Sri Nityananda Prabhu

8/14/2019 Sri Nityananda Prabhu

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Sri NityanandaPrabhu - Distributor

of Sri Gauranga's

Love

In Ekchakra, Birbhumpresent West Bengal in1395 Saka, 1473 A.D.

on the Maghi ShuklaTrayodasi, 12 JanuaryNitaichand descendedon this earth. Hisfather was a Brahmin

of Shandilya Gotranamed MukundaBandopadhya(popularly known asHarai Pandit) andmother PadmavatiDevi. After the sacredthread cermony ofNitaichand an unknownsanyasi arrived at theirhouse and beggedHarai Pandit to leave

Nitaichand with him.Nitaichand leftEkchakra with the

Sanyasi never to returnagain. For 20 longyears, He travelledextensively throughout

the country duringwhich period he wasinitiated (diksha).While in Vrindaban,Nitaichand came to

know through heresaythat Lord Krishna hasreincarnated in GOUD(presently Bengal).Without any furtherdelay he proceededtowards GOUD andarrived straight at

Nabadwip. Here hetook incognito shelter

in the house of NandanAcharya. Thus by verynature we see thatNitaichand was averseto publicly assertHimself. Just like avessel full to the brim,which makes littlenoise Nitaichand chosenot to be ostentious.Narottam Thakur

Bhaja Gourango Kaho Gourango Laha Gouranger NamRe

Jei Jan Gourango Bhaje Seijan Hoy Amar Pran Re

"Love Gourango, say Gourango , take Gourango's nameO!

Whoever loves my Gourango is my life and soul 0! "

Sri Sri Nityananda Mahaprabhu


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likened Nitaichand to a

pot full of sublime lovefrom which SriChaitanya drank to Hishearts content and letothers have a taste ofit too. Even Sri

Chaitanya remarked toHis near and dear onesto wait for a day or twowithin which heexpected theascendence of a Divinepersonality. At last. SriChaitanya seeked outNitaichand and two metfor the first time on the

shukla chaturdasi inthe month of ASAD.

The significance of thishistoric meeting cannotbe described in a few

words. It is suffice tosay that it affected thetotal gamut of religion,culture and society andbrought about arevolution. The nextday was SRI GURUPURNIMA, Nitaichandoffered garland at the

Lotus feet of SriChaitanya and declaredthat HE-Sri Chaitanyawas the only one to beworshipped.

The union of SriChaitanya and SriNityananda signifiedthe completion of a fullcircle. For the next sixyears the world was awitness to theiractivities whichultimately led the worldtowards the path of

salvation. Sri Chaitanyarepeatedly brought

Nitaichand to theforefront and declared

that it was HE who wascapable of giving us ataste of heavenly loveand compassion. Theworld remained awestruck as Nitaichand'slove encompassed thedespised and the down

trodden, the outcasteand the unwanted, thehostile and the hermit.


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In the time of despair

he turned out to be ourpillar of strength andinspiration.

Jagganath Roy andMadhab Roy commonly

known as Jagai andMadhai were wellknown drunkards andtyrants of Nabadwip.

On being approachedby Nitaichand, to mend

their ways by chantingthe name of the Lordthey not only hurledabuses but evenphysically hurt Him.Although Sri Chaitanyawas very muchangered and had evensummoned the

Sudarshan Chakra todecimate these two,

Nitaichand intervenedand begged mercy ontheir behalf. Bettersense prevailed andthe two most unwantedmen fell at the feet ofNitaichand, and the

Lord - symbol ofcompassion and mercyembraced and blessedthe two.

An incident which occurred while Nitaichand was in Nabadwip in the house of Hiranya

Vidyanidhi needs mention here. A Brahmin by birth and dacoit by profession, waslured by the gold ornaments of Nitaichand. He along with his armed comrades triedunsuccessfully on two successive nights to rob Nitaichand. On the third night he triedagain but his efforts were threatened by inclement weather. He realized hislimitations and the next dawn after a dip in the holy Ganges he went straightNitaichand and fell prostrate at His feet. He confesses his misdeeds and also hisintention to drown himself in the Ganges. The Lord came forward embraced the dacoitwith his both hands. Nitaichand assured the dacoit that if he did not indulge in hisprofession any further then the Lord himself would forfeit the burden of his sins.Saying Nitaichand gave the dacoit his garland.

