Nitai Pada Kamala

Nityananda Nistha Song 1; Mana Siksa

nitāi-pada-kamala,
koṭi-candra-suśītala je chāyāy jagata jurāy heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa
pāite nāi dṛḍha kori' dharo nitāir pāy

Word for word

nitāi-pada-kamala -the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda; koṭi-candra -ten million moons; suśītala -very soothing; ye chāyāy -by which moonbeams; jagata juḍāy -the universe is relieved; heno nitāi -such a Nitāi; bine - without; bhāi -O brothers!; rādhā-kṛṣṇa - Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; pāite nāi -it is not possible to attain; dṛdha kori ' -becoming fixed up; dharo -hold onto; nitāir pāy -the feet of Nitāi.

The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityananda. 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.

se
sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r sei paśu boro durācār nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilo saṁsāra-sukhe vidyā-kule ki koribe tār

Word for word

se sambandha -a connection with him ( Nityānanda ); nāhi yā ' r-whoever does not have; bṛthā -useless; janma -life; gelo -passes; tā ' r-his; sei paśu - that animal; boḍo durācār -is very sinful; nitāi -the name of Nitāi; nā bolilo -not uttering; mukhe -with the mouth; majilo -absorbed; saḿsārasukhe -in so-called worldly happiness; vidyā-kule -education and high birth; ki koribe tār -how can it protect him?

Anyone who has not established his relationship with Nityananda Prabhu is understood to have spoiled his valuable human birth. Such a human being is actually an uncontrollable animal. Because he never uttered the holy name of Nityananda, he has become merged into so-called material happiness. What can his useless education and family tradition do to help him?

ahaṅkāre
matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā asatyere satya kori māni nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje
rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe dharo nitāi-caraṇa du'khāni

Word for word

ahańkāre -in false ego; matta hoiyā -becoming maddened; nitāi-pada pāsariyā -forgetting the feet of Lord Nityānanda; asatyere -falsehood; satya kori māni -considers to be truth; nitāiyer koruṇā habe -if Nitāi is merciful; braje -in Vraja; rādhā-kṛṣṇa pabe -one attains Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa; dharo -please grasp; nitāi-caraṇa du'khāni -the pair of Nitāi's feet.

Being maddened after false prestige and identification with the body, one is thinking, oh, what is Nityananda? What can He do for me? I don't care. The result is that he is accepting something false to be truth. If you actually want to approach the association of Radha-Krsna, you must first achieve the mercy of Lord Nityananda. When He is merciful toward you, then you will be able to approach Radha-Krsna. Therefore you should firmly grasp the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda.

nitāiyer
caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya nitāi-pada sadā koro āśa narottama boro dukhī, nitāi more koro sukhī rākho rāṅgā-caraṇera pāśa

Word for word

nitāiyer caraṇa - Nitāi's feet; satya -are true; tāhāra sevaka -his servants; nitya -are eternally liberated; nitāi-pada -the feet of Nitāi; sadā - perpetually; koro āśa -please hope; narottama -this Narottama dāsa; boḍo dukhī -is very unhappy; nitāi -O Lord Nityānanda!; more koro sukhī - please make me happy; rākho -please keep me; rāńgā-caraṇera pāśa -close by Your reddish feet.

The lotus feet of Nityananda are not illusion; they are a fact. One who engages in the transcendental loving service of Nityananda is also transcendental. Always try to catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda. This Narottama dasa is very unhappy, therefore I am praying to Lord Nityananda to make me happy. My dear Lord, please keep me close to Your lotus feet.

Translation

Notes

Purna Das Baul sang this song in one of the Baul concerts. PURPORT: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada commentary

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupādaNitāi-Pada-Kamala & Purport [from Prārthanā] 25:26 Minutes – Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura – "One Must Firmly Catch Hold of The Lotus Feet of Lord Nityānanda"

Nitāi-pada-kamala, koti-candra-suśitala, je chāyāy jagata jurāy. This is a song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a great ācārya of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṅava sampradāya. He has written many songs about the Vaiṣṅava philosophy, and they are approved as completely corresponding with Vedic instructions. So here Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing that "The whole world is suffering under the blazing fire of material existence. Therefore, if one takes the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda...," whose birthday is today, 31st January, 1969.

