Lord Nityananda Trayodasi

By Gour Govinda Swami - 7.2 2020

Nitai Guna-Mani amar

Srila Locana Dasa Thakura
Sri Caitanya Mangala
 
“My Lord Nityananda is the Jewel of all Transcendental Qualities”

(1)
nitai guna-mani amar, nitai guna-mani
aniya premer banya bhasailo avani

(2)
premer banya loiya nitai aila gauda-dese
dubilo bhakata-gana dina hina bhase

(3)
dina hina patita pamara nahi bachhe
brahmar durlabha prema sabakare jache

(4)
abaddha karuna-sindhu nitai katiya muhan
ghare ghare bule prema-amiyar ban
 
(5)
lochan bole hena nitai jeba na bhajilo
janiya suniya sei atma-ghati hoilo
 
 
Translation by 
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
 

It is said that Nityananda Prabhu is more merciful, more magnanimous, more munificent than Gauranga Mahaprabhu. So we are singing that song, nitai guna-mani amara, nitai guna mani…

1. Srila Lochana Dasa Thakura says, “Nitai came to Gauda-desa with a flood of krishna-prema, with a flood of love of Godhead. He made the whole world inundated with that flood of prema.”
 
2. And with that flood, He came and inundated the whole land. Dubilo bhakata-gana dina hina bhase, those who are bhaktas, devotees they all drowned, they all blissfully drowned in that premer banya. But the dina hina, the fallen souls they floated, they floated!
 
3. Nityananda Prabhu offers this pure love of Godhead, indiscriminately. It is pure love of Krshna that is rarely obtained. He distributes this prema with two hands! Two hands! He never discriminates whether one is patita or pamara, most degraded, qualified or not qualified. Brahmar durlabha prema, it is very difficult even on the part of Brahma to get this prema, but Nitai gives it indiscriminately.
 
4. That prema is sindhu, like an ocean; karuna-sindhu, an ocean of mercy. It is said that Nitai broke down the strong embankment of that ocean of love. He completely devastated that dam. That ocean of love is an unlimited ocean. So then a flood came, it rushed in! It was a heavy rush that flooded into every home, ghare ghare bule prema-amiyar ban, and inundated the whole world.
 
5. Srila Locan Dasa Thakura says, “He is an unfortunate fellow who doesn’t take shelter of Nitai and does not do the bhajana of Nityananda Prabhu, not begging for the mercy of Nitai. He willingly commits self-suicide, atma-ghati hoilo.

DOYA KORO MORE NITAI

Srila Kanu Rama Dasa Thakura
 
“Please be Merciful to Me, Lord Nityananda!”

(1)
doya koro more nitai, doya koro more
agatira gati nitai sadhu loke bole
 
(2)
jaya prema bhakti data-pataka tomara
uttama adhama kichhu na kaila bichara
 
(3)
prema dane jagajaner mana kaila sukhi
tumi hena doyara thakura ami kene dukhi
 
(4)
kanu rama dasa bole ki boliba ami
e bada bharasa more kuler thakura tumi
 
 
  
Translation by 
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

So wonderfully merciful is Nityananda Prabhu, that we are singing that song by Kanu Rama Dasa, begging for Nityananda’s mercy. Learn this song. It is a very nice song, doya koro more nitai, doya koro more…

1. O Nityananda Prabhu, please shower your mercy on me. All sadhus say, “You are so merciful, You give the right destination to the fallen souls.”
 
2. Lord Nityananda has a flag. That flag gives prema-bhakti. He never discriminates whether one is uttama or adhama, most elevated or most degraded. He gives prema-bhakti to one and all.
 
3. Nityananda Prabhu gives prema to one and all and makes the whole world happy. You are such a merciful Thakura, why am I so unhappy?
 
4. Kanu Rama Dasa says, “What more shall I say? O Lord Nityananda, You are the Lord of our line, parampara. So this is a great hope for me that You are such a merciful Lord there for me.”

