SRI NABADWIP DHAM MAHATMYA: CHAPTER TWELVE

Sri Sri Rtudwip and Sri Radha Kunda

jaya sri-chaitanya-chandra jaya prabhu nityananda
jayadvaita jaya gadadhara
srivasadi bhakta jaya jaya jagannathalaya
jaya navadvipa-dhama-vara [1]

jaya–All glory sri-chaitanya-chandra–to the moon-like Sri Chaitanya! jaya–All glory prabhu nityananda–to Nityananda Prabhu! jayadvaita–All glory to Advaita! jaya–All glory gadadhara–to Gadadhar! jaya–All glory srivasadi bhakta–to Srivas and all the devotees! jaya–All glory jagannathalaya–to Jagannath's home! jaya–All glory navadvipa-dhama-vara–to the best of abodes, Nabadwip! [1]

All glory to the moon-like Sri Chaitanya, Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita, Gadadhar, Srivas, and all the devotees! All glory to the home of Jagannath Misra and the best of abodes, Sri Nabadwip!

prabhata ha-ila ratra bhakta-gana tule gatra
sri-gaura nitaichande dake
bhakta-saha nityananda chale bhaji' parananda
champahatta paschatete rakhe [2]

ratra prabhata ha-ila–Dawn arrived. bhakta-gana–The devotees tule–lifted [their] gatra–bodies [and] dake–called out sri-gaura nitaichande–to Sri Gaura and Nitaichand. bhaji'–Feeling parananda–great joy, nityananda–Nityananda bhakta-saha–and the devotees chale–departed [and] rakhe–left champahatta–Champa Hatta paschatete–behind. [2]

At dawn, the devotees arose and called out to Sri Gaura and Nitaichand. Feeling great joy, Nityananda and the devotees then departed, leaving Champa Hatta behind.

tatha haite vaninatha chale nityananda-satha
bale, "hena dina kabe paba
nitaichandera sange parikrama kari' range
mayapura prabhu-grhe yaba" [3]

tatha haite–From then on, vaninatha–Vaninath chale–came satha–with nityananda–Nityananda. bale–He considered, "kabe–"When [will] hena dina paba–that day be mine [when] range parikrama kari'–I will joyfully circumambulate mayapura–Mayapur nitaichandera sange–with Nitaichand [and] yaba–go prabhu-grhe"–to the home of the Lord?" [3]

From then on, Vaninath came with Nityananda. He considered, "When else will I get the chance to joyfully circumambulate Mayapur with Nitaichand and go to the home of the Lord?"

dekhite dekhite tabe ratupura chale sabe
dekhi' sei nagarera sobha
prabhu nityananda bale, "rtudvipe aila chale
ei sthana ati mano-lobha [4]

tabe–Then, dekhite dekhite–eventually, sabe–they chale–came ratupura–to Ratupur. dekhi'–Upon seeing sei–the sobha–beauty nagarera–of the town, prabhu nityananda–Nityananda Prabhu bale–said, "chale aila–"We have come rtudvipe–to Rtudwip. ei–This sthana–place [is] ati–extremely mano-lobha–enchanting. [4]

Eventually, they came to Ratupur. Upon seeing the beauty of the town, Nityananda Prabhu said, "We have come to Rtudwip, which is extremely enchanting.

vrksa saba nata-sira pavana vahaye dhira
kusuma phutechhe chari-bhita
bhrngera jhankara rava kusumera gandhasaba
mataya pathika-gana-chitta" [5]

saba vrksa–All the trees nata-sira–bow [their] heads, pavana–the breeze vahaye–blows dhira–gently, [and] kusuma–the flowers phutechhe–are blooming chari-bhita–in all directions. jhankara rava–The humming bhrngera–of the bees [and] gandhasaba–fragrant nectar kusumera–of the flowers mataya–intoxicate pathika-gana-chitta"–the hearts of travellers." [5]

"The trees bow their heads, the breeze blows gently, and the flowers bloom in all directions. The humming of the bees and the fragrant nectar of the flowers intoxicate the hearts of travellers."

balite balite raya haila pagalera praya
bale, "singa ane sighra-gati
vatsa-gana yaya dure kanai nidrita pure
ekhana na aise sisu-mati [6]

balite balite–As He spoke, raya–Nityananda Ray pagalera praya haila–became almost mad [and] bale–said, "sighra-gati–"Quickly ane–bring [My] singa–horn! vatsa-gana–The calves dure yaya–have gone off, [and] kanai–Krishna nidrita pure–is asleep. sisu-mati–Like a child, aise na–He does not come ekhana–now. [6]

As He spoke, Nityananda Ray became almost mad and said, "Quickly bring My horn! The calves have run off, and Kanai is asleep. Like a child, He does not come now.

kothaya subala dama ami eka balarama
gocharane yaite na pari"
"kanai kanai" bali' daka chhade mahabali
lapha mare hata dui chari [7]

kothaya–Where [are] subala–Subal [and] dama–Sridam? ami–I, balarama–Balaram, pari na–cannot gocharane yaite–go out to tend the cows eka"–alone." mahabali–With great power, bali' daka chhade–Nityananda called out, "kanai kanai–"Krishna! Krishna!", [and] lapha mare–jumped dui chari hata–two to four cubits. [7]

"Where are Subal and Sridam? I, Balaram, cannot go out to tend the cows alone." With great power, Nityananda called out, "Kanai! Kanai!" and jumped a couple of metres.

se bhava darsana kari' bhakta-gana tvara kari'
nivedaya nitaiyera paya
"ohe prabhu nityananda bhai tava gaurachandra
nahi ebe achhena hethaya [8]

darsana kari'–Seeing se bhava–His ecstasy, bhakta-gana–the devotees tvara kari'–quickly nivedaya–submitted nitaiyera paya–at Nitai's feet, "ohe–"O prabhu nityananda–Nityananda Prabhu! tava–Your bhai–brother gaurachandra–Gaurachandra achhena nahi–is not hethaya–here ebe–now. [8]

Seeing His ecstasy, the devotees quickly submitted at His feet, "O Nityananda Prabhu! Your brother Gaurachandra is not here now.

sannyasa kariya hari gela nilachalopari
amadera kangala kariya"
taha suni' nityananda ha-ilena nirananda
kandi lote bhumete padiya [9]

hari–The Lord sannyasa kariya–has taken sannyas [and] gela–gone nilachalopari–to Nilachal, amadera kangala kariya"–leaving us destitute." suni'–Hearing taha–this, nityananda–Nityananda ha-ilena–became nirananda–dismayed. padiya lote–He fell bhumete–to the ground [and] kandi–wept. [9]

"The Lord has taken sannyas and gone to Nilachal, leaving us destitute." Hearing this, Nityananda became dismayed. He fell to the ground and wept.

"ki duhkhe kanai bhai ama sabe chhadi' yai'
sannyasi ha-ila nilachale
e jivana na rakhiba yamunaya jhanpa diba"
bali' achetana sei sthale [10]

"ki–"What duhkhe–sorrow! bhai–Brother kanai–Kanai! chhadi' yai'–You left ama sabe–us all [and] sannyasi ha-ila–became a sannyasi nilachale–in Nilachal! rakhiba na–I cannot continue e–this jivana–life; jhanpa diba–I will dive yamunaya"–into the Yamuna." bali'–Saying [this, Nityananda] achetana–lost consciousness sei sthale–in that place. [10]

"What sorrow! Brother Kanai! You left us and became a sannyasi in Nilachal! I cannot continue this life; I will dive into the Yamuna." Saying this, Nityananda lost consciousness.

nityanande mahabhava kari' sabe anubhava
hari-nama sankirtana kare
chari-danda dina haila nityananda na uthila
bhakta saba gaura-gita dhare [11]

sabe–Everyone anubhava kari'–saw mahabhava–the intense ecstasy nityanande–in Nityananda [and] sankirtana kare–chanted hari-nama–the Lord's Name. chari-danda–An hour and a half dina–of the day haila–passed, [but] nityananda–Nityananda uthila na–did not get up. saba bhakta–The devotees dhare–sang gaura-gita–songs about Gaura. [11]

Everyone saw the intense ecstasy of Nityananda and chanted the Lord's Name. An hour and a half passed, but Nityananda did not get up. Finally, the devotees sang songs about Gauranga.

gaurangera nama suni' nitai uthe amani
bale, "ei radha-kunda-sthana
hetha bhakta sange kari' aparahne gaurahari
karitena kirtana vidhana [12]

suni'–Hearing nama–the Name gaurangera–of Gauranga, nitai–Nitai amani–immediately uthe–arose [and] bale–said, "ei–"This radha-kunda-sthana–is the place of Radha Kunda. hetha–Here, gaurahari–Gaurahari kirtana vidhana karitena–would perform kirtan bhakta sange kari'–with the devotees aparahne–in the afternoon. [12]

Hearing the Name of Gauranga, Nitai immediately arose and said, "This is the place of Radha Kunda. Here, Gaurahari would perform kirtan with the devotees in the afternoon.

