Maṅgalācaraṇa (Auspicious Invocation) –

jaya gaura-nityānanda-advaita gadādhara
śrīvāsa śrī-navadvīpa kīrtana-sāgara (1)

All glories to Śrī Gaurahari! All glories to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu! All glories to Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita! All glories to Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita! All glories to Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma, the ocean of kīrtana. (1)

The History of Śrī Vidyānagara (Situated Within Ṛtudvīpa)

śrī-vidyānagare āsi’ nityānanda-rāya
vidyānagarera-tattva ‘śrī-jīve’ śikhāya (2)

Arriving in Śrī Vidyānagara, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu began to explain the real nature of that place to Śrī Jīva. (2)

nitya-dhāma navadvīpa pralaya-samaye
aṣṭa-dala padma-rūpe thāke śuddha ha’ye (3)

“Even at the time of annihilation, this eternal dhāma Śrī Navadvīpa, which has the form of an eight-petalled lotus flower, remains pure. (3)

sarva avatāra āra dhanya-jīva jata
kamalera ekadeśe thāke kata śata (4)

“All the incarnations of Śrī Bhagavān and innumerable fortunate living entities stay in one section of that lotus. (4)

(At the time of devastation, the Vedas come to Vidyānagara carried by Bhagavān Śrī Matsya –)

ṛtudvīpa-antargata e vidyānagare
matsya-rūpī bhagavān sarva-veda dhare (5)

“In His Matsya-incarnation, the Lord brought the Vedas to this Vidyānagara, which is situated within Ṛtudvīpa. (5)

(The reason behind the name Vidyānagara –)

sarva vidyā thāke veda āśraya kariyā
śrī-vidyānagara-nāma ei sthāne diyā (6)

“Because all kinds of knowledge (vidyā) reside here under the shelter of the Vedas, the place has become famous by the name Vidyānagara. (6)

(Brahmā, the creator and the grandfather of the whole world, becomes afraid –)

punaḥ jabe sṛṣṭi-mukhe brahmā mahāśaya
ati bhīta hana dekhi’ sakala pralaya (7)

“When Brahmā again became inclined to create, he became fearful to see the annihilation. (7)

(By the mercy of Śuddhā Sarasvatī, Śrī Brahmā prays to the Supreme Lord –)

sei-kāle prabhu-kṛpā haya tāṅra prati
ei sthāna pe’ye bhagavāne kare stuti (8)

“Seeing Brahmā fearful, the Supreme Lord bestowed mercy upon him. As a result, Brahmā was able to offer prayers to Him at this very place. (8)

mukha khulivāra kāle devī sarasvatī
brahmā-jihvā haite janme ati rūpavatī (9)

“As soon as Brahmā opened his mouth to offer prayers, the most beautiful Sarasvatī-devī appeared on his tongue. (9)

sarasvatī-śakti pe’ye deva-catur-mukha
śrī-kṛṣṇe karena stava pe’ye baḍa sukha (10)

“By the potency bestowed by Sarasvatī-devī, the four-headed Brahmā, overjoyed, offered prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” (10)

(Māyā-devī resides within the fourteen worlds at the beginning of creation –)

sṛṣṭi jabe haya māyā sarva-dik gheri’
virajāra pāre thāke guṇa-traya dhari’ (11)

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu said, “O Jīva, at the time of creation, Māyā-devī resides in the material world with the three modes of material nature [ignorance, passion and goodness], on the other side of the Virajā River. (11)

(The sages, who become anguished to see the suffering of others, deliver true knowledge to the material world, which is seized by ignorance –)

māyā-prakāśīta viśve vidyāra prakāśa
kare ṛṣi-gaṇa tabe kariyā prayāsa (12)

“The sages endeavour untiringly to reveal true knowledge within this universe, which is manifested by māyā. (12)

ei ta’ sāradā-pīṭha kariyā āśraya
ṛṣi-gaṇa kare avidyāra parājaya (13)

