Articles by Swami B. G. Narasingha Maharaja and disciples

Jahnava Nitai Das · 01-20-2003, 01:18 PM

Articles by Swami B. G. Narasingha Maharaja and disciples:

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11-22-2004, 11:20 AM

many good articles

04-14-2005, 08:06 AM

PURE NECTAREAN SUDDHA NAMA!!

krsna · 05-24-2005, 08:21 AM

THE WORSHIP OF GAURA GADADHARA
By
Swami BG Narasingha

QUESTION: I have seen on your website that you are worshiping Gaura-Gadadhara at your
asrama. Why are you worshiping Gaura-Gadadhara rather than Gaura-Nitai?

ANSWER: We are also worshipping Gaura-Nitai at our asrama in a separate temple.
However, your question was once asked to Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Gosvami to which he
replied, "If you do not worship Gaura-Gadadhara then you cannot understand Radha and Krsna."

In essence, it is as straight forward as that - without approaching Radha and Krsna
through Gaura-lila we will be baffled in our attempt. There is no difference between
Radha-Krsna and Gaura-Gadadhara. Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Krsna are identical and have
decended to teach the mellow of sankirtana-rasa, madhurya-rasa. Through Caitanya-lila we
can approach the lake of the sweetest nectar.

krsna-lila amrta-sara, tara sata sata dhara
dasa-dike vahe yaha haite
sri caitanya-lila haya, sarovara aksaya
mano-hamsa caraha tahate

"The pastimes of Krsna are the quintessence of all divine nectar, and Caitanya-lila is
an inexhaustible lake of that nectar which, flowing in hundreds of streams, floods the
hearts of the devotees in all directions. Therefore, O nectar-seeking friend, please
let your mind swim in that lake like a regal swan." (C.c. Madhya-lila 25.271)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says,

bhale gora-gadadharer arati nehari
nadiya-puraba-bhave jau bolihari

"As I behold the wondrous arati of my Lords Gaura and Gadadhara, I enter into the mood
of Their existence previous to appearing in Nadiya (Their Vrndavana-lila as Sri Sri
Radha-Madhava). It is simply indescribable."

At his place of bhajana in Godrumadvipa known as Svananda Sukhada-kunja, Bhakivinoda
Thakura installed beautiful Deities of Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara and composed these
beautiful prayers.

ha ha mora gaura-kisora
kabe doya kori' sri godruma-bane
dekha dibe mana-cora

"Oh, my most youthful Lord Gaura-kisora! When will You be merciful and show Yourself to
me, thus stealing my mind within the forest of Godruma?"

ananda-sukhada, kunjer bhitore,
gadadhare bame kori'
kancana-barana, cancara cikura,
natana suvesa dhori'

"Within the grove of Ananda-sukhada-kunja, You stand with Sri Gadadhara on Your left
side, radiating the effulgence of pure gold. With beautiful curling hair, You are wearing
the fine dress of a dramatic actor."

dekhite dekhite, sri radha-madhava,
rupete koribe ala
sakhi-gana-sange, koribe natana,
galete mohana-mala

"In an instant Sri Sri Radha-Madhava will appear and brilliantly illuminate the entire
scene. Accompanied by all of Their confidential friends and associates, They will dance
with Their necks decorated with various types of golden necklaces."

ananga-manjari, sadoy hoiya,
e dasi-korete dhori'
duhe nivedibe, dunhara maduri,
heribo nayana bhari'

"The merciful Ananga Manjari, catching the hands of this maidservant, will take me to
offer me in devotion unto Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, and my eyes will be brimming with
pleasure to behold the beauty and sweetness of Them both."

When completing the compilation of "Bhagavata Arka Marici-mala", Bhaktivinoda also
expressed his vision of Gaura-Gadadhara and Radha-Madhava as follows.

"The garland of verses from Srimad Bhagavatam sewn by Bhaktivinoda, who is always
absorbed in ecstatic love for Sri Gaura and Gadadhara, is now complete. Those devotees who
blissfully relish this book daily will certainly obtain the mercy of Sri Radha-Madhava.
Sri Radha-Madhava have appeared in Sri Navadvipa in Gauda-mandala along with Their
abode Vraja, as Sri Gadadhara-Gauranga, and They have performed Their eternal pastimes in a
different manner."

