Title: Who chanted Bhaja Gauranga and why

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2006-05-07 10:24:00

 

Please can you tell me who sings the following song and in which  scripture is it mentioned. Bhaja Gauranga Kaha Gauranga Laha Gauranga naam  re Je jan Gauranga bhaje se amara pran re

 

 

Answer by Swami Gaurangapada:

 

 

 

 The Supreme Lord Nityananda Prabhu is constantly singing bhaja gauranga, kaha  gauranga....and this is His most primary and repeated instruction and petition  to the conditioned offensive  souls.

 

 

Shrila Prabhupada in his Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi lila 7.5 lecture at  Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

 

 

 "Nityananda Prabhu is guru-tattva, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is sevya-tattva.The guru is teaching, Nityananda Prabhu is teaching how to  worship Shri Caitany Mahaprabhu.

 

 

 bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga laha gaurangera name ye jana gauranga bhaje sei  amara prana re.

 

 

   This is Nityananda Prabhu's business."

 

 

Also Lord Nityananda gives a similar instruction in Chaitanya-Charitamrita  Madhya lila 1.29:

 

 

 ‘chaitanya’ seva, ‘chaitanya’ gao,

lao ‘chaitanya’ nama

‘caitanye’ ye  bhakti kare, sei mora prana

 

 

 

Lord Nityananda implored; “Serve Lord Gauranga, sing the Holy Name of Lord  Gauranga and chant Lord Gauranga’s Name in japa and kirtana. Those who worship  Lord Gauranga in this way are My life and soul.”

 

 

 Shrila BR Shridhara Maharaja sums it up nicely:

 

 

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was merged in tasting the sweetness of Radha-Govinda  lila, and diving deep into that reality, however, at the same time, He wanted to  deliver all souls whose hearts had been devoured by the false notions of  renunciation and exploitation. He ordered Nityananda Prabhu, ‘Go to Bengal and  try to deliver them—give them divine love for Radha and Krishna.’”

 

 

 “He ordered Nityananda Prabhu to distribute divine love for Radha-Govinda,  but instead, Nityananda began to preach about Shri Gauranga. He thought, ‘It will  be better for them to worship Gauranga; that will help free them from their  offenses in their present position, and by doing so, they will automatically  achieve a position in Radha-Govinda lila.’ “

 

 

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“He was ordered to  preach the name of Krishna, but instead began to preach the name of Gauranga. So,  for our own welfare, we bow down to Nityananda Prabhu with all our humility.  “

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“The aim of Shriman Mahaprabhu's descent was to distribute the devotional  service of Vrndavana most generously. On the other hand, Nityananda Prabhu used  to sing the verse quoted above. (bhaja gauranga, kaha gauranga, laha gaurangera  nama re...)”

 

 

Yours  in service, Swami Gaurangapada.