śrī-gaurasundara-vara līlā tāṅra manohara
nityānanda-svarūpa-prakāśa
ācārya advaita āra gadādhara-śakti tāṅra
pañca-tattva bhakta śrīnivāsa
The pastimes of the Pañca-tattva are most enchanting. Śrī Gaurasundara is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Nityānanda is His personal manifestation, Advaita is His separate expansion, Gadādhara is His energy, and Śrīnivāsa is His devotee.
patita-pāvana-śreṣṭha śrī-gaura-kiśora-preṣṭha
patita-janera tāṅrā gati
śrīvāsera bhrātṛ-sutā nārāyaṇī-nāme mātā
viśvambhara-pade yāṅra mati
They are the supreme deliverers of the fallen souls, they are most dear to Śrī Gaurakiśora, and they are the ultimate goal of the fallen souls. Śrīvāsa’s brother had a daughter named Nārāyaṇī, who was the author’s mother. Her mind was fixed at the lotus feet of Viśvambhara.
vṛndāvana suta tāṅra karuṇāra pārābāra
’śrī-caitanya-bhāgavata’ yāṅra
nityānanda-śeṣa-bhṛtya hari-jana-sevā-kṛtya
bujha’la ye sarva-sāra-sāra
Her son was Vṛndāvana dāsa, who was unlimitedly merciful, who compiled Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, who was the last servant of Nityānanda, and who revealed that service to the devotees of Hari is the essence of all.
vaiṣṇava-mahimā yata varṇilena susaṅgata
tāhāra tulanā kothā nāi
vaiṣṇava-virodhi-jana satata tāpita mana
mūlya-hīna sei bhasma chāi
He perfectly described the incomparable glories of the Vaiṣṇavas. The minds of those who are averse to the Vaiṣṇavas are always disturbed by the material miseries. Such persons are as worthless as ash.
nitāi-vimukha-jane dayā-pātra tāre gaṇe
padā-ghāta kare tāra śire
e hena dāyāla vīra nāhi tribhuvane dhīra
laye yāya virajāra tīre
Vṛndāvana dāsa considered that people averse to Nitāi were suitable candidates for compassion, so he kicked them in the head. There is no one in the three worlds as greatly compassionate or sober as him, for he delivers such persons from material existence.
mūḍha-jana nā bujhiyā ahaṅkāre matta hiyā
’krodhī bali’ karaye sthāpana
vaiṣṇavera dayā-daṇḍa kabhu nā bujhaye bhaṇḍa
nīca-citta kariyā gopana
Foolish people intoxicated by false ego cannot understand him, so they attempt to establish him as an angry person. The hypocrites hide their own low-class mentality and can never understand the punishment awarded by a Vaiṣṇava, which is simply an exhibition of compassion.
’śrī-gauḍīya-bhāṣya’ nāma bhakta-jana-sevā-kāma
likhi, chāḍi’ kapaṭādi chala
bhāgavata-vyākhyā-kāle prabhu more sadā pale
citta deya yathocita bala
In the course of writing this commentary, Śrī Gauḍīya-bhāṣya, with the desire to serve the devotees, I have rejected all forms of cheating headed by duplicity. While writing this commentary on Caitanya-bhāgavata, the Lord always maintained me and gave me the necessary strength of heart.
śrī-caitanya-bhāgavata grantha śuddha-bhakti-mata
kahe sadā śrī-bhaktivinoda
nirantara pāṭha-phale kubuddhi yāibe ca’le
kṛṣṇa-preme labhibe pramoda
Śrī Bhaktivinoda would always say that Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata describes the process of pure devotional service. By constantly studying this book, one’s sinful mentality is destroyed and one will achieve the joy of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
nijendriya-prīti-kāma nahe kabhu bhakti-dhāma
vaiṣṇava-sevāya nāhi bhoga
bhakta-sevā-phale prema sei mūlyavān kṣema
vigata haibe sarva-roga
The desire to satisfy one’s senses has no place in devotional service. There is no question of sense gratification in the service of Vaiṣṇavas. As a result of serving the devotees, one attains prema, the most valuable asset, and all material diseases are vanquished.
līna haibāra āśā cālile kapaṭa-
pāśādūre yābe sakala maṅgala
sthūla sūkṣma deha-dvaya bhakti-bale haya kṣaya
bhāgavata-bhajana-kauśala
The desire to merge in the existence of the Lord is as crooked as playing dice, for it deprives one of all auspiciousness. The gross and subtle bodies of a person expert in the worship of the bhāgavatas are destroyed by the strength of his devotional service.
śrī-vārṣabhānavī āśa tāṅhāra dayita-dāsa
bhāṣya-lekhakera paricaya
bhakati-vimukha jana viṣayete kliṣṭa-mana
tabu yāce prabhu padāśraya
The writer of this commentary is Śrī Vārṣabhānavī-dayita-dāsa, who desires to attain Śrī Vārṣabhānavī and who is the servant of Her beloved Lord. Although he is averse to devotional service and his mind is attached to material enjoyment, he begs for the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet.
śrī-gauḍa-maṇḍala-mājha navadvīpa tīrtharāja
māyāpura gaura-janma-sthala
tathāya caitanya-maṭha nāhi vase yathā śaṭha
gaura-jane kariyā sambala
Śrī Caitanya Maṭha is situated within Śrī Gauḍa-maṇḍala in Māyāpur-Navadvīpa, the topmost tīrtha and site of Gaura’s appearance. No cheaters are residing therein; only Gaura’s devotees live there.
bhakativinoda-dāsa-saṅge mora sadā vāsa
tāṅdera anujñāśire dhari’
cāri-śata-cha’ calliśe samāpinu jyaiṣṭha-śeṣe
uṭakāmaṇḍera śailopari
I always reside in the association of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda’s servants. Accepting their order on my head, I completed this commentary on the hill of Uṭkāmand at the end of the month of Jyaiṣṭha, in the Gaurābda year 446 (A.D. 1932).
bhāṣya-racanāra kāle bhakta-gaṇa more pāle
gaurava-sambhrame more chale
avakāśa sadā diyā bhakti-pathe cālāiyā snehera ḍorikā diyā gale
While writing this commentary, the devotees took care of me and deceived me with awe and respect. They bound me with ropes of affection by always providing facilities for me and encouraging me in my devotional service.
śrī-gaurāṅga-bhakta-gaṇa śrī-bhaktivinoda-jana
tāṅdera caraṇe mora gati
bhāṣya-likhanera vyāje tridaṇḍi-sevaka-sāje
rahu yena nityā-sevā-mati
May my mind always remain fixed at the lotus feet of Lord Gaurāṅga’s devotees like Śrī Bhaktivinoda. May my mind always remain fixed in eternal service as it was while writing this commentary as the servant of the tridaṇḍi-sannyāsīs.
