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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 22, 2021 5:03:52 GMT -6
First five verses forming the invocation to Vrindavan Das Thakura's Sri Chaitanya Bhagavata.
I bow in worship to the princely pair, Whose glowing beauty shines than gold more fair; Whose arms, extending to the knee, are long, The true begetters of the sacred song; Whose bright eyes are as lotus petals wide, Who sustenance to all the world provide, The first and foremost of the twice-born ones, Of virtue in this age the guardians, Workers of grace, ruthful, compassionate, Benignity and mercy incarnate. 1
I bow to him with head in worship bent, Who is through time's three phases existent; The son of Jagannath, with servants dear, His sons, and his dear consorts I revere. 2
To the divine brothers twain I prostrate, Profound compassion and grace incarnate, Whose supremest sov'reignty is concealed, Now in the the persons of the pair revealed; As the Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya hight, And Nityananda, eternal delight. 3
All hail to him of pure and potent powers, Who shines like gold, with eyes like lotus flowers, Fine knee-length arms his gracious form displays; The dancing actor who love's drama plays. 4
All hail to the Supreme and divine Lord, Moon-like Shri Krishna Chaitanya adored! All hail to his immaculate pure fame! All hail to his devoted servant train! Hail to the universal transcendence! Hail to his beloved ones as they dance! 5
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 25, 2021 2:40:23 GMT -6
After the invocation of Chaitanya Bhagavata, Vrindavan Das, opens his narrative. Here is an example of blank verse, which is to say in Milton's terms, unrhymed heroic English verse, adhering to the iambic pentameter lines, something like this,
First at the feet of Chaitanya's dear ones, In endless ways I prostate and salute, Then bow I to Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Descended in Navadvipa, and called By the name of Vishvambhara; 'tis said, "The worship of my devotee by far "Exceeds mine." this the Lord himself declared Throughout the Vedas and the Bhagavat.
(And so it is said) The rites and articles to worship me, With salutation and ceremony, Doth not satisfy me so much or please, As worship of my loving devotees; With which such rituals cannot compare, Since they see me in all and everywhere. (SB. XI.19.21. Krishna to Uddhava)
Thus first to the devotees I bow down, Whereby I may attain to the success In solemn undertaking of this work. I bow to my Lord Nityananda Ray, By whose favour Chaitanya's fame is known. I bow to Balarama, thousand-faced, Whose thousand mouths sing Krishna's hallowed deeds, As gems are hid secure in a sweet spot, Ananta's mouth is store of gems of fame. Wherefore, at first I Balarama praise, Which having done, Chaitanya's fame I sing. Who rears a thousand hoods, Lord Balaram, Of puissant might and unrestricted power, Of mighty form who wieldeth forth the plough, The great hero who in madness revels In moon-like Shri Chaitanya's noble deeds. No other is to Chaitanya so dear, His own self in another form revealed.
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 25, 2021 17:17:22 GMT -6
Continuing with Shi Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi Kanda, Ch.1. On the divine attributes of Balarama.
Whoever hears or sings his glory knows That he of Shri Krishna Chaitanya is His most intimate help and assistant. With ardent love, Mahesh and Parvati, Praise him in tongues with eloquence endued, Couched in the pure strains of Saraswati; Parvati with millions of fresh damsels Approach as Shiva worships Sankarshan. Thus in the fifth Book of the Bhagavat, And praised by all the saints and devotees, Is called the Sacred Ode to Balaram.* His Rasa sport is vividly described, When in Vrindavan he with gopis played. Two months of spring, Madhu and Madhav hight, The wielder of the plough enjoyed his dance Of Rasa, as Puranas have described. Hear of those verses from the Bhagavat, Where Shuka spoke, and king Pariksit heard.
(And so it is said) Two months hight Madhava and Madhu spent Illustrious Rama in great content; And passed with joy those fragrant springtime nights, Affording cowherd damsels love's delights.
The full moon shed his soft and balmy rays, The wind o'er blooming lilies scent conveys, And while he strays along Yamuna's shore, A throng of damsels serve him and adore.
The Gandharvas sang his praises and fame, While he did circled by damsels remain. The Lord, like to a regal elephant, Sported with his females in merriment.
The kettledrums reverberate on high, The joyful gods rain flowers from the sky, The Gandharvas and sages forward came, And sang Rama's heroic deeds and fame. (S.B.10.65.17/18, and 21/22)
The company of females sages blame, But still the Rasa of Rama they praise; On whose Rasa were flowers dropped by gods, For gods know well there is no distinction, 'Twixt Krishna and the wielder of the plough. The deeds of Balarama are concealed In the four Vedas, but what can I say? In the Puranas his exploits are known. Yet fools will prate that they have never seen The proof of Balarama's Rasa dance!