NITAI AMAR DOYAR ABADHI

Srila Vrndavana Dasa Thakura
 
“Lord Nityananda is the Last Limit of Mercy”

(1)
are bhai! nitai amar doyar abadhi!
jivere karuna kori,’ dese dese phiri’ phiri’
prema-dhana jache nirabadhi
 
(2)
adwaitera sange ranga, dharane na jaya anga,
gora-preme gada tanu khani
dhuliya dhuliya chale, bahu tuli’ hari bole,
du-nayane bahe nitaiera pani
 
(3)
kapale tilaka sobhe, kutila-kuntala-lole
gunjara antuni chuda tay
kesari jiniya kati, kati tate niladhati
bajana nupura ranga pay
 
(4)
bhubana-mohana besa! majaila sava desa!
rasa bese atta atta hasa!
prabhu mora nityananda kevala ananda-kanda
guna gaya vrndavana dasa
 

Translation by 
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

We observe the holy appearance day of Patita-Pavana, Sri Sri Prema-Data Nitai, Nityananda Thakura whose mercy is limitless. Limitless mercy. There is no limit to it. If any limit is there to mercy, Nitai’s mercy is the last limit, doyar abadhi. Nitai amar doyar abadhi. Abadhi means limit. Nitai is the last limit of mercy. There is no limit to it. So can you get Nitai’s mercy?

1. O Brothers! Lord Nityananda is very, very merciful. Nitai’s mercy is limitless, the last limit of mercy. He travels to all the villages and countries of the world and gives prema-dhana. He gives to one and all.
 
2. He is always cutting jokes with Advaita Acarya. His whole body is made up of the love of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. He is always intoxicated with prema-rasa. An intoxicated person cannot walk. How does He walk? Like that! –dhuliya dhuliya chale. Always raising His arms and saying, Hari bol! Hari bol! Hari bol! And He always sheds tears from His two lotus eyes.
 
3. Nice tilaka is there on His forehead and curling hairs are there decorating, looking very nice. His hair is bound up with that red gunja on the head. His waist is like that of a lion’s and a blue belt is there. His feet look red – ranga pay. And He has put on nupura, a tinkling, tinkling sound is always there.
 
4. His whole form, whole demeanor, and features are all very beautiful. The whole world is enchanted by that beauty. He is always intoxicated in that prema-rasa; always smiling and laughing, “Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa!” Like that! –Atta atta hasa! Such is Nityananda Rama. Vrndavan Dasa Thakura says, “That Nityananda Prabhu is my Prabhu. He is only full of pleasure, nothing else.”

AKRODHA PARAMANANDA NITYANANDA RAYA

Srila Locana Dasa Thakura
Sri Caitanya Mangala
 
“Lord Nityananda Never Gets Angry”

(1)
akrodha paramananda nityananda raya
abhimana sunya nitai nagare bedaya
 
(2)
adhama patita jiver dware dware giya
harinama maha mantra dena bilaiya
 
(3)
jare dekhe tare kahe dante trna dhori’
amare kiniya laha bhaja gaurahari
 
(4)
eta boli’ nityananda bhume gadi jaya
sonara parvata jena dhulate lotaya
 
(5)
hena avatare jar rati na janmilo
lochana bole sei papi ela ar gelo

1. Lord Nityananda Raya never gets angry. He is always in ecstasy, supreme bliss. He has no false ego. He wanders to every town and village in Nadia chanting Hare Krshna, dancing, and offering krishna-prema to everyone indiscriminately.
2. Sri Nitai goes to every doorstep and knocks on the doors of those who are very much distressed, degraded and fallen and gives them krishna-prema. He says, “Please Chant! Please Chant!”

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

If they do not chant and shut the door, then He rolls there on the ground and cries!
3. Whomever He meets, catching a straw between His teeth, He begs, “O Brothers! Please do the bhajana of Sri Gaurahari and purchase Me, purchase Me, purchase Me.”
4. Saying this, Lord Nityananda rolls on the ground in the dust, cries, and sheds tears, looking like a mountain of gold rolling on the ground.
5. Lord Nityananda is such a merciful incarnation. If someone doesn’t develop love for such an incarnation as Sri Nityananda-Rama, Locana says, “Such a sinful person wastes his life, remains in the cycle of birth and death, and cannot be delivered.”

