Title: Should we put Peacock feather on Lord Nityananda-Balarama?

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2004-12-16 18:38:02

 

Q. Do we place a peacock feather on Lord Nityananda or Balarama? If not, then why?

 

Ans by Swami Gaurangapada: In Shri Gaura Gannodesha Dipika Verse 14, Shrila Kavi Karnapura has described Lord Nityananda and His Associates as "gopala veshinah" means that they always dressed as cowherd boys. The cowherd boys of Shri Vrindavana dress themselves with peacock feathers and other ornaments to participate in the pastimes of Lords Krishna-Balarama. So what to speak of Lord Nityananda Balarama Himself who is the leader of all the cowherd boys? Besides they always imitate the pastimes of Lord Krishna so also they dress themselves up with peacock feathers and forest flowers just like Lord Krishna. :oops:

 

Title: Re: Should we put Peacock feather on Lord Nityananda-Balarama?

User: candrika         Date: 2005-04-04 14:06:34

 

In his childhood Nityananda imitated the pasttimes of the Lord, but in his adulthood he was serving the Lord and surely that was the Lords desire for Nityananda to be a servant of the Lord and not try to pass himself off as the Lord himself, as to do so would cause disturbance to the desire of the Lord to incarnate as his own devotee in order to show people how to serve him wouldnt it? :?:

 

The philosophy of acintya bheda abheda tattva, simultaneous oneness and difference seems to be of great significance here to me, because are we to see all as one like mayavadis and just serve everyone in the same way, or are we to see the difference and to serve in the way desired by the incarnation.

 

Did Lord Nityananda want to be given peacock feathers in his incarnation as Nityananda is the question I have in mind, rather than should we give them just because we know his identity?

 

Title:

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-04-09 06:55:27

 

the Lords desire for Nityananda to be a servant of the Lord and not try to pass himself off as the Lord himself

 

There is no need for Lord Nityananda to pass off as the Lord, because He Himself is the Lord Himself, the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. Passing off as someone which one is not is not applicable to Lord Nityananda as He is everything in creation.

 

as to do so would cause disturbance to the desire of the Lord to incarnate as his own devotee in order to show people how to serve him wouldnt it?

 

No. Lord Nityananda is completely perfect which means that He has the potency to accept worship as God Himself (since He is God) and at the same time teach others how to worship Him by accepting the role of a devotee. If accepting one position would undermine His other position then that would mean that He is incomplete or deficient in some way.

 

The philosophy of acintya bheda abheda tattva, simultaneous oneness and difference seems to be of great significance here to me, because are we to see all as one like mayavadis and just serve everyone in the same way, or are we to see the difference

 

The very philosophy of achintya bheda abheda tattva (inconceivable difference and non-difference) establishes that Lord Nityananda can simultaneously accept worship as God and also teach devotion by accepting the role of a devotee.

 

and to serve in the way desired by the incarnation.

 

Lord Nityananda never refused worship as God. How can He refuse because He is God Himself? If He refuses worship as God then whom will His devotees worship? He is self-satisfied and He does not accept worship for Himself but for the benefit of those who give Him the worship. If God does not accept that He is God, then bogus charlatans will claim to be God just like glow worms make their appearance in the absence of the sun. This is proved in many pastimes. One is at Shrila Raghava Pandita's home, Lord Nityananda accepted the elaborate worship and bathing ceremony meant for God Himself.

 

Did Lord Nityananda want to be given peacock feathers in his incarnation as Nityananda is the question I have in mind, rather than should we give them just because we know his identity?

 

Yes, he did. He used to dress Himself in Shri Navadvipa with peacock feathers just like a cowherd boy with golden and diamond rings on all His lotus fingers. The Verse 14 from Gaura Gannodesha Dipika states that the Lord used to dress Himself with peacock feathers not that anyone use to forcibly put the peacock feathers on Him.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Title: Re: Should we put Peacock feather on Lord Nityananda-Balarama?

User: candrika         Date: 2005-04-10 13:27:22

 

I can see how it demonstrates his supreme personality and am not disputing this fact, but is there not the danger in encouraging people to give him peacock feathers and making them aware that he is non different to Krishna, that those people will be not be able to overcome their offenses in chanting the Holy Names.

 

I mean he is Krishna himself and it is only the differences between Nityananda and Krishna that the Lord himself chose to experience, that give people the opportunity to chant his names offencelessly.

 

Once the differences are taken away then again the danger of chanting offensively would be presented wouldnt it?

 

Title:

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2005-04-10 14:08:33

 

Once the differences are taken away then again the danger of chanting offensively would be presented wouldnt it?

 

The Holy Name of Lord Nityananda and His worship will remain offenseless and causelessly merciful even if a peacock feather is put on Lord Nityananda's lotus head identifying Him as Lord Balarama Himself. Decorating Lord Nityananda's divine form just like He is in Lord Krishna's pastimes is not going to nullify the magnanimous Nityananda Tattva, which is the eternal merciful truth in the past, present and future. So there is no such thing to worry about.