড়-ক্ষৌণী ধন্য ।
গৌড়ে নবদ্বীপ ধন্য দ্ব্যষ্টক্রোশ জগৎ মান্য ॥১॥

brahmāṇḍe dharaṇī dhanya, dharāya gauḍa-kṣauṇī dhanya
gauḍe navadvīpa dhanya dvyaṣṭa-krośa jagat mānya [1]

brahmande–Within the universe, dharani–the earth [is] dhanya–glorious; dharaya–on the earth, gauda-ksauni–the land of Gauda [is] dhanya–glorious; [and] gaude–within Gauda, navadvipa–Nabadwip [is] dhanya–glorious. [Its] dvyasta-krosa–thirty-two miles [are] manya–revered jagat–by the [entire] world. [1]

Translation:

Within the universe, the earth is glorious; on the earth, the land of Gauda is glorious; and within Gauda, Sri Nabadwip is glorious. Its thirty-two miles are revered by the entire world.

মধ্যে স্রোতস্বতী ধন্য ভাগীরথী বেগবতী ।
তাহাতে মিলেছে আসি’ শ্রীযমুনা সরস্বতী ॥২॥

madhye srotasvatī dhanya bhāgīrathī vegavatī
tāhāte milechhe āsi’ śrī-yamunā sarasvatī [2]

madhye–Within it, bhagirathi vegavati srotasvati–the swift River Ganges [is] dhanya–glorious; [there] sri-yamuna–the Yamuna [and] sarasvati–Saraswati asi’ milechhe–have come and united tahate–with her. [2]

Translation:

Within Nabadwip, the swift River Ganges is glorious; there the Yamuna and Saraswati have come and united with her.

তার পূর্ব্বতীরে সাক্ষাৎ গোলোক মায়াপুর ।
তথায় শ্রীশচীগৃহে শোভে গৌরাঙ্গঠাকুর ॥৩॥

tāra pūrva-tīre sākṣāt goloka māyāpura
tathāya śrī-śachī-gṛhe śobhe gaurāṅga-ṭhākura [3]

tara purva-tire–On the east bank of the Ganges [is] goloka mayapura–Goloka Mayapur saksat–itself, [and] tathaya–there, gauranga-thakura–Lord Gauranga sobhe–shines sri-sachi-grhe–in the home of Sri Sachi. [3]

Translation:

On the east bank of the Ganges is Goloka Mayapur itself, and there, Lord Gauranga shines in the home of Sri Sachi.

যে ঠাকুর দ্বাপরের শেষ বৃন্দাবনে বনে ।
মহারাসক্রীড়া কৈল রাধিকাদি গোপী সনে ॥৪॥
পরকীয় মহারাস গোলোকের নিত্যধন ।
আনিল ব্রজের সহ নন্দযশোদানন্দন ॥৫॥
সেই ঠাকুর আবার নিজের যোগ-মায়াপুর ।
প্রপঞ্চে আনিল গৌড়ে রসাস্বাদ সুচতুর ॥৬॥

ye ṭhākura dvāparera śeṣa vṛndāvane vane
mahārāsa-krīḍā kaila rādhikādi gopī sane [4]

parakīya mahārāsa golokera nitya-dhana
ānila vrajera saha nanda-yaśodā-nandana [5]

sei ṭhākura ābāra nijera yoga-māyāpura
prapañche ānila gauḍe rasāsvāda suchatura [6]

ye thakura–The Lord who kaila–performed maharasa-krida–the Maharasa-lila sane–with radhikadi gopi–Radhika and the gopis vrndavane vane–in the forest of Vrndavan dvaparera sesa–at the end of the Dvapar-yuga, nanda-yasoda-nandana–the son of Nanda and Yasoda [who] anila–brought golokera–Goloka’s nitya-dhana–eternal wealth — maharasa–the Maharasa-lila parakiya–in paramour love — vrajera saha–with Vraja [to this earth — ] sei thakura–this Lord, rasasvada suchatura–the connoisseur of rasa, abara–again anila–has brought nijera yoga-mayapura–His abode of Yogamayapur prapanche–to the earth gaude–in Gauda. [4–6]

Translation:

As the son of Nanda and Yasoda, the Lord performed the Rasa-lila with Radhika and the gopis in the forest of Vrndavan at the end of the Dvapar-yuga. He brought Goloka’s eternal wealth — the Rasa-lila in paramour love — with Vraja to this earth, and now this Lord, the connoisseur of rasa, has again brought His abode of Yogamayapur to the earth in Gauda.