So we should relish this instruction of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura that in order to get relief from the pangs of blazing fire of this material existence, one should take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda because it is as cooling as the moon rays combined together of millions of moons. That means one will immediately find peaceful atmosphere. Just like a man works whole day and if he comes under the moonshine, he feels relief. Similarly, any materialistic man who comes under the shelter of Lord Nityānanda will immediately feel that relief.

Then he says, nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśitala, je chāyāy jagata jurāy, heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṅa pāite nāi, dharo nitāi-caraṅa du'khāni. He says that "If you are anxious to go back to home, back to Godhead, and become associate with Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, then the best policy is to take shelter of Nityānanda." Then he says, se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r: "One who has not been able to contact Nityānanda, then one should think of himself that he has simply spoiled his valuable life." Bṛthā janma gelo, bṛthā means for nothing, and janma means life.

Gelo tā'r, spoiled. Because he has not made connection with Nityānanda. The Nityānanda, very name suggests... Nitya means eternal. Ānanda means pleasure. Material pleasure is not eternal. That is the distinction. Therefore those who are intelligent, they are not interested with this flickering pleasure of material world. Every one of us, as living entity, we are searching after pleasure. But the pleasure which we are seeking, that is flickering, temporary. That is not pleasure. Real pleasure is nityānanda, eternal pleasure. So anyone who has no contact with Nityānanda, it is to be understood that his life is spoiled.

Se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r, sei paśu boro durācār. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura uses here very harsh word. He says that such human being is an animal, an uncontrollable animal. As there are some animals that cannot be tamed, so anyone who has not contacted Nityānanda, he should be considered as an untamed animal. Sei paśu boro durācār. Why? Because nitāi nā bolilo mukhe: "He never uttered the holy name of Nityānanda." And majilo saṁsāra-sukhe, "and become merged into this material happiness."

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupādaNitāi-Pada-Kamala & Purport [from Prārthanā] 16:11 Minutes – Śrīla Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura – "They do not know who is Nityānanda Nityānanda"

Nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala, je chāyāy jagata jurāy.

[The lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda are a shelter where one will get the soothing moonlight not only of one but of millions of moons. If the world wants to have real peace, it should take shelter of Lord Nityānanda. Unless one takes shelter under the shade of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda, it will be very difficult for him to approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa. If one actually wants to enter into the dancing party of Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, he must firmly catch hold of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda.]

This is a very nice song sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He is advising that nitāi-pada, the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda... Kamala means lotus feet, er, lotus, and pada means feet. So nitāi-pada-kamala means the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda. Koṭi-candra-suśītala: it is just a shelter where you will get the soothing moonlight not only of one, but of millions of moons. Just we have to imagine what is the aggregate total value of the soothing shine of millions of moons.

Koṭi-candra-suśītala, je chāyāy jagata jurāy. Jagat, this material world, which is progressing towards hell, and there is always a blazing fire, everyone is struggling hard, nobody finds peace. Therefore, if the world wants to have real peace, then it should take shelter under the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda, which is supposed to be cooling like the shining moon, millions in number.

Nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-candra-suśītala, je chāyāy jagata jurāy. Jurāy means relief. If you actually want relief from the struggle of existence, and if you actually want to extinguish the blazing fire of material pangs, then Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises, "Please take shelter of Lord Nityānanda.''

What will be the result of accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda? He says that heno nitāi bine bhāi: "Unless you take shelter under the shade of lotus feet of Nityānanda,'' rādhā-kṛṣṅa pāite nāi, "it will be very difficult to approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa.'' Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa...

This Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is for approaching Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, to be associated with the Supreme Lord in His sublime pleasure dance. That is the aim of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's advice is that "If you actually want to enter into the dancing party of Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, then you must take shelter of the lotus feet of Nityānanda."

Then he says, se sambandha nāhi jā'r. Sambandha means connection, or contact. "So anybody who has not contacted a relationship with Nityānanda," se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r, "then he is supposed to have spoiled his human birth." In other song also, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu [Prārthanā Song 4]:

[O Lord Hari, I have wasted my life. Although I have taken this rare human birth, like a miser, I have not served Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, and thus I have knowingly drunk poison.]

"Anyone who does not approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa through the relationship of Nityānanda, his life is uselessly spoiled.'' Se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r. Bṛthā means useless; janma means life; tāra means his; and sambandha means relationship. So "Anyone who has no relationship with Nityānanda, he is simply spoiling his..., the boon of human form of life.''

