Ujjvala Varana (Sacitanayastakam)
by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
ujjval varan gaurabara deham vilasita nirabadhi bhava videham
tribhuvana pavana krpayah lesam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
I prostrate myself before the Son of Mother Saci, Whose radiant lotus face and body shine with the splendour of molten gold. This transcendental body is the playground for the continuous expression of variegated moods and ecstatic symptoms, that carry His consciousness to the realm where He is no longer aware of that transcendental body. By only a particle of His mercy he has delivered the three worlds.
I salute the Son of Mother Saci, Whose heart is in a state of rapture, transformed by feelings of intense love. In His pastime of loud roaring, before the mischievous and malicious rascals, He removes all fear of the vast ocean of material existence, by the effect of His unlimited compassion.
He is wearing garments the colour of the eastern sky during the dawn, and His lovely cheeks shine with the same radiance. The nails of His hands and feet have the same pleasing effect of the moon, shining in the sky. His pleasure diversion consists in discussions and glorification of His own wonderful qualities and names. I offer my obeisances to the Son of Mother Saci.
His lotus eyes are always wet with tears. His ornaments are the new and ever fresh transformations of ecstatic love that decorate His transcendental form. His gait is slow and majestic, yet His dancing is a wonderful pastime of enjoyment. I bow down before the Son of Mother Saci.
The movement of His lovely, yet restless, lotus feet captivates the mind, and His ankle bracelets sweeten that charming scene all the more. His face, which defeats the beauty of the moon, is very cooling and pleasant. I offer my salutations to the Son of Mother Saci.
He wears a cord around His waist and carries in His hands a waterpot and staff. His divine appearance is complemented by His shaved head. The sins of the wicked are annuled by the rod of chastisement that he carries. I salute the Son of Mother Saci.
His ornaments are the dust on His body and His radiant tilok, prepared with sandalwood. The beautiful sight of His trembling reddish lips brings delight to the mind and heart. I offer my obeisances to the Son of Mother Saci.
His lotus eyes defeat the colour of pink lotuses. His two lotus hands are very long, reaching down almost to His knees. He appears to be a mere adolescent, dressed as He is, ready to dance. I prostrate myself before the Son of Mother Saci.
nindita arun kamala dala locanam ajanulambita sri bhujajugalam
kalevara kaisora nartakavesam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
bhusana bhuraja alakavalitam kampita bimbadharavara ruciram
malayaja viracita ujjval tilakam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
dhrta kati dora kamandalu dandam dibya kalevara mundita mundam
durjana kalmasa khandana dandam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
cancala caru caran gati ruciram manjir ranjita padajuga madhuram
candra vinindita sitala vadanam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
vigalita nayan kamala jaladharam bhusana navarasa bhavavikaram
gati ati manthara nrtya vilasam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
arunambor dhara caru kapolam indu vinindita nakhacaya ruciram
jalpita nijagun nama vinodam tam pranamami ca sri sacitanayam
gadagada antara bhavavikaram durjana tarjana nada vilasam
bhava bhaya bhanjana karana karunam tam pranamami ca srisacitanayam
Comments
from Stavamrta Lahari
sri-gauranga-mahaprabhos-caranayor ya kesa-sesadibhih
sevagamyataya sva-bhakta-vihita sanyair-yaya labhyate
tam tan-manasikim smrtim prathayitum bhavyam sada sattamair
naumi pratyahikam tadiya-caritam sriman-navadvipa-jam
ratryante sayanotthitah sura-sarit-snato vabhau yah prage
purvahne sva-ganair-lasaty upavane-tair-bhati madhyahnake
yah puryam-aparahnake nija-grhe sayam grhe 'thangane
srivasasya nisamukhe nisi vasan gaurah sa no raksatu
ratryante pika-kukkutadi-ninadam strutva sva-talpotthitah
sri-visnu-priyaya samam rasa-katham sambhasya santosya tam
gatva 'nyatra dharasanopari vasan svad-bhih sudhautanano
