Caitanya Mangala Sutra Khanda 1 part 1

[Paramananda das]

Locana Dasa was born in 1520 A.D. in Kograma within Gauramandala, West Bengal.

He was a disciple of Sri Narahari Sarakara Thakura, an intimate eternal associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One day in 1537 A.D., following his guru's order, Locana Dasa sat on a stone slab under a badari tree and started writing the CaitanyaMangala on a piece of bark. Since Vrndavana Dasa Thakura had already written a book entitled CaitanyaMangala, the leading devotees in Vrndavana [Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, Kasisvara Pandita, Pandita Haridasa Gosvami, and Anantacarya] met to resolve the problem. They decided that henceforth Vrndavana Dasa's book would be called Caitanya Bhagavata, and Locana Dasa Thakura's book would remain as CaitanyaMangala. In The History and Literature of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, Dr. S. Das [a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] says, "Locana Dasa does 'not claim to be a doctor of theology. He was a musician like his preceptor [Narahari Thakura]. He made music and dedicated his pre-eminent musical abilities toward serving one mission. "Locana Dasa did not compose this beautiful narrtive poem, CaitanyaMangala, to thrust abstract philosophy and a labyrinth doctrine down the people's throat. Rather, he wanted to impress the divine character of Sri Caitanya on the popular mind, and thereby arouse its religious sensibilities." In Vaisnava Abhidana, Haridasa Dasa [a famous Gaudiya Vaisnava historian] describes Caitanya-Mangala, "Locana Dasa based his Caitanya-Mangala on Murari Gupta's authorized Sanskrit biography of Lord Caitanya entitled SriKrishna-Caitanya-carita. CaitanyaMangala is written in simple, beautiful language, and it can be sung in various beautiful ragas. "Caitanya-Mangala is a rasatmaka-sastra [book full of rasa], and Caitanya Bhagavata is a varnanatmaka-sastra [a book full of descriptions]. In some cases, Locana Dasa's poetic expression surpasses that of Vrndavana Dasa Thakura. "Readers should not confuse Locana Dasa Thakura's authentic and authorized book, Caitanya-Mangala, with another book of the same title written by Jayananda. Jayananda's book has many strange descriptions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Among the society of Vaisnavas, Jayananda's book is not loved, appreciated, or widely read. In fact, Bhakti-ratnakara doesn't even mention or refer to his book. Jayananda didn't show any talent in composing; his writing is incoherent and sloppy." To produce this English translation of Sri Caitanya Mangala, we used a 1929 Bengali edition published by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura at the Bagbazaar [Calcutta] office of the Gaudiya Math. Between 1920-1936 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura printed many important books including Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Caitanya-caritarnrta," Caitanya-Bhagavata, Caitanya-Mangala, Brahma-samhita, Upadesamrta, Prema-bhakti-candrika and Bhakti Sandarbha. Srila Prabhupada strictly followed the example and teachings of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Through his Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Srila Prabhupada published almost all of the same books as his guru maharaja. Presenfiy, Srila Prabhupada has inspired the BBT to publish an English translation of Sri Jiva Gosvami's Sandarbhas. Similarly, Srila Prabhupada has inspired us to publish this English edition of Sri Caitanya-Mangala. We hope that our guru maharaja, Srila Prabhupada, our param-guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and all the devotees will be pleased with our efforts.

Mahanidhi Swami

Sutra Khanda chapter 1

All glories to Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the crest-jewel of all sannyasis. In Kali-yuga, He appears in His complete form to give the priceless jewel of love of Godhead to the surrendered souls. The Lord delivers the devotees and satisfies them with this rare gift ofprerna bhakti, pure love of God. But, roaring like a thunderbolt, He crushes the atheists of the world to dust. I pray to Sri Vighnanasana, Lord Ganesa, who has the body of a huge elephant with one tusk. He brings success in all endeavors. All glories to Lord Ganesa, the son of Parvati Devi. With folded hands, I pray to Lord Siva and Parvati.

