Sri Chaitanyadev’s Paramount Gift

In preparation for the Sri Nabadwip Dham Parikrama and Sri Gaura Purnima Festival, we are presenting a short collection of verses by Srila Prabodhananda Saraswati Thakur that were published in last year’s Sri Gaura Purnima edition of Sri Gaudiya Darshan in Bengali.

Being reminded of the unparalleled ideal Sri Chaitanyadev has given, fortunate souls cannot but chant His glories at this auspicious time.

“Śrī Chaitanyachandra’s radiance instantly dispels all darkness from the heart of every soul, forcibly swells the nectarean ocean of divine love’s joy, and gently soothes the souls of this world that are constantly scorched by the three miseries. May Śrī Chaitanyachandra’s radiance shine within your heart forever.”

“How great is killing demons and evil spirits? How great is establishing the paths of yoga, philosophy, and so on? How great is creating, maintaining, and destroying the world? How great is saving the earth? We adore only the Lord’s form of Śrī Chaitanya, who established the path of pure devotion resplendent with divine love. (In comparison to the superexcellent gift of Śrī Chaitanya, who is the best of all Avatārs, we do not greatly praise the acts of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, and others (who killed demons), Kapila and others (who taught yoga and other disciplines), Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva (who oversee material existence), and Varāha and others (who saved the earth and performed other miracles).”

“When Śrī Chaitanyachandra revealed the highest path of devotion, the materialists abandoned talk of their wives and children, the intellectuals abandoned their debates regarding the scriptures, the yogīs abandoned the hardships produced by their practices of breath regulation, the ascetics abandoned their austerities, and the sannyāsīs abandoned their studies. No other joy remained.”

“When Śrī Gaura appeared in this world, in every home the tumult of Hari-saṅkīrtan arose, on every body erect hairs, tears, and other ecstasies shined, and the most sweet and exalted path, which is filled with divine affection and extends far beyond even the Vedas, was revealed.”

“Previously, even when the best of the all-knowing sages established their conclusions as supreme with logic and arguments, no one firmly believed in them. Yet now that the incomparably powerful Gaurāṅgachandra has arisen, who has not concluded that devotion to the Lord is alone the final purport of the scriptures?”

“Some, led by Uddhava, have attained the Lord’s service. Others have attained the glorious position of Śrīdām and the Lord’s other friends. Others have attained the devotion of the lotus-eyed Vraja-gopīs. And others, the most fortunate and enlightened, taste the sweetness of Rādhā’s lotus feet. What fortune has this world not attained by Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy?”

“Who would have heard of prema [divine love], the ultimate attainment? Who would know the Holy Name’s glory? Who would have entered the absolute sweetness of Vṛndāvan’s groves? Who would have known the climax of the extraordinary sweetness of Śrī Rādhā’s supreme devotion? Only Śrī Chaitanyachandra, by His supreme benevolence, revealed all of this.”