“Taking shelter of this Śāradā-pīṭha, the abode of Sarasvatī-devī, the sages defeat ignorance. (13)

(The sages broadcast the sixty-four kinds of knowledge –)

cauṣaṭṭi vidyāra pāṭha la’ye ṛṣi-gaṇa
dharātale sthāne-sthāne kare vijñāpana (14)

“When they have learned the sixty-four kinds of knowledge, the sages preach that knowledge throughout the world. (14)

je je ṛṣi je je vidyā kare adhyayana
ei pīṭhe se-sabāra sthāna anukṣaṇa (15)

“In this place, the sages can study any type of knowledge according to their respective desires. (15)

(The appearance place of the Rāmāyaṇa –)

śrī-vālmīki kāvya-rasa ei sthāne pāya
nārada-kṛpāya teṅha āila hethāya (16)

“By the mercy of Śrī Nārada, Śrī Vālmikī came here and received a taste for transcendental poetry [like the poetry of the Rāmāyaṇa]. (16)

(The appearance place of the Āyurveda and dhanurvidyā –)

dhanvantarī āsi’ hethā āyurveda pāya
viśvāmitra ādi dhanurvidyā śikhi’ jāya (17)

“At this place, Dhanvantarī received the Āyurveda and Viśvāmitra and others learned dhanurvidyā (the art of archery). (17)

(The appearance place of Vedic mantras and tantras –)

śaunakādi ṛṣi-gaṇa paḍe veda-mantra
deva-deva mahādeva ālocaya tantra (18)

“The sages headed by Śaunaka Ṛṣi also learned here how to recite the Vedic mantras. The lord of the demigods, Mahādeva, expounded tantra here. (18)

(The appearance place of the four Vedas –)

brahmā cāri-mukha haite veda-catuṣṭaya
ṛṣi-gaṇa-prārthanāya karila udaya (19)

“At this place, on the request of the sages, Brahmā manifested the four Vedas from his four mouths. (19)

(The appearance place of sāṅkhya and nyāya-tarka –)

kapila racila sāṅkhya ei sthāne basi’
nyāya-tarka prakāśila śrī-gautama ṛṣi (20)

“Residing at this place, Kapila created saṅkhya philosophy, and Śrī Gautama Ṛṣi manifested nyāya (logic) and tarka (argument). (20)

(The appearance place of vaiśeṣika and yoga-śāstra –)

vaiśeṣika prakāśila kaṇbhuka muni
pātañjali yoga-śāstra prakāśe āpani (21)

“At this place the sage Kaṇbhuka (Kaṇāda) manifested vaiśeṣika philosophy, and Pātañjali manifested yoga-śāstra. (21)

(The appearance place of mīmāṁsā-śāstra as well as other scriptures headed by the Purāṇas –)

jaimini mīmāṁsā-śāstra karila prakāśa
purāṇādi prakāśila ṛṣi vedavyāsa (22)

“Jaimini Ṛṣi manifested mīmāṁsa-śāstra (pūrva-mīmāṁsa), and Śrī Vedavyāsa manifested the Purāṇas and other scriptures here. (22)

(The appearance place of the Pañcarātra –)

pañcarātra nāradādi ṛṣi pañcajana
prakāśiyā jīva-gaṇe śikhāya sādhana (23)

“The five sages headed by Nārada manifested the Pañcarātra here to teach the living entities about sādhana (the practice of devotional service). (23)

(The worship of Śrī Gaurāṅga by the Upaniṣads –)

ei upavane sarva upaniṣad-gaṇa
bahukāla śrī-gaurāṅga kare ārādhana (24)

“The Upaniṣads stayed in this forest grove and worshipped Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu for a long time. (24)

(Śrī Gaurahari bestows mercy upon the Upaniṣads –)

alakṣye śrī-gaurahari se-sabe kahila
nirākāra-buddhi tava hṛdaya dūṣila (25)