yo matradi-bhir-iksito 'ti-muditas tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
pratah svah sariti sva-parsada-vrtah snatva prasun-adi-bhis
tam sampujya grhita-caru-vasanah srak-candan-alankrtah
krtva visnu-samarcan-adi sa-gano bhuktv-annam-acamya ca
dvitram canya-grhe sukam svapiti yas tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
purvahne sayanotthitah su-payasa praksalya vaktr-ambujam
bhaktaih sri-hari-nama-kirtana-paraih sarddham svayam kirtayan
bhaktanam bhavane 'pi ca sva-bhavane kridan-nrnam vardhayatyanandam
pura-vasinam ya urudha tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
madhyahne saha taih sva-parsada-ganaih samkirtayad-bhir-bhrsam
sadvaitendu-gadadharah kila saha-srilavadhuta-prabhuh
arame mrdu-marutaih sisiritair-bhrnga-dvijair-nadite
svam vrnda-vipinam smaran bhrahmati yas tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
yah sriman-aparahnake saha-ganais tais-tadrsaih premavamsta-
drksu svayam apyalam tri-jagatam sarmani vistarayan
aramattata eti paura-janata-caksus-cakorodupo
matra dvari-mudeksito nija-grham tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
yas-tri-srotasi sayam-apta-nivahaih snatva pradipali-bhih
puspadyais ca samarcitah kalita-sat-pattambarah srag-dharah
visnos-tat-samay-arcanam ca krtavan dipali-bhis taih samamv bhuktv-annani su-vitikam api tatha tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
yah srivasa-grhe pradosa-samaye hy-advaita-candradi-bhih
sarvair-bhakta-ganaih samam hari-katha-piyusam-asvadayan
premananda-samakulas-catula-dhih samkirtane-lampatah
kartum kirtanam-urdhvam-udyama-paras tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
srivas-angana avrto nija-ganaih sarddham prabhu-bhyam natannuccais-
tala-mrdanga-vadana-parair gayad-bhir-ullasayan
bhramyan srila-gadadharena sahito naktam vibhaty-adbhutam
svagare sayanalaye svapiti yas tam gauram-adhyemy-aham
TRANSLATION
1) The glories of the Lord's daily pastimes: Devotional service to the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is far beyond the perception of Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Lord Sesanaga and the rest; but it is continually indulged in by the Lord's own devotees, and it is always available to other souls as well. Now I will begin my description of the process of manasi-seva (service to the Lord executed within the mind). This process is fit for continuous remembrance by the most virtuous sages. Therefore I offer my most respectful obeisances to the eternal daily life and pastimes of the Lord born in Navadvipa.
2) Brief description of his daily schedule: At the end of night (before sunrise), Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gets up from His bed, stretches His body, talks with His wife and washes His face; (2) in the morning, He is massaged with oil and bathes in the celestial Ganges river, then worships Lord Vishnu; (3) in the forenoon period, He enjoys discussing topics about Lord Krishna with His devotees during visits to their homes; (4) at midday, He enjoys pastimes in the gardens on the bank of the Ganges; (5) in the afternoon, He wanders about the town of Navadvipa, sporting with all the residents; (6) at dusk, he returns home to worship Lord Vishnu and perform other rituals; (7) in the evening, He goes with His associates to the courtyard of Srivasa Pandita to chant the holy names and dance in ecstasy; (8) and at night, He returns home to go to sleep. May this Lord Gaura protect us all.
3) Period 1: pastimes at the end of the night: At the end of the night, upon hearing the pleasant sounds made by many birds such as the cuckoos, roosters, and others, Sri Gaura arises from His bed. With His wife, Sri Vishnu Priya, He discusses many topics concerning the transcendental mellows of Their mutual loving affairs, and thus They become very pleased. Then He gets up and goes to another room, wherein He sits upon a raised sitting place and is assisted by His devotees in washing His lotus face with nicely scented water. Thereafter, He very happily visits His mother, Sri Saci Devi, as well as other friends and relatives in the home. I meditate thus on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaura-sundara.