*S.B.5.17.17-24
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 25, 2021 18:42:19 GMT -6
Continuing,
At the same time the brothers twain enjoyed, In Vrindavan with cowherd damosels, The pleasure of the Rasa sport by night.
(And so it is said) Once Govinda along with Rama came, Of wonderful deeds and heroic fame, To sport at night with song and merriment, With damsels from the cowherd settlement.
Begirt by lovesome damsels on each side, The brothers twain were fondly glorified, Adorned with precious gems, there limbs were dight, With sandal paste and spotless raiment bright.
They praise the rising in the orient Of moon and stars and glowing firmament; Jasmine's odours and lotus scented breeze, Blend sweetly to intoxicate the bees.
Now sang in vast delight the brothers twain, Responsive to the melodious strain, With the raised pitch and with the dying fall, Afforded delight to the minds of all. (S.B.10.34.20-23)
Who hears the Bhagavat but does not love Rama, from ways of Vishnu and Vaishnavs Is cast away, and who doth honour not The Bhagavat, he is an infidel, In every birth in Yama's state to dwell.
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Post by madanmohandas on Dec 26, 2021 9:12:05 GMT -6
Continuing on with a bit more Chaitanya Bhagavat. Adi 1.
E'en now the prating eunuchs dance and say, 'What scripture tells of Balarama's Ras?' Some sinners see the text but will not heed, And contradictory meanings expound. Moon-like Chaitanya's dear beloved form Is Balaai, who offends or insults him, By the transgression is to death condemned. The distinction of form is on this wise, One as the Master, one as Servant plays; Such was shown when as Lakshman he appeared. As friend, as brother, fan, as bed, as mount, His house, umbrella, cloth, ornaments, seat; Himself assumes these forms to serve his Lord. On whom he doth abundant favour show, That one attains to knowledge of these things.
(And so it is said) Who assumes diverse shapes and varied forms, And with many requirements conforms, Your dwelling and your couch and your high seat, The spangled slippers worn upon your feet; Your cushions and your shady canopy, With your desire in conformity. According to occasion and to need, His body's emanated parts proceed; Who as your own true assistant is famed, Fulfilling all, and therefore, Sesha named.
(Ananta Samhita, Dharani Sesha samvad; also Stotra Ratna 40)
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Post by madanmohandas on Jan 24, 2022 16:32:12 GMT -6
Well, as for that, here some random extracts and fragments
While playing with some other children there, The handsome Sri Gaurasundara fair, Heard the loud singing of Sri Hari's name, And with all haste into the house he came. "Why hast thou come here child?" the bhaktas said, Then he, "Why was I called and invited?" (Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi. 7. 110/111)
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That same Lord with his handsome limbs divine, Who on the serpent doth at ease recline, Whose lotus-feet are tended by Lakshmi, And praised by the four Vedas constantly, Now in the courtyard of Sachi the blest, He lays him down upon the ground to rest. From whose hair follicles there doth emerge The endless worlds and the great demiurge; Whose servants create, destroy and maintain, Brahma and Shiva contemplate his fame; Now in the courtyard of Sachi the blest, He lays him down upon the ground to rest. (Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi. 8.149-152)
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Nimai Pandit visits a seer, from Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi. 12
Thereon the self-willed Supreme Lord divine, Gaura the fair, who like the moon doth shine, At length as he along the path did roam, Came and entered a mystic seer's home. When the all-seeing one beheld the Lord, He bowed in humility and adored. The Lord said, 'you are very good I hear, In knowledge of all things, O mystic seer; Now scrutinise, and having done so well, Who was I in another birth, pray tell? The all-knowing one 'very well', replied, And piously to thought his mind applied; He muttered the Gopal mantra divine, And suddenly beheld at that same time, The mighty Lord of radiance and light, Whose breast was with the Kaustubha gem dight, And the Shri sign, and dark complexions' charms, With conch, disc, mace, lotus, held in four arms; He saw at night within the prison cell, The Lord with mother and father as well, Before him stand, and while on him they gaze, Recite his high glory with hymns of praise; At that same time he saw the father take The child within his arms and his way make For Gokula, and entering with care, He left the new-born infant darling there. And now, he sees the naked child who stands Captivatingly with two lovely hands, Wherein he holds fresh sweet butter to taste, And with a belt of bells around his waist. The all-knowing one thus beheld the Lord, His object of meditation adored, And bearing each characteristic sign, Of his own cherished deity divine.
