Sri Caitanya Candramrtam

[madanmohandas]

Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati's
Sri Caitanya Candramrtam.

I. Glorification

Praise him, the cowherd chief's dear darling son!
In form of Chaitanya, the gracious one;
Of unrestricted magnanimity,
And wondrous condescension of mercy;
To relish his own love with joy replete,
He floats in waves of ambrosia sweet;
On others the taste of that love bestowed
In Navadveep, the supernal abode. 1

Some God I praise, who by his influence,
Those who have never practised righteousness,
Those who are engrossed in iniquity,
Who never go a holy man to see,
And never pay a visit to their shrine;
Such persons on receiving grace divine,
The taste of loving ecstasy attain,
And in frenzy of love-madness remain;
They sing of Hari's love and caper round,
And in a transport, roll upon the ground. 2

The secret mystery has been disclosed,
By propagation of the Name exposed,
Which otherwise could not have been conceived,
Nor by workers of piety received;
Nor by the yogins who themselves torment,
Nor through the eight limbs of enlightenment,
Nor by reason, logic or argument.
Unknown by even those who serve the Lord
Govinda, with their services adored;
I therefore praise Gaura the wonderful,
Who has made this widely available. 3

By being seen, touched, remembered, implored,
E'en bowed to from a distance and adored;
I praise that Deus, Chaitanya, the one,
Who grants the essence of pure love alone. 4

Whoever Gaura's gracious glance receives,
Salvation as a hellish state conceives;
The cities of immortal gods on high,
No more than fabled flowers in the sky;
The senses their pernicious ways forsake,
No more a danger, like a toothless snake;
They see the universe full of delight;
The gods Vidhi and Indra, in their sight,
Who rule in the heavens above the skies,
Seem nothing more than mere insects and flies.
I praise that Gaura, whose influence shows
The wonders that his boundless grace bestows. 5

Those who drink deep the potent honey wine,
Distilled from lotus flower feet divine,
Intoxicated by the sweets of love,
Mock Brahma and the gods who dwell above;
Nor do they excess of honour bestow,
Nor much respect to great Vaisnavas show;
They see the Brahma yogins with disdain,
And load them with condemnation and blame;
That radiant moon-like Gaura I praise,
Of unconventional merciful ways. 6

What wonder if he doth the demons slay,
What wonder when he shows the yoga way,
What wonder is it for him to maintain
The worlds and reabsorb the worlds again,
What wonder was it for him to restore
The sunken earth, in form of a wild Boar?
The wonder is that he has now made known
Ecstatic love, and the path thereto shown;
I praise that illustrious Lord divine,
In the form of Sri Chaitanya sublime. 7

[madanmohandas]

Continuing with the second subsection of the Caitanya Candramrtam. 8-12

II. Salutation

Hail to the fair moon Sri Chaitanya bright!
Whose face shines with a million moon's soft light;
Who like a moon uprisen from Love's sea,
Sheds balmy moon beam smiles, a joy to see. 8

All hail to moon-like Chaitanya divine!
Devotion for whose lotus-feet sublime,
Hight Prema, grants ultimate happiness,
Auspiciousness of all auspiciousness. 9

When of his frantic dance he shows the charms,
He raises up, like golden rods, his arms;
His feet in dancing motions trip and pace,
His eyes of lotus flowers bear the grace;
His hands dramatic expressions employ,
Which doth all evils of the world destroy;
He loudly exclaims in divine frenzy,
And yells in ecstasy, 'Hari, Hari!'
Hail to him, of gods the jewel in the crown,
Unto moon-like Sri Chaitanya bow down;
Who relishes the delectation rare
Of love unequalled and beyond compare. 10

All hail to moon-like Chaitanya divine!
Whose beauty doth like gold refulgent shine,
Who is the image of delightsome play;
Who great love-rapture freely gives away. 11

As from a million fresh rain clouds appears,
Flow from his eyes flooding torrents of tears;
In the excess of love-rapture sublime,
He laughs to scorn millions of realms divine;
The sweet charm of his lustrous beauty rare,
With millions of nectar-oceans compare;
Hail to that Hari, of the lotus-eyes,
Who wears a holy anchoret's disguise. 12