গৌরাবতারের হেতু

gauravatarera hetu

The reason for Gaura’s appearance

শ্রীকৃষ্ণলীলায় বাঞ্ছাত্রয় না হৈল পূরণ ।
শ্রীগৌরলীলায় পূর্ণ কৈল সে সুখ সাধন ॥৭॥

śrī-kṛṣṇa-līlāya vāñchhā-traya nā haila pūraṇa
śrī-gaura-līlāya pūrṇa kaila se sukha sādhana [7]

sri-krsna-lilaya–During [His] Pastimes as Sri Krsna, vanchha-traya purana haila na–the Lord had three unfulfilled desires. sri-gaura-lilaya–During [His] Pastimes as Sri Gaura, purna kaila–the Lord completed [His] sadhana–endeavour se sukha–for that satisfaction. [7]

Translation:

During His Pastimes as Sri Krsna, the Lord had three unfulfilled desires, and during His Pastimes as Sri Gaura, He fulfilled them.

«মোরে প্রণয় করি’ রাধা পায় কিবা সুখ ।
মোর মাধুর্য-আস্বাদনে রাধার কত যে কৌতুক ॥৮॥

«more praṇaya kari’ rādhā pāya kibā sukha
mora mādhurya-āsvādane rādhāra kata ye kautuka [8]

«kiba–«What sort sukha–of happiness radha paya–does Radha feel pranaya kari’–by loving more–Me? kata–How great [is] radhara ye kautuka–Radha’s delight mora madhurya-asvadane–in tasting My sweetness? [8]

Translation:

«What sort of happiness does Radha feel by loving Me? How great is Radha’s delight in tasting My sweetness?

আমার অনুভবে রাধায় সৌখ্য কি প্রকার ।
নায়ক হঞা নাহি বুঝি এ সুখের সার ॥৯॥

āmāra anubhave rādhāya saukhya ki prakāra
nāyaka hañā nāhi bujhi e sukhera sāra [9]

ki prakara–What sort saukhya–of joy [arises] radhaya–in Radha [in Her] anubhave–experience amara–of Me? hana–Being nayaka–the beloved, bujhi nahi–I do not understand sara–the essence e sukhera–of this happiness. [9]

Translation:

«What sort of joy does Radha feel in Her experience of Me? Being Her beloved, I do not understand the essence of this happiness.

অতএব রাধার ভাবকান্তি লঞা গৌর হব ।
কৃষ্ণমাধুর্য্যাদি ভক্তভাবে আস্বাদ পাইব» ॥১০॥

ataeva rādhāra bhāva-kānti lañā gaura haba
kṛṣṇa-mādhuryādi bhakta-bhāve āsvāda pāiba» [10]

ataeva–So, lana–I will take radhara–Radha’s bhava-kanti–heart and halo [and] haba–become gaura–Gaura. asvada paiba–I will relish krsna-madhuryadi–Krsna’s sweetness and other qualities bhakta-bhave»–in the mood of a devotee.» [10]

Translation:

«So, I will take Radha’s heart and halo and become Gaura. I will relish Krsna’s sweetness in the mood of a devotee.»

এত ভাবি’ কৃষ্ণ নিজধাম লঞা গৌড়-দেশে ।
নবদ্বীপে প্রকটিল স্বয়ং আনন্দ-আবেশে ॥১১॥

eta bhāvi’ kṛṣṇa nija-dhāma lañā gauḍa-deśe
navadvīpe prakaṭila svayaṁ ānanda-āveśe [11]

bhavi’–Thinking eta–this, krsna–Krsna lana–took nija-dhama–His abode gauda-dese–to the land of Gauda [and,] ananda-avese–overwhelmed with joy, prakatila–manifested svayam–Himself navadvipe–in Nabadwip. [11]

Translation:

Thinking in this way, Krsna took His abode to the land of Gauda and, overwhelmed with joy, manifested Himself in Nabadwip.

গৌরের ভজন-প্রণালীতে কৃষ্ণভজন

gaurera bhajana-pranalite krsna-bhajana

Serving Gaura is the way to serve Krsna

ওরে ভাই সব ছাড়ি’ বৈস নবদ্বীপপুরে ।
গৌরাঙ্গের অষ্টকাল ভজ, দুঃখ যাবে দূরে ॥১২॥

ore bhāi saba chhāḍi’ vaisa navadvīpapure
gaurāṅgera aṣṭa-kāla bhaja, duḥkha yābe dūre [12]

ore–O bhai–brother, chhadi’–give up saba–everything [and] vaisa–stay navadvipapure–in the town of Nabadwip. bhaja–Serve gaurangera–Gauranga asta-kala–throughout the eight periods of the day, [and your] duhkha–sadness yabe–will go dure–away. [12]

Translation:

O brother, give up everything and stay in Nabadwip. Serve Gauranga throughout the eight periods of the day and your sadness will go away.

