One of the primitive religious figureheads in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Bengal, Lord Nityananda Prabhu is regarded as a key friend and disciple of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the incarnation of Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krishna. His glories of mercy are chanted with heavy reverence to date.
He is remembered as a titular figure of mercy and he embodies the primary manifested constituent of divinity. Let us take you on a journey through his extraordinary life and learn about his childhood, appearance, pastimes, and association with Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu along with the importance of Nityananda Trayodashi.
Who is Nityananda Prabhu?
Nityananda Prabhu is the eternal associate of Chaitanya. Rarely you will find someone take the name of Nimai (Chaitanya) without that of Nitai (Nityananda). He is deemed as the cardinal guru of all the universes and helps in bridging the gap between Mahaprabhu and his devotees.
He also serves as the Lord’s active principle in both creation and Lila. An incarnation of Balaram, the elder brother of Krishna, as stated earlier, he is the ocean of unlimited mercy and divine nectar. Along with Mahaprabhu, he is credited for reviving Hinduism in Eastern India, specifically in Bengal. As such, his actions have deep cultural and religious implications in Bengal.
Appearance & Childhood
Nityananda was born on the auspicious Tithi of Shukla Trayodashi (the 13th day of a bright fortnight) to Harai Pandit and Padmavati. Appearing in the mid-15th century, he grew up in a Bengali Brahmin family. His father Harai Pandit himself was the combined manifestation of Vasudeva and King Dasharatha while his mother Padmavati was the manifestation of Rohini and Sumitra.
Nityananda did not reveal himself in his childhood; and in fact, played with children while imitating various pastimes of Lord Krishna. People around him were mesmerized and amazed at how at his little age, he could re-enact the pastimes of the Lord. When asked, he simply answered that those were his pastimes. As he grew up, he visited all the pivotal pilgrimages in the company of a Sanyasi such as Mathura, Gaya, Hastinapura, Kashi, Prayaga, Govardhana, Haridwara, Dwaraka, and Ayodhya, among others, and soon started residing in Vrindavan.
Even though his parents were deeply fond of him, they had to part ways with him when a travelling Sanyasi, as we stated above, requested them to send Nityananda with him to serve as a companion. Being committed to the Vedic culture, his parents couldn’t refuse this request.
Meeting With Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
While residing in Vrindavan, Nityananda heard of Chaitanya and how he had started the Sankirtan movement. He had the privilege of meeting Chaitanya for the first time in the early 16th century. He was over a decade older than Chaitanya with him being 32 years old and Chaitanya being merely 20 years old.
The spirit of brotherhood between them was a pious symbol of unadulterated admiration and love. Soon after meeting him, he started preaching Krishna consciousness, the key element of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). They started spreading the Yuga Dharma of Sankirtana across Bengal and Odhisa, known as the Gauda Desha.
They popularized Kirtan, the holy musical form of chanting and calling out the deity. This form of devotion became prevalent across the nation soon, as it had easy accessibility and everyone could practise it. Even to this day, its relevance remains strong.
Popular devotees of Krishna impart the art of Kirtan across the world, including in varied online platforms such as SwaRas Music and Arts Academy, where you get the opportunity to learn Kirtan from Swarupa Daamodar Das, a world-renowned Kirtan singer from ISKCON with over three decades of experience of serving in the Hare Krishna movement.
Lord Nityananda’s Pastimes
As stated earlier, Nityananda’s pastimes were merely a re-enactment of the pastimes of Lord Krishna. He left everyone around him amazed by the majestic and spiritual powers that he exerted with love and ease. Stories of his divinity have been enthralling people for centuries.
Once, when he was staying with Srivasa Thakura, he noticed Thakura’s wife Malini Devi distressed. Upon enquiring, he found out that she was upset over the fact that a crow had flown away with the bell metal bowl which she used to keep Ghee for Lord Krishna. Upon learning this, the Lord turned to the crow and asked him to return the bowl, which the crow happily obliged, leaving everyone mesmerized.
In another incident, he requested Raghava Pandita to fetch him a garland of Kadamba flowers as part of his Abhisheka. When Raghava responded with grief that it was not possible to bring Kadamba flowers as it is not the season for the tree to flower, Nityananda asked him to search for them in his home. To his surprise, Raghava found the flowers on a lemon tree in his courtyard.
These are among the many incidents where his devotees were left in awe of him and learnt his divine powers and his association with the holy spirit.
Mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu
Nityananda was the face of mercy. Under his guidance, even the most fallen souls such as Jagai and Madhai, who were known for their sinful activities, were converted to Vaishnavism. It is also said that one can’t realize the supreme personality of Krishna without the mercy of Nityananda. One has to take shelter at his lotus feet first to attain the knowledge of the personality of Lord Krishna.
Importance of Nityananda Trayodashi
Nityananda Trayodashi is celebrated to mark the appearance day of Nityananda. On this auspicious day, devotees fast till noon to seek his blessings. ISKCON across the world celebrates this pious occasion with joy and vigour.
It is also believed that observing this day can help one in attaining perfection. Devotees perform Kirtan and spread the word of the lord. They seek mercy from Nityananda and learn to be compassionate towards people around them.
To Conclude
Nityananda is the symbol of mercy; the close confidant and pal of Chaitanya. His role is so strongly attached to spreading Krishna consciousness around the globe that his name Nitai is taken simultaneously with Nimai, the name of Chaitanya. His majestic power and re-enactment of Lord Krishna’s pastimes is a testament to his own incarnation and how he holds special reverence in the hearts of millions of devotees.
