Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ordered Nityananda Prabhu to shower his mercy upon Bengal. On receiving this order left Puri and came to Bengal to spread Krishna Consciousness. And it is because of the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu that devotion for Krishna spread in Bengal and today we see lakhs of devotees of Krishna in Bengal.
HG Atul Krishna Prabhu was in Iskcon Newtown Kolkata and he beautifully described how Nityananda Prabhu received the instruction from Mahaprabhu. And how he immediately left Puri for Bengal to inundate it with love of Krishna.
The article is based on the class given by HG Atul Krishna Prabhu on the occasion of Nityananda Trayodasi on Feb 10, 2025.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asks Nityananda Prabhu to go to Bengal (Gaud Desa)
Every year the devotees were coming from Bengal to Jagannath Puri. That’s why Mahaprabhu was living in Jagannath Puri because of his accessibility to Gauda Desa.
Nityananda Prabhu accompanied Gaursundar on his journey to Jagannath Puri. He also wanted to accompany him on his South India tour. He (Nityananda Prabhu) was making his case to Mahaprabhu, “Overwhelmed with love of God you will fall down on the path, then who will look after you? Who will look after your kamandalu, mala and your set of clothes. I will accompany you. I know all the paths of South India.” But Mahaprabhu did not accept that proposition because he was upset with Nityananda Prabhu.
Because at the first opportunity Nityananda Prabhu got to touch the (sannyas) danda of Mahaprabhu, he broke it into three pieces. Mahaprabhu was not very satisfied and for that reason he entered Jagannath Puri alone.
Now he wanted to tour the holy places of South India alone, so that he could properly perform the regulations of sannyas.
When Mahaprabhu returned to Jagannath Puri from South India tour, the devotees from Bengal came. The devotees remained for four months performing ratra yatra with Gaur Sundar in Puri. Nityananda Prabhu also remained in Jagannath Puri. And then Mahaprabhu said to Nityananda Prabhu, “Go to Gaud Desa.”
Mahaprabhu was concerned about Bengal
You all are very fortunate because you have taken birth in Gaud Desa. Prabhupada says this is the most important place in the universe. You are doing seva in Prabhupada’s janma sthan, you are so fortunate.
Mahaprabhu has special affinity for Gaud Desa. He said to the Kurma Brahman, “yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa/āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa.” Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 7.128
“You deliver everyone you see. You tell them about Krishna. You deliver everyone in this way.” Mahaprabhu said this wherever he went. He gave this order to all the residents, all the household brahmans and not just to Kurma Brahman. So, in this way Mahaprabhu ordered everybody that wherever you are, you preach.
And in addition to that, he was still concerned with Bengal. So, he sent his most intimate, most dear, his first expansion, Nityananda Prabhu to Bengal.
pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ
bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam
bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ
namāmi bhakta-śaktikam
“Let me offer my obeisances unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has manifested Himself in five as a devotee, expansion of a devotee, incarnation of a devotee, pure devotee and devotional energy.” Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.6
Nityananda Prabhu’s mercy at Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata
Nityananda Prabhu received order from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to travel and preach and deliver Bengal. So, I like to come here (Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata) because how happy he is seeing the development of preaching in Gaud Desa.
Practically speaking we neglected Kolkata for first few decades. Prabhupada came and established first temple Sri Sri Radha Govinda in Minto Park in Kolkata. And then we were busy in Mayapur development.
Actually, Mayapur means world delivery. But delivering Bengal that actually has to be strategically organized from this mandir (Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata). That’s why Nityananda has appeared here. That’s why I’m attracted to come.
Let us establish Prabhupada in Kolkata and we deliver Kolkata, then all Bengal will follow. No doubt. Both Paschim Bengal and Purva Bengal will be delivered. It is so important to preach in Kolkata.
Prabhupada is blessing you! Every time I come; I see development, I see construction, bricks here and there, earth movers, everything going on. It’s so exciting.
This is happening because you have Doyal Nitai. It’s all his mercy. He wants this. It is his desire. He is so much in the mood of preaching.
Without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu we cannot attain Radha Krishna
His mood is that he is kind to the most fallen. So, we all have a chance. He’s particularly kind to the fallen, the idiots, the fools, so we have a chance.
“Nitaiyer karuna hobe, Braje Radha Krishna pabe.” “When you receive Nitai’s karuna, only then you would get Radha-Krishna in Vraj.”
Without the mercy of Lord Nityananda, it is not possible to attain Radha Krishna. So how important is this day which we are observing today and so many devotees have come.
Nityananda Prabhu gathered his 12 associates, there were many associates, the 12 were pradhan, all were accompanying Nityananda Prabhu and were going to Gaud Desa.
Nityananda Prabhu first came to Panihati
Nityananda Prabhu first travelled to Panihati and he remained in Panihati for three months and Vrindavan Das Thakura explains that the pastimes that Nitai Gosai performed in half an hour in Panihati cannot be described in 100 years. He was so active in his dissemination of Krishna Consciousness because Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had ordered.
Wonderful relationship between Nityananda Prabhu and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
We were discussing the relationship between Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. They have a relationship; it should be understood. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu considers Nityananda Prabhu, his elder brother.
And Nityananda Prabhu says Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is my master. This is the mood of Nityananda Prabhu. He is totally absorbed in the service of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and is always fulfilling his order.
In Kirtan, in Srivas Angan, when Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was swooning in love of God, Nityananda Prabhu would be there to hold Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They’re constantly together. We are worshiping them together as they are distributing love of godhead together. And they are dancing together ecstatically and continuously as nitya kirtan is going on.