[madanmohandas]

Caitanya Candramrtam 13-15

III. Benedictions

Whose broad shoulders are round and leonine,
Whose cheeks spread with the sweetest smiles sublime;
Whose person undergoes extremities,
Of ineffable divine ecstasies;
Who shines with the sheen when petals unfold,
From the inside of a lotus of gold;
May he afford protection and delight,
In whom Radha and Madhava unite. 13

Whenever a dark monsoon cloud he sees,
He becomes drunk with divine ecstasies;
At sight of the gaudy bright peacock's plumes,
He falls into agitation and swoons;
When he sees some Goonja beads, black and red,
He quakes and trembles, quite disquieted;
And if he on a dark youth ever gazed,
He was restless, astonished and amazed.
Disseminated Gaura his love thus,
May that Hari grant protection to us. 14

Whose raiment radiates the sunset skies,
Wherein like the full moon he doth arise,
From out of the ocean of compassion;
As from Sachi's milk-ocean womb, her son.
May that bright moon, the master of all arts,
Arise in the firmament of your hearts. 15

[madanmohandas]

Concluding subsection III. Benedictions from CC. 16-17

Whose hand trembles while counting on a string,
His 'Hare Krishna' mantra muttering,
Tied round his waist; which brings auspiciousness,
And doth the whole world with great fortune bless.
Whose face is bathed in streams of tears that flow
To see Jagannath, coming to and fro;
That Gaura was delighted him to view;
May that Lord Hari protect all of you. 16

That fair moonlight extirpates and dispels
The dark ignorance in the heart that dwells;
And doth universal darkness remove;
It raises billows in the sea of love;
It soothes the world with balmy influence,
And three-fold afflictions are driven hence;
May that moonlight that Chaitanya imparts
Shed its lustre always within your hearts. 17

[madanmohandas]

Sri Caitanya Candramrtam,

IV. Glorification of Caitanya's devotees.

Even great sages have quite lost the way,
And from the path, confounded, go astray;
And if Suka himself the path pursued,
Cannot be said with any certitude;
For Sauri was himself wont to conceal;
And did not to his friend this path reveal.
But on this path of splendid love, indeed,
Gaura's beloveds happily proceed. 18

Those who in talks of Brahman their time waste,
And salvation, lose not their bitter taste;
Of worldly convention the binding knot,
And rules of holy writ, are loosened not;
The vain scholars continue their debates
On diverse paths, and quarrel ne'er abates;
Unless and until one has had the sight,
Of a beloved one who takes delight
In worship, and the fair grace doth entreat
Of Sri Chaitanya's lotus flower feet. 19

Where such dispassion, where such abstinence?
Where is such freedom from the influence
Of hellish pleasures, which he never craves?
Where flows such humbleness in gentle waves?
Where may uncommon prowess be surveyed?
Where is the path of devotion displayed?
Where may one such excellent virtues view,
More than in those who Gaura's path pursue? 20

[madanmohandas]

Continuing the Gaura bhakta mahima from Caitanya Candramrtam. 21-22

Whoever has but once beheld the grace
Of the rare beauty of his charming face,
Which due to deep perturbation appears
Drenched in a deluge of abundant tears;
Which trickle from his full blown lotus eyes,
Engendered by his loving ecstasies;
Such an one who revels in the sweet sight,
Experiences ever new delight,
Having achieved of love the boundless sea,
And super mundane joy of ecstasy,
Whereby the supreme bliss he thus conceives,
And Gaura's feet thereafter never leaves. 21

Adherence firm to codes of piety,
To worship Vishnu elaborately,
Visits to holy shrines to consecrate,
Upon the Vedas to deliberate;
Without an especial grace, none of these
Sans service to Gaura's dear devotees,
Can esoteric doctrines be perceived;
A state hardly in the Vedas conceived. 22

[madanmohandas]

Continuing Gaura bhakta mahima 23-26

By churning nectar from the boundless main,
One may the essence of sweetness attain,
But whoso has ambrosia consumed,
Of Madana Gopal, who has assumed
The form of Gaura, delightsome and sweet,
Which emanates from his beautiful feet;
Will find that nectar from the ocean churned,
Insipid to taste and fit to be spurned. 23

