(In celebration of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's holy appearance day on November 8th 2012, we present a poem written in Bengali by one of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's senior disciples, Srimati Krsnamayi Devi. For more information on Srimati Krsnamayi, please refer to issue one of Gaudiya Touchstone)
(1)
sri gaura-mandala-majhe hapaniya grama
yanhi avatirna mora prabhu guna dhama
My lord and master, the abode of all divine qualities, appeared in the village of Hapaniya in Sri Gaura-mandala.
(2)
patita pavani ganga tira sannihita
‘nyayaratna-vidyapitha’ bhuvana-vidita
The Nyayaratna Vidyapitha was a renowned place of learning, situated on the banks of the Ganga who purifies the most fallen.
(3)
tanhi vaise vipra-vara prasanta udara
sri upendra candra ‘vidyaratna’ nama yanra
At that place there lived the best of the twice born, who was known as Sri Upendra-candra ‘Vidyaratna’, who was composed and magnanimous.
(4)
bhattacarya-kula-ravi parama vidvana
nirantara seva para laksmi-narayana
This outstanding scholar was the sun of the Bhattacarya dynasty, always preoccupied with the service of Laksmi-Narayana.
(5)
tanra patni gauri-devi parama pavani
maha-sadhvi jagan-mata prabhura janani
His wife was the most pure Gauri-devi. She was most saintly, the mother of the universe and the mother of my master.
(6)
atharasa satera sake saurasvina masa
sanivara, chhavisa divasa parakasa
He appeared on 1817 Sakabda, on the twenty-sixth day of the month of Asvina, on a Saturday.
(7)
budhaditya-jiva yoge tunga graha gane
ramacandra-rasyasraye viracandra-dine
At a time when the Sun and Mercury were in conjunction and the planets were all in their most powerful positions, he took shelter of the same astrological sign as Lord Ramcandra and appeared on the same day as the appearance of Sri Viracandra Gosvami.
(8)
subhankari pusya anke karttiki navami
dharani haila dhanya prabhu-pada chumi
At the auspicious moment during Pusya-naksatra, on the ninth day of the month of Karttika, Mother Earth became most fortunate as she kissed the lotus feet of my lord.
(9)
uthila ananda-rola acarya-bhavane
sankha-ghanta jayadhvani deya narigane
Great jubilation filled the house of Acarya Vidyaratna as ladies blew conches and rang bells.
(10)
ajanu-lambita bhuja purata sundara
devi anke sobhe divya jyoti manohara
His long arms reached to his knees and his form was beautiful and of the hue of molten gold. As he lay in the lap of his mother, a wonderful divine effulgence shone forth.
(11)
heriya putrera rupa mugdha pita mata
mugdha haila putra rupe yata pati vrata
Seeing their son’s beauty, mother and father were struck with wonder. Indeed, all the virtuous ladies who were present were also charmed.
(12)
ramacandra-janma ksana smari vipra-vara
rakhila putrera nama ramendra-sundara
That best of brahmanas recalled the appearance of Lord Ramcandra, thus he named his son Ramendra-sundara.
(13)
apurva balaka-sobha vyapila bhuvane
anindya ramendra-candra bare dine dine
The unparalleled beauty of the child pervaded the whole world. Day by day the pure moon of Ramendra grew.
(14)
dekhite dekhite prabhu labhila yauvana
parama samrddha kari vidya uparjana
All could see as my master became a youth, that he enriched himself with the supreme wealth of knowledge.
(15)
divya suvimala tanu maha-jyotirmmaya
nirakhi sakala loka sadhvasa manaya
All those who saw his divine and pure form which was most effulgent showed him the utmost respect.
(16)
vairagya bhavita bhakti-purna kalevara
saivala-pihita yena maha-sarovara
He was completely full of devotion and steeped in renunciation, like a great lake covered by moss.
(17)
maha-jnani suka praya virakta pradhana
heri mata pita mane cinte anuksana
Seeing his great detachment towards the material world which resembled that of the great jnani Sukadeva Gosvami, his mother and father were in constant anxiety.