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caknur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

sri-caitanya-mano-‘bhintam sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam

vande ‘ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaishnavams ca
sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam
sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krishna-caitanya-devam
sri-radha-krishna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

he krishna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo ‘stu te

tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrnabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

namo maha-vadanyaya krishna-prema-pradaya te
krishnaya krishna-caitanya-namne gaura-tvine namah

yad advaitam brahmopaninadi tad apy asya tanu-bha
ya atmantar-yami puruna iti so ’syamsa-vibhavah
nad-aisvaryaih purno ya iha bhagavan sa svayam ayam
na caitanyat krishnaj jagati para-tattvam param iha

“What the Upaninads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krshna Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.” (Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila 2.5)

radha krishna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau
caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam
radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krishna-svarupam

The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krshna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Radha and Krshna are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Sri Krshna Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Srimati Radharani although He is Krshna Himself. (Caitanya-caritamrta adi-lila 1.5)

cirad adattam nija-gupta-vittam
sva-prema-namamrtam aty-udarah
a-pamaram yo vitatara gaurah
krshno janebhyas tam aham prapadye

“The most munificent Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Gaurakrishna, distributed to everyone — even the lowest of men — His own confidential treasury in the form of the nectar of love of Himself and the holy name. This was never given to the people at any time before. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 23.1)

gaurah sac-caritamrtamrta-nidhih gauram sadaiva-stuve
gaurena prathitam rahasya-bhajanam gauraya sarvam dade
gauradasti krpalu-ratra na paro gaurasya bhrityo bhavam
gaure gauravamacarami bhagavan gaura-prabho rakna mam

“I pray to Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu whose ecstatic transcendental pastimes are like a river of nectar. Gaura has given the path of confidential devotional service. I will completely surrender to Gaura. Is there anyone more merciful than Gaura? I will become a servant of Gaura. I shall preach the glory of Gaura. May my Lord Gaura protect me.” (Gauranga-virudavali by Srila Raghunandana Gosvami)

sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda

I offer my obeisances to Sri Krshna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all others in the line of devotion.

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

ananda-lila-maya-vigrahaya
hemabha-divyac-chavi-sundaraya

tasmai maha-prema-rasa-pradaya
caitanya-candraya namo namas te

O Sri Caitanya-candra, I offer You my repeated obeisances. You are the personification of Krshna’s blissful pastimes, and You are extraordinarily beautiful, having a dazzling golden luster. You have awarded to the people of the world the topmost mellows of ecstatic love for Krshna. (Sri Caitanya-candramrta, text 11)

Sri-Nityanandantakam
Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura

sarac-candra-bhrantim sphurad-amala-kantim gaja-gatim
hari-premonmattam dhrta-parama-sattvam smita-mukham
sadaghurnan-netram kara-kalita-vetram kali-bhidam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

This is Sri Nityanandantakam, eight verses written by Vrndavana Das Thakura in glorification of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu. The first verse says, “The lotus face of Sri Nityananda Prabhu looks cooling like an autumnal moon. Not only like that; it is even more than that. The beauty of Nityananda Prabhu’s face excels the beauty of an autumnal moon. His whole bodily beauty is also very, very wonderful; you cannot compare it to any other beauty. Nityananda Prabhu is like a mad elephant, and His movements are always very, very slow — mrdu-manthara. Nityananda Prabhu is always in an ecstatic mood of krishna-prema.

Therefore we sing that song, brahmara durlabha prema sabakare jache [by Locana dasa Thakura]. Patita-pamara nahi bache, He never discriminates between patitas and pamaras. Indiscriminately He offers prema, krishna-prema, which is very rare and even on the part of Lord Brahma very difficult to get. Uttama adhama kichu na koilo bicara, He never discriminates whether someone is uttama or adhama; He indiscriminately gives krishna-prema.

prema-dane jagatjanera mano kaila sukhi
tumi eno doyara thakura ami kene duhkhi
(Doya Koro Nitai by Kanurama dasa Thakura)

“Indiscriminately He gives prema to one and all. By giving krishna-prema indiscriminately He makes every one happy, but me. He doesn’t give it to me. You are such merciful Thakura, but why am I unhappy? Why?”

akrodha paramananda nityananda raya
abhimana-sunya nitai nagare beray
(by Locana dasa Thakura)

He never gets angry: akrodha. He is paramananda, always in supreme bliss. No sulkiness, abhimana. He’s callous of what people say. In most streets of the towns and villages He offers krishna-prema indiscriminately.

adhama patita jivera dvare dvare giya
harinama mahamantra dena bilaiya
(by Locana dasa Thakura)

He goes to every doorstep, to those who are very, very distressed, degraded and fallen, and gives them prema.

