The Glories of Lord Nityananda

Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, Madhya Kanda, Chapter 12, English translation by Bhumipati dasa, Commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada

Chapter 12 The Glories of Nityananda

This chapter describes Nityananda’s endless childishness; His pastime of swimming in the Ganges; His arrival before Mahaprabhu without any clothes on; Mahaprabhu’s dressing of Nityananda, offering prayers to Nityananda, begging brahmana underwear from Nityananda, and distribution of brahmana underwear pieces to all the devotees; a narration of Nityananda’s glories; the devotees’ drinking the water that has washed Sri Nityananda’s feet; the devotees’ feelings of agitation by the influence of drinking that water; Mahaprabhu’s description of Nityananda’s constitutional position; and the glories of His mercy.

During the Navadvipa pastimes Nityananda Prabhu constantly remained absorbed in bliss and acted like a young boy. During the rainy season everyone became frightened when He fearlessly swam in the crocodile infested waters of the Ganges. Due to love of God, He sometimes remained in an unconscious state for three or four days. One day Nityananda came naked before Sri Gaurasundara in the mood of a child while loudly exclaiming, “Nimai Pandita is My Lord.” Mahaprabhu laughed and then took off the cloth from His own head and put it on Nityananda. Thereafter the Lord smeared fragrant sandalwood pulp on the body of Nityananda, offered Him a flower garland, made Him sit in front of Him, and then began to offer Him prayers. Nityananda accepted the service of Mahaprabhu and heard His own open glorification without any agitation. Thereafter Mahaprabhu asked Nityananda for a kaupina, or brahmana underwear, and after tearing into pieces that kaupina, which is desirable even by great mystic yogis, He distributed them to the devotees. The Lord instructed the devotees to tie those pieces of cloth on their heads and then described Nityananda’s constitutional position and the glories of His mercy. Being ordered by Mahaprabhu, everyone happily tied those pieces of kaupina on their heads. When Mahaprabhu instructed the devotees to drink the water that has washed the feet of Nityananda, they immediately began to drink that water again and again. The devotees became intoxicated by drinking the water that had washed Nityananda’s feet and considered that their lives have become successful. They praised their own good fortune and the sweetness of that water. Being agitated by love of God as a result of drinking the water from Nityananda’s feet, they began to perform krsna-kirtana in ecstasy. Gaura and Nityananda also joined them and performed kirtana throughout the day. After the completion of kirtana, Gaurasundara sat in the midst of the devotees and spontaneously declared, “The lotus feet of Nityananda are worshiped by even Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, so if one exhibits faith and devotion to these lotus feet he actually exhibits faith and devotion to Me. Anyone who is envious of Nityananda is not dear to Me, rather simply by the touch of air that has touched the body of Nityananda one attains the mercy of Krsna.” The devotees chanted “Jaya! Jaya!” in ecstasy and accepted these words from the mouth of Mahaprabhu with great respect.

Text 1
jaya visvambhara sarva vaisnavera natha
bhakti diya jive prabhu kara atmasat//CB, Madhya 12.001//
TRANSLATION
All glories to Visvambhara, the Lord of all Vaisnavas! O Lord, please bestow Your devotional service on the living entities and deliver them.

Text 2
hena lila nityananda-visvambhara-sange
navadvipe dui jane kare bahu range//CB, Madhya 12.002//
TRANSLATION
In this way Lord Nityananda and Lord Visvambhara enjoyed various pastimes in Navadvipa.

Text 3
krsnanande alaukika nityananda-raya
niravadhi balakera praya vyavasaya//CB, Madhya 12.003//
TRANSLATION
Lord Nityananda was fully absorbed in transcendental ecstatic love forKrsna, yet He constantly behaved like a young boy.
COMMENTARY
Persons who are intoxicated by material happiness do not possess any information about the happiness derived from Krsna’s service. Since Lord Nityananda was fully intoxicated by ecstatic love for Krsna, He constantly displayed the characteristics of a small boy. People who are intoxicated by material enjoyment deviate from the principle of simplicity by taking shelter of worldly deceit. Such material conceptions were never found inthe characteristics of Nityananda.

Text 4
sabare dekhiya prita madhura sambhasa
apana-apani nrtya-vadya-gita-hasa//CB, Madhya 12.004//
TRANSLATION
Nityananda spoke sweetly with everyone He saw. He engaged in dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, and laughing.

