nityānanda namas tubhyaṁ premānanda-pradāyine |
kalau kalmaṣa-nāśāya jāhnavā-pataye namaḥ ||
(Unknown source)
“O Nityananda,
Obeisance and obeisance unto you,
The bestower of the bliss of prema,
Destroyer of sin in [the Age of] Kali,
And husband of Jāhnavā.”
nityānandam ahaṁ vande karṇe lambita-mauktikam |
caitanyāgraja-rūpeṇa pavitrī-kṛta-bhū-talam ||
(Gaura-govindārcana-smaraṇa-paddhati: 21)
“I offer obeisance to Nityānanda with a pearl dangling from his ear, who with his form as an elder brother of Caitanya purified the surface of the earth.”
kañjārendra-vinindi-sundara-gati-śrī-pādam indīvara-
śreṇī-śyāma-sad-ambaraṁ tanu-rucā sāndhyendu-saṁmardakam |
premṇodghūrṇa-sukañja-khañjana-madā-jin-netra-hāsyānanaṁ
nityānandam ahaṁ smarāmi satataṁ bhūṣojjvalāṅga-śriyam ||
(Gaura-govindārcana-smaraṇa-paddhati: 50; cited in Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 2.12)
“The beautiful gait of his divine feet defames the king of elephants;
His fine, dark blue cloth resembles a cluster of blue lotus flowers;
With the luster of his figure, he completely pulverizes the evening moon;
Amidst his smiling face,
His fine lotus eyes, rolling with prema, defeat the pride of the wagtail [i.e., the bird of Kāmadeva];
I meditate continuously on Nityānanda,
His body adorned with splendid ornaments.”
vidyud-dāma-madābhimardana-ruciṁ vistīrṇa-vakṣa-sthalaṁ
premodghūrṇita-locanāñcala-lasat-smerābhiramyānanam |
nānā-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitaṁ sumadhuraṁ vibhrad ghanābhāmbaraṁ
sarvānandakaraṁ paraṁ pravara-nityānandacandraṁ bhaje ||
(Unknown source)
“His luster crushing the pride of a lightning front,
His chest broad,
His eyes meandering about their corners, rolling with prema,
His smiling face delighted,
Adorned with various ornaments,
Most sweet,
Wearing cloth with the splendor of clouds,
Absorbed in creating bliss for all,
The exalted Nityānandacandra,
I worship.”
śuddha-svarṇa-viḍambi-sundara-tanuṁ ratnādi-bhūṣāñcitaṁ
premonmatta-gajendra-vikrama-lasat-premāśru-dhārākulam |
śuklaṁ sūkṣma-navāmbarādi-dadhataṁ saṅkīrtanaika-priyaṁ
nityānandam ahaṁ bhaje sakaruṇaṁ premārṇavaṁ sundaram ||
(Unknown source)
“His beautiful figure mocking pure gold,
Adorned with jewels and other ornaments,
Maddened with prema,
Meandering with steps Resembling a king of elephants,
Overrun by streams of tears of prema,
Wearing fine, new white cloth and other garments,
And fond only of saṅkīrtana,
I worship Nityānanda,
the beautiful, compassionate ocean of prema.”
īṣad-āruṇya-svarṇābhaṁ nānālaṅkāra-bhūṣitaṁ
hāriṇaṁ mālinaṁ divyopavītaṁ prema-varṣiṇam |
āghūrṇita-locanaṁ ca nīlāmbara-dharaṁ prabhuṁ
premadaṁ paramānandaṁ nityānandaṁ smarāmy aham ||
(Unknown source)
“His luster slightly reddish gold,
Adorned with various ornaments,
A necklace, a garland, and a splendid upavīta,
Showering prema,
His eyes rolling,
Wearing dark blue cloth,
Prabhu,
The giver of prema,
The highest bliss [personified]—
On Nityānanda,
I meditate.”
sarac-candra-bhrāntiṁ sphurad-amala-kāntiṁ gaja-gatiṁ
hari-premonmattaṁ dhṛta-parama-sattvaṁ smita-mukham |
sadā ghūrṇan-netraṁ kara-kalita-vetraṁ kali-bhidaṁ
bhaje nityānandaṁ bhajana-taru-kandaṁ niravadhi ||
(Vṛndāvana Dāsa Ṭhākura’s Nityānandāṣṭakam: 1)
“Revolving like the autumnal moon,
Shining with spotless luster,
His gait resembling an elephant,
Intoxicated with prema for Hari,
Bearing a form of the highest nature,
His face smiling,
His eyes continuously rolling,
Holding a staff in hand,
And cutting Kali asunder,
I forever worship Nityānanda,
The root of the tree of bhajana.”
oṁ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṁ
parameṣṭhinam upasametyocāva |
adhīhi bhagavan brahma-vidyāṁ variṣṭhāṁ
sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṁ nigūḍhām |
yathācirāt sarva-pāpaṁ vyapohya
parātparaṁ puruṣaṁ yāti vidvān ||1||
tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaś ca
śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād avaihi ||2||
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena
tyāgenaike amṛtatvam ānaśuḥ |
pareṇa nākaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
vibhrājate yad yatayo viśanti ||3||
vedānta-vijñāna-suniścitārthāḥ
sannyāsa-yogād yatayaḥ śuddha-sattvāḥ |
te brahmalokeṣu parānta-kāle
parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve ||4||
(Kaivalya Upaniṣad: 1–4; Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad: 3.2.6)
“Om. Now, Āśvalāyana approached illustrious Brahmā and said, ‘O illustrious One, please teach me Brahmā-vidyā, which is most excellent [among all types of knowledge], ever-adhered to by the sādhus, and secret, and by which the wise soon become absolved of all sin and attain the Supreme Puruṣa,’ and to him [i.e., to Āśvalāyana], the Grandsire [i.e., Lord Brahmā] verily spoke, ‘You can realize [the Brahma-vidyā you wish to attain] through the practices of śraddhā, bhakti, and meditation. Neither by karma, nor by progeny or wealth, but only by renunciation can you attain immortality, which is beyond heaven and shines hidden in the cave [i.e., heart]. Ascetics [lit., those who strive (for it)] enter it. Completely determined upon the object of realization established by Vedānta and of purified nature by virtue of practice of sannyāsa, the ascetics in the planes of Brahmā [i.e., in the various planes through the material universe] at the time of the final end [i.e., at the time of the dissolution of the material universe] overcome death and become completely liberated [from entanglement in saṁsāra, i.e., they realize Brahman].”
sā ca bhaktiḥ śāstra-jñāna-pūrvikaivānuṣṭheyā tam eva dhīro vijñāya prajñāṁ kurvīta brāhmaṇaḥ iti śravaṇāt |
(Vedānta-syamantaka: 3.13)
“That bhakti [i.e., the bhakti learned from śrī-guru by which one attains the fulfillment of life (puruṣārtha)] is to be performed preceded by [i.e., after having properly acquired] knowledge of śāstra, since it is heard [in Bṛhadārayaṇka Upaniṣad: 4.4.21], ‘After verily understanding that [i.e., the Ātmā], a sagacious seeker of Brahman should engage in contemplation [of the Ātmā].”
apragalbhasya yā vidyā kṛpaṇasya ca yad dhanam |
yac ca bāhu-balaṁ bhīror vyartham etat trayaṁ bhuvi ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2153)
“The knowledge of the timid, the wealth of the miserly, and the arm-strength of the cowardly—these three are useless in the world [because they are never applied and thus never fulfill their potential].”