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From Chaitanya Bhagavata, during Sri Gauranga's visit to Gaya.
He entered then the Chakraveda shrine In haste, to see the lotus-feet divine. The Vipra bands surround the holy fane; The foot-prints of the Lord of hallowed fame, O'ercanopied with wreaths of flowers sweet, The site that bears the print of sacred feet. Fresh flowers, fragrant fumes, bright lamps and scents, Fine raiment and exquisite ornaments, In munificent abundance and grace, Were offered by the pious in that place. On all sides divine Vipras in a throng, The praises of those lotus-feet prolong. The Lord of Kashi, Kashinath the bold, Those very feet within his heart doth hold; Those feet which are beloved of Lakshmi, Are served by her with fondness constantly. Those feet which Bali upon his head took, Oh blessed ones! at those very feet look. Who doth for e'en half a moment maintain Thought of those feet, is freed from Yama's reign; Great mystic yogins who are self controlled, Those divine feet but rarely can behold. Now, Oh blessed ones! those same feet see! From whence arose divine Bhagirathi; His attendants and devotees most dear, To those feet in their hearts always adhere; Those feet, delightsome, on the serpent rest; Behold those feet, O fortunate and blest! C.B.Adi.17. 32-41
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From Chaitanya Bhagavata, Madhya Kanda, 4. 20-24
When, in despite of great effort and will, The Vaisnavas all failed to keep him still, Till Visvambhara in his arms compressed, And gently brought him on his lap to rest. Nor sooner had Nityananda reclined In Visvambhara's lap, his heart consigned To him; in excess of pure happiness, He rested him quite still and motionless. As Nityananda floated in the stream Of Chaitanya's love-water, it did seem Like Laksman, who received the bitter wound, What time he in the lap of Rama swooned. But Nityananda fainted from the smart When smitt by pure loving devotions' dart. As Nityananda on his lap he keeps, The fair moon-like Sri Gaurachandra weeps.
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Vrindavana Dasa's signiture colophon at the end of the chapters of Chaitanya Bhagavata.
sri-krishna-chaitanya nityaananda chaad jaana/ vrindaavana dasa tachu pade yuga gaana//
In all the translations that I have seen the statement is put in the first person, as 'I, Vrindavan das, etc..., (same applies the Kaviraja's
'sri rupa raghunatha pade yaara aasa/ chaitanya charitaamrta kahe Krishna daasa//
'I, Krishna dasa'...etc.
Now, it seems to me material that the verses in both cases are spoken in the third person, hence no 'I', which when thought upon seems quite incongruous with the humour. (sounds proud) Put into a pair of heroic couplets Vrindavan das' single couplet would rather be something like this,
Moon-like Krishna Chaitanya beautiful, And Nityananda, who are all-in-all; Vrindavan das at their feet doth rehearse, Their divine glory in his humble verse.
And Kaviraja Goswami's
Who doth always desire and entreat, Grace at Rupa and Raghunatha's feet; In flowing verse Krishna das doth recite, The deeds of Chaitanya, full of delight.
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Post by madanmohandas on Feb 22, 2022 4:26:41 GMT -6
When moon-like Gauranga sojourned at Ramakeli, his companions were concerned about their proximity to the kings residence.
Whoever desires to meet with me, Such an one I also desire to see; Be that as it may, still I do not find That everyone to meet me is inclined. Wherefore should ye be fraught with fear and woe? If the king wishes, I shall to him go. But how can the king wish for such a thing? To summon me what power has the king? And if the king should utter such a word, 'Twould be by my inspiration conferred; Elsewise what power doth he have to see? The Vedas search in vain to look at me. The gods and sages and the sainted kings, Whose fame Puranas and the Bharat sings, Who laborious scrutiny maintain, The grace to see me still cannot attain. The Sankirtan to spread and propagate, I have deigned myself here to incarnate, And shall thereby effect deliverance Of fallen souls from worldly existence. (Ch.Bh.Antya, 4.113-120)
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Post by madanmohandas on Feb 22, 2022 8:03:35 GMT -6
bhaja bhaja aare bhai chaitanya charane/ avidyaa-bandhana khande yaahaara shravane//
yaahaara smarane sarva-taapa-vimochana/ bhaja bhaja hena nyaasi-manira charana//
Adore, adore, Oh brothers, I implore! The holy feet of Chaitanya adore; Hearing accounts of his activities, From bondage of darkest ignorance frees.
By recollection of whom one attains Release from all sore afflictions and pains; Adore, adore the feet of such a Lord. The jewel of renunciates adored.
(Ch.Bh. Antya, 3. 422/423)
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