The Glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu in the Scriptures

vande ’nantādbhutaiśvaryaṁ śrī-nityānandam īśvaram
yasyechchhayā tat-svarūpam ajñenāpi nirūpyate

I offer obeisance unto the Lord, Sri Nityananda, whose opulences are wonderful and infinite. By His will, even a fool understands His identity.

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī
garbhoda-śāyī cha payobdhi-śāyī
śeṣaś cha yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-
nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu

May Sri Nityananda-Balaram, whose parts and sub-parts are Sankarsan, Karanabdhisayi Visnu, Garbhodasayi Visnu, Ksirabdhisayi Visnu, and Ananta Ses, be my sole shelter.

māyātīte vyāpi-vaikuṇṭha-loke
pūrṇaiśvarye śrī-chatur-vyūha-madhye
rūpaṁ yasyodbhāti saṅkarṣaṇākhyaṁ
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Sri Nityananda-Balaram, whose form known as Sankarsan resides beyond maya in Vaikunthaloka in the midst of the Chatur-vyuha, replete with all opulences.

māyā-bhartājāṇḍa-saṅghāśrayāṅgaḥ
śete sākṣāt kāraṇāmbhodhi-madhye
yasyaikāṁśaḥ śrī-pumān ādi-devas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Sri Nityananda-Balaram, one of whose parts is Karanabdhisayi Visnu, the original Purus-avatar who lies on the Causal Ocean, the shelter of all the material universes, the master of Maya.

yasyāṁśāṁśaḥ śrīla-garbhoda-śāyī
yan-nābhy-abjaṁ loka-saṅghāta-nālam
loka-sraṣṭuḥ sūtikā-dhāma dhātus
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Sri Nityananda-Balaram. The stem from the lotus navel of His part’s part, Garbhodaksayi Visnu, contains the universe’s planets and is the birthplace of Brahma.

yasyāṁśāṁśāṁśaḥ parātmākhilānāṁ
poṣṭā viṣṇur bhāti dugdhābdhi-śāyī
kṣauṇī-bhartā yat-kalā so ’py anantas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

I surrender unto Sri Nityananda-Balaram. His part’s part’s part, Ksirodaksayi Visnu, is the maintainer and Soul of all souls, and Ksirodaksayi Visnu’s sub-part, Ananta Ses, is the upholder of the Earth.

e-saba pramāṇe jāni nityānanda-tattva-sīmā
tā̐hāke ‘ananta’ kahi, ki tā̐ra mahimā

Through this evidence we understand Nityananda in full. Some call Him ’Ananta’ (‘unlimited’). Is this His greatness?

ei-rūpe nityānanda ‘ananta’-prakāśa
sei-bhāve — kahe muñi chaitanyera dāsa

Nityananda has unlimited forms, and in all of them He declares, «I am Sri Chaitanya’s servant.»

sei kṛṣṇa — navadvīpe śrī-chaitanya-chandra
sei balarāma — saṅge śrī-nityānanda

Krishna appeared in Nabadwip as Sri Chaitanyachandra. Balaram appeared with Him as Sri Nityananda.

āpane karena kṛṣṇa-līlāra sahāya
sṛṣṭi-līlā-kārya kare dhari’ chāri kāya

Balaram personally assists in Krishna’s Pastimes. Assuming four other forms, He performs the work of creation.

sṛṣṭy-ādika sevā, — tā̐ra ājñāra pālana
‘śeṣa’-rūpe kare kṛṣṇera vividha sevana

Following His orders, three of these forms perform the service of creating, maintaining, and destroying the material world. In the form of Ananta Ses, He serves Krishna in various ways.

sarva-rūpe āsvādaye kṛṣṇa-sevānanda
sei balarāma — gaura-saṅge nityānanda

In all these forms He relishes the joy of Krishna’s service. In the company of Sri Gauranga, Balaram is Nityananda.

chaitanya-kṛpāya haya nityānande rati
nityānande jānile āpad nāhi kati

One becomes attached to Nityananda by Chaitanya’s mercy, and if one knows Nityananda, then one never undergoes misfortune.

saṁsārera pāra ha-i’ bhaktira sāgare
ye ḍubibe se bhajuka nitāichā̐dere
āmāra prabhura prabhu śrī gaurasundara
e baḍa bharasā chitte dhari nirantara

To cross over material existence and swim in the ocean of devotion, serve Sri Nitaichad. My Master’s Master is Sri Gaurasundar. I hold this great hope in my heart forever.

kibā yati nityānanda, kibā bhakta jñānī
yā’ra yena mata ichchhā, nā bolaye keni
ye-se kene chaitanyera nityānanda nahe
tabu sei pāda-padma rahuka hṛdaye

Some consider Nityananda a sannyasi, some consider Him a devotee, and some consider Him a scholar. People may say whatever they like. May Nityananda’s lotus feet remain in heart, even if He is nothing to Sri Chaitanya.

eta parihāreo ye pāpī nindā kare
tabe lāthi māro̐ tāra śirera upare

Nityananda is most benevolent. I kick the head of any sinner who criticies Him.

