sri-gauranga-vidhoh sva-dhamani navadvipe ’shta-kalodbhavam |
bhavyam bhavya-janena gokula-vidhor lila-smriter aditah || (11)
“The pastimes of the moonlike Sri Gauranga are manifest in His own abode Navadvipa during the eight phases of the day. They should be meditated upon prior to the remembrance of the pastimes of the moon of Gokula.”
The eight-fold daily pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are summarized as follows:
ratryante sayanotthitah sura-sarit snato babhau yah prage |
purvahne sva-ganair-lasaty upavane tair bhati madhyahnike ||
yah puryam aparahnake nija-grihe sayam grihe ’thangane |
srivasasya nisa-mukhe nisi vasan gaurah sa no rakshatu || (ibid. 2)
“At the end of the night, He arises from His sleep; in the morning He takes bath in Ganges, the river of the gods. In the forenoon and mid-day, He exhibits many beautiful pastimes with His devotees in the gardens. In the afternoon, he roams about in the village; in the evening he returns to His home. In the late evening and throughout the night, He stays in the courtyard of Srivasa; may this Gauranga Mahaprabhu protect me!”
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These jubilant pastimes of Sri Caitanya are like an ocean from which countless streams of
Sri Krishna’s pastimes flow in the wake of His moods.
krishna-lilamrita-sar, yara sata-sata dhar |
dasa-dig bahe yaha haite ||
se caitanya-lila hay, sarovara akshay |
mano-hamsa caraha tahate || (cc 2.25.271)
“Krishna’s actions are the ultimate nectar of the gods; their hundreds and hundreds of currents stream in every direction. Send the swan of your mind to swim on the lake of Caitanya, the fathomless spring from which they arise.”
Therefore, one’s devotion for Sri Radha and Krishna grows in proportion to one’s devotion to Sri Caitanya.
yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde | vindeta bhaktim krita-punya-rasih || tatha tathotsarpati hridy akasmad | radha-padambhoja-sudhambu-rasih || (Caitanya-candramrita 89)
“One who has accumulated a great deal of merit, will find that as his devotion to Caitanya’s lotus feet increases, the ocean of nectar that is the lotus feet of Radha manifests itself suddenly in his heart.”
While the service of the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Krishna may be far removed from the residents of this world, if one is swept away by the waves of the loving rapture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he will easily be tossed to the farther shore of the ocean of Yugala-seva.
gaura-prema-rasarnave, se tarange jeba dube |
se radha-madhava-antaranga || (Prarthana)
“He who dives into the waves of the ocean of the rapturous mellows of Gaura’s love will become a confidential associate of Sri Radha and Madhava.”
Let, therefore, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu reign victorious in the hearts of the practising devotees who aspire to dedicate their lives at the feet of Sri Radha and Govinda!
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