Nitai

Life

Nityananda Prabhu was born to a religious Bengali Brahmin, known as Pandit Hadai and Padmavati in Ekachakra (a small village in Birbhum district of present West Bengal) around the year 1474. His devotion and great talent for singing Vaishnava hymns (bhajan) were apparent from a very early age. In his youth, he would generally play the part of Lakshman, Rama's younger brother, in dramatic re-enactments of Lord Rama's pastimes, along with the other boys of Ekachakra.

At the age of thirteen, Nitai left home with a travelling renunciate (sannyasi) known as Lakshmipati Tirtha. Nitai's father, Hadai Pandit, had offered the travelling sannyasi anything he wished as a gift. To this Lakshmipati Tirtha replied that he was in need of someone to assist him in his travels to the holy places (he was about to begin a pilgrimage) and that Nitai would be perfect for the job. As he had given his word Hadai Pandit reluctantly agreed and Nitai joined him in his travels. This started Nitai's long physical and spiritual journey through India which would get him in contact with important Gurus of the Vaishnava tradition. Apart from Lakshmipati Tirtha, who at some point initiated him, he was also associated with Lakshmipati Tirtha's famous other disciples: Madhavendra Puri, Advaita Acharya, and Ishvara Puri, the spiritual master of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Jagai-Madhai episode

The episode of Jagai-Madhai relates to Chaitanya and Nitai. There are a few versions of the story, but the basics outline of the traditional tale is as follows:

Once while chanting the name of Krishna in the streets, Nitai was attacked by Jagai and Madhai, two irreverent drunk brothers. Madhai threw an earthen pot which cut his forehead. At this point Nitai is said to have uttered the now famous sentence, "Merechhish kolshir kana, tai bole ki prem debona" (Shall I stop giving you love because you have hit me with an earthen pot?). Chaitanya heard of the episode, flew to a rage, and wanted to kill the brothers with his divine Chakra. Nitai begged him to pardon them and they became Chaitanya's disciples, converted by Nitai's compassion.

Marriage and descendants

Nitai married two daughters of Suryadasa Sarakhela, Vasudha and Jahnava. After marriage, he settled in Khardaha in 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. He had a son, Virachandra or Virabhadra, and a daughter, Ganga, by his first wife Vasudha. Virabhadra was later initiated to vaishnava rites by his stepmother Jahnava.

Legacy

The exploits of Chaitanya and Nitai have had deep religious and cultural implications in Bengal. They are credited with the revival of Hinduism in Eastern India, plagued mainly by the caste system, which they denounced. Much of Vaishnava literature, regarded as one the finest literary heritage of medieval Bengal, came from them or their disciples. Even in secular literature, their brotherly love towards each other has been celebrated.

Principal sobriquets

Nityananda -- He Who embodies eternal bliss

Avadhutendu -- The Moon of divine madmen

Vasudha-prana-vallabha -- The beloved of the life-breath of Vasudha

Jahnavi-jivita-pati -- The eternal divine husband of Shrimati Jahnavi-devi and the maintainer and sustainer of Her life and soul

Krsna-prema-prada -- He Who bestows ecstatic love for Krishna

Prabhu -- The Lord and Master of the devotees

Padmavati-suta -- The dear son of Padmavati

Sriman -- He of splendorous transcendental majesty

Saci-nandana-purvaja -- The older brother of mother Saci's son

Bhavonmatta -- He Who is maddened in overwhelming ecstatic emotions

Jagat-trata -- The savior of the universe

Rakta-gaura-kalevara - He Whose complexion is golden tinged with red

from the writings of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, usually combined into a single prayer:

Nityananda vadhutendur,
vasudha-prana-vallabha
jahnavi-jivita-pati
krsna-prema-prada prabhu

Padmavati-suta sriman,
Saci-nandana-purvaja
bhavonmatto jagat trata
Rakta gaura kalevara

Pranam Mantra of Nityananda

Nityananda mahang vande, Karne lambita mouktikam,
caitanya aagraja rupena, kritarthi kritabhutalam.