It is a devotional prescript to pray for the grace of Srila Gurudev, Srila Vedavyasa Risi and Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur, to worship them. Today, I am indifferent and do not give importance to their worship, but those who want devotional amelioration should be very serious in this path. Vrindavan Das Thakur is not an ordinary human being, he is Vedavyasa himself. This is written by Kavi Karnapur, the son of Shivananda Sena. They are all personal associates of Gauranga Mahaprabhu. They can reveal the true identity of who is who in Krishna-lila and Chaitanya-lila. They have the true knowledge. What they can give, ordinary people cannot give. Out of compassion, as per the desire of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, Kavi Karnapur has revealed the identity of Srila Vrindavan Das Thakur. It is also written that 'Kusumapida Sakha', the confidant of Krishna, has also entered into Vrindavan Das Thakur. So he is both Vedavyasa Risi and Kusumapida Sakha. He appeared in Mamgachi, Modadrumdvip.

You would have had Darshan of that place during the circumambulation of Nabadwip Dham. There are nine islands; previously, they were in the form of islands. 'Dwipa' means island, and the meaning of 'Naba' is nine, so Nabadwip means 'nine islands'. One of the islands is Modadrumadvip (Mamgachi), the place representing devotion in the mood of friendship (Dasya-bhakti). Each of the Dwipa (islands) is the seed of one form of devotion out of the nine forms of devotion (Navdha-bhakti). Vrindavan Das Thakur has appeared there, accepting Vaikunthanath Vipra as his father and Narayani Devi as his mother. Some others say that he appeared in some other place. But our most revered Param Gurudev, by all scriptural evidence, has shown that his birthplace is Mamgachi. His object of worship is also there, Gaura-Nityananda. Very important place, if you go there, you will have the opportunity to offer obeisance to Gaura-Nityananda, the original place of Vrindavan Das Thakur.

Vrindavan Das Thakur is one with Vedavyasa Risi, so you have to perform Gurupuja with heart and soul. He has appeared to accept Narayani Devi as his mother. Narayani Devi is not an ordinary woman. Narayani Devi is the daughter of Srivas Pandit's brother, Nalin Pandit. His name has been mentioned in Gaudiya Vaishnava Abhidhan. Shrivas Pandit and his brothers hailed from Sylhet, formerly Assam, India. That place is now Bangladesh.

Narayani Devi, in Krishna-lila, who is she? Kilimbika, who used to take the remnants of Krishna, always. Remnants means the remains of the food after Krishna's taking it; she used to take that. She is called ‘uchishta-bhoji’. Narayani Devi used to take the remnant of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Gaura-lila. Krishna Himself has appeared as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Narayani Devi used to stay at Mamgachi, the place of Malinidevi, the wife of Srivas Pandit. Vrindavan Das Thakur appeared at Mamgachi. Malinidevi was not an ordinary woman. Srinivas Pandit is Narad. Malinidevi was a wet nurse in Krishna-lila. She was Ambika in Krishna-lila. In Krishna-lila, Malinidevi and Narayani Devi were sisters, but they are not sisters in Gaura-lila. Such variation is possible. In Gaura-lila, Narayani Devi is Srivas Pandit's brother's daughter.

Vrindavan Das Thakur has written Chaitanya Bhagavat. The first name of Chaitanya Bhagavat was Chaitanya Mangal. Lochan Das Thakur, afterwards, as per the direction of Narahari Sarkar Thakur, his Gurudev, wrote the biography of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and he kept the same name, Chaitanya Mangal. By hearing Chaitanya's biography, one will receive eternal welfare, Mangal. Vrindavan Das Thakur also had the name of his writings as Chaitanya Mangal, but, later Vaishnavas thought there would be two Granths of the same name, so, after consultation, they changed the name of Vrindavan Das Thakur's Chaitanya Mangal to Chaitanya Bhagavat as Vrindavan Das Thakur is Vedavyas Muni in Krishna-lila.

kṛṣṇa-līlā bhāgavate kahe veda-vyāsa
caitanya-līlāra vyāsa — vṛndāvana-dāsa
(Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi 8.34)

“Vedavyas Muni narrated Krishna-lila, the pastimes of Krishna in Bhagavata. Chaitanya-lila was written by Vrindavan Das Thakur.”

Chaitanya Bhagavat is adored by all the devotees, very lucid language, very sweet. Because it will be difficult for you to understand, it has also been printed in the Hindi language by devotees. One part has already been printed. They have started working on the second part. They are very glad to get this with the explanation. In English, I think you have Chaitanya Bhagavat by Parampujyapad Swami Maharaj. He has translated Chaitanya Bhagavat and Chaitanya Charitamrita in English. I think so. Is it not? Here, Vrindavan Das Thakur has narrated the glories of Nityananda Prabhu so much that he could not get time to narrate the Shesh-lila, the pastimes at the end (Antya-lila). Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has written the Shesh-lila of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Chaitanya Charitamrita. No human being can write such a scripture. By human intellect, it is not possible. Words will come from above. They will descend. Something different. You hear ordinary people's words, but words by Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami are intrinsically different. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is speaking through the mouth of Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami.

Our most revered, Bhaktivinoda Thakur also has said in his hymn, siddha-deha diyā, vrndāvana-mājhe, sevāmṛta karô' dāna piyāiyā prema, matta kôri' more, śuno nija-guṇa-gāna . He has written this in one of his hymns, which starts from śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pada-kamale mana. He submits the prayer to RadhaKrishna, “You are in the transcendental realm, I am in the mundane realm, with this mundane body, mundane sense organs, how can I realize You? Kindly give me realized form, transcendental form. You are transcendental, Your form is transcendental.” He is All-Merciful; if you pray from the heart, He will give. Bhaktivinoda Thakur is teaching us to pray, you have to pray. How can you speak about Krishna? Krishna is the transcendental reality. A conditioned soul, how can he speak? Impossible. So siddha-deha diyā, vrndāvana-mājhe, sevāmṛta karô' dāna, You give me Your service, nectar of service. Nectar. Nectar can be drunk. Bhagavat is like nectar, ambrosia. That You should give, piyāiyā prema, meaning make me drink that ambrosia. That ambrosia of Krishna-katha. RadhaKrishna will speak, and RadhaKrishna will hear. I have no capacity through my mouth. vrndāvana-mājhe, sevāmṛta karô' dāna When that transcendental ambrosia enters into me, that ecstatic feeling will also come. That heart will be different (not of this world), and the words will also be different. It is descending from the Supreme Lord. That will touch your real self.

When human beings speak, they speak with a material ego. You may get material benefit, merit or demerit. By their words, worldly things will come to you. This verse gives a message of the transcendental realm. Krishna das Kaviraj Goswami has written, vṛndāvana-dāsa-mukhe vaktā śrī-chaitanya Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the original speaker. He spoke from the mouth of Vrindavan Das Thakur. Vrindavan Das has blessed us. He has written this scripture for the eternal benefit of all conditioned souls of the world. And one thing is important, very important, that he is considered the initiated disciple of Nityananda Prabhu. He is the initiated disciple of Nityananda Prabhu. So, he narrated the glories of Nityananda Prabhu so much. And after narrating about Nityananda Prabhu, he had some apprehension- by going through this, by knowing these glories also, that if anybody disrespected Nityananda Prabhu, then his human life would be futile. If someone says something ill of Nityananda Prabhu, then his spiritual life would be finished. For that reason, Vrindavan Das Thakur used harsh words, for ordinary people not good, but harsh words he has used, strong words, but out of affection. Because Gaurang Mahaprabhu is speaking through him to rescue the fallen souls. If you have no belief in Nityananda Prabhu, who will rescue us? (Nityananda Prabhu) is the most munificent form of Godhead. He rescued Jagai-Madhai. Despite narrating all His qualities, if anybody has any doubt in Him, then he said one thing, words are not pleasant, “I kick on his head.” We may think, what is this? A Vaishnava, Vedavyas Muni himself, what has he written?

Our Param Gurudev has understood this. It is the highest grace. “I shall not spare him. If he has got no faith, no respect for Nityananda Prabhu, despite speaking of so many glories, I shall not spare him, I shall rescue him. I shall give him dust off my feet, or I shall give dust off Nityananda Prabhu's feet. I shall forcibly give.” He is so compassionate. We people cannot imagine. Several times, he has said that. tabe lāthi māroṅ tā'ra śirera upare In Bengali, it is harsh, but actually it is pleasant. If anyone has any kind of disbelief in the Supreme God, I shall remove it by kicking his head with all my power, but out of affection. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami has written, you see, very important.

All people should hear it. At least all should go down to Sankirtan Bhawan, this subject will be spoken there (Guruji is on the first floor of Kolkata Math and asking devotees to attend Harikatha, which is going to be in Sankirtan Bhawan downstairs). But it is arranged for you (English-speaking devotees), so I have to speak here. The Bengali-speaking people won't understand English. I would have gone there. Our Bharati Maharaj will speak there. He has enough knowledge. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami is saying, “Whatever Vrindavan Das Thakur has written is very sweet. I shall not write in detail, only I should touch on some things. The last pastimes of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which he has not written. To write only a few stanzas, or a few paragraphs or a few chapters. What he has written very briefly, I shall elaborate on. I am writing Chaitanya Charitamrita, after praying for the blessing from Vrindavan Das Thakur. Praying to forgive me if I have committed any offense.”

And another thing, regarding Nityananda Prabhu, what He has said, you are to hear it very carefully. If in this birth you want your real state, if you want to go to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, you understand this.

In the course of singing the glories of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, Kaviraj Goswami describes the crucial event in his life. He had organized a 24-hour kirtan at his house, and amongst those invited was Lord Nityananda Prabhu’s dear associate, Minaketan Rama Das, who also lived in Jhamatpur.

Minaketan Rama Das was a great Vaiñëava who was constantly in a state of devotional trance as he chanted the name of Nityananda Prabhu. While in his ecstatic mood, he would sometimes slap people and sometimes hit people with his flute. In general, his ecstatic behavior was the cause of some astonishment amongst the participants, and most came to pay their obeisances and offer him their respects. Only Gunarnava Mishra, who had been engaged as a pujari of the deities, did not demonstrate a respectful attitude. This behavior was an indication that Gunarnava Mishra had no faith in Nityananda Prabhu. Rama Das became angry and criticized Mishra, saying,

“Just look! This is the second Romaharshan Suta, who did not come forward to show respect when he saw Balaram!”
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.5.170)

Gunarnava Mishra was pleased to have been chastised by Rama Das. At the end of the kirtan festival, when Gunarnava Mishra had left, however, Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami’s brother got into an argument with Minaketan Rama Das about what had happened. Kaviraj Goswami’s brother had strong faith in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, but lacked similar faith in Nityananda Prabhu. Upon hearing this, Rama Das was deeply wounded, and he became so angry that he broke his flute and left. The result of this curse was that Kaviraj Goswami’s brother was doomed to lose whatever devotion he had. In this argument, Kaviraj Goswami took the side of Nityananda Prabhu’s associate and rebuked his brother:

“These two brothers [Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu] are one body, equal in every respect. If you do not accept the divinity of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, you will meet with ruin. To have faith in one but to disrespect the other is as logical as accepting half a hen that lays the eggs. Better you should be an atheist and deny the divinity of both than a hypocrite who believes in one and not the other.”
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.5.175-7)

The Lord is influenced by His devotees, and He gives great importance to even the slightest display of attachment to His devotees, bestowing upon them all that they desire. Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami writes that just for taking the side of Nityananda Prabhu’s associate and chastizing his brother, he won the blessings of Nityananda Prabhu Himself. Nitai came to him in a dream and ordered him to go to Vrindavan.

“O Krishna Das! Have no fear. Go to Vrindavan, for there you will attain all things.” After saying this, He indicated the way to Vrindavan by waving His hand and then disappeared with His associates.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.5.195-6)

In contrast, a person who shows all the customary virtues, yet holds devotees in contempt, is eternally deprived of the Lord’s blessings. A good example of this is the zamindar Ramachandra Khan, who committed offenses against Hari Das Thakur, as a result of which he incurred Nityananda Prabhu’s displeasure and anger. Not only did Ramachandra lose his family and possessions, but his house was razed to the ground, leaving him with nothing. Only a fool who lacks discrimination would be so bold as to behave unjustly toward a saintly person.

With words of profound humility, Krishna Das Kaviraj Goswami proclaims the glories of Nityananda Prabhu:

I am more sinful than Jagai and Madhai, and lower than a maggot in a stool. Whoever hears my name loses the results of his virtuous deeds, and whoever utters my name commits a sin. Other than Nityananda Prabhu, could anyone in this world show mercy to one as abominable as me? Nityananda Prabhu is an incarnation of mercy; He is so intoxicated by ecstatic love that He does not discriminate between the superior and the inferior. He delivers anyone who falls before Him. Therefore, He has delivered such a sinful and fallen person as me.
(Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.5.205-9)