“Remaining concealed from their vision, Śrī Gaurahari told them, ‘Your hearts are polluted by understanding Bhagavān to be formless (nirākāra). (25)

tumi sabe śruti-rūpe more nā pāibe
āmāra pārṣada-rūpe jabe janma la’be (26)

prakaṭa-līlāya tabe dekhibe āmāya
mama guṇa-kīrtana karibe ubharāya (27)

“ ‘You will not attain Me in your form as Śrutis, but when you take birth as My associates, you will witness My manifest pastimes. Then you both [the Upaniṣads and the Śrutis] will glorify Me.’ (26–27)

tāhā śuni’ śruti-gaṇa nistabdha haiyā
gopane āchila hethā kāla apekṣiyā (28)

“Hearing this, the Śrutis became stunned and secretly remained in this place, waiting for the age of Kali to come. (28)

ei dhanya kali-yuga sarva-yuga-sāra
jāhāte haila śrī-gaurāṅga-avatāra (29)

“This blessed Kali-yuga is the essence of all other ages, because Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu appeared in this age. (29)

(Bṛhaspati appears as Śrī Vāsudeva Sārvabhauma in Śrī Vidyānagara –)

vidyā-līlā karibena gaurāṅga-sundara
gaṇa-saha bṛhaspati janme ataḥpara (30)

“Knowing that Śrī Gaurāṅga-sundara would perform His scholastic pastimes (vidyā-līlā) at this place, Bṛhaspati took birth here along with all his associates. (30)

vāsudeva sārvabhauma sei bṛhaspati
gaurāṅge tuṣite yatna karilena ati (31)

“Śrī Vāsudeva Sārvabhauma is himself Bṛhaspati. He tried his utmost to please Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu. (31)

(Bṛhaspati becomes sad –)

prabhu, mora navadvīpe śrī-vidyā-vilāsa
karibena jāni mane haiyā udāsa (32)

“Śrī Bṛhaspati knew that his Lord would enact His scholastic pastimes on this earth in Navadvīpa. Therefore, [thinking, ‘Why do I have to stay in Svarga?’] he became dejected. (32)

(Bṛhaspati abandons insignificant heavenly pleasures –)

indra-sabhā parihari’ nija-gaṇa la’ye
janmilena sthāne-sthāne ānandita ha’ye (33)

“He abandoned the assembly of Indra and gladly took birth near Vidyānagara. His associates also took birth in many places nearby. (33)

(Śrī Vāsudeva Sārvabhauma propagates knowledge –)

ei vidyānagarīte kari’ vidyālaya
vidyā pracārila sārvabhauma mahāśaya (34)

“Sārvabhauma Mahāśaya opened a school here in Vidyānagara and began teaching. (34)

pāche vidyā-jāle ḍu’be hārāi gaurāṅga
ei mane kari’ eka karilena raṅga (35)

“Later on he began to think, ‘I may lose Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu if I become entangled in the network of dry, speculative knowledge.’ For this reason he performed a particular pastime. (35)

(Śrī Sārvabhauma departs for Nīlācala before Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s advent –)

nija-śiṣya-gaṇe rākhi’ nadiyā-nagare
gaura-janma-pūrve teṅha gelā deśāntare (36)

“Before the advent of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu, he left his students in Nadiyā and went to another place. (36)

(Śrī Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s firm faith –)

mane bhāve yadi āmi hai gaura-dāsa
kṛpā kari’ more prabhu laibena pāśa (37)

“He thought, ‘If I am a servant of Śrī Gaurahari, He will certainly bestow His mercy upon me and give me His association.’ (37)

ei bali sārvabhauma jāya nīlācala
māyāvāda-śāstra tathā karila prabala (38)

“Thinking like this, he went to Nīlācala and spread the influence of scriptures that delineate māyāvāda philosophy. (38)

(Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s scholastic pastimes –)

hethā prabhu gauracandra śrī-vidyā-vilāse
sārvabhauma-śiṣya-gaṇe jine parihāse (39)

“Here Śrī Gauracandra, on the pretence of performing scholastic pastimes, jokingly, that is, easily, defeated the students of Śrī Sārvabhauma. (39)

nyāya phāṅki kari prabhu sakale hārāya
kabhu vidyānagarete āise gaurarāya (40)

“Sometimes Śrī Gaurahari came to Vidyānagara and defeated everyone with the logic of His arguments. (40)

adyāpaka-gaṇa āra paḍuyāra gaṇa
parājita ha’ye sabe kare palāyana (41)

“Teachers and students alike were defeated by Śrī Gaurahari and ran away. (41)

(The result of hearing about Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu’s vidyā-vilāsa –)

gaurāṅgera vidyā-līlā apūrva kathana
avidyā chāḍaye tā’ra, je kare śravaṇa (42)

“Whoever hears about the amazing vidyā-līlā of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu is freed of all ignorance.” (42)

śuni’ ‘jīva’ premānande se vedanagare
vyāsa-pīṭhe gaḍāgaḍi jāya prema-bhare (43)

When Śrī Jīva heard about Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s pastimes of scholarship, the bliss of prema overwhelmed him and he rolled about in the dust of Vyāsa-pīṭha in Vedanagara [another name for Vidyānagara]. (43)

(Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī’s doubt –)

nityānanda-śrī-caraṇe kare nivedana
āmāra saṁśaya cheda karaha ekhana (44)

Śrī Jīva made a request at the lotus feet of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, “O Lord, please clear this doubt of mine. (44)

sāṅkhya-vidyā, tarka-vidyā amaṅgalamaya
kemane e nitya-dhāme se-sakala raya (45)

“The knowledge of sāṅkhya and logic are inauspicious; how can they have a place in this eternal dhāma?” (45)

(Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s answer –)

śuni’ prabhu nityānanda ‘jīve’ deya kola
ādara kariyā bale,—‘hari’ ‘hari’ bola (46)

Hearing this Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu embraced Śrī Jīva and answered his question, chanting “Hari Bol, Hari Bol,” with great affection. (46)

(In Śrī Vidyānagara, each and every kind of scholastic knowledge is a maidservant of Bhakti-devī –)

prabhura pavitra dhāme nāhi amaṅgala
tarka sāṅkhya svataḥ nahe hethāya prabala (47)

bhaktira adhīna saba bhakti-dāsya kare
karmadoṣe duṣṭa-jane viparyaya dhare (48)

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu said, “O Jīva, no inauspiciousness can exist in this pure holy abode of Śrīman Mahāprabhu. Sāṅkhya and logic by themselves are devoid of potency here. They are dependent on bhakti and serve bhakti. People who have become wicked by their sinful acts turn everything upside down. (47–48)

bhakti mahādevī hethā, āra saba dāsa
sakale karaya bhakti-devīra prakāśa (49)

“Here bhakti is the supreme goddess and all others are her servants. The purpose of logic, yoga, sāṅkhya and others is to illuminate bhakti. (49)

(Navadvīpa is the abode of navadhā-bhakti –)

navadvīpe nava-vidha bhakti adhiṣṭhāna
bhaktire sevaya sadā karma āra jñāna (50)

“Navadvīpa is the abode of the nine limbs of devotional service (navadhā-bhakti). Here karma and jñāna are always serving bhakti. (50)

bahirmukha-jane śāstra deya duṣṭa-mati
śiṣṭa-jane sei śāstra deya kṛṣṇa-rati (51)

“To those averse to Bhagavān, the scriptures give a wicked intelligence, but to those who are virtuous, they bestow the good intelligence of attachment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (51)

(Prauḍhāmāyā, the presiding goddess of Vidyānagara –)

prauḍhāmāyā gaura-dāsī adhiṣṭhātrī devī
sarva-yuge ei sthāne thāke gaura sevi’ (52)

