Song 3

(Dhanaśī-rāga)

139. Shining like a full moon in Navadvīpa, Lord Gaura always manifested a flooding nectar stream of ecstatic love.

140. The devotees became like cakora birds, always drinking the nectar effulgence of the moons of His feet. With limitless mercy the Lord revealed the truth of ecstatic spiritual love.

141. Please hear the wodnerful story of the Lord’s pastimes on another day. The Lord was sitting in His home, His effulgent form more glorious than the forms of ten million Kāmadevas.

142. His neck was like a lion’s neck, or like a conchsell. His eyes were like lotus flowers. In a voice deep like rumbling clouds He said:

143. "Why do I see men with four, five, and six faces in My house? My heart is filled with wonder to see them."

144. Staying at the Lord’s side, and hearing these words, Śrīnivāsa Paṇḍita gave this reply:

145. "All the demigods have come to see You. The beings with four, five, and six faces are Brahmā and the demigods.

146. "You are an ocean of ecstatic spiritual love. Your form is a great treasure of ecstatic spiritual love. All the demigods have come to beg from You a gift of that treasure of ecstatic spiritual love."

147. Lord Mahāprabhu sat on a glittering throne. On one devotee’s body He rested His body. Another devotee was at His feet.

148. Falling down before His feet, Śrīnivāsa and the other devotees wept and said:

149. "We would ask of You a boon. O master of the highest limit of mercy, please give us the nectar honey of love for Your lotus feet."

150. In a voice like a thundering cloud Lord Viśvambhara said: "Everyone lick up that nectar honey. I give you the mercy of ecstatic spiritual love."

151. At that time all the demigods attained ecstatic spiritual love. Thier bodies were filled with ecstatic love. They were struck with wonder.

152. Calling out, "O Rādha.-Govinda!", the demigods danced. Seeing this, the Vaiṣṇavas became joyful at heart.

153. The demigods and goddesses danced. Tears flowed from their eyes. The hairs of their bodies stood erect. They perspired. They were tossed by waves of ecstatic spiritual love.

54. One moment they rolled on the ground and fell before the Lord’s feet. Another moment they called at the top of their voices, "Haribol!" and danced.

155. Another moment they offered prayers to Lord Gaura-Govinda. Another moment they fell like sticks before the Lord’s feet.

156. Another moment the demigods placed their heads at the Lord’s feet and begged: "Please keep Your feet in our hearts."

157. Again and again the Lord replied: "So be it." The demigods became filled with the treasure of ecstatic spiritual love.

158. Having attained the treasure of ecstatic spiritual love, the demigods departed for their own abodes. Seeing all this, the devotees became blissful at heart.

159. This shows why the people say the Lord loves his devotees. Seeing the Lord’s mercy, Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī spoke some words.

160. Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī was very pure. His body was purified by many pilgrimages. His nature was gentle and sweet.

161. He approached the Lord and spoke some words. He was not afraid. Yearning to attain ecstatic spiritual love, he spoke what was in his heart.

162. "O! O, Lord Gaura! O Supreme Lord! Please hear. Please hear. Today with my own eyes I have seen Your mercy.

163. "I have traveled to many holy places, but still I am unhappy. Why I do not know.

164. "I traveled to Mathurā and Dvārakā, but still I was unhappy. Please give me the treasure of ecstatic spiritual love."

165. Hearing these words, the Lord replied: "Please hear, O Śuklāmbara, My words.

166. "How many dogs and jackals live in that forest? What am I to them?" Thus spoke the Lord.

167. "If Lord Kṛṣṇa does not stay in one’s heart, one cannot attain the mercy of the holy places.

168. "Love for Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only true religion. There is no other. Look, the scriptures declare:

169. mīnaḥ snāna-paraḥ phaṇī pavana-bhun. meṣo’pī parṇāśanaḥ śaśvad bhrāmyatī cakrigaur apī bako dhyāne sadā tiṣṭhati garte tiṣṭhatī mūṣiko’pī gahane siṃhaḥ sadā vartate teṣāṃ phalam astī hanta tapasā sad-bhāva-siddhiṃ vinā

"‘Fish intently bathe. Snakes eat only air. Sheep eat only grass. The ox circling the grinding wheel always walks. Cranes are rapt in meditation. Mice live in holes. Lions live in the forest. A person who, without love for Lord Kṛṣṇa, practices austerities like the austerities of these animals, attains a result like what these animals attain.’

170. "In the Nārada-pañcarātra (2.6) it is said: ārādhito yadī haris tapasā tataḥ kiṃ nārādhito yadī haris tapasā tataḥ kim antar bahir yadī haris tapasā tataḥ kiṃ nāntar bahir yadī haris tapasā tataḥ kim

"Ifone can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in His service, there is no more need of severe austreities, penances, and so on. However, if after performing severe austerities and penances, one does not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such practices are useless.’*

171. Hearing these words, the brāhmaṇa Śuklāmbara fell to the ground. Distraught, he wept, and his devotion for the Lord grew.