4) Period 2: morning pastimes: In the morning, after sunrise, the Lord goes with His associates to bathe in the Ganges river. While bathing, they also worship mother Ganges by offering flowers, incense and other presentations. After this, they come onto the bank of the river, where He is dressed with exquisite cloth and decorated with fresh flower garlands, sandalwood paste and other ornaments. Then they all return to His home in order to perform opulent worship of Lord Vishnu as well as other rituals, after which they partake of the foods which were offered to Lord Vishnu. After washing His hands and mouth, Lord Gaura goes into another room to rest very happily for awhile. I meditate thus on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaura-hari.
5) Period 3: forenoon pastimes: Upon the arrival of the forenoon period the Lord gets up from His nap and stretches His body. Then he washes His lotus face with sweetly scented water. Meeting with His devotees who are all very fond of chanting Sri Hari-nama-kirtana, He personally tastes and relishes the chanting of the holy names. Thus He sports, sometimes in the homes of various devotees and sometimes in His own home. It this way He increases the ecstatic pleasure of all the people of Nabadwip to limitless heights. I meditate thus on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaura-chandra.
6) Period 4: midday pastimes: During the midday period, Lord Caitanya continues to enjoy the performance of intensely enthusiastic chanting and dancing, surrounded by His own dear devotees such as the moon-like Advaita Acarya, Gadadhara Pandita, and the divine madman Srila Nityananda Prabhu. Afterwards, they all wander throughout the gardens and groves on the bank of the Ganges, where they enjoy the sweet cooling breezes from the river. Hearing the pleasant sounds of the bumblebees in those gardens, the Lord remembers His own ecstatic pastimes of Radha and Krishna as they are occurring simultaneously in His own forest of Vrndavana. I meditate thus on the daily pastimes of Sri Gauranga.
7) Period 5: afternoon pastimes: During the splendidly beautiful afternoon period, the Lord and His devotees become equally maddened in ecstatic love, and being ornamented like this, they expand every-increasing ripples of auspicious benefit for all the three worlds. In this mood, they leave the gardens and travel back toward His home. On the way, they satisfy the eyes of all the townspeople, just as the moon satisfies the cakora bird with its moonbeams. Reaching home, the Lord is lavished with loving attentions by His mother. I thus meditate on the daily pastimes of Gaura.
8) Period 6: sunset pastimes: At dusk, the Lord bathes with His dear friends in the river Ganges, who flows in three parts. They devoutly worship the Ganges by offering ghee lamps, flowers, and other articles. Afterwards, the Lord puts on fresh silken clothes and is adorned with flower garlands and other decorations. Then, He worships Lord Vishnu by performing the evening arati ceremony, offering ghee lamps and other articles. Afterwards, He and His friends partake of the foodstuffs and betel nuts that were offered to Lord Vishnu. I thus meditate on the daily pastimes of Lord Gaurasundara.
9) Period 7: evening pastimes: In the evening time, the Lord goes to the home of Srivasa Pandita, accompanied by Srila Advaita-chandra and other dear associates. Meeting with the multitude of devotees, He tastes and relishes the nectar of topics concerning Lord Hari and His mind becomes most agitated with the ecstasies of pure love of Godhead. Then, becoming very eager to relish the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord, He orchestrates the performance of intensely jubilant sankirtana which attains the summit of passionate glorification of the holy names. I thus meditate on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaura-sundara.
10) Period 8: midnight pastimes: Continuing well into the night, the Lord dances and dances in the courtyard of Srivasa, surrounded by His most intimate devotees. His most ecstatic singing is accompanied by His devotees who are expert in playing rhythms loudly on the mridanga drums. He wanders and dances with Sri Gadadhara Prabhu in the most astonishing way, througout the night, until just before dawn. Then He returns to His own home, where He retires to His bedchamber and falls asleep with His beautiful consort. I thus meditate on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaura-nataraja.
11) The benefit of reciting this prayer: Sri Gauranga, the Moon over Navadvipa, is manifest in His own abode during eight periods of each day and every day. His pastimes should be remembered by meditative devotees before they remember the pastimes of Sri Krishna, the Moon over Gokula. If someone lovingly reads or recites the Lord's eternal daily pastimes as they are illuminated in the ten verses of this prayer, then the Lord is immensely pleased with that person, by His own merciful compassion. I thus meditate on the daily pastimes of Sri Gaurachandra.