With the Radiance of Molten Gold

The First Chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta begins with fourteen Sanskrit verses that describe the Absolute Truth. Latly, I have been reading these first fourteen verses every morning, as part of my morning practice; just trying to put myself in the mood of devotional service. The following is my favorite of the fourteen and we share it with you this morning. All fourteen are posted below. Hare Krishna!

May that Lord who is known as the son of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī be transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation ever offered before: the most sublime and radiant spiritual knowledge of the mellow taste of His service.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Ādi-līlā, Chapter One, Text 1-14

TEXT 1

vande gurūn īśa-bhaktān
īśam īśāvatārakān
tat-prakāśāṁś ca tac-chaktīḥ
kṛṣṇa-caitanya-saṁjñakam

SYNONYMS

vande—I offer respectful obeisances; gurūn—unto the spiritual masters; īśa-bhaktān—unto the devotees of the Supreme Lord; īśam—unto the Supreme Lord; īśa-avatārakān—unto the incarnations of the Supreme Lord; tat—of the Supreme Lord; prakāśān—unto the manifestations; ca—and; tat—of the Supreme Lord; śaktīḥ—unto the potencies; kṛṣṇa-caitanya—Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; saṁjñakam—named.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual masters, the devotees of the Lord, the Lord’s incarnations, His plenary portions, His energies, and the primeval Lord Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

TEXT 2

vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nityānandau sahoditau
gauḍodaye puṣpavantau
citrau śan-dau tamo-nudau

SYNONYMS

vande—I offer respectful obeisances; śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya—to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; nityānandau—and to Lord Nityānanda; saha-uditau—simultaneously arisen; gauḍa-udaye—on the eastern horizon of Gauḍa; puṣpavantau—the sun and moon together; citrau—wonderful; śam-dau—bestowing benediction; tamaḥ-nudau—dissipating darkness.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.

TEXT 3

yad advaitaṁ brahmopaniṣadi tad apy asya tanu-bhā
ya ātmāntar-yāmī puruṣa iti so ’syāṁśa-vibhavaḥ
ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān sa svayam ayaṁ
na caitanyāt krṣṇāj jagati para-tattvaṁ param iha

SYNONYMS

yat—that which; advaitam—nondual; brahma—the impersonal Brahman; upaniṣadi—in the Upaniṣads; tat—that; api—certainly; asya—His; tanu-bhā—the effulgence of His transcendental body; yaḥ—who; ātmā—the Supersoul; antaḥ-yāmī—indwelling Lord; puruṣaḥ—supreme enjoyer; iti—thus; saḥ—He; asya—His; aṁśa-vibhavaḥ—plenary expansion; ṣaṭ-aiśvaryaiḥ—with all six opulences; pūrṇaḥ—full; yaḥ—who; iha—here; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ—He; svayam—Himself; ayam—this; na—not; caitanyāt—than Lord Caitanya; kṛṣṇāt—than Lord Kṛṣṇa; jagati—in the world; para—higher; tattvam—truth; param—another; iha—here.

TRANSLATION

What the Upaniṣads describe as the impersonal Brahman is but the effulgence of His body, and the Lord known as the Supersoul is but His localized plenary portion. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself, full with six opulences. He is the Absolute Truth, and no other truth is greater than or equal to Him.

TEXT 4

anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ

SYNONYMS

anarpita—not bestowed; carīm—having been formerly; cirāt—for a long time; karuṇayā—by causeless mercy; avatīrṇaḥ—descended; kalau—in the Age of Kali; samarpayitum—to bestow; unnata—elevated; ujjvala-rasām—the conjugal mellow; sva-bhakti—of His own service; śriyam—the treasure; hariḥ—the Supreme Lord; puraṭa—than gold; sundara—more beautiful; dyuti—of splendor; kadamba—with a multitude; sandīpitaḥ—lighted up; sadā—always; hṛdaya-kandare—in the cavity of the heart; sphuratu—let Him be manifest; vaḥ—your; śacī-nandanaḥ—the son of mother Śacī.