(18)
sannyasi haibe putra na rahibe ghare
maha-yogi maha-tyagi laksana sarire
“Our son will become a sannyasi; he will not remain at home. All the symptoms of a great yogi and a great renunciate can be seen in him."
(19)
antare ananda, bahye du˙kha parakasa
kata dine kaila vipra sri vaikuntha vasa
Feeling great bliss within, but externally manifesting sadness, after some time the brahmana (Upendra-candra) passed away and became a resident of Sri Vaikuntha.
(20)
krame krame prabhu mora apana prakasi
svechchhaya bandhana khandi haila sannyasi
Gradually, my master revealed himself, and by his own sweet will, he broke all connections with the world and became a sannyasi.
(21)
grha-tyagi mayapura karila vijaya
gauranga-janma bhumi cidananda maya
Leaving home, he arrived in Mayapura, the place of Sri Gauranga's appearance which is comprised of supreme bliss and spirituality.
(22)
sri bhaktisiddhanta sarasvati prabhu-sthane
laila sannyasa dina uddhara karane
In order to deliver the fallen, he accepted the order of sannyasa from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada.
(23)
sri bhakti raksaka sankirtana-murti-dhara
sei hetu guru nama rakhila sridhara
He is the Guardian of Devotion and the personification of sankirtana, therefore his guru gave him the name 'Sridhara' (one who possesses the greatest wealth).
(24)
patita pavana rupe tridandira vese
nama-prema vitariya bule dese dese
As the saviour of the most fallen, he took the form of a tridandi-sannyasi and wandered from place to place to distribute love for the holy name.
(25)
dina-hina papitapi sabare uddhari
amrta sincila visve yena gaurahari
Delivering the most wretched sinners, he showered nectar throughout the world in the same way as Lord Gaurahari.
(26)
jaya jaya patita-pavana prabhu-vara
nyasi-chudamani bhakti raksaka sridhara
All glories, all glories to the savior of the most fallen, the best of masters, the crown-jewel of sannyasis, Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Gosvami.
(27)
asankhya pranati tava pada-padme mora
krpaya karaha nasa karma-bandha ghora
I offer unlimited obeisances unto your lotus feet. Be merciful unto me and destroy my terrible bondage of karmic reactions.
(28)
bhavarnave pade sudhu habudubu khai
e adhame uddhariya deha pade thani
I am drowning in the waters of this material ocean. Kindly deliver this fallen soul and give me a place at your lotus feet.
(29)
vandi avirbhava-tithi sri krsna-navami
yenha dhanya haila prabhu-pada-padma chumi
I offer my obeisances unto the holy day of your appearance – the ninth day of the dark moon, who was most fortunate to kiss your lotus feet.
(30)
vandi hapaniya grama maha-tirtha-maya
vandi prabhu sri upendra-candrera alaya
I offer my obeisances unto the village of Hapaniya, where all the great holy places reside; I offer my obeisances unto the home of Sri Upendra-candra.
(31)
vandi nitya bhattacarya-kulabja-bhaskara
vandi vidya-ratna putra ramendra-sundara
I offer my eternal obeisances unto the dazzling sun of the lotus-like Bhattacarya dynasty, Sri Ramendra-sundara, the son of Upendra-candra Vidyaratna.
(32)
savadhane vandi mui gauri-devi mata
yanra anka alokari prabhu prakasita
I attentively offer my obesisances unto Mother Gauri-devi, whose lap was effulgent with the appearance of my lord and master.
(33)
prabhura sambandha dhari yateka sujana
sanande vandana kari savara carana
With great bliss, I offer my obeisances unto the feet of all the auspicious personalities who have a connection with my master.
(34)
sabe krpa kari more kara asirvada
nirvighne hauka labha prabhura prasada
All of you please be merciful and bless me so that, without any obstacle, I may attain the mercy of my lord and master.
