The Lotus Feet of Lord Caitanya

(theharekrishnamovement.org) – The Lotus Feet of Lord Caitanya

Today marks the Disappearance Day of Narottama Dasa Thakur.

This is a very nice song by Narottama dasa Thakura who says; Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. Therefore, Narottama dasa Thakura prays that one take shelter of Lord Caitanya and follow in His footsteps.

We have included the Bengali/Elglish transliteration, translation, and 2 different purports by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.

Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. If one is captivated by the pleasing pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the dirty things in his heart will all become cleansed. (from the Songs of the Vaisnava Araryas)

Full Song

Gaurangera Duti Pada
by Narottama dasa Thakura

One who simply takes the holy name of Gaurasundara, Sri Krsna Caitanya, will immediately develop love of God. To such a person I say: Bravo! Very nice! Excellent! If one appreciates the merciful pastimes of Lord Caitanya and feels ecstasy and sometimes cries, this process will immediately help him to understand the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krsna.

Simply by understanding that the associates of Lord Gauranga are eternally free from material contamination, one can immediately be promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krsna. If one simply understands that the land of Navadvipa is not different from Vrndavana, then he actually lives in Vrndavana.

If one says: “Let me dive deep into the waves of the nectarean ocean of the transcendental loving movement introduced by Lord Caitanya”, he immediately becomes one of the confidential devotees of Radha and Krsna. It does not matter whether one is a householder living at home or a vanaprastha or sannyasi living in the forest, if he chants “O Gauranga, and becomes a devotee of Lord Caitanya, then Narottama dasa begs to have his association.

Gaurangera Duti Pada
Official Song Name: Sabarana Sri Gaura Mahima
by Narottama Dasa Thakura

gaurāńgera duṭi pada, jār dhana sampada,
se jāne bhakati-rasa-sār
gaurāńgera madhura-līlā, jār karṇe praveśilā,
hṛdoya nirmala bhelo tār

je gaurāńgera nāma loy, tāra hoy premodoy,
tāre mui jāi bolihāri
gaurāńga-guṇete jhure, nitya-līlā tāre sphure,
se jana bhakati-adhikārī

gaurāńgera sańgi-gaṇe, nitya-siddha kori’ māne,
se jāy brajendra-suta-pāś
śrī-gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, jebā jāne cintāmaṇi,
tāra hoy braja-bhūme bās

gaura-prema-rasārṇave, śe tarańge jebā ḍube,
se rādhā-mādhava-antarańga
gṛhe bā vanete thāke, ‘hā gaurāńga’ bo’le ḍāke,
narottama māge tāra sańga

TRANSLATION

1) Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. If one is captivated by the pleasing pastimes of Lord Caitanya, the dirty things in his heart will all become cleansed.

2) One who simply takes the holy name of Gaurasundara, Sri Krsna Caitanya, will immediately develop love of God. To such a person I say: Bravo! Very nice! Excellent! If one appreciates the merciful pastimes of Lord Caitanya and feels ecstasy and sometimes cries, this process will immediately help him to understand the eternal pastimes of Radha-Krsna.

3) Simply by understanding that the associates of Lord Gauranga are eternally free from material contamination, one can immediately be promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krsna. If one simply understands that the land of Navadvipa is not different from Vrndavana, then he actually lives in Vrndavana.

4) If one says: “Let me dive deep into the waves of the nectarean ocean of the transcendental loving movement introduced by Lord Caitanya”, he immediately becomes one of the confidential devotees of Radha and Krsna. It does not matter whether one is a householder living at home or a vanaprastha or sannyasi living in the forest, if he chants “O Gauranga, and becomes a devotee of Lord Caitanya, then Narottama dasa begs to have his association.

