bbtirtha - Audio

Glories of Virachandra Prabhu

Harikatha, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

Srila Gurudev narrated the glories of Virachandra Prabhu in the initial part of the Harikatha. Later, he sings the glories of Sri Jahnava Devi, the spiritual master of Virachandra Prabhu, by explaining the esoteric meaning of the hymn written by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, ‘bhavarnave pade mora akula paran'.

Today is a special Tithi. Virachandra Prabhu appeared on this Tithi accepting Nityananda Prabhu and Vasudha Devi as His parents. On the holy appearance days of Vishnu-tattva one should observe fast, 'upvāsa'. Fasting is not just to refrain from food but the real meaning of upvāsa is to stay near to the worshipable Lord and constantly pray for His mercy.

Ksirodakasayi Mahavishnu appeared as Virachandra Prabhu by accepting Nityananda Prabhu who is Balaram Himself as His father. Balaram has two potencies, Revati and Varuni. They appeared as Vasudha and Jahnava as Nityananda Prabhu’s potencies. Nityananda Prabhu has unlimited mercy on fallen souls. He is ready to do anything to rescue the conditioned souls. Virachandra Prabhu lived at Khardah near Kolkata. Jahnava Devi showed Him Her four handed form and showered mercy upon Him. He took initiation from Her.

Taking Her permission, He came to Vraja-dham. There He performed Vraja-mandal Parikrama taking the blessings of Lokanath Goswami and Bhugarbh Goswami. He personally brought a piece of stone from there from which the deities Shyamasundar, Radhavallabha, and Nandadulal became manifest.

I have visited Panihati but could not get the chance to visit Khardah. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written how merciful Nityananda Prabhu is. He manifested Jahnava Devi, the personified form of His mercy, to rescue the conditioned souls. She rescued so many fallen souls even dacoits and heretics. She has so much power. In one of his hymns, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes,

bhavārṇave pa'd̯e mora ākula parāṇa
kise kūla pā'bo, tā’ra nā pāi sandhāna

“I have fallen in to the vast ocean of material existence and even I do not find any clue of means to get rescued from it.”

nā āche karama-bala, nāhi jñāna-bala
ĵāga-ĵoga-tapo-dharma—nā āche sambala

“I do not have the strength of karma or jñāna. I do not have the strength of yoga or tapa. How a conditioned soul like me can be rescued?”

nitānta durbala āmi, nā jāni sā̃tāra
e vipade ke āmāre kôribe uddhāra

“I am very weak. I do not know how to swim and cross over this vast ocean. Who will rescue me from this dreadful calamity?”

Nityananda Prabhu and Mahaprabhu Themselves came to rescue us but still we do not understand Them.”

viṣaya-kumbhira tāhe bhīṣaṇa-darśana
kāmera taraṅga sadā kare uttejana

“This worldly enjoyment is like a crocodile. It is very horrible. I am being swallowed by this crocodile, representing worldly enjoyments or possessions. I am afraid, how to get rid of this? Waves of material desires are constantly agitating me.”

prāktana vāyura vega sahite nā pāri
kā̃diyā asthira mana, nā dekhi kāṇḍāri

“I am not able to cope up with the impact of impression of previous misdeeds, how can I be rescued? Who will rescue me?”

ogo śrī jāhnavā devī! e dāse karuṇā
kāro' āji nija-guṇe, ghucāo ĵantraṇā

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written who is the rescuer? I do not have any good quality, You please show mercy by the virtue of Your own good quality. You have already delivered many rascals and dacoits by Your own virtue. She is non-different from Nityananda Prabhu who even rescued and gave Krishna-prema to Jagai-Madhai who attacked Him. Jahnava Devi is the mercy personified form of Nityananda Prabhu.

karô' āji nija-guṇe, ghucāo ĵantraṇā

Ĵantranā — Three fold afflictions of this material world. These afflictions can only be removed by devotion unto the Supreme Lord. When one will have attachment for Krishna, all of his afflictions will be eradicated automatically. We have forgotten Krishna and came in this material world to enjoy, therefore we are suffering from the miseries. Even if we try to control our senses and try to make them detached from their objects forcefully, there are chances that we may fall down. Unless we taste the sweetness of Sri Krishna, there always exists the possibility of our fall down.

tomāra caraṇa-tari kôriyā āśraya
bhavārṇava pāra ha'bô kôrechi niścaya

“By taking shelter of the boat of Your lotus feet one can get rescued from the ocean of this material existence, there is no doubt about it.”

We know Nityananda Prabhu rescued even most sinful persons. He requested Mahaprabhu to forgive even Jagai-Madhai. But He was not just satisfied by that. Out of boundless compassion for the conditioned souls, He manifested His most merciful form Jahnava Devi. But it is our misfortune that we do not realize Their compassion. Jahnava Devi is most merciful and mercy personified form of Nityananda Prabhu.

tumi nityānanda-śākti, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-guru
e dāse karahô dāna pada-kalpataru

“Jahnava Devi, the potency of Lord Nityananda, the spiritual master of devotion to Lord Krishna, kindly bestow upon this servant the wish-fulfilling desire tree of Your lotus feet. Her lotus feet are wish fulfilling desire tree, whatever you desire for your eternal goal, it will be fulfilled.”

katô katô pāmarere ka'rechô uddhāra
tomāra caraṇe āja e kāṅgāla chāra

“You have rescued many many sinners and offenders. I, the negligible person, take shelter to Your lotus feet.”

In this way Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has described Her glories. Virachandra Prabhu took initiation from Her. He can rescue thousands and lakhs of sinners by His mercy.

Today is the appearance day of Virachandra Prabhu. He is non-different from Nityananda Prabhu. I pay innumerable obeisances to his lotus feet and pray for His mercy. We pray to Him to award us the service of His worshipable Lord.