madirā yavanī yadi nityānanda dhare
tathāpi brahmāra vandya kahila tomare

This I tell to you: even if He takes hold of some wine and an outcaste girl, Nityananda is worshippable to Brahma.

dui bhāi eka-tanu—samāna-prakāśa
nityānanda nā māna, tomāra habe sarva-nāśa
ekete viśvāsa, anye nā kara sammāna
“ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya” tomāra pramāṇa

The two brothers, Chaitanya and Nityananda, are one body. They are equal. If you do not accept Nityananda, then you will be ruined. If you have faith in one, but do not respect the other, then your standpoint is ‘half-hen logic’.

kona chaitanyera loka nityānanda-prati
‘manda’ bole, hena dekha, — se kevala ‘stuti’

If any follower of Sri Chaitanya says Nityananda is bad, then see that such statements are in fact praise.

nityānanda-svarūpe se nindā nā laoyāya
tā’na pathe thākile se gaurachandra pāya

If one does not believe in any criticism towards Nityananda and follows His path, then one attains Gaurachandra.

sarva-bhāve svāmī yena haya nityānanda
tā̐’ra haiyā bhaji yena prabhu-gaurachandra

Nityanada in my master in all respects, and being His, I serve Gaurachandra Prabhu.

nityānanda avadhūta sabāte āgala
chaitanyera dāsya-preme ha-ilā pāgala

The avadhut Nityananda, who is foremost within the society of Sri Chaitanya’s devotees, madly engaged in loving service to Sri Chaitanya.

preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra
uttama, adhama, kichhu nā kare vichāra

Mad with divine love, Nityananda, the embodiment of mercy, does not consider who is high and who is low.

prema-prachāraṇa āra pāṣaṇḍa-dalana
dui-kārye avadhūta karena bhramaṇa

As an Avadhut, He wanders distributing divine love and subduing the wicked.

jaya jaya avadhūta-chandra nityānanda
jagat bā̐dhila ye̐ha diyā prema-phā̐da

All glory to Avadhutchandra, who bound the world with a knot of divine love!

nityānandaṁ ahaṁ naumi sarvānanda-karaṁ param
hari-nāma-pradaṁ devam avadhūta-śiromaṇim

I bow down to the crown-jewel of mendicants, the origin of the greatest joy, the giver of the Lord’s Name, Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

sākṣātei dekha sabe ei tribhuvane
nityānanda-dvāre pāilena prema-dhane

See directly that everyone in the three worlds has received the wealth of divine love through Nityananda Prabhu.

bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāma
ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje sei haya āmāra prāṇa

Nityananda Prabhu calls out: «Serve Gauranga, speak about Gauranga, and chant Gauranga’s Name! One who serves Gauranga is My very life.»

nāche mātoyārā nitāi godrumera māṭhe
jagat mātāya nitāi premera mālasāṭe
palāya duranta kali paḍiyā bibhrāṭe
ki sukhe bhāsila jīva gorāchā̐dera nāṭe
dekhiyā śuniyā pāṣaṇḍīra buka phāṭe

Nitai dances madly in fields of Godrumadwip. He maddens the world with a wrestler’s challenge of divine love, and the wicked Kali panics and flees. What sort of joy have the souls been immersed in by Nitai and Gorachad’s dancing?! Seeing and hearing of it, the sinners’ courage shatters.

jaya nityānanda-chandra jaya chaitanyera prāṇa
tomāra charaṇāravinde bhakti deha’ dāna

All glory to Nityanandachandra, the life of Sri Chaitanya! Kindly give me the gift of devotion to Your lotus feet.

nityānanda-prasāde se gaurachandra jāni
nityānanda-prasāde se vaiṣṇavere chini
nityānanda-prasāde se nindā yāra kṣaya
nityānanda-prasāde se viṣṇu-bhakti haya

By Nityananda’s mercy, I know Gaurachandra. By Nityananda’s mercy, I recognise the Vaisnavas. By Nityananda’s mercy, one’s offences dissolve. By Nityananda’s mercy, one attains devotion to Visnu.

nityānanda-mahimā-sindhu ananta, apāra
eka kaṇā sparśi mātra,—se kṛpā tā̐hāra

The ocean of Nityananda’s glory is eternal and infinite. I touch upon one drop of it, by His mercy.

hā hā prabhu nityānanda premānanda sukhī
kṛpāvalokana kara āmi baḍa duḥkhī

O Nityananda! You are overjoyed with divine love. Mercifully glance upon me. I am very sad.

āra kabe nitāichā̐da karuṇā karibe
saṁsāra-vāsanā more kabe tuchchha ha’be

When will Nitaichad be merciful to me? When will my worldly desires become insignificant?

kabe nityānanda, more kari’ dayā,
chhāḍāibe mora viṣayera māyā
diyā more nija- charaṇera chhāyā,
nāmera hāṭete dibe adhikāra

When will Nityananda be merciful to me and cause me to abandon my attachment to mundanity? When will He give me the shade of His feet and grant me a place in the marketplace of the Name?