Dear friends
Hare Krishna.
Nityananda Prabhu's appearance day is on 16 February 2011. He appeared in
the year 1474 in Ekachakra, West Bengal, 12 years before Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. As an incarnation of Baladeva, Nityananda plays the role of
Chaitanya's elder brother. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is called the most
merciful incarnation of Lord Krishna because He distributes love of Godhead
even to the unqualified, but without Nityananda's mercy, Lord Chaitanya
cannot be approached. Nityananda Prabhu turns His attention to the most
fallen souls and wants to make them eligible for spiritual elevation. As
such, He takes the position of the original spiritual master.
As reported in Chaitanya's and Nityananda's biographies, the two
transcendental brothers are at first inseparably united in Their adventures
in spreading the glories of Lord Krishna's Holy Name. However, when
Chaitanya resided in Mayapur, He sent Nityananda back to Bengal to let Him
spread His Movement there. Nityananda got married in Bengal, and after His
demise, His wife Jahnava Devi and His children Virabhadra Gosani and Ganga
Devi continued Lod Chaitanya's mission. Unto this day, Nityananda Prabhu's
direct descendants play an important role in the Gaudiya Vaishnava
tradition.
We will celebrate Nityananda's appearance day in the Bhakti Yoga Centre on
Sunday 5 February. Everybody is cordially invited.
Best wishes
Vaidyanath Das
