The Mercy of Śrī Gaura and Nityānanda
(from Dhāmāli)
Locana Dāsa Ṭhākura
(1)
parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana
nitāi gauracandra
saba avatāra-sāra śiromaṇi
kevala ānanda-kanda
The two Lords, Nitāi-Gauracandra, are very merciful. They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that They introduced a process of chanting and dancing that is simply joyful.
(2)
bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi
sudṛḍha biśwāsa kori
viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā,
mukhe bolo hari hari
My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda with firm conviction and faith. If one wants to be Kṛṣṇa conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. One simply has to chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hari Hari!" without any motive.
(3)
dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi,
emona doyāla dātā
paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare,
śuni' jāṅra guṇa-gāthā
My dear brother, just try and examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityānanda. Their merciful qualities are so great that upon hearing them even birds and beasts cry and stones melt.
(4)
saṁsāre majiyā, rohili poriyā,
se pade nahilo āśa
āpana karama, bhuñjāye śamana,
kahoye locana-dāsa
But Locana dāsa regrets that I am entrapped by sense gratification. Since I have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, then Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement.
Purport
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
This is a song by Locana dāsa Ṭhākura. Pahū means "Lord," and dui jana means "two." Locana dāsa Ṭhākura declares that the two Lords, Nitāi-Gauracandra—Lord Nitāi and Lord Caitanya—are very merciful (parama koruṇa). Saba avatāra-sāra śīromaṇi. Avatāra means "incarnation," and saba means "all." They are the essence of all incarnations. The specific significance of these incarnations is that prosecuting Their way of self-realization is simply joyful (kevala ānanda-kanda), for They introduced chanting and dancing. There are many incarnations, like Lord Rāma and even Kṛṣṇa, who taught Bhagavad-gītā, which requires knowledge and understanding. But Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda introduced a process that is simply joyful—simply chant and dance. Therefore, Locana dāsa requests everyone, bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya-nitāi: "My dear brother, I request that you just worship Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda with firm conviction and faith." Don't think that this chanting and dancing will not lead to the desired goal. It will. It is the assurance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that one will get all perfection by this process. Therefore one must chant with firm faith and conviction (biśwāsa kori').
But what is the process? The process is viṣaya chāriyā, se rase majiyā. If one wants to be Kṛṣṇa conscious by this process, one has to give up his engagement in sense gratification. That is the only restriction. If one gives up sense gratification, it is sure that he will reach the desired goal. Mukhe bolo hari hari: one simply has to chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hari Hari!" without any motive of sense gratification.
Dekho ore bhāi, tri-bhuvane nāi. Locana dāsa Ṭhākura says, "My dear brother, you just try and examine this. Within the three worlds there is no one like Lord Caitanya or Lord Nityānanda, because Their merciful qualities are so great that They make even birds and beasts cry, what to speak of human beings." Actually, when Lord Caitanya passed through the forest known as Jharikhaṇḍa, the tigers, elephants, snakes, deer, and all other animals joined Him in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa: It is so nice that anyone can join. Even the animals can join, what to speak of human beings. Of course, it is not possible for ordinary men to induce animals to chant, but if Caitanya Mahāprabhu could inspire animals to chant, at least we can encourage human beings to adopt this path of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. It is so nice that even the most stonehearted man will be melted. Pāṣāṇa means "stone." It is so nice that even stone will melt.
But Locana dāsa Ṭhākura regrets that he is entrapped by sense gratification. He addresses himself, "My dear mind, you are entrapped in this sense gratification process, and you have no attraction for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Since you have no attraction for the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, what can I say? I can simply think of my misfortune. Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, is punishing me by not allowing me to be attracted by this movement."