Purport to Gaurangera Duti Pada
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Los Angeles, January 6, 1969

Prabhupāda: Gaurāṅgera duṭi pada, yāra dhana sampada, sei jāne bhakati-rasa-sāra. This is another song composed by Narottama das Ṭhākura, and he says that “One who has accepted the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya, in other words, one who has the only asset of possession, the two feet of Lord Caitanya, such person is supposed to know what is the essence of devotional service.” Sei jāne bhakati-rasa-sāra. What is the purport of devotional service, or what is the humor of devotional service, can be understood by a person who has accepted Lord Caitanya’s lotus feet as everything. The idea is that actually Lord Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, and He is teaching devotional sevvice to the living entities personally. Directly. Therefore the modes of devotional service, as taught by Lord Caitanya, is the most perfect. There cannot be any doubt. The expert, or the master, is teaching the servant how to work. If a… If somebody is master of some engineering work and he is personally teaching some assistant, that teaching, instruction, is most perfect. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, in the role of a devotee, is teaching devotional service. Therefore the path chalked out by Lord Kṛṣṇa is the most feasible way for perfection to devotional service. Sei jāne bhakati rasa sāra. Sāra means essence.

And then he says, gaurāṅgera madhuri-līlā, yāra karṇe praveśilā. Now he comes to the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. He says that “Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are also as much transcendental as Lord Kṛṣṇa’s.” As in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that anyone who can simply understand the transcendental appearance, disappearance, activities, work of Kṛṣṇa, he immediately becomes eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. Simply by understanding the pastimes and the work, transcendental activities of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, one who enters into the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, he immediately becomes freed from all contamination of the heart. Gaurāṅgera madhuri-līlā, yāra karṇe praveśilā. Karṇe praveśilā means simply one has to receive the message of Lord Caitanya. Karṇe means in the ear. To give the message a submissive aural reception. Then immediately one’s heart becomes freed from all material contamination.

Then he says: yei gaurāṅgera nāma laya, tāra haya premodaya. Now, the devotees are concerned how to develop love of Godhead. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura recommends that anyone who simply chants śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda… ” Gaurāṅga means with all this paraphernalia. As soon as we speak of gaurāṅga, we should mean the five: Lord Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsa. All together. So yei gaurāṅgera nāma laya, anyone who chants, immediately he will develop love of Godhead. Yei gaurāṅgera nāma laya, tara haya premodaya, tāre mui jaya bole hari. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says “I offer him all congratulation.” Because it is certain that he has developed love of Godhead. Then he says, gaurāṅga-guṇete jhure, nitya-līlā tāre sphure. Anyone, if he cries by simply by hearing the transcendental qualities of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he at once understands what is the loving affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Nitya-līlā means the pastimes, or the loving exchange, affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, that is eternal. That is not temporary. We should not think that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa pastimes, loving affairs, is just like the business of a, of a young boy or girl, as we see in this material world. Such loving affairs is not at all loving affairs. They are lusty affairs, and they are not eternal. Therefore they break. Today I am in love with somebody and next day it breaks. But Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā is not like that. It is eternal. Therefore that is transcendental and this is temporary. So simply one who is absorbed in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, he can immediately understand what is the actual position of the loving affairs of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Nitya-līlā tāre sphure. Sei yaya rādhā-mādhava, sei yaya vrajendra-suta pāśa. And simply by doing that, he becomes eligible to enter into the abode of Kṛṣṇa. Vrajendra-suta. Vrajendra-suta means the son of Nanda Mahārāja in Vṛndāvana. He’s sure to go to associate with Kṛṣṇa in his next birth.

