Song 1

(Varāḍī rāga-Diśā)

Refrain: O! O! O! I place many offerings before Lord Gaura. I sing of the virtues and glorious form of Lord Gaura, who to the whole world freely gave the gift of ecstatic spiritual love.

1. Glory, glory to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Śrī Nityānanda! Glory, glory to blissful Advaita Acārya!

2. Glory to Gadādhara Paṇḍita! Glory to Naraharī Thākura! Glory, glory to Śrīnivāsa, who is worthy to perform pure devotional service!

3. In my heart I offer respectful obeisances to the dear devotees of Lord Caitanya.

4. Now I will speak the stroies of Lord Gaura. Please hear them carefully. In private, Dāmodara Paṇḍita asked:

5. Why did Lord Gaurāṅga descend to this world? You give the answer and I will hear it. My heart is filled with bliss to hear that answer.

6. Why did the Lord turn away from His dark color and accept a fair-colored form? Why, when the holy names are sung, does He roll on the ground and allow His limbs to be covered with dust?

7. Why did He renounce the garments of a householder and accept sannyāsa? Why, alas, did He wander from country to country?

8. Why did He weep, calling out, "Rādhā! Rādhā! Govinda!’? Why, visiting home after home, did He freely give the gift of ecstatic love?

9. Now I will repeat the confidential answers to these questions. Even a fool who hears these answers will be delivered.

10. Hearing these questions, Murārī Gupta said, Please hear, O Paṇḍita. I will answer all your questions.

11. The dharma-śāstras say religion is completely manifest in Satya-yuga. I tell you religion is threefourths manifest in Tretā-yuga.

12. I tell you religion is half-manifest in Dvāparayuga and and one-fourth manifest in Kalī-yuga. That is the opinion of the dhharma-śāstras.

13. As sin increases, religion wanes. As people neglect their duties, varṇāśrama wanes.

14. The Kalī-yuga is filled with the blinding darkness of horrible sins. Everyone is drowning in sin. Everyone is devastated by sin.

15. Seeing no true religion present, the great sage Nārada kindly decided to rescue the Kali-yuga.

16. He thought, "The black snake of Kalī-yuga das devoured everything." He thought, "Religion should be established.

17. "Without Lord Kṛṣṇa no one has the power to establish religion. Therefore I must quickly bring Lord Kṛṣṇa to the Kalī-yuga.

18. "What the devotees desire, Lord Kṛṣṇa also desires always. That is the opinion of the Vedas and Agama-śāstras.

19. "If I, a servant of Lord Kṛṣṇa, desire to do it, I can bring Lord Kṛṣṇa to the Kali-yuga.

20. "First I will observe the activities of Kalī-yuga. Then I will bring Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is religion itself.

21. "Then I will bring all the demigods. They will be Lord Kṛṣṇa’s associates. They will be His associates, servnats, weapons, and confidential companions."

22. In this way Nārada and the sages, Brahmā and the demigods, and Durgā and the goddesses all took birth on the earth.

23. By their expansions the members of the Yadu dynasty in Dvārakā also took birth on the earth.

24. Now I will tell everything of how the Supreme Lord descended to the earth. Please listen with care.

25. Gaura-avatāra is the best of all avatāras. No other avatāra is merciful like Him.

26. Feeling unhappy for the sufferings of others, the great sage Nārada sang nectar descriptions of Lord Kṛṣṇa day and night.

27. He traveled in the world of birth and death eagerly singing the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but the people would not listen to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy name. They wanted only things of the material world.

28. Overcome by tasting the sweet nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s glories, Nārada spoke with a choked voice. One moment he wept. The next he loudly laughed.

29. Playing his vina, he sang Lord Kṛṣṇa’s glories. Tears streamed from his eyes. Within and wuthout Nārada Munī was plunged in the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s glories.

30. His every limb filled with the bliss of ecstatic spiritual love, as he wandered in the material world, Nārada did not hear anyone chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

31. Sad at heart, the sage was very surprised. He did not see any way to save the people of the world.

32. Everyone was bitten by the black snake of Kalī-yuga. Everyone was always aflame with pride and delusion.

33. Devoted only to their bellies and genitals, everyone was bewildered. They had forgotten Lord Kṛṣṇa.

34. Their hearts were always splashed by greed, illusion, lust, anger, intoxication, and pride. They thought that splashing was just like nectar.

35. They were needlessly troubled by thoughts of "It is I and "It is mine’. Who am I? What is mine? That they did not know.

36. Seeing the unhappy situation of the people, worried Nārada began to think within his heart. He thought and thought.

37. He did not see any way to rescue the people of the horrible Kalī-yuga. Wandering and wandering, he finally came to the gate of Dvārakā City.

38. Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the crest jewel of the masters of the demigods, and who is the king of Dvārakā, passed the whole night happily enjoying pastimes in Queen Satyabhāmā’s palace.

39. When the sun rose He performed His morning duties. Then He hinted that He would visit Queen Rukmiṇī’s palace.

40. Hearing of her good fortune, Queen Rukmiṇī could not keep still. Her every limb trembled.

41. She carefully cleaned her palace and then decorated her body with exquisite garments. A band of many different instruments played. Everything was blissful.

42. At the time of the Lord’s auspicious arrival there were many auspicious full waterpots. Many ghee lamps burned.

43. Overcome with bliss, Mitravindā, Nagnajitā, Susśīlā, and Subalā offered āratī to the Lord.

44. Bringing scented water, Queen Rukmiṇī washed the Lord’s feet.

45. Placing the Lord’s glorious feet to her breast, with great love Rukmiṇī gazed at her Lord. For a moment she held the Lord’s feet at her breast.

46. Holding the Lord’s feet, Rukmiṇī wept. Surprised, Lord Kṛṣṇa asked:

47. "I do not know why you weep. Why do you weep? O My queen, please tell Me.

48. "To Me You are more dear than life. That the whole world knows. Who is more dear than you? Tell Me.

49. "Did I defame you? Did I not obey your command? You do not speak. O My queen, what wrong did I do?

50. "Only once did I tease you. You became very unhappy at heart.

51. "How many times did I earnestly beg forgiveness? Your hard heart never softened."

52. Hearing these cruel words come from the Lord’s mouth, with sweet anger Rukmiṇī said:

53. "My heart is hard. It is not soft. Still, I am fortunate in one way: You are my very life.

54. "Your feet are more dear to me than life. Tasting the mādhvīka nectar of Your feet, even Lord Śiva dances, wild with bliss.

55. "You know the whole world perfectly. Still, You cannot understand the words of one who loves Your feet.

56. "If You place in Your heart the love Rādha. feels for You, then You will understand the love Your devotees feel for You."

57. Hearing these words, the Lord felt great wonder in His heart. He said: "What did you say? What did you say? O My queen, please say it one more time.

58. "What you said I did not hear very well. What was it? I did not understand it.

59. "Hearing your rare words, I feel drawn to you. My heart is filled with wonder.

60. "What is this rare thing so hard to find in the three worlds? I think it would be very wonderful to hear about it, or perhaps to see it.

61. "From your mouth I have heard of something even I do not understand. How can I understand the bliss that now fills My heart?

62. "O My queen, please tell Me about this thing. Tell Me. Tell Me." In this way Locana dāsa faithfully describes the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feet.