Let us all fall at their feet, offering our respects. Lord Vishnu is the only master of the three worlds. Lord Siva and Parvati can award anyone the boon of Vishnu-bhakti. I pray that Goddess Sarasvati will play on my lips so that they will glorify Gaurahari, who is as yet unknown in the three worlds. May the wonderful topics of the golden-hued Lord of Sarasvati flow from my mouth. I humbly beg the demigods and all my superiors that nothing will obstruct my attempt to glorify Lord Gaurahari. Let me not ask for the boon of wealth; for I am fallen and sinful. But please allow me to complete this book without any difficulty. Let me glorify the pure devotees of Lord Vishnu, and the most fortunate mahabhagavatas. These exalted devotees purify the world with their divine qualities. They are merciful to all and everyone loves them. Such devotees are the most auspicious personalities in the world. I am a totally unqualified person, incapable of telling right from left. Yet I'm trying to catch the sky with my hands, like a blind man trying to see a cintarnani gem on a nearby mountain. I don't know what the result will be. SRI CAITANYA MANGALA I have but one hope -- that Lord Gauranga will be merciful, because He doesn't consider whether one is good or bad. Overlooking disqualifications, the Lord freely gives everyone the shelter of His lotus feet. Please listen 'to the description of the behavior of a pure devotee. Dedicating his life for others, he gives his causeless mercy to all living entities. He becomes happy by making others happy. This Locana Dasa has only one hope. I want to attain the lotus feet of Narahari Sarakara Thakura [his spiritual master], who is my lord and the owner of my life. Although most fallen, I desire to 'glorify the indescribable qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. To achieve this perfection, I hold the lotus feet of Narahari Thakura within my heart eternally. Prayers to Lord Gauranga and His Associates All glories to Sri Krishna Caitanya, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Candra, and all the Gaura-bhaktas. All glories to Narahafi and Gadadhara Pandita, the lords of my heart. Please cast your most merciful and auspicious glance upon me. Gauranga's golden transcendental form embodies all compassion. With many select prayers, I will glorify His soothing, reddish lotus feet. Let the devotees sit together and be blessed by the touch of Gauranga's lotus feet. O Lord, darling of Sacimata, let us offer our respectful obeisances to You. Please look favorably upon us and bestow a drop of Your mercy. All glories to Advaita Acarya, the crest-jewel of all lords. The world became fortunate by the mercy of your lotus feet. O Sita-Prananatha! [Lord of the heart of his wife, Sita] With folded hands, I praise you and beg for your mercy. I worship Sri Nityananda Prabhu, the son of Rohini Devi, the avadhuta, who is non-different from Lord Caitanya. First of all, let me glorify the lotus feet of Gargacarya, who, taking pride in his grandson Gauranga, goes mad in ecstasy when he praises His qualities. I worship Jagannatha Misra, the father of Visvambhara, and Saci Thakurani, His mother. I worship Laksmi Thakurani, who was bitten by the snake of separation from Lord Caitanya. I worship Vishnupriya Devi, who accepts the reddish lotus feet of Lord Gauranga as Her ornament. Joyfully, I glorify Pundarika Vidyanidhi, for whom Mahaprabhu cried in ecstasy. I glorify the lotus feet of Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri; and Sri Pandita Gosvami. I worship Govinda Gosai and Vakresvara Pandita who are like maddened bees after the sweet nectar of Gauranga's lotus feet. I worship Paramananda Puri, Vishnu Puri, and Gadadhara Dasa, holding their feet on my head. With a heart full of joy, I pray .to Murari Gupta. Please bless me so that I can properly glorify Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. I glorify Srivasa Thakura and Haridasa Thakura. I only desire to obtain the feet of the brothers, Vasudeva Datta and Mukunda Datta. I glorify Raya Ramananda who is an abode of love. Let me constantly praise Jagadananda Pandita. I worship Rupa, Sanatana, and Damodara Pandita. I also offer my repeated obeisances to Raghava Pandita. I worship Sri Rama, Sundarananda, Gauridasa, and all followers of Lord Nityananda. I glorify my worshipable lord, Narahari Thakura, who protects me in this world and the next. Except him I have no friend in the three worlds. So let me worship Narahari Thakura who is an ocean of Gauranga's qualities. With folded hands, let me fall on the ground to offer my obeisances to Govinda, Madhava, and Vasu Ghosh. I whole-heartedly glorify Sri Vrndavana Dasa Thakura, who enchanted the world with the words of his Caitanya-Bhagavata. My dear brother, we should always glorify the family Deity of Raghunandana. As a boy, Raghunandanda Thakura fed a laddu to his Krishna Deity. Who would dare consider that boy an ordinary person? I worship his father, Sri Mukunda Dasa, who has unalloyed faith in the path shown by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I worship all the known and unknown devotees of the Lord. I keep their feet on my head as a crown jewel. I worship the mahantas and their followers. I always sing the glories of their feet. Don't mind if I mention someone's name first and another's later. There is no precise alphabetical order. If, by mistake, I forget to glorify someone' s name, I beg forgiveness by offering them a hundred obeisances. I glorify all the devotees, both on the earth and in the heavens. One by one, I offer my obeisances to everyone. Desiring to attain love of Godhead, let us happily glorify the transcendental qualities of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. I, Locana Dasa, my heart brimming with joy, sing the transcendental glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.