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

jare dekhe tare kahe dante trna kari
amare kiniya laha bhaja gaura-hari
(by Locana dasa Thakura)

Whomever He meets, catching straw in between His teeth, He requests: “O bhai, O brother! Please do the bhajan of Gaurahari and purchase Me! Purchase Me!

eta bali nityananda bhume pari jay
sonara parvata jena dhulate lotay
(by Locana dasa Thakura)

Saying this He rolls on the ground in the dust. It looks like a golden mountain is rolling in the dust. Such is Nityananda. Whose body is transcendental, visuddha-sattva, with an always-smiling face, sahasya bodhana, and eyes that are rapidly moving, to and fro. He has a cane in his hand, and by the beating of that cane He completely destroys the reactions of Kali-yuga, kali-kala-nasa. Who is like the root of krishna-bhakti kalpataru. I pay my obeisances to that Nityananda.

rasanam agaram svajana-gana-sarvasvam atulam
tadiyaika-prana-pramita-vasudha-jahnava-patim
sada-premonmadam param aviditam manda-manasam
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

That Nityananda Prabhu is the reservoir of all mellows. He is like the life and soul of all the devotees. Nobody can be compared to Him in the three planetary systems. Who is much more dear to one and all. Who is the beloved husband of Sri Vasudha and Jahnava. Who is always in an ecstatic mood of love, like a mad man, intoxicated with the mellow of love, krishna-prema. Evil minded persons cannot understand Him, who is the very root of the krishna-bhakti kalpavrkna. I pay my obeisances to that Nityananda Prabhu, and I do bhajana of that Nityananda Prabhu.

saci-sunu-prentham nikhila-jagad-intam sukha-mayam
kalau majjaj-jivoddharana-karanoddama-karunam
harer akhyanad va bhava-jaladhi-garvonnati-haram
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

He is an embodiment of supreme happiness and blissfulness. There is no limit to His mercy. He is so merciful to the people of Kali-yuga; those who are most degraded and fallen. Who is always busy in chanting and doing hari-sankirtana,

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

Thereby He’s destroying the pride of this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence. In other words He’s showing a very easy way of crossing this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence only by chanting hari-nama. That Nityananda, who is the root of the bhakti-lata, bhakti creeper, He is my bhajaniya. I do my bhajana to that Nityananda Prabhu. I pay my obeisances to Him.

aye bhratar ninam kali-kaluninam kim nu bhavita
tatha prayascittam racaya yad-anayasata ime
vrajanti tvam ittham saha bhagavata mantrayati yo
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

That Nityananda Prabhu tells Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu: “O My brother, what will be the fate of these people of Kali-yuga? Please, show them a way for deliverance, so that they can approach Your lotus feet, obtain Your lotus feet, and be always in touch with Sriman Mahaprabhu.” To that Nityananda Prabhu I pay my obeisances, and to that Nityananda Prabhu I do my bhajana.

yathentham re bhratah kuru hari-hari-dhvanam anisam
tato vah samsarambudhi-tarana-dayo mayi laget
idam bahu-sphotair atati ratayan yah pratigrham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

That Nityananda Prabhu goes to every doorstep and tells them, “O my brothers, all of you, always engage yourselves in chanting harinama; hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare. If you do this, you must very easily cross over this dreadful ocean of materialistic existence and I remain a surety for it, for you.” He says, “surety”. Surety, guaranteed, I certify it. I tell you.”
To that Nityananda, who is the root of the bhakti creeper, I pay my obeisances and I do the bhajana of that Nityananda Prabhu.

balat samsarambhonidhi-harana-kumbhodbhavam aho
satam sreyah-sindhushnati-kumuda-bandhum samuditam
khala-sreni-sphurjit-timira-hara-surya-prabham aham
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