“Prauḍhāmāyā is a maidservant of Śrī Gaura and the presiding deity of this place. She resides here throughout each and every yuga and serves Śrī Gaurahari. (52)

(The result of being hostile to the Vaiṣṇavas –)

ati karmadoṣa jā’ra vaiṣṇavete dveṣa
tā’re māyā andha kari’ deya nānā kleśa (53)

“In her form as Mahāmāyā, Prauḍhāmāyā makes the sinful offenders of Vaiṣṇavas blind [in regard to true knowledge] and gives them various types of miseries. (53)

sarva-pāpa sarva-karma hethā haya kṣaya
prauḍhāmāyā vidyā-rūpe kare karma laya (54)

“In her form of knowledge (Śuddhā Sarasvatī), Prauḍhāmāyā destroys all sins and results of fruitive actions. (54)

kintu yadi śrī-vaiṣṇave aparādha thāke
tabe dūra kare tāre karmera vipāke (55)

“But if a person offends Vaiṣṇavas, she keeps him far away from her because of his aparādha. (55)

(Although the offender lives in the dhāma, he cannot attain the wealth of prema –)

vidyā paḍi’ nadīyāya se-saba durjana
kabhu nāhi pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana (56)

“Such wicked persons may acquire knowledge in Nadiyā, but they will never attain the treasure of prema – Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. (56)

vidyāra avidyā lābha kare sei saba
nāhi dekhe śrī-gaurāṅga nadīyā-vaibhava (57)

“Instead of knowledge, such persons acquire only ignorance. They can never perceive the magnificence of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu’s Nadiyā. (57)

(Only ignorance, the shadow of knowledge, is inauspicious –)

ataeva vidyā nahe amaṅgalamaya
vidyāra avidyā chāyā amaṅgala haya (58)

“Therefore, knowledge (vidyā) can never be inauspicious. Only ignorance (avidyā), the shadow of knowledge, is inauspicious. (58)

(Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s words as a merciful blessing to Śrī Jīva –)

e saba sphuribe ‘jīva’ gaurāṅga-kṛpāya
likhibe āpana śāstre prabhura iccāya (59)

“O Jīva, by Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu’s mercy all these truths (tattvas) will be revealed in your heart. Later, according to Mahāprabhu’s desire, you will describe these in your scriptures. (59)

tomāra dvārā karibena śāstra-parakāśa
ebe cala jāi morā jahnura āvāsa (60)

“Śrīman Mahāprabhu will reveal scriptures through you. Now let us go to the residence of Śrī Jahnu Muni.” (60)

Jānnagara (Śrī Jahnudvīpa), Bhadravana of Vraja

balite-balite sabe jānnagara jāya
jahnu-tapovana śobhā dekhibāre pāya (61)

Speaking in this way, they all reached Jānnagara and gazed at the beauty of Jahnu Muni’s hermitage. (61)

nityānanda bale ei jahnudvīpa-nāma
bhadravana-nāme khyāta manohara dhāma (62)

Śrī Nityānanda said, “This supremely enchanting place is called Jahnudvīpa. It is the famous Bhadravana of Vṛndāvana. (62)

(Śrī Jahnu Muni’s place of austerities –)

ei sthāne ‘jahnu-muni’ tapa ācarila
suvarṇa pratimā gaura darśana karila (63)

“At this place, Jahnu Muni underwent austerities and received darśana of Śrī Gaura’s golden form. (63)

hethā jahnu-muni vaise sandhyā karivāre
bhāgīrathī-vege kośākuśī paḍe dhāre (64)

“Once, when Jahnu Muni was chanting his prayers at twilight, his ācamana cup suddenly fell into the strong current of Bhāgīrathī. (64)