Recipients of Gaura's grace surpass
In all virtue; meek as a blade of grass;
Endued with simplicity, innocence,
Whose speech is fraught with sweetest eloquence;
Of sensuality the mere odour,
They deprecate with disgust and abhor;
And in distraction of Hari's love hurled,
They care not for the affairs of the world. 24

One may millions of great teachers adore,
And millions of texts treating Vedic lore;
But Chaitanya's gracious glance who receives,
Straightway the secret mystery conceives. 25

Let there be dispassion a million fold,
Let millions of qualities be extolled,
Of tolerance, restraint, dexterity,
Fraternity and equanimity;
Let millions of meditations beside,
And articles of faith be multiplied,
And millions of Vaisnava practises,
Be taken to extreme and to excess;
But the natural qualities innate,
In the perfect and self-accomplished state,
A millionth part of which cannot compare,
With those qualities and attributes rare,
Of those who revel in moonlight that glows
From moon-like Sri Chaitanya Chandra's toes. 26

(Reminds me of Marco Polo who people used to call Marco Millions. hehehe)

[madanmohandas]

Concluding the subsection IV, Gaura bhakta mahima. 27-30

In Sri Chaitanya's dance festivity,
Some jump as if to leap across the sea,
Some in the frantic dance by frenzy borne,
The gods headed by Purandara scorn;
In perturbations of love's ecstasy
Advaita and the others dance in glee;
Indeed who was there not caught up in this,
And swept away in a transport of bliss? 27

It was not known, it is not presently,
And nor on earth shall it hereafter be;
This communion with ambrosia sweet,
Of the illustrious one's lotus-feet;
All except for his own dear devotees,
Who revel in the supreme bliss with ease,
And those who are not hateful this can know,
When Gaura doth abundant grace bestow. 28

The great ones in their overweening pride,
The deities and great sages beside,
Of those lotus-feet knew not the relish,
Which arrogant vanity diminish;
In all the Vedic texts on divine thought,
He is the hidden wealth and treasure sought;
Ah! who is there so fortunate and wise,
To see the son of Sachi with his eyes? 29

Even the undisciplined who refrain
From practice, are still blest with supreme gain;
By merely thinking of the fair limbed Lord
Gauranga, they reap fulfilment's reward. 30

[madanmohandas]

V. Remonstrance to those not devoted to Chaitanya.
Well, don't blame me, hehehe. 31-32

Those with countless merits, it seems to me,
And even those surrendered to Hari,
Who worship not Chaitanya, nor prostrate,
Want merit and are quite unfortunate. 31

Fie on those fools with gaping mouths who claim,
Presumptuous, and, 'I am Brahman', proclaim!
And fie to those on rituals intent!
Oh fie on those who their bodies torment!
Wherefore should I these human beasts revile
With vituperate invective and vile?
They have not themselves of sweetness availed,
Of Gaura's love, and therefore are bewailed. 32

[madanmohandas]

Continuing with Chaitanya Chandramrta, subsection V. 33-35

Stones sprinkled with drops will not germinate,
The tail of a dog never will be straight;
However one may raise his arms on high,
He cannot pluck the moon down from the sky;
One may have many practices pursued,
And disciplines to gain beatitude,
But without Gaura's compassionate glance,
No one can enter love's festival dance. 33

What time the Gaura moon had made advent,
The wide ocean of pure love did augment;
And cast up many gems of glowing sheen,
Who gathers not is meanest of the mean. 34

What time the Gaura moon had made advent,
The wide ocean of pure love did augment;
Whoever will not in that ocean lave,
Must sink in the vain worldly ocean's wave. 35

[madanmohandas]

Continuing Chaitanya Chandramrtam 36-38

A flood tide on the ocean of love spreads,
The essence of sweet ambrosia sheds,
Touched by moon-like Chaitanya's shining beam;
Those not swept off are meanest of the mean. 36

Since consciousness himself, Chaitanya hight,
Did in this dark unconscious world alight,
Great scholars of scripture who him disown,
Must in this world perpetually roam. 37

Who tastes of sweetness over and again,
Repeatedly reciting his own name;
Again and again, in beatitude,
Is agitated by a certain mood;
Time and again he urges all to sing
The glory of the son of Vraja's king;
And those who have not even once espied,
The ecstasy of Gaura, sanctified,
The mystery find hard to apprehend,
And love's ecstasy cannot comprehend. 38

[madanmohandas]

More Chaitanya Chandramrtam 39-45
The author concludes his exhortation and invective.