Why should we give so much consideration to the words of Bhaktivinoda? Because we are
in the parampara of Bhaktivinoda. We are 'Bhaktivinoda-parivara' (members of the
transcendental family of Bhaktivinoda, Kamala-manjari). Therefore, we take his words as
supreme guidance. Bhaktivinoda Thakura appeared in this world to reveal the place of Sri
Caitanya's appearance and to teach us the most effective mood of worship in Gaura-lila.

Some people claim to be raganugas (followers of the path of spontaneous love) and
others claim to be rupanugas (followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami) but in this day and age that
is not enough. If you are not a follower of Bhaktivinoda, if you have not placed your
head at his divine lotus feet and begged to be admitted as a member of his clan, then
you are nowhere!

The position of Bhaktivinoda Thakura is so exulted that at the end of his commentary on
Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta wrote that he saw Bhaktivinoda as Gadadhara
Pandita. It may be inconceivable to our tiny brains how such transcendental arrangments
are possible, but the deep thinking devotees know that such divine wonders are possible
by the grace of the Lord.

Srila BR Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja spoke of this as follows in "Follow the
Angels."

"In another place he (Bhaktisiddhanta) wrote that the eternal pastimes are always going
on in Navadvipa-dhama. Sometimes they are underground, invisible to us, and sometimes
on the surface. Nitya-lila always is invisible to us. Now, suddenly, these two
personalities have come to the surface, Gadadhara Pandita and Svarupa Damodara. Both have come.
Svarupa Damodara came as Gaura-kisora and Gadadhara Pandita came as Bhaktivinoda
Thakura. This is not to be given expression in any and every place. This is concealed truth,
not to be expressed everywhere and anywhere. This is the fact: they are always here,
continuing their own function, their participation in the lila of Gauranga. Sometimes it
is underground, sometimes over-ground, but it is always difficult to recognize them.

"Prabhupada wrote, 'I suddenly found Svarupa Damodara as Gaura-kisora, and Gadadhara
Pandita as Bhaktivinoda Thakura - they most graciously gave me that sort of vision. I
could see them as two parsadas, the eternal companions of Gauranga. I found that.'" It is
mentioned in the conclusion to his Caitanya-caritamrta Anubhasya, 'Here, in
Navadvipa-dhama, the eternal pastimes are going on continuously; only those who have got that deep
vision can perceive it.'

gadadhara mitra-vara, sri svarupa damodara,
sada kala gaura-krsna yaje
jagatera dekhi' klesa, dhariya bhiksuka-vesa,
aharaham krsna-nama bhaje
sri gaura icchaya dui, mahima ki kava mui,
aprakrta parisada-katha
prakata haiya seve, krsna-gaurabhinna-deve,
aprakasya katha yatha tatha

"Prabhupada says, 'It is very difficult to perceive the sweet will of Sri Gauranga, but
if we can lift ourselves to that level, we see that Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Sri
Gadadhara Pandita are always engaged in their service here in Navadvipa. Sometimes it is
suppressed and sometimes it is appearing on the surface. In that plane all is going on
by the sweet will of Sri Gauranga, without any restriction. But now I find that those
two have appeared on the surface as Srila Gaura-kisora Dasa Babaji and Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura. I have seen it with my own eye of divine service. But this is not to be
advertised, not to be given publicity anywhere and everywhere; people will laugh at it. But
this is my heartfelt conclusion."' (Follow the Angels)

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decends He does so with His associates, the Pancha-tattva
and others. Together they teach the fallen souls how to perform pure devotional service
to the divine couple in five transcendental mellows culminating in madhurya-rasa.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself concealed with the luster and mood of Srimati
Radharani - mahaprabhu sri caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. With the luster and mood of
the supreme lover of Krsna, Vrndavana-candra has appeared to taste the transcendental
mellows of His own sweet devotional service.

Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, He should not be confused as
Navadvipa-nagara, a paramour or an enjoyer. Those who are malajusted and make the mistake of
considering Mahaprabhu as an enjoyer are mixing incompatible mellows and are thus
comitting a great offence. Their devotional service is thus ruined.

