Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy.
By Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Sri Nityananda Prabhu is there to consolidate the ground, the foundation. That will help us to make further progress. Speedy progress without a good foundation may invite reactions. Our foundation comes from Nityananda Prabhu, Gurudev. That the foundation will not go away is the primary necessity.
Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy sometimes exceeds that of Sri Chaitanyadev. Chaitanyadev sometimes cannot accept the fallen: if a bad precedent may be created by doing so, then He cannot accept them. So, He has to consider someone’s status and position, and other things. But Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy does not care for any unfavourable circumstances. It is so lavish and blind. It does not differentiate between sinners of different degrees. It is all-embracing. And Mahaprabhu cannot dismiss Nityananda Prabhu’s recommendation. This is the connection we are given to understand: Nityananda Prabhu gave shelter even to those whom Mahaprabhu rejected, and gradually Mahaprabhu had to accept them. So, the magnitude and circumference of Nityananda’s grace is the greatest. For us, the most fallen souls, that is our solace.
bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga laha gaurangera nama
ye jana gauranga bhaje se haya amara prana
Nityananda Prabhu’s duty is concentrated on bringing everyone to Gauranga. He calls everyone to fall at the feet of Gauranga. Nothing more is necessary. All else, the highest fortune, will be attained automatically. He simply calls out, collects souls, and throws them in the dust of Gauranga’s feet. Nothing else is necessary, whoever they may be: a Muslim, a low-class person, or otherwise. Scholarship and so-called moral or material purity are not necessary.
If anyone, even if they are of the lowest type, gets connection with the feet of Gauranga, then all their disqualifications may be removed in a second. Gauranga is such a touchstone, and anything He converts does not become a middle-class jewel, it becomes a jewel of the highest class. He is such a touchstone.
Nityananda used to roam along both sides of the Ganges calling out to one and all, “Come! Join the camp of Sri Gauranga!
bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga laha gaurangera nama
ye jana gauranga bhaje se haya amara prana
“The life of My life is one who has come to take shelter under the direction of My Lord Gauranga. O fallen souls, gather round and beg My Lord Gauranga for His grace! Automatically you will find yourself in Vrndavan. All the undesirable things within you will be cleared in no time, and, unconsciously, your pristine inner self will emerge and find suddenly that it is in the midst of the desired soil, Vrndavan, which is filled with the most wonderful paraphernalia; you will find you are at home, back at home. Get a ticket here in Nabadwip, and you will quickly reach your home.”
We will get everything by the most magnanimous heart of Nityananda Prabhu.
hena nitai vine bhai radha-krsna paite nai
drdha kari’ dhara nitaira paya
(Prarthana: 37.1)
Firmly catch the holy feet of Nityananda. All else will come to you automatically. Gauranga will come, and when Gauranga comes, everything comes.