Text 5
svanubhavanande ksane karena hunkara
sunile apurva buddhi janmaye sabara//CB, Madhya 12.005//
TRANSLATION
Sometimes He roared loudly out of His own ecstasy. Hearing His roar, everyone became struck with wonder.

Text 6
varsate gangaye dheu kumbhire vestita
tahate bhasaye, tilardheka nahi bhita//CB, Madhya 12.006//
TRANSLATION
During the rainy season the waves of the Ganges were full of crocodiles, yet Nityananda fearlessly floated in those waters.
COMMENTARY
During the rainy season many crocodiles were seen in the river. Nityananda did not for even a moment become afraid to play in thewaters of such a crocodile-infested river.

Text 7
sarva-loka dekhi’ dare kare—`haya haya’
tathapi bhasena hasi’ nityananda-raya//CB, Madhya 12.007//
TRANSLATION
On seeing Him floating, people became frightened and exclaimed, “Alas!Alas!” But Nityananda smiled and continued to float.

Text 8
anantera bhave prabhu bhasena gangaya
na bujhiya sarva-loka kare—`haya haya’//CB, Madhya 12.008//
TRANSLATION
Nityananda floated in the Ganges in the mood of Ananta. Not understanding His glories, everyone lamented, “Alas! Alas!”
COMMENTARY
Lord Ananta eternally lies down in the Casual Ocean. In the same mood Nityananda floated in the Ganges by way of swimming. Those who did not know His glories became filled with anxiety.

Text 9
anande murchita va hayena kona ksana
tina cari divase o na haya cetana//CB, Madhya 12.009//
TRANSLATION
Sometimes He lost consciousness due to ecstatic love and did not regain consciousness even after three or four days.
COMMENTARY
Being absorbed in ecstatic love for Krsna, Nityananda sometimes did not manifest external consciousness for three or four days.

Text 10
ei-mata ara kata acintya kathana
ananta-mukhete nari karite varnana//CB, Madhya 12.010//
TRANSLATION
In this way Nityananda performed many other inconceivable pastimes. I could not describe them all even if I possessed unlimited mouths.

Text 11
daive eka-dina yatha prabhu vasi’ ache
ailena nityananda isvarera kache//CB, Madhya 12.011//
TRANSLATION
By providence, one day Nityananda came before the Lord while He was sitting.

Text 12
balya-bhave digambara hasya sri-vadane
sarvada ananda-dhara vahe sri-nayane//CB, Madhya 12.012//
TRANSLATION
In the mood of a child, Nityananda had no clothes on. He constantly smiled and tears of love flowed from His lotus eyes.
COMMENTARY
As needy boys always cry to express their misery, Lord Nityananda in an opposite mood (always joyful) smiled and shed tears of love. Sometimes His clothes would loosen. As a result His childish sweetness contradicted the principle of shyness.

Text 13
“mora prabhu nimai pandita nadiyara”
niravadhi ei bali’ karena hunkara//CB, Madhya 12.013//
TRANSLATION
Lord Nityananda roared loudly and repeatedly proclaimed, “Nimai Pandita of Nadia is My Lord.”

Text 14
hase prabhu dekhi’ tana murti digambara
maha-jyotir-maya tanu dekhite sundara//CB, Madhya 12.014//
TRANSLATION
On seeing Nityananda without any clothes on, the Lord laughed. The beautiful body of Nityananda was full of effulgence.

Text 15
athe-vyathe prabhu nija mastakera vasa
paraiya thuilena—tathapiha hasa//CB, Madhya 12.015//
TRANSLATION
The Lord hurriedly took off the cloth from His own head and put it on Nityananda, who simply laughed.
COMMENTARY
Whenever Nityananda would take off His clothes out of ecstasy, Mahaprabhu covered Nityananda’s body with the cloth that the Lord tied on His own head. By this action of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda smiled and expressed His childish nature.

Text 16
apane lepila tana anga divya gandhe
sese malya paripurna dilena sri-ange//CB, Madhya 12.016//
TRANSLATION
Thereafter the Lord smeared sandalwood paste on Nityananda’s transcendental body and offered Him a flower garland.