Sans sowing seeds how is the grass to grow?
How see the blind, how lame o'er mountains go?
How can there the sweet delectation be,
Of wondrous love ecstatic for Hari,
If they are not devoted to the Lord
Sri Chaitanya, almighty and adored? 39

Even a servant of Govinda's feet,
Who is not rapt in meditation sweet,
In love's uncommon frenzy thus conveyed,
And by Gaura himself direct displayed;
Thus of the wondrous ecstasy contrived,
The fool, the human brute, is quite deprived. 40

Countless incarnations in every age,
Have been described in holy scripture's page;
Who but the supernal Lord could relate,
His potent influence and supreme state?
How often and again have been received
Profound insights; his dear ones have conceived,
But still, alas, the fools refuse to see
That Sri Gaura is himself Lord Hari! 41

Salvation and all other worldly gain,
Are scorned as trifles and viewed with disdain,
When Gaura's gracious glance has been received,
Whereby love-joy's ecstasy is achieved;
But since the mystery has been concealed,
They say in scripture he is not revealed,
And this misconception with them persists,
Since they, Shiva, alas! are atheists;
All hail to Vishnu's Maya! hail to thee,
Who keep secret the hidden mystery! 42

Oh fie on pride of noble pedigree!
Fie on the eloquence of pedantry!
Oh fie on his vain learning resolute,
His youthful beauty and his high repute!
Fie on his worthy twice-born status vain,
Who strictures of caste and status maintain!
If in Kali's age worship he disdains
Of Gaura, master of the cowherd dames. 43

Ah me! those who in Vaikuntha reside,
Who with the illustrious one abide,
Are thrilled with wonderment and vast amaze,
When they on Vakresvara's dancing gaze,
And Gaura's many other devotees,
In high rapture of loving ecstasies;
Without great deeds of divine piety
How can one become Gaura's votary? 44

Bestowing his indescribable grace,
With pleasing speech and charming smiling face,
E'en from a distance who his glance perceives,
The great festivity of love conceives;
But those who indulge in vain argument,
The cruel minded, mean and arrogant,
Will not adore him with acknowledgement. 45

[madanmohandas]

Commencing section VI in Chaitanya Chandramrtam.

VI. Self deprecation.

Deceived, undoubtedly I am deceived,
For I have not a single drop received
Of the delectable humours distilled
Of Gaura's love, which all the world has filled. 46

[madanmohandas]

Proceeding further with the section, Self deprecation in Chaitanya Chandramrtam. 47-56. concluding section VI

Since earth's circle the foot-dust hath received,
Touched by Gaura's feet, who has not achieved,
With little effort, life's ultimate aim,
The crowning achievement and supreme gain?
Alas, alas! by misfortune contrived,
All have received, but I have been deprived
Of even the slightest fragrance, Oh fie!
Thus in despair and misery I cry,
Fie on my life and on my learning vain!
Fie on the high-born status I maintain! 47

The gracious moon-like Gaura rose above
The world, and caused a flood tide of pure love;
But my misfortune and calamity,
Not a drop, no, none hath fallen on me! 48

It is the season now of Kali's age,
The wayward senses grow in strength and rage,
Devotion's path to follow is now hard,
Since by thorns and brambles the way is barred.
Ah me! alas, alas! where should I go,
In this catastrophe, what can I do,
If you, Oh Chaitanya-moon, do not grant,
Your grace and favour to this supplicant? 49

Since that Almighty Lord of wondrous mien
By my visual faculty is not seen;
I never tasted of the service sweet,
Of Hari's beautiful lotus-like feet;
Therefore I seek the festive company,
Of the blest and holy society,
Who by their august presence decorate
The earth; and Sri Gaura's feet contemplate. 50