hetha chhaya rtu meli' gauranga-kirtana-keli
pusta kaila sobha vistariya
radha-kunda vraje yei rtudvipa hetha sei
bhakta hetha maje prema piya [13]

hetha–Here, chhaya rtu–the six seasons meli'–meet [and] sobha vistariya pusta kaila–enhance the beauty gauranga-kirtana-keli–of Gauranga's kirtan Pastimes. yei sei radha-kunda–Radha Kunda vraje–in Vraja [is present] hetha–here rtudvipa–in Rtudwip. hetha–Here, bhakta–devotees piya–drink [and] maje–relish prema–divine love. [13]

"Here, the six seasons meet and enhance the beauty of Gauranga's kirtan Pastimes. Radha Kunda in Vraja is present here in Rtudwip, where devotees drink and relish divine love.

dekha syama-kunda-sobha jagaj-jana-mano-lobha
sakhi-gana-kunja nana-sthane
hetha aparahne gora sankirtane haye bhora
tusilena sabe prema-dane [14]

dekha–See syama-kunda-sobha–the beauty of Syama Kunda, [which] jagaj-jana-mano-lobha–enchants the mind of the souls of this world, [and] sakhi-gana-kunja–the groves of the sakhis nana-sthane–in various places. gora–Gora bhora haye–would become immersed sankirtane–in the sankirtan hetha–here aparahne–in the afternoon [and] tusilena–satisfy sabe–everyone prema-dane–with the gift of divine love. [14]

"See also the beauty of Syama Kunda, which enchants the mind of every soul in this world, and the groves of the sakhis nearby. Gora would become immersed in sankirtan here in the afternoon and satisfy everyone with the gift of divine love.

e sthana samana bhai trijagate nahi pai
bhaktera bhajana-sthana jana
hethaya vasati yanra prema-dhana labha tanra
susitala haya tanra prana" [15]

bhai–Brother! pai–We find nahi–no e sthana samana–place like this trijagate–in the three worlds. jana–Know [it to be] sthana–a place bhaktera–for the devotees bhajana–to serve. yanra tanra vasati–Souls whose residences [are] hethaya–here labha–attain prema-dhana–the wealth of divine love, [and] tanra–their prana–hearts haya–become susitala"–serene." [15]

"Brother! We find no place like this in the three worlds. Know it to be a place for the devotees to serve. Souls who reside here attain the wealth of divine love, and their hearts become serene."

se dina se sthane thaki' sri-gauranga-nama daki'
preme magna sarva-bhakta-gana
rtudvipe sabe vasi' bhaje sri-chaitanya-sasi
ratra-dina karila yapana [16]

thaki'–Remaining se sthane–there se dina–for the day, daki'–calling sri-gauranga-nama–the Name of Sri Gauranga, sarva-bhakta-gana–all the devotees magna–became immersed preme–in divine love. sabe–They vasi' yapana karila–spent ratra-dina–the day and night rtudvipe–in Rtudwip [and] bhaje–worshipped sri-chaitanya-sasi–the moon-like Sri Chaitanya. [16]

Remaining there for the day, calling the Name of Sri Gauranga, all the devotees became immersed in divine love. They spent the day and night in Rtudwip and worshipped the moon-like Sri Chaitanya.

nachite nachite tabe nityananda chale yabe
sri-vidya-nagare upanita
vidya-nagarera sobha muni-jana-mano-lobha
bhakta-gana dekhi' praphullita [17]

tabe–Then yabe–when nityananda–Nityananda chale–left, nachite nachite–dancing as He went, upanita–He arrived sri-vidya-nagare–in Sri Vidya Nagar. sobha–The beauty vidya-nagarera–of Vidya Nagar muni-jana-mano-lobha–enchants the minds of sages, [and] dekhi'–upon seeing [it,] bhakta-gana–the devotees [were] praphullita–jubilant. [17]

Then, dancing as He went, Nityananda Prabhu arrived in Sri Vidya Nagar. The beauty of the town attracts the minds of sages, and upon seeing it, the devotees were jubilant.

nitai-jahnava-pada ye janara susampada
se bhakti-vinoda akinchana
nadiya-mahatmya gaya dhari' bhakta-jana-paya
yache matra krsna-bhakti-dhana [18]

se akinchana bhakti-vinoda–The poor Bhakti Vinod, ye janara–whose susampada–true wealth [is] nitai-jahnava-pada–the feet of Nitai and Jahnava, gaya–chants nadiya-mahatmya–the glories of Nadia. dhari'–Grasping bhakta-jana-paya–the feet of the devotees, yache–he prays matra–only krsna-bhakti-dhana–for the wealth of devotion to Krishna. [18]

The poor Bhakti Vinod, whose true wealth is the feet of Nitai and Jahnava, chants the glories of Nadia. Grasping the feet of the devotees, he prays only for the wealth of devotion to Krishna.