Text 17
vasite dilena nija sammukhe asana
stuti kare prabhu, sune sarva bhakta-gana//CB, Madhya 12.017//
TRANSLATION
The Lord offered Nityananda an asana to sit in front of Him. Then the Lord offered prayers while all the devotees attentively listened.

Text 18
“name nityananda tumi, rupe nityananda
ei tumi nityananda rama-murtimanta//CB, Madhya 12.018//
TRANSLATION
“Your name is Nityananda and Your form is nityananda, full of eternal bliss. You are directly Lord Balarama.
COMMENTARY
While offering prayers to Nityananda, Mahaprabhu said, “Your name is Nityananda, and Your form is directly nityananda, eternal bliss. The flow of bliss is never checked in You. You are directly Lord Balarama.” In the Brhad-yamala Lord Krsna speaks as follows:
balaramo mamaivamsah so ‘pi tatra bhavisyati
nityananda iti khato nyasi cudamanih ksitau
“Sri Balarama, who is My expansion, will also appear in Navadvipa as the crest jewel among the sannyasis and will be known as Sri Nityananda.”
It  is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.6) as follows:
ei krsna—navadvipe sri-caitanya-candra
sei balarama—sange sri-nityananda
“That original Lord Krsna appeared in Navadvipa as Lord Caitanya, and Balarama appeared with Him as Lord Nityananda.”

Text 19
nityananda paryatana, bhojana, vebhara
nityananda vina kichu nahika tomara//CB, Madhya 12.019//
TRANSLATION
“Your traveling, eating, and dealings are all full of eternal bliss. There is never any diminution in Your enjoyment of eternal bliss.
COMMENTARY
Sriman Mahaprabhu said, “O Nityananda, there is no interruption of bliss in Your traveling, eating, and all varieties of behavior.”

Text 20
tomare bujhite sakti manusyera kotha?
parama susatya—tumi yatha, krsna tatha”//CB, Madhya 12.020//
TRANSLATION
“How can human beings understand You? It is a fact that You are present wherever Krsna is.”
COMMENTARY
“Wherever Krsna is, You are also there. Just as Lord Krsna is eternal, You also constantly remain with Him and are eternal. Since You are beyond the jurisdiction of human beings’ material perception, which is under the three material modes of nature, they cannot understand You.”

Text 21
caitanyera rase nityananda mahamati
ye balena, ye karena—sarvatra sammati//CB, Madhya 12.021//
TRANSLATION
The most magnanimous Nityananda is absorbed in ecstatic love for Lord Caitanya, so whatever He speaks or does is always approved by the Lord.

Text 22
prabhu bale,—“eka khani kaupina tomara
deha’—iha bada iccha achaye amara”//CB, Madhya 12.022//
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, “Give Me a piece of Your kaupina. I have a great desire to have it.”
COMMENTARY
While traveling to the holy places with one sannyasi, Lord Nityananda formally accepted the principle of wearing the brahmacari kaupina. Mahaprabhu expressed a desire to beg that kaupina, which is the sign of a brahmacari. The wearing of kaupina entails covering the lower part of one’s body with the minimum required cloth. Persons who are intoxicated by material enjoyment engage in deceitfulness in the name of civilization and declare the absence of simplicity as gentlemanliness by dressing opulently. In order to stop dressing and eating opulently, which are aimed at maintaining adultery, the acceptance of kaupina is indicative of the greatness of asrama-dharma, the occupational duty of a particular caste.

Text 23
eta bali’ prabhu tara kaupina aniya
chota kari’ cirilena aneka kariya//CB, Madhya 12.023//
TRANSLATION
After speaking in this way the Lord took Nityananda’s kaupina and tore it into many small pieces.

Text 24
sakala-vaisnava-mandalire jane jane
khani khani kari’ prabhu dilena apane//CB, Madhya 12.024//
TRANSLATION
The Lord then personally distributed those pieces to every one of the Vaisnavas.

Text 25
prabhu bale,—“e vastra bandhaha sabe sire
anyera ki daya—iha vanche yogesvare//CB, Madhya 12.025//
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, “Tie this piece of cloth on your head. What to speak of others, even the greatest mystic yogis desire this.

