Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet

Hare Krishna

5th April, 2015. Gurgaon

lotus_footprints_nityananda

Since many months I was looking for a picture of Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet first for my study wall and later for my altar. I checked at the main shops near the temple, when I visited Vrindavan, but could not get them. As time passed by my search narrowed down to look for only Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet. I had seen one in a metal foil two years back at a devotee’s home but no one could help me where to get them. I spoke to a couple of devotees about my desire to worship Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet and help me get them.

Jaya Nityananda Prabhu

Nothing happened for weeks and then on 28th March this year I received a call from my dear friend Shyamsundar Prabhu around 9pm. Prabhuji told me that he is calling from Vrindavan and asked me if I was still looking for Nityananda Prabhu’s feet, I  hungrily replied in affirmative, hoping he has finally found some source. Only, it was better.

Prabhuji was currently at the gift shop next to the bakery on the main entry side of Krishna Balram temple. There he heard a Brajwasi trying to sell something he found on the road to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was unwilling to buy it as it was old. The Brajawasi was keen to get some money for it and the shopkeeper was saying that the best he can do is that he can leave it at the shop and check with him every week if it has been sold or not. Prabhuji then heard shopkeeper say that it is Nityananda Prabhu’s feet. Shyamsundar Prabhu immediately intervened in their animated discussion and asked to look at it and then saw that they were indeed Nityananda prabhu’s feet! Prabhuji remembered my desire and was calling me to find out if I would accept them as they were old and a bit scratched too. My heart jumped and I said Yes immediately. Prabhuji gave money to the Brajawasi and took their possession.

Prabhuji returned next day evening from Vrindavan and dropped at my home to deliver them. As I opened their wrapping, my heart skipped a beat seeing their beauty and all the clear markings on the feet. I was over the moon, they were perfect for my altar. I thanked prabhuji profusely for this mercy, coming out of blue from Vrindavan dham and via a brajavasi! What could be more joyous.

The amazing part is that Prabhuji shared that he too received Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet in a similar fashion. Some years back he was walking inside the Mayapur temple complex and he spotted something shinning on the ground, he picked it up and found that it was Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet. Still more amazing was when I narrated this incident to Amitabh Prabhu next day he shared that he too received  Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet in a similar manner at Vrindavan. There is simply no stopping of  Their mercy ! All glories to Nityananda Prabhu!

Below is the picture of Nityananda Prabhu’s lotus feet resting comfortably in our altar.

IMG_0648

I am copying the famous prayer Nitai Pada Kamala, by Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, for the pleasure of the devotees and as a gratitude of Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy on this most fallen soul. I am simply overwhelmed. 

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

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 saḿsāra-sukhe
vidyā-kule ki koribe tār

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?

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

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 rāńgā-caraṇera pāśa

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. 

All glories to the lotus feet of Nityananda Prabhu.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Crying to Krishna.

Hare Krishna.

28th April, 2014,  Gurgaon.

Gaura-Kishora-Dasa-Babaji-Maharaja-22

For most of us, as we come into Krishna consciousness, the journey begins and we progress, at our own pace. A few days back HG Shyam Sundar Prabhu shared a quote by HH Radhanath. Maharaj said that we can see our progress in Krishna consciousness not by seeing last few years or months but by just seeing whether I have progressed in last 1 hour or half an hour, we can know how much we are progressing in Krishna consciousness.

Today morning when I looked back the last one hour I saw that I am indeed progressing but in the reverse direction. Most of the time I get impressed from the praise by merciful devotees or general feeling I get by looking at `karmis’ that I am very fortunate for having somehow taken the shelter of lotus feet of Lord Krishna and His devotees in the form of Srila Prabhupada and associating with devotees under ISKCON.

But as I looked back the last one hour today I realised that how my whole inner being is full of anarthas and all, if any, progress is just external, a show window, hiding a black and stone hard heart. A heart which is further quoted with thick viscous layers of envy, pride and complete attachment to material world.

The only difference is that today this diseased heart is crying. I wish to cry aloud to the Lord to save me. A  helpless call to my real father, my Guru and Krishna to save me as I find myself completely ill-equipped to overcome this external energy called `maya’. I am not able to control my mind, leave aside my mind, I can’t even control my tongue as to not to do prajalapa, not to criticise others, be gentle in interaction with non devotees but my acid covered, and sharp like a blade, tongue refuses to come under my control. I feel completely helpless.

I feel like running out in the open and cry to Krishna and cry and cry. The noose of `maya’ seems be wrapped tight around me neck that I feel like a puppet in her hands, sometimes she lets me loose like a toy and the moment I think I am free she pulls the noose and I realise my precarious position. Now, only Lord, or His devotees, can take pity on me and cut this noose else I am destined to remain a fake, someone who externally looks like a devotee but is completely hollow from inside.