172. Lord Gaura could not tolerate His servant’s grief. His fair form became reddened with compassion. It was red like the rising sun.

173. "I give you ecstatic spiritual love! I give you ecstatic love!", the Lord called out in a voice choked with grief. In this way Śuklāmbara attained the mercy of ecstatic spiritual love.

174. When Śuklāmbara attained ecstatic spiritual love his body trembled. The hairs of his body stood erect. Tears streamed from his eyes.

175. Joyfully he chanted the Lord’s holy names. Seeing this, everyone became very joyful at heart.

176. Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita was the abode of all virtues. He stayed at the Lord’s side. He always chanted the holy names.

177. One night he took rest in the Lord’s room. Glancing at him, the Lord was pleased and said:

178. "Tomorrow at dawn you will attain rare ecstatic spiritual love. By the Vaiṣṇavas mercy your desire will be fulfilled."

179. Speaking these words, the Lord took the flower garland from His own body and placed it around Gadādhara’s neck. At dawn everyone came to see the Lord.

180. The Lord told everyone His words of the previous night. By those words Gadādhara attained ecstatic spiritual love.

181. With a happy heart Gadādhara bathed in the Gaṅgā. Overcome with ecstatic spiritual love, his body trembled.

182. He worshiped Lord Jagannātha, and then he worshiped his own master, Lord Gaura.

183. He anointed Lord Gaura’s limbs with fragrant sandal paste, placed a splendid flower garland on the Lord’s neck, and recited many prayers.

184. Every day he worshiped the Lord in this way. He slept in the Lord’s bedroom.

185. He slept at the Lord’s feet. His heart was always filled with devotion and faith.

186. The words he spoke to the Lord were always sweet like nectar. Hearing these words, Lord Viśvambhara felt bliss in His heart.

187. His words were like nectar showers in the Lord’s heart. When He went to dance, the Lord held his hand.

188. With Naraharī at one hand and Gadādhara at the other, the Lord danced the rāsa dance pastime in Śrīvāsa’s house.

189. Then the devotees saw Lord Gaura manifest the dark form of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Gadādhara manifest the form of Śrī Rādhā.

190. Then Naraharī manifested the form of Madhumatī gopī. Seeing all this, the Vaiṣṇavas called out: "Hari! Hari!"

191. Then the land of Vṛndāvana was manifest in that place. There Śacī’s son stood, surrounded by cows, gopas, and gopīs.

192. Then the Lord’s personal associates manifested their original forms as gopas and gopīs. The Lord and His devotees tasted the nectar of the different rasas.

193. Śrī Raghunandana is the eternally new Kāmadeva. He is counted among the spiritual Kāmadevas.

194. Surrounded by these devotees, who stood in front and on every side, the Lord danced.

195. Seeing the Lord and the devotees in their Kṛṣṇa-līlā forms, everyone wept. In this way Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the moon of Vraja, was manifest in Navadvīpa.

196. One moment Lord Gaura danced with Gadādhara. The next moment They were transformed into handsome dark Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Rādha. in the nectar rāsa-dance arena.

197. Gazing at these wonders, the devotees called out: "Hari! Hari! Jaya! Jaya!" They made a sound like thundering clouds.

198. As a beautiful sunset filled the horizon and daytime came to an end, rainclouds suddenly filled the circle of the sky.

199. The rainclouds rumbled deeply. Seeing them, the Vaiṣṇavas became anxious.

200. Seeing a disturbance had come, they became unhappy. "How cane we escape this disturbance?", they thought.

201. Actually the rainclouds had come to taste the nectar of ecstatic love. Watching Lord Gaura’s pastimes, they thundered with ecstatic love.

202. At that time Lord Mahāprabhu began to play karatālas. Loudly He chanted the holy names.

203. In their hearts the demigods felt that their lives had then become successful. Craning their necks, they eagerly gazed at Lord Gaura from the sky.

204. Then the rainclouds fled. The sky became clear, and the Vaiṣṇavas became joyful.

205. A spotless moon shone in the evening sky. As the devotees sang the Lord’s glories, Lord Gaura danced.

206. Manifesting humanlike forms, the clouds came by the Lord’s side. Following the devotees, they danced.

207. What more can I say of these clouds? Lord Gaura gave ecstatic spiritual love to everyone in the three worlds. Lord Gaura-Harī did not consider to whom He should give the gift of loṭe and to whom He should not give it.

208. In the midst of the devotees the Lord danced. Surrounded by everyone, Śacī’s son danced.

209. Overcome with love, the great king of dancers danced. The anklets on His lotus feet made a great melodious sound.

210. The saintly brāhmaṇīs happily chanted "Jaya! Jaya!" From the sky the demigods eagerly watched.

211. Overcome with ecstatic love, all the devotees danced. What austerities did they perform in how many births that they were able to join in these pastimes? I do not know.

212. Somehow they were able to dance with Lord Gaura. Filled with bliss, they had attained the treasure of ecstatic spiritual love.

213. The Lord filled the earth and the sky with His mercy. Hearing all this, Locana dāsa is filled with bliss. Locana dāsa speaks these words.