Text 26
nityananda-prasade se haya visnu-bhakti
janiha—krsnera nityananda purna-sakti//CB, Madhya 12.026//
TRANSLATION
“Simply by the mercy of Nityananda one obtains devotional service of Visnu. Know it for certain that Nityananda is the full potency of Krsna.
COMMENTARY
Mahaprabhu said, “You should know Sri Nityananda Prabhu as the complete potency of Lord Krsna. He is the topmost among the servants of Krsna. Only by His mercy can one achieve devotion to Visnu. He is the form of Visnu presiding over the sandhini potency. Although He is Lord Visnu Himself, He nevertheless serves the supreme Visnu. He serves the origin of all visnu-tattvas. Only by His mercy is the living entities’ propensity for worshiping Hari awakened.” In His form as the younger sister of Radharani, Sri Nityananda Prabhu nourishes conjugal mellows. That is why Sri Thakura Narottama has said:
hena nitai vine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai,
drdha kari’ dhara nitaira paya
“Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord
Nityananda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Radha-Krsna. If
one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Radha-Krsna, he
must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.”
As the supreme Jagat-guru, Sri Nityananda Prabhu alone is the origin of gurutattva. In regards to the devotee Jagat-guru, the spiritual master is an incarnation of Sri Nityananda, who is the manifestation of Sri Caitanya. The spiritual master is most dear to Lord Krsna because like Sri Nityananda he is also a manifestation of Sri Caitanya, and he is renowned to be as good as Nityananda. The travelers on the path of devotional service do not accept the identification of Nityananda’s family through seminal consideration. The nondevotee smartas who are averse to the service of Visnu attribute such unreasonable propositions to the family of Nityananda, but the devotees of the Lord are completely against this. The family of Nityananda is based on disciplic succession. Since it is not based on seminal succession, many ordinary villagers who were disciples of Virabhadra Prabhu considered themselves as belonging to the family of Sri Nityananda. The book Nityananda-vamsa-vistara, composed by a person from Beniatola (Calcutta) at the end of nineteenth century, is modern and opposed to history.

Text 27
krsnera dvitiya nityananda bai nai
sangi, sakha, sayana, bhusana, bandhu, bhai//CB, Madhya 12.027//
TRANSLATION
“Nityananda is the second manifestation of Krsna. He serves the Lord as His companion, friend, bed, ornaments, well-wisher, and brother.
COMMENTARY
Krsna’s second manifestation, Sri Baladeva Prabhu, is Sri Gaurasundara’s second manifestation, Nityananda Prabhu. Lord Krsna is one without a second, and Lord Nityananda is His second manifestation. Nityananda is inseparably related to the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Krsna. He is the companion of Gauranga, the friend of Gauranga, the bed of Gauranga, the carrier of Gauranga, the ornaments of Gauranga, and the relative of Gauranga, in the form of His elder brother.

Text 28
vedera agamya nityanandera caritra
sarva-jiva-janaka, raksaka, sarva-mitra//CB, Madhya 12.028//
TRANSLATION
“The characteristics of Nityananda are incomprehensible to the Vedas. He is the origin, protector, and friend of all living entities.
COMMENTARY
The characteristics of Nityananda are incomprehensible to the knowers of the Vedas. Coming from this Nityananda, the Sankarsana form of Vasudeva in Maha-Vaikuntha considered by the followers of the Pancaratras is not Nityananda’s partial identity. He is a self-manifested object. From Him, Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and Ksirodakasayi Visnu manifest and float in the three oceans. These three Visnus reside in Maha-Vaikuntha as Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Sankarsana as the cause of both Vaikuntha and the material world. The form of Visnu presiding over the sandhini potency manifests Karanodakasayi Visnu, from whom all the occasional incarnations are manifested. Since the living entities who belong to the marginal energy of the Lord are manifested from Karanodakasayi Visnu, He is the father of all living entities. Because He is the maintainer of all living entities, He is the “protector,” and because He is the shelter of all living entities, He is the “friend.” Lord Nityananda is the supreme controller, and the living entities are His separated parts. They are born from the marginal energy of the Lord and are servants of the Lord. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.43-45) it is stated: “One variety of the pastimes of the spiritual energy is described as pure goodness [visuddha-sattva]. It comprises all the abodes of Vaikuntha. The six attributes are all spiritual. Know for certain that they are all manifestations of the opulence of Sankarsana. There is one marginal potency, known as the jiva. Maha-sankarsana is the shelter of all jivas.”