Gaurāṅgera saṅge-gaṇe, nitya-siddha boli māne. Anyone who has understood that the associates of Lord Caitanya, they are not ordinary conditioned souls… They are liberated souls. Nitya-siddha bole māni. There are three kinds of devotees. One is called sādhana-siddha. Sadhana-siddha means by following the regulative principles of devotional service, if one becomes perfect, he’s called sādhana-siddha. Another devotee is called kṛpā-siddha. Kṛpā-siddha means even if he has not followed strictly all the regulative principle, still, by the mercy of ācārya or a devotee, or by Kṛṣṇa, he is elevated to the perfectional stage. That is specially. And another devotee is called nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha means they were never contaminated. The sādhana-siddha and kṛpā-siddha was contaminated by material touch, and by following regulative principles or by the mercy or grace of some devotee and ācārya they’re elevated to the perfectional state. But nitya-siddha means they were never contaminated. They’re ever liberated. So all the associates of Lord Caitanya, just like Advaita Prabhu, Śrīvāsa, Gadādhara, Nityānanda, they are Viṣṇu-tattva. They are all liberated. Not only they, the Gosvāmīs… There are many others. So they are ever-liberated. So one who can understand that the associates of Lord Caitanya are ever-liberated… Nitya-siddha bale māni, sei yaya vrajendra suta-pāśa. Immediately he becomes eligible to enter into the abode of Kṛṣṇa.

And then he says, gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāni cintāmaṇi. A… The gaura-maṇḍala means the place in West Bengal wherein Lord Caitanya had His pastimes. In Navadvīpa, during Lord Caitanya’s birth anniversary, the devotees go and circumambulate different places of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. It takes nine days. So that portion of Bengal is called gauḍa-maṇḍala. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, “One who understands that there is no difference between this part of the country with Vṛndāvana,” tāra haya vraja-bhūmi vāsa, “it is as good as one lives in Vṛndāvana.” Then he says, gaura-prema rasārṇarve. Lord Caitanya’s activities is just like an ocean of loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one who takes a dip into this ocean, gaura-prema-rasārṇave, sei taraṅga yebā ḍube. Just like we take a dip and bath, and we play, sport, in the waves of the ocean or sea. Similarly, one who takes pleasure, taking a dip and sporting with the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya’s distribution of love of God, such a person becomes immediately a confidential devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sei rādhā-mādhava-antaraṅga. Antaraṅga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke. “Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya’s movement,” because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord…

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, “Such devotee, it doesn’t matter whether he’s in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder.” Gṛha. Gṛha means householder. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement does not say that one has to become a renounced order, sannyāsī. Just like Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, impersonalists, Śaṅkarācārya, they first, they put the first condition that “You take up the renounced order of life first, and then talk of spiritual advancement.” So in Śaṅkara sampradāya nobody is accepted as bona fide impersonalist unless he has accepted the renounced order of life. But here, in Caitanya’s movement, there is no such restriction. Advaita Prabhu, He was a householder. Nityānanda, He was householder. Gadādhara, He was also householder. And Śrīvāsa, he was also householder. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also married twice. So it doesn’t matter. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that to become in renounced order of life, or to remain in householder life, that does not matter. If he is actually taking part in the movements of Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana activities and actually understanding what it is, he is taking sport in the waves of such devotional ocean, then such person is always liberated. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is aspiring his association ever increasingly. That is the sum and substance of this song. (end)

Purport 2
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
From the Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas (Songbook)

This is a song by Narottama dasa Thakura in praise of the glories of Lord Caitanya. Gauranga refers to Lord Caitanya, who has a fair complexion. One who has a fair complexion is called gaura, and since Lord Caitanya was very fair, just like molten gold, He was also named Gaurasundara. Narottama dasa Thakura says, gaurangera duti pada, jar dhana-sampada, se jane bhakati-rasa-sar. Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. Devotional service is very difficult. It cannot be understood by any ordinary man. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, out of many thousands of persons who are trying to achieve the perfection of human life, only some actually become perfect and realize the self. And out of many thousands of such self-realized persons, only one can understand Krsna. Without understanding Krsna, how can one engage himself in the service of Krsna? Therefore, the devotional service of Krsna is not an ordinary thing. But fortunately, if one follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya (gaurangera duti pada) by following the path shown by Lord Caitanya-the process of simply chanting Hare Krsna-he can very easily understand what devotional service is. Therefore, Narottama dasa Thakura prays that one take shelter of Lord Caitanya and follow in His footsteps, for then one can understand the essence of devotional service.

