Today we honor the Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda. It is advised that devotees observe a half day fast, and meditate on some of the glories of Lord Nityananda. We share with you this nice song “Nitai-pada-kamala” by Narottama das Thakur.

Nitai-Pada-Kamala
The Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda
By Srila Narottama dasa Thakura
Purport By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

nitai-pada-kamala, koti-chandra-susitala,
je chayay jagatu juray
heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krsna paite nai,
dridha kori’ dharo nitair pay

The lotus feet of Sri Nityananda are as cool as millions of moons. The whole universe gets peace by the shade of those lotus feet. Without the mercy of Sri Nityananda, nobody can get Radha and Krishna, the aim of human life. Therefore, catch hold of the two lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu very tightly.

se sambandha nahi ja’r, britha janma gelo ta’r,
se pashu bodo durachara
nitai na bolilo mukhe, majilo samsara-sukhe,
vidya-kule ki koribe tara

One who has not established a relationship with Sri Nityananda is a two-legged animal. A great beast! His whole life is finished. He cannot be called a human being. He never utters the name of Sri Nityananda. He is always immersed in enjoying material happiness and has forgotten Sri Nitai. He may have acquired all material scholarship and learning, but what is the value of such education? This will never help.

ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya,
asatyere satya kori mani
nitaiyer karuna habe, braje radha-krsna pabe,
dharo nitai-charana du’khani

They are so puffed up with their mundane education and scholarship. They are never humble at all. They have forgotten the lotus feet of Sri Nitai because of their false ego and pride. They are completely under the clutches of Maya. They accept the untruth as truth. If Sri Nityananda showers His mercy upon someone, he will get Sri Sri Radha Krishna in Vrajabhumi. So catch hold of the two lotus feet of Lord Nityananda very tightly.

nitaiyer carana satya, tanhara sevaka nitya,
nitai-pada sada koro asha
narottama bodo dukhi, nitai more koro sukhi,
rakho ranga-charanera pasha

The lotus feet of Sri Nityananda are eternally true. And those followers or servants of those lotus feet of Sri Nityananda are also eternal. Always aspire for the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, “I am very distressed, and an unhappy person. I am drowning in this dreadful ocean of material exis­tence. O Sri Nityananda Prabhu, please make me very happy! Please keep me at Your lotus feet.”

Purport by Srila Prabhupada

Nitai-Pada-Kamala & Purport

( Los Angeles, January 31, 1969 )

nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala,
je chaayay jagata juraay
heno nitai bine bhaai, radha-krishna paite naai,
drdha kori’ dharo nitair paay

se sambandha naahi ja’r, brthaa janma gelo taa’r,
sei pasu boro duraacaar
nitai naa bolilo mukhe, majilo samsaara-sukhe,
vidyaa-kule ki koribe taar

ahankaare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariyaa,
asatyere satya kori maani
nitaiyer korunaa habe, braje radha-krishna paabe,
dharo nitai-carana du’khaani

nitaiyer carana satya, taanhara sevaka nitya,
nitai-pada sadaa koro aasa
narotam boro dukhi, nitai more koro sukhi,
raakho raanga-caranera paasa

Nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala, je chayay jagata juray. This is a song by Narottam das Thakur, a great acharya of the Gaudiya-vaisnava-sampradaya. He has written many songs about the Vaisnava philosophy, and they are approved as completely corresponding with Vedic instructions. So here Narottam das Thakur is singing that “The whole world is suffering under the blazing fire of material existence. Therefore, if one takes the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda…,” whose birthday is today, 31st, January, 1969. So we should relish this instruction of Narottam das Thakur that in order to get relief from the pangs of blazing fire of this material existence, one should take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda because it is as cooling as the moon rays combined together of millions of moons. That means one will immediately find peaceful atmosphere. Just like a man works whole day and if he comes under the moonshine he feels relief.