Text 29
ihara vyabhara saba krsna-rasa-maya
ihane sevile krsna-prema-bhakti haya//CB, Madhya 12.029//
TRANSLATION
“His dealings are full of transcendental mellows for Krsna. Just by serving Him one obtains devotional service in love of Krsna.
COMMENTARY
Since Nityananda was always eager to serve Krsna in ecstatic love, simply by serving Him the serving propensity of persons who are thirsty after loving devotional service to Krsna will be fully awakened. In Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.204) it is stated as follows:
jaya jaya nityananda-caranaravinda
yanha haite painu sri-radha-govinda
“All glory, all glory to the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, by whose mercy I have attained Sri Radha-Govinda.”

Text 30
bhakti kari’ ihana kaupina bandha’ sire
mahayatne iha puja kara giya ghare”//CB, Madhya 12.030//
TRANSLATION
“Tie the piece of His kaupina on your head with devotion. Go home and worship it with great care.”

Text 31
paiya prabhura ajna sarva-bhakta-gana
parama adare sire karila bandhana//CB, Madhya 12.031//
TRANSLATION
Being ordered by the Lord, all the devotees respectfully tied those pieces of kaupina on their heads.
COMMENTARY
By the order of Mahaprabhu all the devotees tied the pieces of kaupinas on their heads, and by the order of the Lord they took them to their houses and regularly worshiped them with devotion. To consider the clothes that the Supreme Lord or His devotees wear below the navel on the lower parts of their body as equal to the clothes ordinary people wear on the lower parts of their body is completely against the intention of the devotional scriptures. The dust of the feet and clothes for the lower part of the body of worshipable personalities are sources of strength for persons who are hankering after devotional service. If one considers these items abominable or equal to one’s own, then the first level of devotional service known as sraddha, or faith, is disturbed. In Caitanya Caritamrta (Antya 16.60) it is stated: “The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful substances.” There is no possibility of one obtaining devotional service to Visnu until one is fixed in the understanding: chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba—    without serving a pure devotee, one cannot advance in spiritual life. It is not proper for a person to consider his own stool and urine, or the stool and urine of those who are inferior to him, to be equal to the stool and urine of an exalted worshipable person. If one develops such a consideration, it will disturb his service to Hari, Guru, and Vaisnava. And if one considers that which is not Hari, Guru, and Vaisnava as Hari, Guru, and Vaisnava, then instead of becoming faithful such a person becomes faithless and deprived of respectable personalities’ mercy. This is aversion to the service of the Lord or the nondevotional platform.

Text 32
prabhu bale,—“sunaha sakala bhakta-gana
nityananda-padodaka karaha grahana//CB, Madhya 12.032//
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, “Listen, devotees, drink the water that has washed the feet of Nityananda.

Text 33
karilei matra ei padodaka pana
krsne drdha bhakti haya, ithe nahi ana”//CB, Madhya 12.033//
TRANSLATION
“As soon as one drinks that water, one will develop fixed devotional service to Krsna. There is no doubt about it.”

Text 34
ajna pai’ sabe nityanandera carana
pakhaliya padodaka karaye grahana//CB, Madhya 12.034//
TRANSLATION
Being ordered by the Lord, all the devotees immediately washed the feet of Nityananda with water and drank it.

Text 35
panca-bara dasa-bara eka-jane khaya
bahya nahi, nityananda hasaye sadaya//CB, Madhya 12.035//
TRANSLATION
Some of the devotees drank five times and some drank ten times. Nityananda laughed constantly and did not know what was going on.

Text 36
apane vasiya mahaprabhu gaura-raya
nityananda-padodaka kautuke lotaya//CB, Madhya 12.036//
TRANSLATION
Sitting where He was, Gauranga Mahaprabhu in great jubilation personally distributed the water that had washed the feet of Nityananda.

Text 37
sabe nityananda-padodaka kari’ pana
matta-praya `hari’ bali’ karaye ahvana//CB, Madhya 12.037//
TRANSLATION
After drinking the water from Nityananda’s feet everyone became intoxicated and loudly chanted the name of Hari.

Text 38
keha bale,—“aji dhanya haila jivana”
keha bale,—“aji saba khandila bandhana”//CB, Madhya 12.038//
TRANSLATION
Someone said, “Today my life has become successful.” Someone else said, “Today my material bondage is vanquished.”