In the Panca-tattva, to the right of Mahaprabhu is Nityananda, who is non-different
from Baladeva. Sri Baladeva is the origin of the guru-tattva for the rasas of santa-rasa,
dasya-rasa, sakya-rasa, and vatsalya-rasa. Thus in Gaura-lila, Nityananda Prabhu heads
the guru-varga of those devotees absorbed in santa, dasya, sakya, and vatsalya-rasas.

To the left of Mahaprabhu is Gadadhara Pandita who is non-different from Radharani.
Srimati Radharani is the origin of the guru-tattva in madhurya-rasa. Thus in Gaura-lila,
Gadadhara Pandita heads the guru-varga of those devotees absorbed in the mellow
sweetness of madhurya-rasa.

If you are chanting the Panca-tattva mantra or worshipping the Deities of Panca-tattva
then you are also worshipping Gaura-Gadadhara, but you are most probably doing that
without any specific focus or attention. In other words you are doing so indirectly or in
general.

Gadadhar Pandita has the greatest love for Mahaprabhu. His love for Mahaprabhu is
catagorically greater than even that of Nityananda or Advaita Acarya. And how could it be
otherwise? He is non-different from Radharani, the greatest lover of Krsna. Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments in this regard as follows:

"Sri Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami was the foremost amongst Mahaprabhu's intimate devotees.
As he is the origin of the sakti-tattva, he was present in the Lord's pastimes at both
Navadvipa and Nilacala. He lived first in Navadvipa, and later he lived as a
ksetra-sannyasi in a subforest near the ocean at Nilacala. The pure devotees who worship the
sweet feature of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda take shelter of Gadadhara and thus become known as
intimate devotees of Sri Gaura. Those who are not enthusiastic to worship the sweet
feature of the Lord perform devotional service under the shelter of Nityananda Prabhu."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi 2.2, Purport)

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is worshipped on the path of arcana-marga He is worshipped
along with Visnu-priya but when he is worshipped on the path of bhajan-marga He is
worshipped along with Gadadhara Pandita. Gaura-Visnu-priya means Sri Caitanya as Gaura
Narayana and Visnu-priya as Bhu-devi (consort of Narayana). In the spontaneous stage of
bhajana Lord Gauranga and Gadadhara Pandita are worshiped in raga-marga - Gauranga as
Madhava and Gadadhara as Radharani. This is also confirmed in Jaiva Dharma, chapter 14.

Arcana or Deity worship is in and of itself not considered by our acaryas as bhajana.
This is no doubt a subtle topic but we must endeavor nonetheless to have some proper
understanding of it.

Arcana or the process of Deity worship is considered a practice of vaidhi-bhakti
wherein one's devotional service is regulated by rules and regulations while one's mood is in
awe and reverence. At this stage the worshipper still has attraction for aisvarya
(opulence) and rituals such as performing mudras and yajnas (fire sacrifices), etc.

Bhajana however is a stage of bhakti or devotional service that transcends worship. It
is difficult to find a single English word equlivent to bhajana. Simply to substitute
the word worship for bhajana will not surfice.

Bhajana is considered to be raganuga-bhakti or the process of expressing one's natural
spontaneous love for the supreme object of love, Sri Krsna. In such a stage of pure
devotional love, one transcends rules and regulations in favor of spontaneous affection to
which opulences and rituals fall by the wayside. In such a stage awe and reverence also
vanish and one knows the object of love as one's dearmost.

When the higher devotee installs a Deity and performs Deity worship then that is also
bhajana, but generally speaking bhajana means chanting the Holy Name. When advanced
sentiments of love of God manifest in a devotee who always chants the name of Krsna with
love, such a devotee is said to be performiing bhajana.

In other words bhajana is not just anyone's chanting of the Holy Name. Bhajana is a
stage of affection for Krsna that is achieved through pure chanting.

The solace for the neophyte devotees is that we should always think that, "my guru is
worshipping the Deity and I am simply assisting." If we think in this way then our
progress is guaranteed.