TRANSLATION

TEXT 5

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād
ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau
caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ
rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

SYNONYMS

rādhā—Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; kṛṣṇa—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; praṇaya—of love; vikṛtiḥ—the transformation; hlādinī śaktiḥ—pleasure potency; asmāt—from this; eka-ātmānau—both the same in identity; api—although; bhuvi—on earth; purā—from beginningless time; deha-bhedam—separate forms; gatau—obtained; tau—those two; caitanya-ākhyam—known as Śrī Caitanya; prakaṭam—manifest; adhunā—now; tat-dvayam—the two of Them; ca—and; aikyam—unity; āptam—obtained; rādhā—of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; bhāva—mood; dyuti—the luster; su-valitam—who is adorned with; naumi—I offer my obeisances; kṛṣṇa-svarūpam—to Him who is identical with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

TRANSLATION

The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.

TEXT 6

śrī-rādhāyāḥ praṇaya-mahimā kīdṛśo vānayaivā-
svādyo yenādbhuta-madhurimā kīdṛśo vā madīyaḥ
saukhyaṁ cāsyā mad-anubhavataḥ kīdṛśaṁ veti lobhāt
tad-bhāvāḍhyaḥ samajani śacī-garbha-sindhau harīnduḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-rādhāyāḥ—of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; praṇaya-mahimā—the greatness of the love; kīdṛśaḥ—of what kind; vā—or; anayā—by this one (Rādhā); eva—alone; āsvādyaḥ—to be relished; yena—by that love; adbhuta-madhurimā—the wonderful sweetness; kīdṛśaḥ—of what kind; vā—or; madīyaḥ—of Me; saukhyam—the happiness; ca—and; asyāḥ—Her; mat-anubhavataḥ—from realization of My sweetness; kīdṛśam—of what kind; vā—or; iti—thus; lobhāt—from the desire; tat—Her; bhāva-āḍhyaḥ—richly endowed with emotions; samajani—took birth; śacī-garbha—of the womb of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī; sindhau—in the ocean; hari—Lord Kṛṣṇa; induḥ—like the moon.

TRANSLATION

Desiring to understand the glory of Rādhārāṇī’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, as the moon appeared from the ocean.

TEXT 7

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī
garbhoda-śāyī ca payobdhi-śāyī
śeṣaś ca yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-
nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu

SYNONYMS

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ—Mahā-Saṅkarṣaṇa in the spiritual sky; kāraṇa-toya-śāyī—Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the Causal Ocean; garbha-uda-śāyī—Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the Garbhodaka Ocean of the universe; ca—and; payaḥ-abdhi-śāyī—Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who lies in the ocean of milk; śeṣaḥ—Śeṣa Nāga, the couch of Viṣṇu; ca—and; yasya—whose; aṁśa—plenary portions; kalāḥ—and parts of the plenary portions; saḥ—He; nityānanda-ākhya—known as Lord Nityānanda; rāmaḥ—Lord Balarāma; śaraṇam—shelter; mama—my; astu—let there be.

TRANSLATION

May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions.

TEXT 8

māyātīte vyāpi-vaikuṇṭha-loke
pūrṇaiśvarye śrī-catur-vyūha-madhye
rūpaṁ yasyodbhāti saṅkarṣaṇākhyaṁ
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

SYNONYMS

māyā-atīte—beyond the material creation; vyāpi—all-expanding; vaikuṇṭha-loke—in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual world; pūrṇa-aiśvarye—endowed with full opulence; śrī-catuḥ-vyūha-madhye—in the quadruple expansions (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha); rūpam—form; yasya—whose; udbhāti—appears; saṅkarṣaṇa-ākhyam—known as Saṅkarṣaṇa; tam—to Him; śrī-nityānanda-rāmam—to Lord Balarāma in the form of Lord Nityānanda; prapadye—I surrender.

TRANSLATION

I surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, who is known as Saṅkarṣaṇa in the midst of the catur-vyūha [consisting of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha]. He possesses full opulences and resides in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, far beyond the material creation.

TEXT 9

māyā-bhartājāṇḍa-saṅghāśrayāṅgaḥ
śete sākṣāt kāraṇāmbhodhi-madhye
yasyaikāṁśaḥ śrī-pumān ādi-devas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

SYNONYMS

māyā-bhartā—the master of the illusory energy; aja-aṇḍa-saṅgha—of the multitude of universes; āśraya—the shelter; aṅgaḥ—whose body; śete—He lies; sākṣāt—directly; kāraṇa-ambhodhi-madhye—in the midst of the Causal Ocean; yasya—whose; eka-aṁśaḥ—one portion; śrī-pumān—the Supreme Person; ādi-devaḥ—the original puruṣa incarnation; tam—to Him; śrī-nityānanda-rāmam—to Lord Balarāma in the form of Lord Nityānanda; prapadye—I surrender.