Similarly, any materialistic man who comes under the shelter of Lord Nityananda will immediately feel that relief. Then he says,

nitai-pada-kamala, koti-candra-susitala,
je chayay jagata juray,
heno nitai bine bhai, radha-krishna paite nai,
dharo nitai-carana du’khani

He says that “If you are anxious to go back to home, back to Godhead, and become associate of Radha and Krishna, then the best policy is to take shelter of Nityananda.” Then he says, se sambandha nahi ja’r, brtha janma gelo ta’r: “One who has not been able to contact Nityananda, then one should think of himself that he has simply spoiled his valuable life.” Brtha janma gelo, brtha means for nothing, and janma means life. Gelo ta’r, spoiled. Because he has not made connection with Nityananda. The Nityananda, very name, suggests… Nitya means eternal. Ananda means pleasure. Material pleasure is not eternal. That is the distinction. Therefore those who are intelligent, they are not interested with this flickering pleasure of material world. Every one of us, as living entity, we are searching after pleasure. But the pleasure which we are seeking, that is flickering, temporary. That is not pleasure. Real pleasure is nityananda, eternal pleasure. So anyone who has no contact with Nityananda, it is to be understood that his life is spoiled.

se sambandha nahi ja’r, brtha janma gelo ta’r,
sei pasu boro duracar

Narottam das Thakur uses here very harsh word. He says that such human being is an animal, an uncontrollable animal. As there are some animals that cannot be tamed, so anyone who has not contacted Nityananda, he should be considered as an untamed animal. Sei pasu boro duracar. Why? Because nitai na bolilo mukhe: “He never uttered the holy name of Nityananda.” And majilo samsara-sukhe, “and become merged into this material happiness.” Vidya-kule ki koribe tar. “That nonsense does not know that what will his education and family and tradition and nationality will help him?” These things cannot help him. These are all temporary things. Simply, if we want eternal pleasure, we must contact Nityananda. Vidya-kule ki koribe tar. Vidya means education, and kula means family, nationality. So we may have a very nice family connection or we may have very nice national prestige, but after ending this body, these things will not help me. I’ll carry my work with me, and according to that work, I shall have to accept by force another type of body. It may be something other than human body. So these things cannot protect us or give us the real pleasure. So Narottam das Thakur advises that vidya-kule ki koribe tar. Then he says, ahankare matta hoiya. “Being maddened after false prestige and identification…” False identification with the body and prestige of bodily relationship, it is called ahankare matta hoiya. One is mad after this false prestige. Ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasariya. Due to this false prestige we are thinking, “Oh, what is Nityananda? What can He do for me? I don’t care.” So these are the signs of false prestige. Ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pasa…, asatyere satya kori mani. The result is that I am accepting something which is false. For example, I am accepting this body. This body, I am not this body. Therefore, with false identification I am becoming entangled more and more. So one who is puffed up with this false prestige, ahankare matta hoiya, nitai-pada pa…, asatyere satya kori mani, he accepts something wrong as right. Then he says, nitaiyer koruna habe, braje radha-krishna pabe. If you are actually serious about going back to home, back to Godhead, then please seek after the mercy of Nityananda. Ahankare…

nitaiyer koruna habe, braja radha-krishna pabe,
dharo nitai-carana du’khani

“Please catch up the lotus feet of Nityananda.” Then he says, nitaiyer carana satya. One may think that as we catch hold of so many shelter, but in this material world later on they prove false, similarly, suppose we catch hold of the lotus feet of Nityananda; it may also prove false. But Narottam das Thakur assures that nitaiyer carana satya: “It is not false. Because Nityananda is eternal, His lotus feet is also eternal.” Tanhara sevaka nitya. And anyone who takes to the service of Nityananda, they also become eternal. Without being eternal, nobody can serve the eternal. That is the Vedic injunction. Without becoming Brahman, one cannot approach the Supreme Brahman. Just like without being fire, nobody can enter into the fire. Without being water, nobody can enter into the water. Similarly, without being fully spiritualized, nobody can enter into the spiritual kingdom. So nitaiyer carana satya. If you catch nitaiyer, the lotus feet of Nityananda, then you become immediately spiritualized. Just like if you touch electricity, immediately you become electrified. That is natural. Similarly, Nityananda is eternal happiness, if you touch Nityananda some way or other, then you become also eternally happy. Tanhara sevaka nitya. Therefore one who has in contact with Nityananda, they have become eternal.

nitaiyer carana satya, tanhara sevaka nitya,
drdha kori’ dharo nitair paay

So just catch Him very tightly. Narottam boro duhkhi, nitai more koro sukhi. At the last Narottam das Thakur, the composer of this song, he is appealing to Nityananda, “My dear Lord, I am very unhappy. So You please make me happy. And You kindly keep me in corner of Your lotus feet.” That is the sum and substance of this song. (end)

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada