Śrī-Śrī-Gaura-Govinda-Līlāmṛta Guṭikā 5

After hearing the parrot’s words, Mahāprabhu lay in bed for a while absorbed in thought, then stretched his limbs like a golden bow. Sitting up, he yawned, and the luster from his teeth appeared like a camphor lamp being offered to his moonlike face. His nostrils flared. The hairs on his body bristled like the filaments of a kadamba flower. During a sweet memory of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava’s lethargy from drinking rasa in a Vraja bower, a stream of tears flowed from his lotus eyes like the Mandākinī flowing from a golden Meru. His breathing was quick, his eyes reddened with emotion.

After seeing the amazing sāttvika-bhāvas on Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s body, the two Prabhus joyfully entered his sleeping house along with the bhaktas and sat down in their respective places. Understanding Mahāprabhu’s bhāva, Svarūpa Gosvāmī began to sing about Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s end-of-night pastimes in the bowers of Vraja. When Śrīman Mahāprabhu heard the song, he became immersed in the līlā in the mood of Śrī Rādhā. The two Prabhus and the bhaktas all became immersed in vraja-līlā in their siddha-svarūpas. By Śrī Guru’s mercy, the sādhaka also immersed himself in the service of vraja-rasa in his own mañjarī-svarūpa.

Niśānta-Līlā: Vrajadhāma (2 hours 24 minutes)

From 3:36 AM to 6:00 AM

Śrī-Vraja-Līlā-Vandanā:

श्रीराधाप्राणबन्धोश्चरणकमलयोः केशशेषाद्यगम्या

या साध्या प्रेमसेवा व्रजचरितपरैर्गाढलौल्यैकलभ्या ।

सा स्यात् प्राप्ता यया तां प्रथयितुमधुना मानसीमस्य सेवां 

भाव्यां रागाध्वगाहैर्व्रजमनुचरितं नैत्यिकं तस्य नौमि ॥

śrī-rādhā-prāṇa-bandhoś caraṇa-kamalayoḥ keśa-śeṣādy-agamyā

yā sādhyā prema-sevā vraja-carita-parair gāḍha-laulyaika-labhyā |

sā syāt prāptā yayā tāṁ prathayitum adhunā mānasīm asya sevāṁ 

bhāvyāṁ rāgādhvagāhair vrajam anucaritaṁ naityikaṁ tasya naumi ||

“Loving service to the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhā’s beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa is beyond the reach of Brahmā, Śiva and Śeṣa, and can only be attained by those who long deeply for the Vraja life. This sevā must be meditated upon by those devoted to the path of rāga. Now I praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s daily pastimes in Vraja in order to spread this meditation to others.”

Śrī-Vraja-Līlā-Aṣṭakāla-Sūtra:

कुञ्जाद्गोष्ठं निशान्ते प्रविशति कुरुते दोहनान्नाशनाद्यां

प्रातः सायं च लीलां विहरति सखिभिः सङ्गवे चारयन् गाः ।

मध्याह्ने चाथ नक्तं विलसति विपिने राधयाधापराह्णे

गोष्ठं याति प्रदोषे रमयति सुहृदो यः सः श्रीकृष्णोऽवतान्नः ॥

kuñjād goṣṭhaṁ niśānte praviśati kurute dohanānnāśanādyāṁ

prātaḥ sāyaṁ ca līlāṁ viharati sakhibhiḥ saṅgave cārayan gāḥ |

madhyāhne cātha naktaṁ vilasati vipine rādhayādhāparāhṇe

goṣṭhaṁ yāti pradoṣe ramayati suhṛdo yaḥ saḥ śrī-kṛṣṇo’vatān naḥ ||

“May Śrī Kṛṣṇa protect us. At the end of night he leaves the forest bower and goes to his home. In the morning and early evening, he milks the cows and eats his meals. In the forenoon, he goes with his friends to graze the cows. At midday and late at night, he sports with Śrī Rādhā in the forest. In the afternoon he returns home, and in the late evening, he enjoys activities with his family and friends.”

Śrī-Vrajadhāma-Niśānta-Līlā-Sūtra:

रात्र्यन्ते त्रस्त-वृन्देरित बहुवि-रवैर्बोधितौ कीरशारी-

पद्यैर्हृद्यैरहृद्यैरपि सुखशयनादुत्थितौ तौ सखीभिः ।

दृष्टौ हृष्टौ तदात्वोदित-रतिललितौ कक्खटीगीः सशङ्कौ

राधाकृष्णौ सतृष्णावपि निजनिजधाम्न्याप्ततल्पौ स्मरामि ॥

rātry-ante trasta-vṛnderita bahuvi-ravair bodhitau kīra-śārī-

padyair hṛdyair ahṛdyair api sukha-śayanād utthitau tau sakhībhiḥ |

dṛṣṭau hṛṣṭau tadātvodita-rati-lalitau kakkhaṭī-gīḥ saśaṅkau

rādhā-kṛṣṇau satṛṣṇāv api nija-nija-dhāmny-āpta-talpau smarāmi ||

“I remember Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa at the end of night. Alarmed that daylight has come, Vṛndādevī sends some parrots and mynahs to waken them with the loud sounds of both pleasant and unpleasant poetry. Along with their sakhīs, they then rise from their peaceful slumber. Seeing each other, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa become joyful and long for more lovemaking, but then they hear the monkey Kakkhaṭī screeching, become afraid and return to their respective homes and beds.”

The Beauty of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s Sleeping and Rising from Bed

The best part of the spiritually sweet abode Śrī Vṛndāvana is Śrī Govinda-Sthalī. Śrī Yamunā flows to the north and embraces Govinda-Sthalī with two waterfall arms in the east and west. The area is sloped like the back of a tortoise. A jeweled temple for Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa called the yogapīṭha sits in the middle, with four desire-fulfilling trees in the surrounding four corners. Within that there are four pavilions and four bowers. There is a mādhavī pavilion in the northeast corner, a mālatī pavilion in the southeast, a navamallikā pavilion in the southwest and a svarṇayūthī pavilion in the northwest. Śvetāmbuja Kuñja is in the north and is the place where Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa play games of dice. Nīlāmbuja Kuñja is in the east and is where they are dressed and decorated. They take their meals in Aruṇāmbuja Kuñja in the south and sleep in Hemāmbuja Kuñja in the west. Surrounding that are the kuñjas of the aṣṭa-sakhīs. Outside of that, the number of kuñjas doubles with each circle to sixteen, thirty-two and so on to accommodate countless more sakhīs. In a circle outside of that are the kuñjas of the four doorkeeper sakhīs: Vṛndā in the east, Vṛndārikā in the south, Menakā in the west and Muralā in the north.

Correction to Śrī-Śrī-Gaura-Govinda-Līlāmṛta Guṭikā 3

śrī-gaurāṅga-mahāprabhoś caraṇayor yā keśa-śeṣādibhiḥ

sevāgamyatayā svabhakta-vihitā sānyair yayā labhyate |

tāṁ tan-mānasikīṁ smṛtiṁ prathayituṁ bhāvyā sadā sattamair

naumi prātyahikaṁ tadīya caritaṁ śrīman-navadvīpa-jam ||

“Service to the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu is unattainable by Brahmā, Śiva, Śeṣa and so on, but is bestowed upon his devotees, great souls who think constantly of this sevā. I bow to the daily pastimes of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu in Śrī Navadvīpa with the hope this meditation will spread to others.”

Śrī-Śrī-Gaura-Govinda-Līlāmṛta Guṭikā 4

The end of night had come. Accustomed to performing sevā at this time, the sādhaka-dāsa woke and washed his hands, face and so on. Then he woke Śrī Gurudeva, massaged his feet and assisted him in washing his hands and face. He served all of his gurus in this way. Śrīvāsa’s garden is enchanting at the end of night. The soft, vernal breeze on the bosoms of the mallikā and mālatī flowers caused them to awaken and sway slowly as though dancing. Caressed by the breeze and the moonlight, the flowers opened and spread their fragrance to the horizon. That fragrance roused the bees, and while emitting a soft, sweet hum, they began to drink the flowers’ nectar. The cuckoos and other birds began to warble sweetly in the fifth note.