Why he is spoiling? Se paśu boro durācār. Se means that; paśu, animal; durācār, dura, misbehaved, mostly misbehaved. Because without our elevation to Kṛṣṅa consciousness through the mercy of Lord Caitanya-Nityānanda, the life is simply animal propensities. That's all. Sense gratification.

And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that ordinary animal, he can be tamed, but a human being, when he is animalistic, when he has simply animal propensities, oh, he is horrible; he cannot be tamed. Ordinary cats and dogs, even tiger, can be tamed. But a human being, when he goes out of his way, because human life is meant for being elevated to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, if he doesn't take to that, then his higher intelligence will be simply misused for animal propensities, and it is very difficult to tame him.

The enactment of state laws cannot make a man, a thief, an honest man, because he cannot be tamed. His heart is polluted. Every man sees that a person committing criminal offense is punished by the government. And in scriptural injunction there is mention that "If you do this, you will be punished in the hell.''

He has heard from the scripture, and he has practically seen by the punishment of state laws. Still, he is not tamed. He cannot be tamed. So why? Because he hasn't got his relationship with Nityānanda. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, durācāra. Durācāra means very much misbehaved. He cannot be tamed. Sei paśu boro durācār.

And what they are doing? Nitāi nā bolilo mukhe. They do not know who is Nityānanda, so never says "Lord Nityānanda'' or "Lord Caitanya.'' So nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilo saṁsāra-sukhe. Majilo means becomes absorbed, dipped into the so-called material enjoyment. They don't care who is Nityānanda or Caitanya. So nitāi nā bolilo mukhe. Because his life is animalistic, sei paśu boro durācār, very difficult to be tamed, so he is going down, deep into this material existence.

Vidyā-kule ki koribe tār. Somebody may says, "Oh, why he is going to hell? He is so much educated, he has got academic qualification, he has got degrees." Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura replies, vidyā-kule ki koribe tār: "If he has no connection with Nityānanda and if he does not come to the Kṛṣṅa consciousness, his vidyā, or his so-called academic education, and kula, and birth in high family or great nation, will not protect him, because nature's law will act."

Either you are born in a very big family or nation, or either you have got a very advanced academic education, at the time of death your work will be judged and you will get another body according to that work. So vidyā kule ki koribe tār.

Why they are doing so, these animals, human animals? Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā: "They have become maddened by a false concept of this bodily life." Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā: "And for this reason they have completely forgotten their eternal relationship with Nityānanda."

Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā, asatyere satya kari māni: "Such forgetful persons accept the illusory energy as fact." Asatyere. Asatya means which is not fact. In other words, it is called māyā. Māyā means which has no existence, a temporary illusion only. So such persons who have no contact with Nityānanda, they accept this illusion as fact, this illusory body as fact. Asatyere satya kori māni.

Then he says, nitāiyer koruṅā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṅa pābe. He says that "If you actually want to approach the association of Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, then try to achieve the mercy of Lord Nityānanda. When He will be merciful upon you, then you will be able to approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa.'' Dharo nitāi-caraṅa duḥkhāni. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises us that "You firmly catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda.''

Then again he says, nitāiyer caraṅa satya. One may not misunderstand that as he has caught hold of this māyā, similarly, the lotus feet of Nityānanda may also be something like that māyā, illusion. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms that nitāiyer caraṅa satya: "The lotus feet of Nityānanda is not illusion; it is transcendental fact, satya.'' Nitāiyer caraṅa satya, tāṅhāra sevaka nitya: "And everyone who is engaged in the transcendental loving service of Nityānanda, he is also transcendental.''

If anyone is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, immediately he achieves his transcendental position, spiritual platform. And spiritual platform means eternal, blissful. So anyone who engages himself in the service of Nityānanda, it is supposed that he is also immediately in his eternal position. Nitāiyer caraṅa satya, tāṅhāra sevaka nitya, nitāi-pada sadā koro āśa. Therefore he advises that "You always hope to catch the lotus feet of Nityānanda."

Narottama boro duḥkhī. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, the ācārya, he is taking for himself that "I am very unhappy." He is representing ourselves. He is liberated, but representing ourself. "My dear Lord, I am very unhappy." Nitāi more koro sukhī: "So I am praying Lord Nityānanda to make me happy." Rākho rāṅgā caraṅera pāśa: "Please keep me in some corner of your red lotus feet."

That's all. [end]