The Divine Form of Sri Nityananda Prabhu

Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta: Adi-lila, 5.181-197

by

Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami

naihāṭi-nikaṭe ‘jhāmaṭapura’ nāme grāma
tāṅhā svapne dekhā dilā nityānanda-rāma

Near the town of Naihati, in the village of Jhamatpur, Nityananda Ram appeared to me in a dream.

daṇḍavat haiyā āmi paḍinu pāyete
nija-pāda-padma prabhu dilā mora māthe

I fell at His feet, offering my obeisance, and He placed His lotus feet upon my head.

‘uṭha’, ‘uṭha’ bali’ more bale bāra bāra
uṭhi’ tā̐ra rūpa dekhi’ hainu chamatkāra

«Arise! Arise!» He told me again and again. Upon rising, I was astonished to see the beauty of His form.

śyāma-chikkaṇa kānti, prakāṇḍa śarīra
sākṣāt kandarpa, yaichhe mahā-malla-vīra

He had a bright, whitish complexion. He was seven feet tall and had a strong, stout figure like that of a great wrestler. He appeared like Cupid himself.

suvalita hasta, pada, kamala-nayāna
paṭṭa-vastra śire, paṭṭa-vastra paridhāna

He had very pleasantly formed arms and legs, and eyes like lotus flowers. He wore silk cloth and a silk turban on His head.

suvarṇa-kuṇḍala karṇe, svarṇāṅgada-vālā
pāyete nūpura bāje, kaṇṭhe puṣpa-mālā

He wore golden earrings on His ears, and golden bangles. His ankle bells tinkled on His feet, and a flower garland hung around His neck.

chandana-lepita-aṅga, tilaka suṭhāma
matta-gaja jini’ mada-manthara payāna

His body was anointed with sandalwood paste, and He was nicely decorated with tilak. His intoxicated movements surpassed those of a mad elephant.

koṭi-chandra jini’ mukha ujjvala-varaṇa
dāḍimba-bīja-sama danta tāmbūla-charvaṇa

His face was more effulgent than millions of moons, and His teeth resembled pomegranate seeds because of His chewing betel.

preme matta aṅga ḍāhine-vāme dole
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ baliyā gambhīra bola bale

His body swayed to and fro, mad with divine love, and He chanted «Krishna, Krishna» in a deep voice.

rāṅgā-yaṣṭi haste dole yena matta siṁha
chāri-pāśe veḍi āchhe charaṇete bhṛṅga

pāriṣada-gaṇe dekhi’ saba gopa-veśe
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ kahe sabe saprema āveśe

He moved like an intoxicated lion with a strong, knotted bamboo stick in His hand. On all four sides His associates, dressed like cowherd boys, surrounded His feet like a swarm of bees and chanted «Krishna, Krishna», absorbed in divine love.

śiṅgā vāṁśī bājāya keha, keha nāche gāya
sevaka yogāya tāmbūla, chāmara ḍhulāya

Some of them played horns and flutes, and others danced and sang. Some of them offered betel nuts, and others waved chamara fans about Him.

nityānanda-svarūpera dekhiyā vaibhava
kibā rūpa, guṇa, līlā—alaukika saba

Thus I saw the opulence of Lord Nityananda. His wonderful Form, Qualities, and Pastimes are all transcendental.

ānande vihvala āmi, kichhu nāhi jāni
tabe hāsi’ prabhu more kahilena vāṇī

I was overwhelmed with joy, not knowing anything else. Then Nityananda smiled and spoke to me as follows.

āre āre kṛṣṇadāsa, nā karaha bhaya
vṛndāvane yāha,—tā̐hā sarva labhya haya

«O my dear Krishnadas, do not be afraid. Go to Vrndavan. There you will attain all things.»

eta bali’ prerilā more hātasāni diyā
antardhāna kaila prabhu nija-gaṇa lañā

Saying this, He directed me toward Vrndavan by waving His hand and then disappeared with His associates.

mūrchchhita ha-iyā muñi paḍinu bhūmite
svapna-bhaṅga haila, dekhi, hañāchhe prabhāte

I fainted and fell to the ground. My dream broke, and when I regained consciousness, I saw that morning had come.

ki dekhinu ki śuninu, kariye vichāra
prabhu-ājñā haila vṛndāvana yāibāra

I considered what I had seen and heard, and concluded that Nityananda Prabhu had ordered me to go to Vrndavan.

sei kṣaṇe vṛndāvane karinu gamana
prabhura kṛpāte sukhe āinu vṛndāvana

That very second I immediately started for Vrndavan, and by Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy I reached there happily.

jaya jaya nityānanda, nityānanda-rāma
yā̐hāra kṛpāte pāinu vṛndāvana-dhāma

All glory, all glory to Nityananda Ram, by whose mercy I attained shelter in Vrndavan Dham!