Texts 39-40
keha bale,—“aji hailama krsna-dasa”
keha bale,—“aji dhanya divasa-prakasa”

keha bale,—“padodaka bada svadu lage
ekhano mukhera mistata nahi bhange” ”//CB, Madhya 12.036-40//
TRANSLATION
Someone said, “Today I have become a servant of Krsna.” Someone else said, “Today is the most auspicious day for me.” Another said, “This water is so tasty that I still feel sweetness in my mouth.”
COMMENTARY
After drinking on the order of Sri Gaurasundara the water that had washed the feet of Sri Nityananda, someone said, “The water from Nityananda’s feet is very tasty. After drinking this water its sweet taste does not vanish. Even after drinking this water the sweetness remains in the mouth for a long time.” Since ordinary foolish people consider the water that has washed the feet of Nityananda as ordinary water, they remain entangled by the ropes of material desire. But the glories of this water is such that a devotee who drinks it becomes self-realized and understands his eternal position as a servant of the Lord. Meanwhile, someone else said, “Today all inauspiciousness has disappeared and a new dawn of self-realization has arisen.” Those who consider Sri Nityananda’s lotus feet similar to the feet of ordinary living entities and thus lack a taste for those lotus feet are understood to be devoid of devotion to Krsna. Those who drink the water that has washed the lotus feet of the Lord become intoxicated and constantly chant the holy names of the Lord, and those who are intoxicated by material enjoyment think themselves as Nityananda while posing as “spiritual masters.” The material conceptions of such hellish persons increase their false ego and foolishness.

Text 41
ki se nityananda padodakera prabhava
pana-matra sabe haila cancala-svabhava//CB, Madhya 12.041//
TRANSLATION
What wonderful influence the water that washed the feet of Nityananda has, for just by drinking that water everyone became agitated.

Text 42
keha nace, keha gaya, keha gadi’ yaya
hunkara garjana keha karaye sadaya//CB, Madhya 12.042//
TRANSLATION
After drinking that water, someone danced, someone sang, and someone rolled on the ground. Others roared loudly all the time.

Text 43
uthila paramananda krsnera kirtana
vihvala haiya nrtya kare bhakta-gana//CB, Madhya 12.043//
TRANSLATION
A tumultuous ecstatic kirtana was begun, and all the devotees were completely overwhelmed as they danced.

Text 44
ksaneke sri-gauracandra kariya hunkara
uthiya lagila nrtya karite apara//CB, Madhya 12.044//
TRANSLATION
Soon Sri Gauracandra roared loudly and began to dance profusely.

Text 45
nityananda-svarupa uthila tata-ksana
nrtya kare dui prabhu vedi’ bhakta-gana//CB, Madhya 12.045//
TRANSLATION
Nityananda Svarupa immediately got up and joined the Lord, and both Lords danced in the midst of the devotees.

Text 46
kara gaye keba pade, keba kare dhare
keba kara caranera dhuli laya sire//CB, Madhya 12.046//
TRANSLATION
No one knew who fell on whom, who caught whom, and who took whose feet dust on their heads.

Text 47
keba kara gala dhari’ karaye rodana
keba kon rupa kare,—na yaya varnana//CB, Madhya 12.047//
TRANSLATION
One cannot describe who cried by holding whose neck or who did what.

Text 48
prabhu kariya o karo kichu bhaya nani
prabhu-bhrtya-sakale nacaye eka thani//CB, Madhya 12.048//
TRANSLATION
The devotees did not fear that they were with the Lord. Both the Lord and His servants danced together.

Text 49
nityananda-caitanye kariya kolakuli
anande nacena dui prabhu kutuhali//CB, Madhya 12.049//
TRANSLATION
Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya embraced each other and danced in ecstasy.

Text 50
prthivi kampita nityananda-pada-tale
dekhiya anande sarva-gane `hari’ bale//CB, Madhya 12.050//
TRANSLATION
The earth shook by the weight of Nityananda’s steps. Seeing His dancing, all the devotees chanted, “Hari! Hari!”

Text 51
prema-rase matta dui vaikuntha-isvara
nacena laiya saba prema-anucara//CB, Madhya 12.051//
TRANSLATION
Being intoxicated with ecstasy, the two Lords of Vaikuntha danced in the company of Their devoted followers.

