Shri Karnananda, Part 9
BY: SUN STAFF
Oct 18, 2021 — CANADA (SUN) — Shri Karnananda – Seven Extracts by Srila Yadunandana Dasa.
SIXTH EXTRACT, PART ONE
This extract begins with the names of Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita Candra and all the devotees of Shri Gauranga. Now this extract is going to explain the promise of Prabhu which helps to forget all worldly miseries. This is quoted from the Karna Rasayana. To fulfill the intention of preaching the pure Vrajaleela in Gauda, Mahaprabhu empowered Shri Rupa in this task. With the help of this power from Prabhu, Shri Rupa wrote a book.
Shri Gauranga also empowered the desire to worship the feet of Mahaprabhu, who was then in Nilacala. Shri Nivasa by giving up all attractions started for Nilacala. But on his way to Nilacala, he was informed of the news that Mahaprabhu had disappeared from the world. Hearing this heart-broken news, Shri Nivasa at once fainted on the ground and sank in deep misery. At this state of mind he sometimes got back his sense, sometimes fainted again and sometimes began to cry loudly.
Mahaprabhu having seen the misery of his devoted disciple, appeared before Shri nivasa and consoled him by putting His leg on his head. He gently and sweetly advised Shri Nivasa to check himself and go to Vrndavana to meet Shri Rupa Sanatana there, who had already finished his book Radha Krishna Leela. He ordered Shri Nivasa to go to Gauda with those books and preach their sayings there.
Shri Nivasa being ordered by Prabhu at once started for Vrndavana. He was overwhelmed with joy by the natural beauty of that place. From there he went to Mathuramandala and was informed of the news of disappearance of the two renowned brothers. Shri Nivasa at once threw himself on the ground and cried out loudly. He miserably repented that there was no necessity of his own life as he did not have the company of the two brothers. Having settled his mankind, he fainted under the tree. Seeing him grievously heart-broken, the two brothers out of sympathy appeared before him and put their feet upon the head of Shri Nivasa. They gladly told Shri Nivasa that the whole mankind including the poor, mean and misery-stricken might be able to achieve salvation by the help of the kindness of Shri Nivasa. They advised him to give up the sorrow and at once go to Shri Vatta Gosvami to take refuge in his feet. They also advised him to get himself initiated to Gopala Vatta. From there he should go to Gauda, taking the books with him and to help the misery-stricken mankind to attain salvation.
At once he obeyed the order and went to Vrndavana where he met Shri Gopala Vatta. He fell to the ground and took the feet of Vatta Gosvami on his head. He humbly requested Vatta Gosvami to favour him. He reported everything to him what Shri Rupa and Sanatana had ordered him to do. Hearing this Vatta Gosvami began to shed tears of joy. He most cordially accepted Shri Nivasa in to his confidence and thanked Mahaprabhu for his gift, i.e., sending of Shri Nivasa to him. He showed Shri Nivasa the original handwriting of Mahaprabhu which he had kept with him for Shri Nivasa and the Asana and the dora sent to him by Mahaprabhu. Now he advised Shri Nivasa to sit on the Asana. He then gave him diksha and the hymns of worship. He also taught him the lessons of the books. Gradually Shri Nivasa became qualified in the books, which was highly appreciated by all the Gosvamis there.
Shri Jiva ordered Shri Nivasa to go to Gauda. Shri Jiva told him that it was the order of Mahaprabhu who had already sent a letter from Shri Nilachala to Shri Rupa in this connection. Shri Jiva reported him that receiving the letter, Shri Jiva Prabhu began to weep because it was his assumption that he would not be able to meet Shri Nivasa, who was an embodiment of pure love. Shri Jiva Gosvami ordered Shri Nivasa to go to Gauda with the books. But Shri Nivasa most humbly expressed his intention that when he was with Mahaprabhu, he cherished the desires of living in Vrindavana and of serving Prabhu. So he did not want to go to Gauda. He said that as it was the order of his Guru which he must obey by going to Gauda, but he prayed for a favour from Shri Jiva another Gosvamis that he wanted that who would come in contact with him was sure to attain the grace of Radha Krishna. He was determined that he would not go to Gauda until the requised favour would be fulfilled.
Listening to this, Jiva GoswamI was full of ecstatic joy. He and all the Gosvamis gathered in the temple of Lord Govinda and began to pray to him. Shri Vatta GosvamI, Shri Dasa GosvamI, Shri Jiva GosvamI, Vatta Raghunath, Loknath GosvamI and Vugarva Thakura - all of them prayed for a long time to Govinda. Shri Govinda became satisfied by their prayer and told them that He had Himself taken the semblance of Shri Gauranga in Gauda to taste the juice of Radha Krishna Leela and had swept the people there by the wave of divine love. He himself created Shri Nivasa out of this love.
So Shri Nivasa's request would must be fulfilled by him. The Gosvamis heard the nectar-like order from the moon-like mouth of Shri Govinda to send Shri Nivasa to Gauda with the books. Shri Nivasa in ecstatic joy began to weep by lying on the ground. The Gosvamis were also overwhelmed with divine pleasure. Shri Nivasa out of ecstatic joy had described the moon like face of Shri Govinda in highly ornamental language. Listening to the description, all of them wept in joy. Shri Nivasa bowed to the feet of Shri Jiva. Then he embraced some of them and some bowed to the feet of Shri Nivasa. After that, the priest of Shri Krishna, Adhikari Gosvami gladly lay Govinda on the bed and gave the garland of Govinda to Shri Nivasa. All the Gosvamis put it round his neck, which greatly pleased Shri Nivasa. They then dined together [on] the scraps of food first of all offered to Govinda. They took betel-leaves and Tulasimala and returned to their own house.
Next day while they gathered, they advised Shri Nivasa to go to Gauda with the books. Shri Vatta Goswami brought the kaupina and the babirvasa from his room and gave these to Shri Nivasa, and told everybody that when Mahaprabhu had met Vatta in South India he ordered him to give this kaupina and the bahirvasa to Shri Nivasa when the latter would come to Vrndavana. Mahaprabhu also advised him to inform Shri Nivasa that he should obey the order of Shri Vatta, taking it in his mind that it was the order of Mahaprabhu Himself.