In the year 1509 A.D Chaitanya renounced the world and become an ascetic-sanyasi.His pending departure brought pall of gloom on His near and dear ones foremost ofwhich was Nitaichand. When Sri Chaitanya expressed His desire to visit Vrindaban,Nitaichand foresaw the impact it would have on the people of Nabadwip. In orderrefrain Sri Chaitanya, Nitaichand took Him along with Himself and meandered here

and there for some days. Ultimately He brought Sri Chaitanya to Santipur and handedHim over to Sri Adwaita. On seeing, Adwaita the whole ploy became clear to SriChaitanya but then He could do little. Immediately Nitaichand sped to Nabadwip tobring Sachi Debi (mother of Sri Chaitanya) who was on the verge of insanity. Alongwith Sachi Debi came many denizens of Nabadwip and after twelve days Sachi Debicooked prasad for Sri Chaitanya, served Him and then partook Herself.

After renouncing the world, Sri Chaitanya arrived at Nilachal along with Nitaichand.Here later on Nitachand blessed the tribal from the mountains of Sherpur in


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Mymansigh district (presently in Bangladesh). It was as if a stone (from the

mountain) was transformed into a diamond. As Sri Chaitanya's heart ached for thesalvation of society He summoned Nitaichand and ordered Him to spread "Naam &Prem" (name of God & love) irrespective of caste, creed and religion and into everynook and corner of this world.

Leaving SriChaitanya in Gambhira, Nitaichand went about to fulfill his chosen task.

The world got a taste of the hitherto untasted and pure love. At this time the countrywas struck with famine and Nitaichand with the help of Uddharan Dutta jumped in tohelp the hungry. An area of about 30 bighas was acquired near the present BandelRail station and the hungry and destitute were provided food and shelter. He broke

the barriers of caste, creed, religion and wealth and placed these starving people on acommon platform.

Sri Chaitanya stayed at Gambhira for 18 years. During this period devotees mainlyfrom Bengal visited Him for four months a year. Many discussions were held andimportant decisions reached. But it was Nitaichand who implemented these decisions.

One of them was to establish cultural centers. These cultural centers helped to spreadthe message of The Lord and the emergence of many a great men.

Next : Goddess Jahnava - Ma Ananga Manjari - Wife of Nityananda Prabhu - Sister

of Sri Radharani in Braja Lila

JAHNAVA DEVI--
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HALLOWED BE THYNAME

Jahnava Devi -the wifeof Nityanada Prabhuwas a luminary in her

own light. An erudite,her indepth knowledgeof religion, efficiency,mild manner, cordial

relations with sundryand above all her

magnanimity arebeyond description in afew words. Like, HISDIVINE GRACE --NITYANANDA PRABHU,she had this capacity tomingle with peoplefrom all strata ofsociety. Hence she was

much revered by notonly the Gaudiya

Vaishnavas but saintsfrom other sects too.Even the devotees ofVrindaban had amplerespect for her, notableamongst them werethe venerable six

Goswamis. who lookedupon her as theirmother and reservedthe same respect and

devotion as they hadfor Nityananda Prabhu.Jahnava Devi was oftenreferred to as Mata.Thakurani, Iswari etc.In 1483 Saka whenJahnava Mata visitedVrindaban. Sri RupaGoswami and SanatanGoswami sent SrijivaGoswami to receive herand bring Her to

Vrindaban. Sri RupaGoswami vacated his

Bhajan Kutir to enableJahnava Devi stay in

Vrindaban. Here. manywell known Brajabasiscalled on her regularlyto pay their respects.Javnava Mata blessedthose who came andoften gave religiousdiscourses. She even

stayed for some timeat the Bhajan Kutirs ofSanatan Goswami,

Sri Sri Jahnava Devi - At SriPat of Sri Das Gadadhar -associate of Sri Nitai - Gaur


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Raghunath Bhatta

Goswami and GopalBhatta Goswami. Onthe request of theGoswamis she used tocook prasad, offerthem to Govinda Jew,

Gopinath, MadanMohan, Sri RadhaRaman and then servethe Goswamis. At thebehest of SanatanGoswami, she had onceperformed SandhyaAarti of Madanmohan-a quite remarkablehappening. She visited

Vrindaban on two otheroccasion and every

time she was accordedthe same respect anddevotion.

Jahnava Devi wasabove mundanematters and by virtueof Her greatness easilyendeared all aroundHer irrespective of theirsocial status. While shewas visiting Vrindabanfor the first time, she

pitched tent for a nightnear a village. Thevillagers were well todo but they weredisbelievers ofVaishnava philosophy.