Text 52
e-saba lilara kabhu nahi pariccheda
`avirbhava’, `tirobhava’ matra kahe veda//CB, Madhya 12.052//
TRANSLATION
Although the Vedas describe Their “appearance” and “disappearance,” there is never an end to Their pastimes.

Text 53
ei-mata sarva-dina prabhu nrtya kari’
vasilena sarva-gana-sange gaurahari//CB, Madhya 12.053//
TRANSLATION
After dancing in this way for the entire day, Gaurahari sat down with His associates.

Text 54
hate tina tali diya sri-gaurasundara
sabare kahena ati amaya-uttara//CB, Madhya 12.054//
TRANSLATION
Clapping His hands three times, Sri Gaurasundara frankly spoke to everyone as follows.

Texts 55-57
prabhu bale,—“ei nityananda-svarupere
ye karaye bhakti-sraddha, se kare amare

ihana carana—siva-brahmara vandita
ataeva ihane kariha sabe prita

tilardheka ihane yahara dvesa rahe
bhakta haile o se amara priya nahe//CB, Madhya 12.055-57//
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, “Anyone who keeps faith and engages in the service of this Nityananda Svarupa actually keeps faith and serves Me. His lotus feet are worshiped by Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Therefore all of you show love to Him. If a person maintains even a tinge of envy towards Him, then he is not dear to Me even if he is a devotee.
COMMENTARY
Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Gaurasundara are nondifferent. Simply by serving the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda, one obtains the fruits of serving Sri Gaurasundara. The lotus feet of Sri Nityananda are worshiped by qualitative incarnations like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva; those who are neglectful of these most worshipable objects, maintaining envy for even a moment and expressing eagerness to serve the external energy, maya, can never become worthy candidates for Sri Gaurasundara’s affection.

Text 58
ihana vatasa lagibeka yara gaya
tahare o krsna na chadibe sarvathaya”//CB, Madhya 12.058//
TRANSLATION
“Krsna will never leave that person who is touched by the air that has passed by Nityananda’s body.”
COMMENTARY
Subtle fragrance is spread by the air. The touch of Sri Nityananda’s bodily fragrance makes a person’s devotional service to Krsna so firm that the worshipable Lord Krsna can never reject him.

Text 59
suniya prabhura vakya sarva-bhakta-gana
maha jaya-jaya-dhvani karila takhana//CB, Madhya 12.059//
TRANSLATION
After hearing the Lord’s words, all the devotees immediately chanted “Jaya! Jaya!”

Text 60
bhakti kari’ ye sunaye e saba akhyana
tara svami haya gauracandra bhagavan//CB, Madhya 12.060//
TRANSLATION
Lord Gauracandra becomes the master of one who hears these topics with devotion.
COMMENTARY
Those who hear with faith the topics of Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s transcendental characteristics can never become averse to the service of Sri Caitanya. Only those who are inclined towards the service of Sri Nityananda Prabhu are able to serve Sri Gaurasundara in all respects. On seeing here the word svami, or “master,” the gaura-nagaris should not think that like the concocted nadiya-nagaris they also can enlist Sri Gaurasundara, who is nondifferent from Jagat-guru Sri Nityananda Prabhu, as a debauchee and display the wild dancing of their material conceptions.

Text 61
nityananda-svarupera e sakala kathaye-dekhila,
se tanhare janaye sarvatha//CB, Madhya 12.061//
TRANSLATION
Those who saw these pastimes of Nityananda Svarupa know His glories in truth.

Text 62
ei-mata kata nityanandera prabhava
jane yata caitanyera priya mahabhaga//CB, Madhya 12.062//
TRANSLATION
Only Lord Caitanya’s most fortunate associates know the unlimited influence of Lord Nityananda.
COMMENTARY
Only the most fortunate and dear associates of Sri Caitanya are capable of understanding the influence of Sri Nityananda.

Text 63
sri krsna-caitanya nityananda-canda jana
vrndavana-dasa tachu pada-yuge gana//CB, Madhya 12.063//
TRANSLATION
Accepting Sri Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu as my life and soul, I Vrndavana dasa, sing the glories of Their lotus feet.

Thus ends this English translation of the Gaudiya-bhasya commentary on Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-khanda, Chapter Twelve, entitled, “The Glories of Nityananda.”