Millions of wicked deeds I have accrued,
By chains of latent desire subdued;
Millions of notions in my mind contend,
Aside from Lord Gaura, who is my friend? 51*

Alas! in my dry heart the planted seeds
In millions, do not sprout as pious deeds;
Forsaking these, within my heart of hearts,
Shall sow the seed that wondrous love imparts,
Therefore the grace and refuge I entreat,
At moon-like Gaurachandra's blessed feet. 52

Alas! my mind like a barren waste lies,
How will the wishing-vine of love arise?
The only consolation I can find,
Is that Chaitanya's name can cleanse my mind, 53

I am in the ocean of rebirth lost,
Submerged and buffeted, by billows tossed;
Swallowed by sharks and crocodiles dire,
Which represent anger and strong desire;
Without a shelter and strictly confined
To evil aspirations in my mind;
Therefore to moon-like Chaitanya I pray,
The refuge of thy lotus-feet convey. 54

The path of love with deep mystery fraught,
By Shiva, Suka, and Uddhava sought,
Which Narada and others seek to gain,
Is esoteric and hard to attain;
But if, moon-like Chaitanya, you display
Your gracious glance, it is not far away. 55

Where is such disinterested mercy known?
Where has such divine potency been shown?
Where such affection, Oh Sauri, declare,
That with thy form of Gaura can compare? 56

* Just for the exercise, here is what I managed to decipher from Manindranath Guha's annotation for text 51.

The author, immersed in the ocean of love, is under the influence of the transitory emotion of dejected humility. In his disquietude, he reasons that aside from Gaura Hari's grace there is no means of uplifting the fallen souls. To express this he speaks the verse, 'Millions of wicked deeds...etc.'
In this degraded age of Kali, who aside from Gaura is my friend? Mortal sins and venal sins accrue the seeds of suffering. How am I to expiate sins and forsake iniquity when my mind is chained up by latent desire? It may be objected, well, the means of expiation of sin has been laid down in scripture; purify yourself by that means. Well, as for that, I say, the seeds of sin are not eradicated by mere acts of atonement, and therefore, after expiation the subject indulges in iniquity again, leading to the perpetuation of misery. Well, alright, says the objector, how do you propose the eradication of sin? Well, not by dry cultivation of abstract knowledge either. Thus in the emotion of self-blame, the author, proclaims that aside from Gaura there is no way to overcome the sins of Kali's age,

[madanmohandas]

Proceeding further with Sri Prabodhananda's Sarasvati's Sri Chaitanya Chandramrtam. 57-61

VII. Confirmation of the object of worship.

That mighty Lord and ruler of the world,
Into the ecstasy of love is hurled,
Absorbed in the profound sentiment sweet,
Of relish of Sri Krishna's lotus-feet.
He is the secret scripture seeks to find,
Accept that Gauranga, Oh stupid mind! 57

Let him hear and recite and contemplate,
Upon Murari for the blessed state;
But as for that, my preference should be
To quaff sweet nectar of the mystery
Which rises from the Gaura-ocean broad,
Wherefore he is the one by me adored. 58

Some worship of the Supreme Lord maintain
The four-fold purposes of man to gain;
Others disciplines of worship observe,
With the pure desire Hari to serve;
But I am greedy for some relish sweet,
And resort to Chaitanya Chandra's feet. 59

My faith in observance and convention,
In the Vedas and worldly tradition,
My embarrassment, shame and modesty,
In laughing, singing and dancing with glee,
My preoccupation with mundane cares,
Attachment to my bodily affairs;
All these have been pilfered for my relief,
By a certain powerful golden thief! 60

Some God there is who showers from his eyes,
Moist with pathos, a million ecstasies,
From love's ocean with pure nectar replete,
Illustrious, delectable and sweet;
Whose fair limbs bear the shining golden sheen,
When fresh sprouts from the plantain tree are seen.
Who is that God, who hath right suddenly,
Captivated my mental faculty,
And to his feet my consciousness doth bind,
And has thus deeply attracted my mind? 61