Theyjeered andtaunted Jahnava Deviand her entourage butthat did not deterJahnava Devi from

spending the nightthere.The next morning thevillage elders came andfell at the feet ofJahnava Devi. This wasbecause Devi Chandihad appeared in theirdreams and revealedthe true identity ofJahnava Devi and theywere also told to beg

her pardon for theirmisbehaviour. But theepitome of mercy-Jahnava Devi had

already pardoned thevillagers, the momentshe decided to spendthe night in the village.


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Her halt for one night

extended for a fewmore days.

On the same journey, similar fate awaited a group of bandits who decided to robJahnava Devi and her associates in a deserted area. The dacoits encircled the tent ofJahnava Devi several times but could not find the entrance to it. They seemed totallylost and misdirected and continued so till dawn. The dacoits found that they were

standing on the same spot from where they started their nocturnal venture. Thissurprised the leader of the group, Kutubuddin so much that he nearly lost his mental

balance. Finding no other way out he along with his group fell at the feet of JahnavaDevi, seeking emancipation.

Birchandra, who was Nityananda Prabhu's son was about seven years old when theLord left this material world on to His heavenly journey. A few years after this,Birchandra expressed His desire to get initiated (Diksha) and chose Adwaita Prabhu ofSantipur as His Gurudeva. Hearing this Adwaita Prabhu dissuaded him and convinced

Birchandra to be initiated by Jahnava Devi. Birchandra returned from Santipur toKhardah and proceeded to meet His mother. Jahnava Devi at that time was

engrossed in her prayers (japa), her both hands preoccupied and oblivious of the factthat her head veil had fallen off. On sensing Birchandra's arrival, miraculouslyJahnava Devi produced two more hands to cover her forehead with the fallen veil.Birchandra was a spectator to the entire episode and it left Him dumbstruck.Immediately He fell at the feet of His mother and Jahnava Devi mercifully initiatedHim. Incidentally it can be said that Jahnava Devi was the first woman spiritualleader.

During Her lifetime many idols of Jahnava Devi were established and worrshippedboth in and outside Bengal, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Sitting beside

Gopinath on the same throne, in the Gopinath Temple at Jahnava Ghat in

Radhakunda is none other than Jahnava Devi. In the main Gopinath Temple in Jaipur,Jahnava Devi's idol is seated next to Gopinath. So also is the case in Gopinath Templein Vrindaban and the historic Gopinath Temple in Kamyavan.

Gangamani, the daughter of Nityananda Prabhu, lived in Jeerut, in Bengal. Here too a

wooden idol of Jahnava Devi stands next to Gopinath. In Ariadaha, a place close toDakshineswar lived Das Gadhadhar, a disciple of Nityananda Prabhu. He worshipped awooden full sized idol of Jahnava Devi, which is still there. Similar idol can be found inJagganath Tala temple in Sukh Sagar - a place where Nityananda Prabhu spent sometime with both His wives - Basudha and Jahnava. Later on, Sukhsagar with its

charming natural beauty attracted the attention of Warren Hastings, who built hissummer residence here, known as Sukhsagar House. Warren Hastings at one timeshifted the revenue department to Sukhsagar to a building named Revenue House.Like Sukhsagar, Nityananda Prabhu spent some of His post marital period at a placecalled Rukunpur. Nabani Hore and Krishanadas Hore were two disciples ofNityanandaPrabhu who stayed at Rukunpur. In the temple at Rukunpur, we see

wooden idols of not only Nityananda Prabhu, but both Basudha and Jahnava Devialong with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Birchandra. The adopted son ofJahnava

Devi - Ramchandra also established a metallic idol of His mother. Nabadwip also hasmany such temples where Jahnava Devi is worshipped. Suryadas Pandit was thefather of Jahnava Devi and His residence was at Kalna. Even today the devotees arespell bound to see the idol of Jahnava Devi on the same throne where Her father'sidol stands. All these facts emphatically establish Jahnava Devi's influence of the thensociety and the devotees.Till today, the auspicious Advent Ceremony of Jahnava Devi is celebrated for threedays-shukla astami, navami and dasami in the month of Baisakh with due solemnityat Radhakunda. The place where Jahnava Devi sat at Radhakunda, colloquially known


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as Baithak is still preserved with due respect by the sadhus of Radhakunda.

All these above mentioned facts bear ample testimony that Jahnava Devi is stillrespected and revered and that Her legacy along with that of Nityananda Prabhu liveson.

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Sri Nityananda Prabhu

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