ALLEGRETTO for Navadvip

CC Adi Lila 14.3 “I have thus described in brief the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared as the son of mother Śacī, exactly as Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of mother Yaśodā.”

Sri Navadvipa-dhama Mahatmya  “You should know that all the pastime places of Vrndavana are situated within this place. Make no distinction between Vrndavana and Navadvipa, nor between Gouranga and Krsna" -

excerpted from 

This poem was inspired by the poetry: "The holder of the flute now carries a danda"

by the medieval Gaudiya Vaishnava poet Balaram Das

ref. Sri Krishna Karnamrita  No9 - pg.34

There is continuity in the Lord’s pastimes and by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, His devotees simultaneously reside in Vraja and Navadvip absorbed in the Lord's pastimes within their hearts.  This poem unfolds this meditation. 

What sort of dream did I fall into?

Is it day or is it night?

The sun did not rise this time

like a king,

but from the river of bliss

has appeared as a bright Moon disk.

What a day is today!

There is no blue in the sky ~

it shines like a golden twilight,

the birds do not chirp,

only a mantra they repeat,

I cannot believe what I see,

the places that used to be,

are forests of memories

treasured by sentient trees,

the lions, ducks, doves and deer

attracted by the mystic sound

are not stunned, but dance around,

even though the flute

lies like a broken drum in a kunj. ⁽¹⁾

This wonderment does confuse!

Two coconuts are carried

instead of two shoes,⁽²⁾

and instead of a clay jar of curd,

the heart is stolen

from a rusty iron pot of water. ⁽³⁾

What to say about this day,

when the creamy sweet rice

turns saffron with sak and spice!

I am really under a spell ~

what came in a lake,

today comes in a well ⁽⁴⁾

for a friend,

who once was sent with secrets,

given to him by the same hands

that gave gems,

after taking fruits and love,

today are the hands

of the Gardener,

Who grants

fruits of love from His plants, ⁽⁵⁾

if one ecstatically chants.

Surely this day is a trick,

the charioteer has not come

on wheels, but with a stick, ⁽⁶⁾

to take away again the Thief

who steal the hearts,

albeit today He appears gilded

and 

He freely gives 
His wealth of love as a gift;

what I sense today,

oddly recalls the day

the tailor screamed

“I have seen, I have seen”, ⁽⁷⁾

forever maddened in joy,

because from the chanting golden youth

came out running a little blue boy.

(1)   Srivas Angan in Sri Mayapur Dhama – Lecture by Madhavananda Prabhu on SB 10.35.4-5

(2)   CC Adi Lila Summary Ch.14 and Txt 47 “..when His mother fainted He brought a coconut to her on His head,[...]” – “He then went outside the house and immediately brought two coconuts. All the ladies were astonished to see such wonderful activities.” In Krishna Lila small Gopal used to carry Nanda Baba's shoes on his head.

(3)   CC  Adi lila 10.68  “Every day Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu jokingly snatched fruits, flowers and pulp from  Śrīdhara [Kolavecha] and drank from his broken iron pot. IN Vrindavana Krishna used to steal butter from clay jars in the houses of the gopis.

(4)   For the desire of His devotees in Vrindavana, Krishna brought the sacred Ganga in a lake –the Manasi Ganga - so that they could take bath in her holy waters.

In Goura Lila, his dear devotee Paramanda Puri – Uddhava in Krishna lila – had made an ashram behind the west side of the Jagannath temple, but his well had bitter water. For this  Lord Caitanya  called the Ganga into his well.( ref CC Adi Lila 9.13-15 Purport)  - Uddhava carried Krishna's message to Vraja : SB10.46.2 – ‘The Supreme Lord Hari, [....]once took the hand of His fully devoted, dearmost friend Uddhava and addressed him as follows.  "Dear gentle Uddhava, go to Vraja and give pleasure to Our parents. And also relieve the gopis, suffering in separation from Me, by giving them My message.

(5)   Cc adi lila 9.9 Thus the Lord brought the desire tree of devotional service to this earth and became its gardener. He sowed the seed and sprinkled upon it the water of His will.

Cc adi lila 10.161  Every branch and sub-branch of the tree is full of innumerable fruits and flowers. They inundate the world with the waters of love of Kṛṣṇa.

(6)   Kesava Bharati, who gave sannyasa to Lord Caitanya, it is understood to be Akrura in Krishna Lila, by some prominent devotees.

CC Adi Lila 9.15 Purport -  “ […] from the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (117): iti kecit prabhashante 'krurah kesava-bharati. "According to some authoritative opinions, Kesava Bharati is an incarnation of Akrura." Kesava Bharati offered the sannyasa order to Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu in the year 1432 sakabda (A.D. 1510) in Katwa. This is stated in the Vaishnava-manjusha, Part Two.

(7)   Cc Adi Lila 17.230-31  There was a tailor who was a meat-eater but was sewing garments for Śrīvāsa  Thākura. The Lord, being merciful to him, showed him His own form.  Saying "I have seen! I have seen!" and dancing in ecstatic love as though mad, he became a first-class Vaiṣṇava.