অষ্টকালে অষ্টপরকার কৃষ্ণলীলা-সার ।
গৌরোদিত ভাবে ভজ, পাবে প্রেম চমৎকার ॥১৩॥

aṣṭa-kāle aṣṭa-parakāra kṛṣṇa-līlā-sāra
gaurodita bhāve bhaja, pābe prema chamatkāra [13]

bhave–In the mood gaurodita–revealed by Gaura, bhaja–worship asta-parakara–the eight modes krsna-lila-sara–of Krsna’s super-excellent Pastimes asta-kale–during the eight periods of the day, [and] pabe–you will attain chamatkara–astonishing prema–divine love. [13]

Translation:

In the mood revealed by Gaura, worship the eight modes of Krsna’s super-excellent Pastimes during the eight periods of the day and you will attain astonishing divine love.

কৃষ্ণ ভজিবারে যার একান্ত আছে মন ।
গৌড়ের অষ্টকালে ভজ কৃষ্ণরসধন ॥১৪॥

kṛṣṇa bhajibāre yāra ekānta āchhe mana
gauḍera aṣṭa-kāle bhaja kṛṣṇa-rasa-dhana [14]

yara mana achhe–Those who want ekanta–sincerely bhajibare–to serve krsna–Krsna, bhaja–should serve krsna-rasa-dhana–Gaura, whose wealth is devotion to Krsna, asta-kale–during the eight periods of the day gaudera–in Gauda. [14]

Translation:

Those who sincerely want to serve Krsna should serve Gaura, whose wealth is devotion to Krsna, during the eight periods of the day in Gauda.

গৌরভাব নাহি জানে যে কৃষ্ণ ভজিতে চায় ।
অপ্রাকৃত কৃষ্ণতত্ত্ব তার কভু নাহি ভায় ॥১৫॥

gaura-bhāva nāhi jāne ye kṛṣṇa bhajite chāya
aprākṛta kṛṣṇa-tattva tāra kabhu nāhi bhāya [15]

tara ye–Those who chaya–want bhajite–to serve krsna–Krsna [but] jane nahi–do not understand gaura-bhava–Gaura’s mood [will] kabhu nahi–never bhaya–perceive aprakrta krsna-tattva–Krsna’s divine nature. [15]

Translation:

Those who want to serve Krsna but do not understand Gaura’s mood will never perceive Krsna’s divine nature.

আচার্য বর্ণাশ্রমে আবদ্ধ নহেন

acharya varnasrame abaddha nahena

An Acharya is not restricted by socio-religious principles

কিবা বর্ণী, কিবাশ্রমী, কিবা বর্ণাশ্রমহীন ।
কৃষ্ণতত্ত্ব বেত্তা যেই, সেই আচার্য প্রবীণ ॥১৬॥

kibā varṇī, kibāśramī, kibā varṇāśrama-hīna
kṛṣṇa-tattva vettā yei, sei āchārya pravīṇa [16]

sei yei–Anyone [who] vetta–knows krsna-tattva–Krsna’s nature [is] pravina acharya–an expert Acharya, kiba–whether [they] varni–belong to a social order, kibasrami–whether they belong to a religious order, [or] kiba–whether varnasrama-hina–they have no religious or social order. [16]

Translation:

Anyone who knows Krsna’s nature is an expert Acharya, whether they belong to a religious and social order or not.

অসদ্গুরুগ্রহণে সর্ব্বনাশ

asad-guru-grahane sarva-nasa

By accepting a false guru, everything is lost

আসল কথা ছেড়ে ভাই বর্ণে যে করে আদর ।
অসদ্গুরু করি’ তার বিনষ্ট পূর্ব্বাপর ॥১৭॥

āsala kathā chheḍe bhāi varṇe ye kare ādara
asad-guru kari’ tāra vinaṣṭa pūrvāpara [17]

bhai–Brother, purvapara–the past and future tara ye–of those who chhede–reject asala katha–truth, adara kare–revere varne–social status, [and] kari’–accept asad-guru–a false guru [are] vinasta–ruined. [17]

Translation:

Brother, the past and future of those who reject truth, revere social status, and accept a false guru are ruined.