The worship of Gaura-Nitai has for many devotees become synonymous with sankirtana-lila
and this is rightly so. But sankirtana may be performed in either vaidhi-bhakti or in
raganuga-bhakti depending on the stage of one's advancement. In fact one may worship
Gaura-Nitai and perform sankirtana simply as a matter of yuga-dharma (duty) or one may
perform sankirtana in the mood of prema-dharma (the religion based on divine love).
Gaura-Gadadhara however are only worshipped in the mood of prema-dharma.

Sometimes a neophyte devotee rejects or even ridicules the worship of Gaura-Nitai
thinking that he should only be engaged in the highest type of service, the worship of
Gaura- Gadadhara. Such a mentality falls short of the proper siddhanta and is certainly
hellish. In reality both Gaura-Nitai and Gaura-Gadadhara are worshipped by the pure
devotees.

gadadhara-devera sankalpa ei-rupa
nityananda-nindakera na dekhena mukha

This is the vow of Gadadhara: he would never see the face of one who offends
Nityananda.

nityananda-svarupere priti yara nani
dekha o na dena tare pandita-gosai

Gadadhara Pandita would avoid being seen by anyone who has no love for Nityananda
Svarupa. (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 124-125)

gadadhara subha-drsti karena yahare
se janite pare nityananda-svarupere

Whoever receives the merciful glance of Gadadhara can know Nityananda Svarupa.

nityananda-svarupo yahare prita mane
laoyayena gadadhara jane se-i jane

And whoever Nityananda is pleased with can know Sri Gadadhara. (Caitanya-bhagavata,
Antya 7, 161-162)

The first Deities of Gaura-Gadadhara to be installed in a temple can be found at
Campahati in West Bengal not far from Sridhama Mayapura. This temple of Gaura-Gadadhara was
established by Vaninatha Vipra a devotee of Sri Caitanya. In the beginning of the 20th
century Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had this temple renovated and revived
the service of the Deity.

Other Deities of Gaura-Gadadhara can be seen at Bhaktivinoda's birth place in
Viranagar, at Bhaktivinoda's place of bhajana (Svananda-sukada-kunja) in Godrumadvipa, at the
Adbhuta Mandira at Yogapitha in Mayapura, at the Gadai-Gauranga Gaudiya Matha in Dacca,
at Gopinatha Gaudiya Matha in Mayapura and at many other Gaudiya Mathas.

Put simply, we are worshipping Sri Sri Gaura-Gadadhara because we have been directed to
do so by the example of our previous acharyas. The worship of Gaura-Gadadhara is a
fundamental aspect of Gaudiya Vaisnavaism and is not to be neglected or forgotten. One
cannot even think of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura or Srila Sarasvati Thakura without
accepting the worship of Gaura-Gadadhara, it is inseperable from their very life of Krsna
consciousness.

nilambhodi tate sada sva viraha ksepanvitam bandhavam
srimad bhagavati katha madiraya sañjivayan bhati yah
srimad bhagavatam sada sva nayanasru payanaih pujayan
gosvami pravaro gadadhara vibhur bhuyat mad eka gatih

"On the sands of the blue ocean in Puri, feeling deep separation from Himself (Krsna),
Mahaprabhu is consoled by His friend Gadadhara (Radharani). As one nears death,
suffering the loss of a beloved, Gadadhara tries to resuscitate Mahaprabhu by supplying the
intoxicating wine of krsna-katha to drown the agony of separation plaguing His heart. As
Gadadhara sings the songs of the Bhagavata, tears cascade from his eyes, like a shower
of flower offerings, washing the words from its pages. My only goal is to enter that
current of devotion flowing from the divine heart of that best of Gosvamis - Gadadhara."
(verse by Srila B.R. Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja)

smara gaura-gadadhara-keli-kalam
bhava gaura-gadadhara-paksa-caram
sunu gaura-gadadhara-caru-katham
bhaja godruma-kanana-kunja-vidhum

"Just remember the artistically playful pastimes of Gaura and Gadadhara. Just become a
loyal follower of Gaura and Gadadhara's camp. Just listen to the captivating stories of
Gaura and Gadadhara and just worship the beautiful Moon of Godruma's forest bowers."
(Godruma Bhajanopadesa by Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

This article available online with graphics:
http://www.gosai.com/krishna-talk/55...gadadhara.html

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