Nityānanda, the Jewel of Virtues
(from the Caitanya-mañgala, by Locana dāsa Ṭhākura)
(1)
nitāi guṇa-maṇi āmār nitāi guṇa-maṇi
āniyā premer vanyā bhāsāilo avanī
My Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all virtues, my Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all virtues, has brought the flood of ecstatic love of God that has drowned the entire world.
(2)
premer vanyā loiyā nitāi āilā gauḍa-deśe
ḍubilo bhakata-gaṇa dīna hīna bhāse
Bringing this overwhelming deluge of prema when He returned to Bengal from Jagannātha Purī on Lord Caitanya's order, Nitāi has inundated the assembly of devotees. The fallen nondevotees did not drown, however, but remained floating on that ecstatic ocean.
(3)
dīna hīna patita pāmara nāhi bāche
brahmār durlabha prema sabākāre jāce
Lord Nityānanda freely offered this exalted prema, which is difficult for Lord Brahmā to attain, even to the fallen and wretched souls who did not desire it.
(4)
ābaddha karuṇā-sindhu niṭāi kāṭiyā muhān
ghare ghare bule prema-amiyār bān
The ocean of mercy had formerly been sealed tight, but Nitāi cut a channel in its boundary to allow the great flooding waves of nectarean prema to splash from house to house.
(5)
locan bole mor nitāi jebā nā bhajilo
jāniyā śuniyā sei ātma-ghātī hoilo
Locana dāsa says, "Whoever has not worshiped my Nitāi or taken advantage of this excellent opportunity offered by Him knowingly commits suicide."