Lord Caitanya’s pastimes are very pleasing, because the basic principles of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement are chanting, dancing, and eating krsna-prasada. He made His headquarters in Jagannatha Puri and would dance, chant, and then immediately call for prasada to be distributed to the devotees. They were so pleased that every day hundreds of men would come to chant and dance with Lord Caitanya. The temple proprietor, the King of Orissa, Maharaja Prataparudra, had an open order to the workers in the temple to supply as much prasada to Lord Caitanya’s devotees as they wanted. Therefore, His pastimes are very pleasing: chant, dance, and take prasada. If one is captivated by the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, simply by chanting and dancing and eating prasada the dirty things in his heart will all become cleansed. The heart of anyone who takes to this movement of chanting, dancing, and eating krsna-prasada will surely be cleansed of all dirty material contamination. Narottama dasa Thakura says, very rightly, gaurangera madhura-lila, jar karne pravesila, hrdoya nirmala bhelo tar: if one wants to cleanse his heart, he must take to the movement of Lord Caitanya-Krsna consciousness.

Lord Caitanya is so nice that one who simply takes the holy name of Gaurasundara, Sri Krsna Caitanya, will immediately develop love of God. Generally, devotees first chant sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda, for the preliminary process of cleansing the heart is to invoke the mercy of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda, and Their associates. Lila means “pastimes.” Without associates there cannot be pastimes, so Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by associates-Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa, and many other devotees. Tar means “his,” hoy means “it is effected,” and premodoy refers to development of love of God. Simply by chanting sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda one immediately develops love of God. To such a person Narottama dasa Thakura says, “Bravo!” to encourage him in chanting Lord Caitanya’s name and dancing. Just as we clap and say, “Bravo!” similarly he says, jai bolihari: “Very nice. Excellent!”

Then he says, gauranga-gunete jhure, nitya-lila tare sphure: if one appreciates the merciful pastimes of Lord Caitanya and feels ecstasy and sometimes cries, this process will immediately help him to understand the pastimes of Radha-Krsna, which are called nitya-lila. The loving affairs between Radha-Krsna are not a temporary thing. Here in this material world we can see loving affairs between boys and girls, but that is temporary. That is simply for a few months, a few years, or maybe a little more. But then all that so-called love will go to hell. They are not permanent affairs. But if one really wants permanent love affairs, he must enter into the pastimes of Radha-Krsna. Simply by appreciating Lord Caitanya’s movement one can immediately enter into or understand Radha-Krsna’s eternal pastimes. One who can understand the transcendental, eternal pastimes of Radha-Krsna reaches the highest perfectional stage of devotional service.

The next line is, gaurangera sangi-gane. Sangi-gane means “associates.” Lord Caitanya is always associated: He is not alone. We never see a picture of Lord Caitanya alone. At least there must be Lord Nityananda or Gadadhara Pandita. Actually, wherever Lord Caitanya was present, many thousands of devotees would assemble. Such devotees, especially those who were His nearest intimate associates, were nitya-siddha. In the devotional line there are three kinds of perfect devotees. One is called sadhana-siddha. This refers to a person who has very rigidly performed the regulative prescriptions and thereby reached the perfectional stage. Reaching the perfectional stage by executing the regulative principles is called sadhana-siddha. There is another kind of devotee, who is called krpa-siddha. He may not have executed the regulative principles very rigidly, but by his service mood he is specifically blessed by the spiritual master or Krsna. He is immediately promoted to the perfectional stage. This is called krpa-siddha. Nitya-siddha is one who was never contaminated by the material nature. The sadhana-siddhas and the krpa-siddhas were supposed to have once been in the contamination of material nature, but nitya-siddhas never came into contact with the material nature. All the associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu are nitya-siddhas, or eternally perfect. Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama, the immediate expansion of Krsna; Advaita Prabhu is Maha-Visnu (He is also visnu-tattva); Gadadhara Prabhu is an expansion of Radharani; and Srivasa is an incarnation of Narada. They are nitya-siddha, or eternally perfect. They were never imperfect. They were never in contact with material contamination. We should understand that as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna Himself, is transcendental, similarly His personal associates are also nitya-siddha, or eternally transcendental. Se jay brajendra-suta-pas. Brajendra-suta means Krsna. Simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are eternally free, one can immediately be promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krsna.

