Nitai-pada-kamala, koti-chandra susitala – “The lotus feet of Lord Nityananda are cooling like a million moons.”

One should take the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, for He is the original spiritual master. It is by the mercy of Nitai that we can obtain love of Krishna.

On Trayodashi tithi of the auspicious Magha maas(feb-march), just after Vasant Panchami, when the earth is covered in beautiful and fragrant flowers blooming everywhere, the moon of Nityananda ray arose from the womb of Devi Padmavati in the most sanctified village of Ekachakra, giving unlimited bliss to Hadai Pandit, lord Nityananda’s father and all the other Vaishnavas. Lord Nityananda appeared about twenty years before the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Nityananda-trayodasi is an important celebration for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, as without the mercy of Nitai, one cannot get the mercy of Nimai.

Lord Nityananda performed his inconceivably enchanting and amazing pastimes first in Ekachakra, after which he travelled to various places of pilgrimage and then joined shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Shridham Mayapur and together the two brothers drowned the entire universe in the loud and ecstatic chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Lord Nityananda is the eternal associate of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru of all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His Devotees. He is the Lord’s active principle in both creation and lila. He is the second body of the Lord, manifesting as Balaram to Shri Krishna, Lakshman to Shri Ram and Nityananda Prabhu to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. All other forms and expansions of the Lord emanate from this second body. Nityananda Prabhu is thus the source of Sankarshan, all the Vishu’s, and Ananta Shesha. Nityananda prabhu is the most intimate associate of Lord Caitanya. Nitai-Gaura are worshipped together much like Krsna and Balarama.

Lord Nityananda is even more merciful than the munificent Lord Gaurahari and the two lotus feet of his, which are as cooling as million of moons are the only shelter for the aspiring devotees of Lord Gaurahari in this age of Kali, which is full of miseries. Lord Nityananda very mercifully enundated the entire universe with Krishna Prem and distributed love of good head without considering whether one is qualified or not. Jahnavapati Nityananda ram is Lord Balaram himself(balarāma hoilo nitāi) and is akhanda guru tattva, he is the one who shows the devotee the path to spiritual advancement, without his mercy one cannot even hope to attain the lotus feet of Gauranga. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood without the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu, who is the cardinal guru of all the universes and serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His Devotees.

Nityananda Prabhu who was Balarama in Krishna’s pastimes. He accompanied Lord Chaitanya in spreading the holy names to save the most fallen souls. Lord Baladeva in Krishnaloka is Nityananda Prabhu. Therefore Nityananda Prabhu is the original Sankarshana, and Maha-sankarshana and His expansions as the purushas in the universes are plenary expansions of Nityananda Prabhu.

Having the whitish complexion of like Lord Balarama. His garments resemble a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset. He has a deep melodious voice, constant singing the glories of Sri Krishna and carries a red stick with benedictions for the devotees, but feared by the demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in the love of Godhead, and no one knows what He will do next.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Nityananda Prabhu is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. Nityananda Prabhu is the first bodily expansion of Krishna and He assists in Lord Krishna’s transcendental pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the Adi-guru, the original spiritual master.

He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krishna. He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Krishna, and He does the work of creation in four other forms called the Catur-vyuha (four armed) forms known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha. He executes the orders of Lord Krishna in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Sesa He serves Sri Krishna in various ways. In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Krishna. No one can approach Krishna without first getting the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu.

The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna appeared in Navadvipa as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to establish the Sankirtana Movement (the Yuga Dharma for this age of quarrel and hypocrisy). To help the Supreme Lord in His mission, Lord Balarama appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. He assisted Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by spreading the holy name of the Lord throughout Bengal.

On this day, devotees fast until noon, being immersed in the pastimes of Nityananda and pray to Lord Nityananda for spiritual strength. A grand abhisheka is performed to Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga. The Deities are bathed with scented water and given a sandal oil massage. After the massage the Deities are bathed with panchamrita (milk, curd, sweetened water, ghee and honey) and panchagavya. The Deities are then bathed with exotic fruit juices and water mixed with herbal extracts. The sarvaushadhi snana is followed by 108 kalasha snana and concludes with pushpa-vrishti (showering of fragrant flowers on the Deities). The Deities are offered a feast of 56 items (chappan bhog). After performing abhishek for the Gaura Nitai Deities, Shayana Arati and Shayana Pallakki Utsava conclude the festival. A lively kirtan and sumptuous feast are offered in Nityananda’s honor, for the Lord’s pleasure.