TRANSLATION

I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose partial representation called Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, lying on the Kāraṇa Ocean, is the original puruṣa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes.

TEXT 10

yasyāṁśāṁśaḥ śrīla-garbhoda-śāyī
yan-nābhy-abjaṁ loka-saṅghāta-nālam
loka-sraṣṭuḥ sūtikā-dhāma dhātus
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

SYNONYMS

yasya—whose; aṁśa-aṁśaḥ—portion of a plenary portion; śrīla-garbha-uda-śāyī—Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; yat—of whom; nābhi-abjam—the navel lotus; loka-saṅghāta—of the multitude of planets; nālam—having a stem that is the resting place; loka-sraṣṭuḥ—of Lord Brahmā, the creator of the planets; sūtikā-dhāma—the birthplace; dhātuḥ—of the creator; tam—to Him; śrī-nityānanda-rāmam—to Lord Balarāma in the form of Lord Nityānanda; prapadye—I surrender.

TRANSLATION

I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, a partial part of whom is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu sprouts the lotus that is the birthplace of Brahmā, the engineer of the universe. The stem of that lotus is the resting place of the multitude of planets.

TEXT 11

yasyāṁśāṁśāṁśaḥ parātmākhilānāṁ
poṣṭā viṣṇur bhāti dugdhābdhi-śāyī
kṣauṇī-bhartā yat-kalā so ’py anantas
taṁ śrī-nityānanda-rāmaṁ prapadye

SYNONYMS

yasya—whose; aṁśa-aṁśa-aṁśaḥ—a portion of a portion of a plenary portion; para-ātmā—the Supersoul; akhilānām—of all living entities; poṣṭā—the maintainer; viṣṇuḥ—Viṣṇu; bhāti—appears; dugdha-abdhi-śāyī—Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; kṣauṇī-bhartā—upholder of the earth; yat—whose; kalā—portion of a portion; saḥ—He; api—certainly; anantaḥ—Śeṣa Nāga; tam—to Him; śrī-nityānanda-rāmam—to Lord Balarāma in the form of Lord Nityānanda; prapadye—I surrender.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose secondary part is the Viṣṇu lying in the ocean of milk. That Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is the Supersoul of all living entities and the maintainer of all the universes. Śeṣa Nāga is His further sub-part.

TEXT 12

mahā-viṣṇur jagat-kartā
māyayā yaḥ sṛjaty adaḥ
tasyāvatāra evāyam
advaitācārya īśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

mahā-viṣṇuḥ—Mahā-Viṣṇu, the resting place of the efficient cause; jagat-kartā—the creator of the cosmic world; māyayā—by the illusory energy; yaḥ—who; sṛjati—creates; adaḥ—that universe; tasya—His; avatāraḥ—incarnation; eva—certainly; ayam—this; advaita-ācāryaḥ—of the name Advaita Ācārya; īśvaraḥ—the Supreme Lord, the resting place of the material cause.

TRANSLATION

Lord Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, whose main function is to create the cosmic world through the actions of Māyā.

TEXT 13

advaitaṁ hariṇādvaitād
ācāryaṁ bhakti-śaṁsanāt
bhaktāvatāram īśaṁ tam
advaitācāryam āśraye

SYNONYMS

advaitam—known as Advaita; hariṇā—with Lord Hari; advaitāt—from being nondifferent; ācāryam—known as Ācārya; bhakti-śaṁsanāt—from the propagation of devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa; bhakta-avatāram—the incarnation as a devotee; īśam—to the Supreme Lord; tam—to Him; advaita-ācāryam—to Advaita Ācārya; āśraye—I surrender.

TRANSLATION

Because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him.

TEXT 14

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ
bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam
bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ
namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

SYNONYMS

pañca-tattva-ātmakam—comprehending the five transcendental subject matters; kṛṣṇam—unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhakta-rūpa—in the form of a devotee; sva-rūpakam—in the expansion of a devotee; bhakta-avatāram—in the incarnation of a devotee; bhakta-ākhyam—known as a devotee; namāmi—I offer my obeisances; bhakta-śaktikam—the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who supplies energy to the devotee.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee, devotional incarnation, devotional manifestation, pure devotee, and devotional energy.