That Nityananda Prabhu very easily destroys the sinful reactions of the most sinful and degraded people of Kali-yuga, kali-atma-jiva. He is also very, very dear to the devotees. He is always busy doing good to the devotees. He has arisen like a cooling moon, Who is as cool as crores of moons, koti-candra susitala. He is also like the sun Who dispels the darkness of the ignorant fools; the darkness arisen out of sinful activities. He is like a sun for them, because He destroys the sinful reactions of all sinful persons, rascals. To that Nityananda who is the root of the bhakti kalpalata, I pay my obeisances and I do my bhajana to that Nityananda Prabhu.

natantam gayantam harim anuvadantam pathi pathi
vrajantam pasyantam svam api na dayantam jana-ganam
prakurvantam santam sa-karuna-drg-antam prakalanad
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

He’s always dancing, and engaged in harinama-sankirtana. He always casts a merciful glance over His dear devotees. In this way He is always moving in the streets of all the towns, cities and villages. He always casts His merciful glance over the devotees, sadhus. To that Nityananda Prabhu, Who is the root of bhakti-kalpa-vrkna, the bhakti tree, I pay my obeisances. I do the bhajana of that Nityananda.

su-bibhranam bhratuh kara-sarasijam komalataram
mitho vaktralokocchalita-paramananda-hrdayam
bhramantam madhuryair ahaha madayantam pura-janan
bhaje nityanandam bhajana-taru-kandam niravadhi

That Nityananda always moves with Gauranga Mahaprabhu, holding His very soft lotus-like palm and Who always looks at the lotus-like face of Gauracandra and becomes ecstatic, blissful. Who always makes the people of the towns, cities and villages happy and blissful by His chanting of the harinama maha-mantra, by doing hari-kirtana. To that Nityananda, Who is the root of the bhakti-kalpa-lata, I pay my obeisances. I do the bhajana of that Nityananda.

rasanam adharam rasika-vara-sad-vaishnava-dhanam
rasagaram saram patita-tati-taram smaranatah
param nityanandantakam idam apurvam pathati yah
tad-anghri-dvandvabjam sphuratu nitaram tasya hrdaye

Vrndavana Das Thakura says that those who daily read and recite this Nityanandantakam of Nityananda Prabhu will get Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy and His lotus feet will be revealed to him, which is very rare. Then that Nityananda Prabhu, who is the life and soul of rasika-bhaktas, the reservoir of all mellows, the essence of all the universes, tri-jagat, the three planetary systems, and by whose remembrance the sinful reactions of the sinful persons are destroyed, will give bhakti-rasa.

Jaya Sri Nityananda Prabhu ki jaya !
Patita pavana Sri Nitaicand ki jaya !
Patita udhara Sri Nityananda Prabhu ki jaya !

Nityananda and Banka Raya

Nityananda Prabhu’s father’s name was Sri Hadai Ojha, and His mother’s name was Padmavati. After Nityananda Prabhu, Padmavati gave birth to another son, whom they called Banka Raya. The two brothers, Nityananda and Banka Raya, took birth in the village of Ekacakra. Close to that village flows the Yamuna-nadi River. In Their boyhood days, Nityananda and Banka Raya played with Their friends on the bank of the river and performed various lilas there, krishna-lila and rama-lila.
Banka means curved in three places, tri-bhangi. So Banka refers to Krshna, Raya to Radharani and when both are combined They are Banka Raya, Gauranga. Krshna and Radha combined is Gauranga. That is the meaning of Banka Raya.

The Big Snake from Dvapara-yuga

The two brothers went to the village called Mayuresvara, which was the village of Their maternal grand-father. Close to the village there was a jungle. Once, when these two brothers were about to enter that jungle, two villagers debarred Them, “Hey, don’t go to that jungle. There is a very big poisonous snake that devours everyone who goes there. No one returns. Please don’t go.” Nityananda Prabhu did not listen to them and They both entered that jungle.
That big poisonous snake was staying under a tamala tree, and as soon as these two brothers entered the jungle it came out, raising his hood and hissing. Nityananda Prabhu was not afraid at all, rather He raised His hand and said, “Eh! Oh, wicked fellow! Dunta, stay there! Stay there! Don’t come forward!” The snake stopped. “Why are you killing and devouring innocent people?” Nityananda Prabhu is Nagaraja, the king of all snakes, Anantadev Naga, so when He told the snake to stop, he stopped. Then He continued and asked, “Why are you doing this?” Then the snake related his history from Dvapara-yuga.

