Śrī Gaura Purṇīmā

According to the Jyotir-veda, or Vedic astronomy, when the figure of the lion appears both in the zodiac and the time of birth [lagna], this indicates a very high conjunction of planets, an area under the influence of ṣaḍa-varga and aṣṭa-varga, which are all-auspicious moments.

When the spotless moon of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?

Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Krishna! Krishna! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.

All people thus chanted the Holy Names during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder.

When the whole world was thus chanting the Holy Names “Hari! Hari!” Krishna in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.

The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the Holy Name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words.

All the ladies vibrated the Holy Name and chanted “huli huli huli!!!”, while in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on and the demigods were very curious.

In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss.

By His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the Holy Name of the Lord.

At that time Śrī Advaita Āchārya, in His own house at Shantipur, was dancing in a happy mood. Taking Haridās Ṭhākur with Him, they danced and loudly chanted the Holy Names of the Lord. But why they were dancing, no one could understand.

Seeing the lunar eclipse and laughing, both Advaita Āchārya and Haridās Ṭhākur immediately went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe in that sacred river in great jubilation. Taking advantage of the occasion of the lunar eclipse, Advaita Āchārya, in His mind offered various kinds of charity to the brāhmaṇs.

When he saw that the whole world was jubilant, Haridās Ṭhākur, his mind astonished, directly and indirectly expressed himself to Advaita Āchārya: “Your dancing and distributing charity are very pleasing to me. I can understand that there is some special purpose in these actions.”

Āchāryaratna and Śrīvās Ṭhākur were overwhelmed with joy, and immediately they also went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe there. Their minds full of happiness, they chanted the Holy Names of Hari and in their minds also meditated and offered charity.

In this way all the devotees, wherever they were situated, in every city and every land, danced, performed sankīrtan [the congregational chanting of the Lord’s Names], and in their minds offered all benedictions to others, being overwhelmed with joy.

Many respectful brāhmaṇ gentlemen and ladies, carrying plates filled with various gifts, came with their presentations. Seeing the newborn child, whose form resembled shining gold, all of them with happiness offered their blessings.

Sāvitrī, Gaurī, Śachī, Rambhā, Arundhatī and all the celestial ladies also came there dressed as the wives of brāhmaṇs, and brought with them many varieties of gifts for the child.

All the inhabitants of the heavenly planets, including the Gandharvas, Siddhas, the residents of Chāraṇaloka, offered their prayers, sang and danced, accompanied by the sound of musical instruments and the beating of drums. Also, in the holy town of Navadwīp, dancers, musicians, and poets gathered together, and began to celebrate the Lord’s appearance.

No one could understand who was coming and who was going, who was dancing and who was singing. Nor could they understand each other’s language. But in effect all unhappiness and lamentation were immediately dissipated, and people became joyous. Jagannāth Miśra, the father of Gaurahari, was completely overwhelmed with happiness.

Chandraśekhar Āchārya and Śrīvas Ṭhākur both came to the house of Jagannāth Miśra. They performed the different ceremonies according to religious principles which are prescribed for the birth of a child. Jagannāth Miśra also gave away much wealth in charity.

Whatever riches Jagannāth Miśra had collected in the form of gifts and presents, and whatever he had in his house, he distributed among the brāhmaṇs, singers, dancers, poets and the poor. He honored them all by giving them riches in charity.

The wife of Śrīvas Ṭhākur, whose name was Mālinī, accompanied by the wife of Chandraśekhar and other ladies, came there in great happiness to worship the baby with such articles as vermilion, turmeric, scented oil, a kind of puffed rice called khoi, bananas and coconuts.

One day shortly after Gaurahari was born, Advaita Āchārya’s wife, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, who is worshipable by the whole world, at the request of her husband, went to see that topmost child with all kinds of gifts.

She brought different kinds of presents made from gold, such as bracelets, coins, necklaces, ankle ornaments, a conchshell covered with gold, and other kinds of jewellery for the child.

She also brought a locket with a tiger nail set in gold, belts made of silk and lace, silk saris and shawls, as well as silk clothing for the newly born child.

Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Jagannāth Miśra, bringing with her many auspi - cious articles such as durvā grass, rice paddy, turmeric, kumkum and sandalwood. All these presentations filled a large basket.

When Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, bringing with her many kinds of food, clothes and other gifts, came to the house of Śachī Devī (the mother of Gaurahari), Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was astonished to see the newly born child, and she could appreciate that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Lord Krishna of Gokul, Himself.

Seeing the divine effulgence of the child, the well formed different parts of His golden body which were covered with auspicious signs, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was very much pleased, and because of maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting.

She blessed the newly born child by placing fresh durva grass and paddy on His head and saying, “May you live long.” To protect Him from ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimāi.

Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī gave gifts to the mother and child, at the time of His birth and when the child was brought from the residence where He was born back to the home of Jagannāth Miśra. Then Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, being honoured by mother Śachī Devī and Jagannāth Miśra, returned to her own home in Shantipur.

In this way, Śachī Devī and Jagannāth Miśra, having obtained a son who was the husband of the goddess of fortune, had all their desires fulfilled. Their house was always filled with riches and grains. As they looked upon the beloved body of the Lord, day after day their happiness increased.

Jagannāth Miśra was an ideal Vaiṣṇava, a devotee of the Lord. He was peaceful, restrained in the enjoyment of his senses, pure and self-controlled. He therefore had no desire to enjoy material opulence. Whatever money that came because of the influence of his divine son, he gave in charity to the brāhmaṇs and for the worship of Lord Viṣṇu.

After calculating the astrological chart for the child, Gaurahari, Nīlāmbar Chakravartī privately said to Jagannāth Miśra that he saw all the different auspicious symptoms of a great personality in both the body and horoscope of the child. He revealed that in the future this child would deliver the whole universe.

In this way the Lord, out of His causeless mercy, made His advent in the house of Śachī Devī. The Lord, Gaurahari, is very merciful to anyone who hears this narration of His birth, and gives that person the shelter of His lotus feet.

Anyone who attains a human birth but does not have the opportunity to hear of Gaurahari is unfortunate. Instead of drinking nectar from the river of devotional service, if one drinks from the poisoned well of mundane happiness, it would have been better to not have lived at all.

Taking on my head as my own wealth the lotus feet of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Āchārya Advaitachandra, Śrī Swarūp Dāmodar, Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunāth and all the devotees of Mahāprabhu, I, Krishnadās, sing the glories of the Lord’s appearance.