By the order of Śrī Gurudeva and in allegiance to Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana and the other Gosvāmīs, the sādhaka-dāsa prepared the articles required for sevā at the end of night. First, he cleansed the veranda around Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s pavilion with perfumed water and a golden broom, then wiped it dry with a fine cloth. Then he placed a carpet on the eastern side of the veranda and upon that three jeweled seats for the three Prabhus. The seats each had back and side pillows and a soft cushion. For them to wash their mouths and so on, he provided golden pots filled with water and covered with fine cloths. Nearby, he kept small basins made of gold. After picking flowers and stringing them into garlands, he then ground sandalwood paste, saffron and other substances to make tilaka for the three Prabhus. This he stored in a golden cup. For ārati, he arrayed ghee and camphor lamps, fragrant flowers, incense and other articles upon a jeweled platter. He placed mṛdaṅgas and karatālas in the appropriate place on a golden four-legged table. Then he cleaned the verandas of the sleeping houses of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu with fragrant water and a golden broom.

At that time Śrīman Mahāprabhu was awakened by the fragrance of the flowers and the sweet sounds of the birds and the bees. He had a pleasant memory of Śrī Vṛndāvana and, absorbed in prema, he began to roar, waking all the others. Śrīman Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu rose from their beds. The servants assisted them and their associates in washing their faces and so on. Everyone then came to Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s sleeping house and peeked through the windows, eager to see his beauty as he awoke. 

Śrīman Mahāprabhu is lying on a jeweled bedstead with a mattress as soft and white as the foam on milk, which is suitable for the season. Śrī Gaurasundara’s limbs are the color of molten gold, his arms hang down to his knees, he has large lotus-petal eyes and he is clothed in reddish upper and lower garments. He is adorned with sāttvika-bhāvas such as tears and trembling like that of the divine lovers Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava as they embrace while lying in a Vraja-bower. Whether he is awake or dreaming is not clear as he speaks indistinct sweet words with half-closed eyes. Above his bed hangs a multicolored, tasseled canopy decorated with gemstones and symbols of lotuses, swastikas and so on, and tied to four golden poles at the bed’s four corners. Bathed in the luster of Śrī Gaurāṅga’s smooth and radiant body the jeweled lamps appear like campaka buds. Around the bed, pots of fragrant water, drinking cups, bowls of tāmbūla, a cāmara, a peacock-feather fan and other articles for sevā have been placed on golden tables. Beautiful parrots sit in golden cages. At Śrī Svarūpa Gosvāmī’s signal, the parrots began to awaken Mahāprabhu with respectful words. “O Lord Viśvambhara! O Śacīnandana! O Navadvīpa-Candra! May you be victorious. The night has become morning. The sun has clearly risen in the east. The bees have begun to hum, excited by the sweet fragrance of blossoming flowers awakened by the gentle touch of the moonlight and the Malaya breeze. The cuckoos and other birds are warbling in sweet tones. Your beloved Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Advaita Prabhu, Svarūpa-Dāmodara and the other bhaktas are standing around your sleeping-house waiting for you to awaken. All the town’s brāhmaṇas are going home after bathing in the Gaṅgā and reciting hymns. Please go sleep in your own house until your anxious mother comes to wake you.”

Śrī-Śrī-Gaura-Govinda-Līlāmṛta Guṭikā 3

 

Śrī-Śrī-Aṣṭakālīya-Līlā

Niśānta-Līlā: Navadvīpa (2 hours 24 minutes)

From 3:36 AM to 6:00 AM

Śrī-Navadvīpa-Līlā-Vandanā:

श्रीगौराङ्गमहाप्रभोश्चरणयोर्या केशशेषादिभिः

सेवागम्यतया स्वभक्तविहिता सान्यैर्यया लभ्यते ।

तां तन्मानसिकीं स्मृतिं प्रथयितुं भाव्या सदा सत्तमै-

र्नौमि प्रात्यहिकं तदीय चरितं श्रीमन्नवद्वीपजम् ॥

śrī-gaurāṅga-mahāprabhoś caraṇayor yā keśa-śeṣādibhiḥ

sevāgamyatayā svabhakta-vihitā sānyair yayā labhyate |

tāṁ tan-mānasikīṁ smṛtiṁ prathayituṁ bhāvyā sadā sattamair

naumi prātyahikaṁ tadīya caritaṁ śrīman-navadvīpa-jam ||

“Service to the lotus feet of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu is unattainable by Brahmā, Śiva, Śeṣa and so on, but is bestowed upon his devotees, great souls who think constantly of this sevā. I bow to the daily pastimes of Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu in Śrī Navadvīpa with the hope this meditation will spread to others.”