The Pandavas in Ekacakra

The big snake said, “In Dvapara-yuga, after staying in the house of lac, the Panca Pandavas were wandering in disguise as brahmanas, begging alms from village to village. They met Vyasadeva in this Ekacakra village and Vyasadeva told them to stay in the house of one brahmana named Vedasrava. Although, that brahmana was very poor, and would everyday go out to beg for alms, he spared half of his house for the Pandavas to live with their mother Kunti. Everyday four of the five brothers would go out begging for alms, and one brother would remain with Kuntidevi. In this way they would take turns.

The Demon Bakasura

One day, when it was the turn of Bhimasena, Kuntidevi heard that the brahmani of the house was crying. She went to see her and asked, “Why are you crying?” The brahmani said, “There is one demon who lives very close by, only four, or five miles away. His name is Bakasura. That demon would come every day to this village and indiscriminately kill many animals and human beings. So once all the villagers assembled, had a meeting, and made a decision. They requested the demon not to come every day, “We’ll send every day one human being, one cart load of anna, rice and cake, pitha, and two buffaloes for you to eat. Then there is no need for you to come here and disturb us.”
The demon became very happy, “Yes, very good! Why shall I come if you send food every day?’ So they would take turns; today is your turn, the next day his turn, and the day after it was the turn of someone else. In this way, every householder had a turn. It was a very big village, as some villages were clustered together and each householder’s turn would come once in every thirty-three years, two months, and twenty days. The village was that big, with so many people.

Bhima Kills the Demon

So that day it was the turn of the brahmana Vedasrava.
The day before a drummer, while beating his drum, had proclaimed, “Tomorrow it will be Vedasrava’s turn.” There were only four persons in the poor brahmana’s family: Vedasrava the brahmana, his wife Umadevi, a ten year old son Vidyadhara, and their eight years old daughter, Bhanumati.
They arranged two buffaloes, one cart with a load of anna, rice, and pitha, cake. Then the question arose, “Who will go to bring the food to Bakasura?” Vedasrava said: “I will go.” Then his son, the ten year old boy, said, “No, no, father, you don’t go, I will go.” When the son said that, the brahmani started crying. So when Kuntidevi ran there and asked why she was crying, the brahmani told her all this.
Then Kuntidevi said, “Don’t cry. I have five sons. I’ll spare one. You have only one son.” Kuntidevi, knowing the strength of Bhima, said, “I’ll send Bhima. Bhima will kill the demon and then all villagers will be saved.”
Kuntidevi said, “Dear Bhima, go to that demon Bakasura. This brahman family is so kind to us by giving us shelter in times of distress. We should help them. They have only one son and that son has to go as food for Bakasura. They are crying now, so you should go.”
Bhima became very happy, “Yes, I will go!” So Bhima left with that cartload of anna, rice and cake. While eating the anna and cake he was shouting, “Hey, demon Bakasura where are you? Come out! Come out!” The demon came out and saw that someone was eating his food. He became angry and uprooted a big tree and threw it at Bhima. Bhima did the same; he also uprooted a big tree and threw it at the demon. There was a fierce battle between them. At the end Bhima killed that demon, ate everything, and returned with an empty cart.