Sri-gauda-mandala-bhumi. Gauda means West Bengal. Lord Caitanya appeared in West Bengal, Navadvipa, and He especially flooded that part of the country with the sankirtana movement. That part of the country has special significance, for it is nondifferent from Vrndavana. It is as good as Vrndavana. Living in Vrndavana and living in Navadvipa are the same. Narottama dasa Thakura says, sri-gauda-mandala-bhumi, jeba jane cintamani. Cintamani means the transcendental abode. Tara hoy braja-bhume bas. If one simply understands that this land of Navadvipa is not different from Vrndavana, then he actually lives in Vrndavana. One should not think that he is living in Bengal or any material country; the places where Lord Caitanya had His pastimes are as good as Vrndavana.

Lord Caitanya’s distribution of this love of God is compared with an ocean (rasa-arnava). What kind of ocean? Not the salty ocean that one cannot taste. The water of this ocean is so nice that if one drinks even one drop, he will like it more and more. It is not ordinary ocean water of which one cannot taste even a drop. Therefore it is called rasarnava. In this ocean there are different waves; an ocean does not stand still, for it is not impersonal or void. And as the ocean is always dancing with waves, similarly the ocean of transcendental love of Krsna as introduced by Lord Caitanya has constant waves, constant sound. One has to dive deep into that ocean. If one knows the secret and says, “Let me dive deep into the ocean of the transcendental loving movement introduced by Lord Caitanya,” he immediately becomes one of the confidential devotees of Radha and Krsna.

Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura concludes this song by saying, grhe ba vanete thake, ‘ha gauranga’ bo ‘le dake. It is not necessary that one become a mendicant or give up his family life and society. One can remain wherever he finds it suitable, whether as a householder, as a brahmacari, as a vanaprastha, or as a sannyasi. Vanaprasthas and sannyasis are supposed to live outside of the city. Vanete means “forest.” Formerly, those who were in spiritual consciousness used to live in the forest to become free of the turmoil of city life. But that is not possible now. In this age no one can go into the forest. That requires practice, and no one is practiced to that line. Therefore, generally one is recommended to live with his friends, wife, and children. That doesn’t matter, but he must take to the process of Krsna consciousness as introduced by Lord Caitanya. It is not difficult. The real thing is that one has to accept the movement of Lord Caitanya-chanting, dancing, and eating krsna-prasada. Even if one is in family life, there is no difficulty. He can just sit down, chant Hare Krsna, dance nicely, and then take krsna-prasada. Everyone can do this. Those who have renounced this world, sannyasis, also can do it; there is no difficulty. Therefore, Narottama dasa Thakura says that it doesn’t matter whether one is a brahmacari, grhastha, or sannyasi. He says, “If you have taken to these principles of life, I desire your company, because you are a devotee of Lord Caitanya.” In this way, Narottama dasa Thakura finishes the song.

some text pasted from; kksongs.org

Day of

This is a very nice song by Naottama dasa Thakura who says; Anyone who has accepted the two lotus feet of Lord Caitanya can understand the true essence of devotional service. Therefore, Narottama dasa Thakura prays that one take shelter of Lord Caitanya and follow in His footsteps.

We have included the Bengali/Elglish transliteration, translation, and 2 different purports by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.