(The reason for Śrī Jahnu Muni swallowing Gaṅgā’s water –)

dhāre paḍi’ kośākuśī bhāsiyā calila
gaṇḍuṣe gaṅgāra-jala saba pāna kaila (65)

bhagīratha mane bhāve kothā gaṅgā gela
vihvala haiyā tabe bhāvite lāgila (66)

jahnu-muni pāna kaila saba gaṅgā-jala
jāni’ bhagīratha mane haila vikala (67)

“Seeing his ācamana cup swept away in River Bhāgīrathī’s current, Jahnu Muni swallowed her entire water in just one gulp. When King Bhagīratha could not see the Bhagavatī Gaṅgā following him, he became most anxious. ‘Where has Gaṅgā gone?’ he pondered in distress. Thinking like this, he discovered that Jahnu Muni had swallowed the entire current, and thus Bhagīratha became most aggrieved. (65–67)

(King Bhagīratha worships Śrī Jahnu Muni –)

katadina munire pūjila mahādhīra
aṅga vidāriyā gaṅgā karila bāhira (68)

“King Bhagīratha worshipped Jahnu Muni patiently for several days. [Satisfied by his worship] Jahnu Muni then pierced one of his limbs  and released Gaṅgā. (68)

(The reason for Śrī Gaṅgā-devī’s other name, Jāhnavī –)

sei haite jāhnavī haila nāma tāṅ’ra
jāhnavī baliyā ḍāke sakala saṁsāra (69)

“From then on, people started calling Gaṅgā by the name Jāhnavī [the daughter of Jahnu Muni]. (69)

(Śrī Bhīṣma, the son of Gaṅgā, arrives at the cottage of his maternal grandfather Śrī Jahnu Muni –)

katadina pare hethā gaṅgāra-nandana
bhīṣmadeva kaila mātāmaha daraśana (70)

“A long time after this incident, Gaṅgā’s son, Śrī Bhīṣmadeva, came to see his maternal grandfather, Śrī Jahnu Muni, at this place. (70)

bhīṣmere ādara kare jahnu mahāśaya
bahu-dina rākhe tā’re āpana ālaya (71)

“Śrī Jahnu Mahāśaya showed much affection to Bhīṣma and kept him at his cottage for many days. (71)

(Śrī Jahnu Muni instructs Bhīṣma about dharma –)

jahnu-sthāne bhīṣma dharma śikhila apāra
yudhiṣṭhire śikṣā dila sei dharma-sāra (72)

“Bhīṣmadeva received unsurpassed teachings on the topmost dharma from Jahnu Muni. The essence of these teachings he in turn conveyed to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. (72)

(Bhīṣma receives the treasure of bhakti as a result of staying in Navadvīpa, being devoid of desires other than for bhakti –)

navadvīpa thāki’ bhīṣma pāila bhakti-dhana
vaiṣṇava-madhyete bhīṣma haila gaṇana (73)

“By staying in Navadvīpa, Bhīṣma attained the wealth of bhakti. Henceforth, he was counted amongst the prominent Vaiṣṇavas. (73)

ataeva jahnudvīpa parama pāvana
hethā vāsa kare sadā bhāgyavān jana (74)

“Jahnudvīpa is therefore most sacred. Only fortunate persons reside here.” (74)

sei-dina jahnudvīpe nityānanda-rāya
bhakta-gaṇa-saha rahe bhaktera ālaya (75)

That day Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and all the devotees stayed in one devotee’s house in Jahnudvīpa. (75)

paradina prāte prabhu la’ye bhakta-gaṇa
modadrumadvīpe tabe karila gamana (76)

The next morning, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, together with the devotees, proceeded towards Modadrumadvīpa. (76)

(The author’s prayers for his desired service –)

jāhnavā-nitāi-pada jāhāra garimā
e bhaktivinoda gāya nadīyā-mahimā (77)

Bhaktivinoda, whose pride is the lotus feet of Śrī Jāhnavā-devī and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, is singing the glories of Nadiyā. (77)

Thus Ends Chapter Thirteen