Śrī-Navadvīpa-Līlā-Aṣṭakāla-Sūtra:

रात्र्यन्ते शयनोत्थित-सुरसरित्स्नातो बभौ यः प्रगे

पूर्वाह्णे सगणैर्लसत्युपवने तैर्भाति मध्याह्नके ।

यः पूर्यामपराह्णके निजगृहे सायं गृहेऽथाङ्गने

श्रीवासस्य निशामुखे निशिवसन् गौरः स नो रक्षतु ॥

rātry-ante śayanotthita-sura-sarit-snāto babhau yaḥ prage

pūrvāhṇe sagaṇair lasaty upavane tair bhāti madhyāhnake |

yaḥ pūryām aparāhṇake nija-gṛhe sāyaṁ gṛhe’thāṅgane

śrīvāsasya niśā-mukhe niśi-vasan gauraḥ sa no rakṣatu ||

“May Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu protect us. He rises from his bed at the end of night, bathes in the Gaṅgā in the morning, and then during the forenoon and midday performs pastimes with his companions in the forest groves. In the afternoon, he roams about town and then returns to his home in the evening. He spends the first and last periods of night in the courtyard of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s home.”

Śrī-Navadvīpa-Niśānta-Līlā-Sūtra:

प्रगे श्रीवासस्य द्विजकुलरवैर्निष्कुटवरे

प्रतिध्वान-प्रख्यैः सपदि गतनिद्रं पुलकितम् ।

हरेः पार्श्वे राधा-स्थितिमनुभवन्तं नयनजै-

र्जलैः संसिक्ताङ्गं वर-कनकगौरं भज मनः ॥

prage śrīvāsasya dvija-kula-ravair niṣkuṭa-vare

pratidhvāna-prakhyaiḥ sapadi gata-nidraṁ pulakitam |

hareḥ pārśve rādhā-sthitim anubhavantaṁ nayana-jair

jalaiḥ saṁsiktāṅgaṁ vara-kanaka-gauraṁ bhaja manaḥ ||

“O mind! Worship the golden-hued Śrī Gaurasundara. At daybreak, after hearing the sweet warbling of the birds in Śrīvāsa’s flower garden, he awoke in vraja-bhāva, delighted in heart and mind. Perceiving Śrī Rādhā next to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the bower-cottage, he bathed himself in tears.”

The Beauty of Mahāprabhu’s Sleeping and Waking:

Spiritually sweet Śrī Navadvīpa Dhāma is surrounded by the Gaṅgā. Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s home is located in the center. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s home is in the north-east corner of the town and his flower-garden extends to the north-east of that to the bank of the Gaṅgā. The garden is enjoyable in all six seasons and the beautiful environment is most pleasant. In the garden there are three four-sided, jeweled pavilions for Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Prabhu. The middle pavilion is for Śrīman Mahāprabhu and is adorned with gold. The one on the right is for Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu and is adorned with sunstones, and the one on the left is for Śrī Advaita Prabhu and is adorned with moonstones. Each pavilion has four doors adorned with arches, latchstrings and flower garlands, and the walls are inlaid with shimmering gems. The panels of the doors and windows are studded with sapphires. The floors of the pavilions are made of gold inlaid with various jewels and their spires are beautified by golden pots, cakras and flags. 

At night, the three Prabhus sleep on jeweled bedsteads in their respective pavilions. Their associates sleep in their own cottages on the sides of each pavilion. For example, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, Haridāsa and other bhaktas are situated on the eastern side of Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s mandira. On the southern side are Svarūpa Dāmodara and the rest of the eight mahāntas. On the western side are Śrī Narahari Sarakāra, Murāri and others. Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana and the rest of the eight gosvāmīs sleep on the northern side along with their followers. Śrī Vīracandra, Rāmadāsa, Uddhāraṇa Datta and so on sleep on the respective four sides of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s pavilion and Śrī Acyutānanda, Śrī Yadunandana and others sleep on the four sides of Śrī Advaita Prabhu’s. The sādhaka-dāsa rests at Śrī Guru’s feet in the sleeping house of the gurus in his parivāra. Various kinds of birds and bees sleep on various kinds of trees and creepers.