Arjuna’s Snake Arrow

In the meantime, Arjuna returned and saw that his brother Bhima was not there. So he asked Mother Kunti, “Where is Bhima?” Mother Kunti told him everything, and how Bhima had gone to Bakasura. Arjuna thought, “Oh, brother Bhima has gone alone, he must be fighting with that demon; he must be facing some trouble. So Arjuna said to Mother Kunti, “Mother, I am going to help Bhima. Please stay here in the brahmana’s house.”
He took his Gandiva bow and arrows and left. While he was on his way he thought, “It will take time to get there and my brother Bhima must be facing great trouble.” Thinking like this he decided to shoot his naga-pasa-astra, his snake arrow. While shooting that snake arrow he said, “Oh naga.” Naga means cobra. “You go and bind up that demon.”
While he continued on his way, he met Bhima who was coming back. Bhima told him that the demon was already killed. Arjuna said, “Oh, but I have sent a naga, cobra. He must be wandering there now, and devouring everyone he meets. So I am going to settle him up.”
So Arjuna went there, saw that the cobra was moving about, and said, “Alright you cobra, stay underneath this tamala tree here. You should not move anywhere else and don’t harm anyone.” Then that cobra said, “How can I survive? What shall I eat?” Arjuna said, “Whoever will come to this tamala tree, devour him, but don’t go away from the tree. Don’t devour anyone elsewhere.”
“So from that day on, I am here. Whoever comes here I’m devouring.” That cobra related this story to Nityananda Prabhu.

Nityananda Prabhu Has Only One Earring

Nityananda Prabhu then said to the cobra, “Alright, stay here inside this hole. Don’t come out and don’t devour anyone.” He was devouring innocent human beings. The cobra said, “How can I survive? What shall I eat?” Nityananda Prabhu said, “People will come and worship you and offer food to you, bhoga, and you can eat that. Don’t devour any human beings, animals, or any other creature. Stay inside this hole, and don’t come out of the hole.”
While saying this Nityananda Prabhu took one of His golden earrings out of His ear, and put it on the mouth of the hole. From that day Nityananda Prabhu or Balarama or Baladeva has only one kundala, earring, eka kundala, not two. That kundala has gradually turned into a big block of stone, and a very nice temple is built over it. It is a holy place now, known as kundali-tala, or kundali damana and many people are going there to offer worship and bhoga to that cobra, naga.
These are some of the childhood pastimes of Nityananda Prabhu and there are so many more.

Banka Raya Disappeared

There is also one pastime of Banka Raya, of which I will give you a summary. Once, Banka Raya was overseeing the cultivation of some land. It was a big property of about five or ten hectares of cultivated land, with many weeds. Some labourers were engaged in pulling out the weeds. Around midday Banka Raya said to them, “Alright, you must be hungry now, go home, eat, take some rest and then come back to finish the work.” After all the labourers had left for their houses, Banka Raya Himself uprooted all the weeds of the whole five hectares within one hour, something that these 50 waged labourers couldn’t have done.
When the labourers saw these wonderful activities of Banka Raya, they went to Banka Raya’s father and said, “Pandita Ajna, your younger son Banka Raya told us to go back home, and take food and then He Himself pulled out all the weeds within one hour; it’s so wonderful. All the weeds are still there in several big mounds. Upon hearing this, all the villagers went to see this wonderful activity. His father and mother Padmavati also went, but they couldn’t see Him anywhere; Banka Raya had disappeared.

Nityananda Prabhu Carved the Murti of Bankim Deva

When His mother and the villagers started crying, they heard an aerial voice, “You cannot see me any longer, but this coming Ekadasi, you’ll find Me floating on the Yamuna River in the form of a log of wood. Pick that log up and worship Me.” So that is what happened; on that Ekadasi day at that place, which is now known as Kadamba-khandi, some villagers saw a log of wood floating on the Yamuna River. Nityananda Prabhu Himself lifted that log of wood up and carved a murti of Bankabihari, Krshna. Nityananda Prabhu named the murti Bankim Deva, and He installed that murti. Now there is a temple for that vigraha and on every Nityananda trayodasi day, the Appearance Day of Nityananda Prabhu, a big fair is held in front of that temple. It is said that when Nityananda Prabhu disappeared, He entered into that vigraha. These are only some of the pastimes, but there are many more.

Jaya patita-pavana maha adbhuta karuna maya karunika vigraha Sri Sri Nityananda Prabhu ki jaya!
Sri Nityananda patita-pavana Sri Sri Nityananda Prabhu ki jaya!
Kali kalmasana adbhuta doyal karunika patita-pavana Sri Sri Nityananda Prabhu ki jaya!

Gaur-Nitai premanandi! Hari haribol!
Gaur-Nitai premanandi! Hari haribol!
Nitai-gaur premanandi Hari haribol!