Gaudiya Vaishnav Sangha Address (2)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's disappearance
Gaudiya Vaishnav Sangha online programme, 3 January 2021, part 2
Translated from Bengali

On time, Param Guru Maharaj (Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj) asked my Gurudev (Om Vishnupad Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj): "You always sing this kirtan:

সুজনার্ব্বুদরাধিতপাদযুগং
যুগধর্ম্মধুরন্ধর-পাত্রবরম্ ।
বরদাভয়দায়ক-পূজ্যপদং
প্রণমামি সদা প্রভুপাদপদম্

sujanarvuda-radhita-pada-yugam
yuga-dharma-dhurandhara-patra-varam
varadabhaya-dayaka-pujya-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam

'I am offering obeisance to Prabhupad (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur), whose holy lotus feet are worshipped by millions of pious souls, who is the establisher of the religion of the age (Krishna-sankirtan), who is the presiding divine successor (at the Visva-Vaisnava-Raja Sobha, the assembly of Vaisnavs of the whole universe), who fulfils the desires of the dispellers of all fears I offer obeisance at his holy lotus feet. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master’.

(Sri Sri Prabhupada-padma Stavakah, Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

"Which line in this poem do you like the most?" Then, Gurudev replied that he liked this verse the most:

কৃপয়া হরিকীর্ত্তনমূর্ত্তিধরং
ধরণীভরহারক-গৌরজনম্ ।
জনকাধিকবৎসলস্নিগ্ধপদং
প্রণমামি সদা প্রভুপাদপদম্

krpaya hari-kirtana-murti-dharam
dharani-bhara-haraka-gaura-janam
janakadhika-vatsala-snigdha-padam
pranamami sada prabhupada-padam

‘Bestowing his mercy upon the jiva souls, he is manifest as a worshippable deity of Hari-kirtan personified. He is an associate of Sri Gaura who removes the burden of offences from Mother Earth. I offer obeisance to this very gentle fountainhead of a greater parental affection towards jiva souls than even that of a father. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master’.

(Sri Sri Prabhupada-padma Stavakah, Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

Srila Prabhupad is the worshippable deity-personification of Hari-kirtan. "Bestowing his mercy upon the jiva souls, he is manifest as a worshippable deity of Hari-kirtan personified. He is an associate of Sri Gaura who removes the burden of offences from Mother Earth. I offer obeisance to this very gentle fountainhead of a greater parental affection towards jiva souls than even that of a father. I eternally offer obeisance to the radiance emanating from the toenails of my master." This is the meaning of the verse. There is also another verse, many of you will recognise it:

ভয়ভঞ্জন-জয়শংসন-করুণায়তনয়নম্ ।
কনকোৎপল-জনকোজ্জ্বল-রসসাগর-চয়নম্ ॥
মুখরীকৃত-ধরণীতল-হরিকীর্ত্তন-রসনম্ ।
ক্ষিতিপাবন-ভবতারণ-পিহিতারুণ-বসনম্ ॥
শুভদোদয়-দিবসে বৃষরবিজানিজ-দয়িতম্ ।
প্রণমামি চ চরণান্তিক-পরিচারক-সহিতম্

bhayabhanjana jayasamsana-karunayatanayanam
kanakotpala janakojjvala-rasasagara-chayanam
mukharikrta-dharanitala-harikirtana-rasanam
ksitipavana-bhavatarana-pihitaruna-vasanam
subhadodaya-divase vrsaravija-nija-dayitam
pranamami cha charanantika-paricharaka-sahitam [1]

'He (of divine form) came forth from the birthplace of the golden lotus—the ocean of the mellow of divine consorthood. His large, merciful eyes dispel (the suffering souls') fear and proclaim (the surrendered souls') victory. His tongue (constantly) vibrates the whole Earth planet with Sri Krishna-sankirtan, his beauty resplendent in the robes of the sun's radiance (saffron) that purifies the universe and dispels the suffering of material existence. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his lotus feet'.

(Sri Dayita-dasa-pranati-panchakam, Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj)

The Bengali translation of this poem is very nice: 'He (of divine form) came forth from the birthplace of the golden lotus—the ocean of the mellow of divine consorthood. His large, merciful eyes dispel (the suffering souls') fear and proclaim (the surrendered souls') victory. His tongue (constantly) vibrates the whole Earth planet with Sri Krishna-sankirtan, his beauty resplendent in the robes of the sun's radiance (saffron) that purifies the universe and dispels the suffering of material existence. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his lotus feet'. It is written very beautifully.

The next verse: 'The devotees surrendered in pure devotion are eternally protected at his lotus feet. He is worshippable by the pure souls endowed with sincerity and good fortune, and he accepts (even) those who obstruct the service of Sri Hari, just to rectify them. As the very fountainhead of mercy upon all mobile and immobile beings, he crushes the inauspiciousness of the whole universe. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his lotus feet.'

'Like a miracle, his body moves with a joyful elegance and charm beyond the world's understanding, fulfilling the artist's aspiration. (Or, dancing in pastimes transcendental to the world, his artistic form incites divine love's hankering). His intellect surpasses that of (even) the demigods, and he is nobility incarnate as the commander-in-chief of the Vaisnava sannyasis (tridandi-yatis). The sadhus of profound intellect describe the nature of his personality as meticulously in the line of Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa, and Sri Raghunatha, and they speak of him as being on the same plane as Sri Jivapada (being superbly replete in perfect theistic conclusions). On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his lotus feet'.

'On the bank of Sri Radha Kunda at Svananda Sukhada Kunja, he is devoted to the service of his Beloved, and (furthermore) he is greatly endeared to the divine damsels of Vraja headed by Lalita. He is most favourite to Kamala-manjari, who is pre-eminent in Vrindavan; and with the glorious qualities of Guna Manjari, he builds the residence of Sri Hari. On his Holy Day of Advent, I (again and again) bow down unto that beloved associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his lotus feet'.

'He is immaculate joy incarnate, or he is the graciousness or the joy of Bimala Devi. He manifested the pastimes of his Advent at Purusottam Ksetra in the holy land of Odisha, and he revealed his pastimes of delivering the fallen souls and extending his mercy upon them (by awarding them the gift of divine love) at the land of "new sand-bank" (Nabadwip). Circumambulating Gaura Dham in the same way as traditionally done at Vraja Dhama and Purusottam Dham, he continuously propagates—the loving desire of Vraja, the divine abode of Vaikuntha, and the holy name of Krishna. On his Day of Holy Advent, I (again and again) make my obeisance unto that dear associate of Sri Vrisabhanu-nandini and the servitors of his holy lotus feet'.

Param Guru Maharaj wrote very beautifully.

I am a beggar, and I would like to ask you all for some alms today. This is the alms I am begging you for: may I be able to make myself pure by serving all the devotees and servants of this Srila Prabhupad, and may I keep myself engaged in the service to you all. Saying this, I will not take more of your time. I would like to finish.

বাঞ্ছাকল্পতরুভ্যশ্চ কৃপাসিন্ধুভ্য এব চ ।
পতিতানাং পাবনেভ্যো বৈষ্ণবেভ্যো নমো নমঃ ॥

vanchha-kalpatarubhyas cha krpa-sindhubhya eva cha
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

"Again and again I offer my obeisance unto the Supreme Lord's devotees, who are saviours of the fallen, oceans of mercy, and wish-fulfilling trees."

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