The Greatest Circumference

Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj describes Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy.

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu is there to consolidate the ground, the foundation. That will help us to make further progress. Speedy progress without a good foundation may invite reactions. Our foundation comes from Nityānanda Prabhu, Gurudev. That the foundation will not go away is the primary necessity.

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy sometimes exceeds that of Śrī Chaitanyadev. Chaitanyadev sometimes cannot accept the fallen: if a bad precedent may be created by doing so, then He cannot accept them. So, He has to consider someone’s status and position, and other things. But Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy does not care for any unfavourable circumstances. It is so lavish and blind. It does not differentiate between sinners of different degrees. It is all-embracing. And Mahāprabhu cannot dismiss Nityānanda Prabhu’s recommendation. This is the connection we are given to understand: Nityānanda Prabhu gave shelter even to those whom Mahāprabhu rejected, and gradually Mahāprabhu had to accept them. So, the magnitude and circumference of Nityānanda’s grace is the greatest. For us, the most fallen souls, that is our solace.

bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāma
ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje se haya āmāra prāṇa

Nityānanda Prabhu’s duty is concentrated on bringing everyone to Gaurāṅga. He calls everyone to fall at the feet of Gaurāṅga. Nothing more is necessary. All else, the highest fortune, will be attained automatically. He simply calls out, collects souls, and throws them in the dust of Gaurāṅga’s feet. Nothing else is necessary, whoever they may be: a Muslim, a low-class person, or otherwise. Scholarship and so-called moral or material purity are not necessary.

If anyone, even if they are of the lowest type, gets connection with the feet of Gaurāṅga, then all their disqualifications may be removed in a second. Gaurāṅga is such a touchstone, and anything He converts does not become a middle-class jewel, it becomes a jewel of the highest class. He is such a touchstone.

Nityānanda used to roam along both sides of the Ganges calling out to one and all, “Come! Join the camp of Śrī Gaurāṅga!

bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāma
ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje se haya āmāra prāṇa

“The life of My life is one who has come to take shelter under the direction of My Lord Gaurāṅga. O fallen souls, gather round and beg My Lord Gaurāṅga for His grace! Automatically you will find yourself in Vṛndāvan. All the undesirable things within you will be cleared in no time, and, unconsciously, your pristine inner self will emerge and find suddenly that it is in the midst of the desired soil, Vṛndāvan, which is filled with the most wonderful paraphernalia; you will find you are at home, back at home. Get a ticket here in Nabadwīp, and you will quickly reach your home.”