Jagadbandhu Sundar Prabhu

[Sakhicharan Das]

I bought this laminated photo of Jagadbandhu Sundar Prabhu while visiting Mahanam Angan in Raghunathpur a week back and scanned it. I feel very fortunate in having two paratpara gurudevas who are protecting me and showering their mercy, Sri Radharaman Charan Das Dev, and Sri Bandhusundar Prabhu.

Mahanambrata Brahmacari twice had darshan of Bandhusundar and he writes:

"The Prince of Love and Joy. Tall, well-built, of rosy complexion with a tinge of yellow, soft as cotton, bright as the sun, refreshing as the moon, transparent as a stream of cool water. He sat in profound silence absorbed in world thought--a living dream in flesh and blood, wrapped in the glory of Mahauddharan, or Universal Emancipation."

[Nitaidas]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this Sakhi!

[Sakhicharan Das]

I was staying at Samaj Bari for the ten days leading up to Gaura Purnima this year. One evening I was out for a walk and noticed Mahanam Math and went inside and sandhya aroti was just starting. They have a beautiful way of offering the flowers during aroti. The flower offering is in the form of a mala and they hold it in the shape of a heart and the pujari gracefully dances around while offering it. The Vaisnavas began kirtan glorifying Bandhusundar, "Prabhu, Prabhu, Prabhu, He!" It was totally ecstatic and the devotees were spinning and jumping lost is bliss. I was drawn in like a magnet and joined right with them. The grand finale was when the pujari then placed the mala around the neck of Bandhusundar's murti. The kirtan and dance reached new heights of exhilaration! Ananda! Since then I almost feel as though a spell has been put upon me. I am feeling the tender, sweet love of Bandhusundar Prabhu manifesting in my heart. Jai Jagadbandhu! Jai Maha Uddharan!

[Nitaidas]

[Here is the first of the songs you sent me, Sakhi. I am putting them together in a pdf, thus, the markup symbols. I will post the pdf in a day or two. I am also creating another thread under modern Vaisnava literature for these poems.]

Wake up Gor\=a, jewel of virtues,\\
the break of day has come.\\
With your dear one, how long\\
will you sleep there in one bed?\\
(How much more will you sleep? Pray tell.)\\
(Or, how much more will you pretend?)\\
(O Peak of Rasa!)\\
(1) The stars have all departed.\\
Wake up Gaura and Gad\=adhara!\\
The most pure moon in fatigue has descended.\\
Humorous, chaste Dawn just laughes with merriment.\\
(Those lilies there are weeping.) (Those lotuses there are expanding)\\
(That jewel of the day is becoming restless) (to see his beloved)\\
(2) On the branch sits the best of cuckoos\\
singing ``Jaya (Victory!)" without stopping.\\
Overwhelmed with rasa stutters\\
the Suradhun{\=\i}, softly softly.\\
(O you maddened by Prema)\\
(So that you will see),\\
Go now go with gathered bhaktas,\\
to the river's bank.\\
(They are standing at your door)\\
(They watch your path expectantly)\\
(Jagadbandhu is laughing sweetly)\\
(There is no ``chi chi" of bashfulness.)

[Sakhicharan Das]

Jai Gora!

Very nice! Thanks so much Nitai.

[Nitaidas]

Thanks. Send some more when you get a chance. I am enjoying the translating.

[Sakhicharan Das]

Jai Nitai!

Sure thing! Tomorrow morning I will scan some more.

[Deleted]

I would also like to see... will the bengali also be included?

[Nitaidas]

Here is song 2:

Wake up Young Lady of my Life!\\
The night has come to an end.\\
In the tops of the trees\\
the \'s\=aris and parrots sweetly call.\\
(There the bees are humming)\\
(Those cuckoos are cooing:)\\
(``R\=ai O R\=ai!")\\
The pigeons, male and female,\\
sing with blossoming hearts.\\
On waking, the moon has departed\\
for his home with all of the stars.\\
(The moon has gone, has gone!)\\
(The night on waking [has gone])\\
The lily feeling saddened\\
has closed her eyes in irritation.\\
(There, a ray of the sun has shone.)\\
(That lotus smiled in pleasure.)\\
(Dawn has revealed herself.)\\
(O R\=ai wake up, O R\=ai!)\\
The happy Night has ended;\\
wake up, O Lotus of K\d{r}\d{s}\d{n}a!\\
The sweetly smiling Night,\\
through the force of time,\\
has hidden herself away.\\
(Night has hidden; Night has hidden.)\\
(Taking peace along with her.)\\
Your companionss wait at the door\\
with water-pots in their hands.\\
(There, R\=ai and K\d{r}\d{s}\d{n}a have awakened.)\\
(That Bandhu has helped them dress.)\\
(Your housemaids have come to the forest.)\\
(Your mother and the girls call for you)\\
(Then Bandhu opened the door:)\\
(``Come, R\=ai, come with me.")