I searched for a prayer and found this beautiful prayer from Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura which reflected my pain, Gopinath Amar Upaya, surprisingly the picture I got for crying out to Lord on top also has Shri Gopinath’s in it !

gopīnāth, āmāra upāya nāi
tumi kṛpā kori’, āmāre loile,
saṁsāre uddhāra pāi

gopīnāth, porechi māyāra phere
dhana, dāra, suta, ghireche āmāre,
kāmete rekheche jeere

gopīnāth, mana je pāgala mora
nā māne śāsana, sadā acetana,
viṣaye ro ‘yeche ghora

gopināth, hāra je menechi āmi
aneka jatana, hoilo bifala,
ekhano bharasā tumi

gopīnāth, kemone hoibe gati
prabala indriya, bośī-bhūta mana,
nā chāre viṣaya-rati

gopīnāth, hṛdoye bosiyā mora
manake śamiyā, laho nija pāne,
ghucibe vipada ghora

gopīnāth, anātha dekhiyā more
tumi hṛṣīkeśa, hṛṣīka damiyā,
tāro ‘he saṁsṛti-ghore

gopīnāth, galāya legeche phāsa
kṛpā-asi dhori’, bandhana chediyā,
vinode koroho dāsa

TRANSLATION

O Gopinatha, I have no means of success, but if You take me, having bestowed your mercy upon me, then I will obtain deliverance from this world.

O Gopinatha, I have fallen into the perils of material illusion. Wealth, wife, and sons have surrounded me, and lust has wasted me away.

O Gopinatha, my mind is crazy and does not care for any authority. It is always senseless and has remained in the dark pit of worldly affairs.

O Gopinatha, I have accepted my defeat. All of my various endeavors were useless. Now You are the only hope.

O Gopinatha, how shall I make any advancement when my mind has come under the control of the powerful senses and does not abandon its attachment to materialism?

O Gopinatha, after sitting down in the core of my heart and subduing my mind, please wake me to You. In this way the horrible dangers of this world will disappear.

O Gopinatha, You are Hrsikesa, the Lord of the senses. Seeing me so helpless, please control these senses of mine and deliver me from this dark and perilous worldly existence.

O Gopinatha, the noose of materialism has become fixed around my neck. Taking up the sword of Your mercy and cutting this bondage, make this Bhaktivinoda Your humble servant.

I felt so helpless. I did not how to get out of this glum mood and pull myself to do something about it. Then, like a magic, I found this most beautiful quote by HH Mahanidhi Maharaj

you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or late – See more at: http://harekrishnaquotes.com/category/quotes-category/authors/d-iskcon-sannyasis/mahanidhi-swami/#sthash.Cb1E6DnG.dpuf
If you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or later. – See more at: http://harekrishnaquotes.com/category/quotes-category/authors/d-iskcon-sannyasis/mahanidhi-swami/#sthash.Cb1E6DnG.dpuf

If you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or later.

I found my way. Go to Vrindavan and cry at the samadhi of Srila Prabhupada and then cry and beg for the mercy from Mahaprabhu and from Srimati Radharani. Yes, I will go to Dhama this week itself and cry and cry my heart out. And at the bodily level I will take some immediate service at the local centre whatever I may get, I will beg them for it. I hope and pray that some merciful vaishanava will take pity on this shudra and give me some service.

Finally, I have to learn to depend on Krishna’s strength and not my own.

Quotes-by-Mahanidhi-Swami-on-Crying-in-Vrndavana

If you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or later. – See more at: http://harekrishnaquotes.com/category/quotes-category/authors/d-iskcon-sannyasis/mahanidhi-swami/#sthash.Cb1E6DnG.dpuf
If you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or later. – See more at: http://harekrishnaquotes.com/category/quotes-category/authors/d-iskcon-sannyasis/mahanidhi-swami/#sthash.Cb1E6DnG.dpuf
If you are living in someone’s house and crying, they are bound to ask you what is wrong. So Vrndavana is Radharani’s land and if you cry sincerely, She is sure to reciprocate sooner or later. – See more at: http://harekrishnaquotes.com/category/quotes-category/authors/d-iskcon-sannyasis/mahanidhi-swami/#sthash.Cb1E6DnG.dpuf

All glories to the glorious Gaudia Vaishanava Pramapara.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Fallen soul

While chanting yesterday morning I had another realization. I realized that whatever material benefits I get in life I try to put them as His mercy. Similarly whatever hardships come my way I accept them as a lenient punishment for my unpardonable past mistakes. But whatever little spiritual progress I am making I ascribe them to my own efforts. Out worldly I may offer them to Krishna but deep inside me I think they are partly because of my own efforts as well.

Can you see Mahaprabhu how crooked my mind is ? That is why I am a ‘Patita’ and I need Your causeless mercy, to come under the shelter of your lotus feet. You are known as ‘Patita Pavana’  and a worst pseudo neophyte like me can also be delivered by your mercy.

  • Posted by Giriraj Das on April 20, 2013 at 8:22am