In the months leading up to the Navadvīpa-dhāma Parikramā in March, Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja would preach throughout Bengal, inviting all villagers to the festival; even paying the train fares for many of the poor villagers who otherwise could not afford to come. While away, he requested Narahari Prabhu, in whom he had full faith, to look after Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha.
After preaching and collecting donations throughout Bengal, Ācāryadeva returned to the temple in time to celebrate the appearance day of Lord Nityānanda on February 3, 1947. Upon his return to Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha, Ācāryadeva gave all the donations and alms he had collected to Narahari Prabhu, requesting him, “Please give this to Prabhupāda. I see you as non-different from him. You are his expansion and are here to protect me.”
Even though Narahari Prabhu was older and had resided in the temple for a longer period of time, he served Ācārya Kesarī with love and affection after he returned from the preaching tour. Narahari Prabhu brought his godbrother mahā-prasāda and water, and fanned him while he ate.
On the auspicious day of Lord Nityānanda’s birth, Śrīla Gurudeva fasted until evening, along with the other temple residents, but hearing the nectarean glories of Nityānanda Prabhu, as explained by Ācārya Kesarī, was a tonic that invigorated all the devotees.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared in the material world as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, imbued with the moods and hue of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, to give the most elevated divine love. However, conditioned souls cannot relish that love because they are infinitesimal and are subject to material contamination. According to the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (5.9), if the tip of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and one of those fragments is further divided into another hundred parts, one of those parts corresponds to the dimension of the soul. The minute souls who turn away from Kṛṣṇa are covered by a distorted nature and bound in physical and subtle bodies. For untold lives they formulate a connection with the pleasures of the material senses and the illusory love of temporary kith and kin. They have no strength to awaken their true identity without the mercy of Baladeva Prabhu. And without knowing who they really are, they cannot accept the love Mahāprabhu wants to give them. Therefore, before Kṛṣṇa appeared as Lord Caitanya, His brother, Baladeva, who is the base of all existence, appeared as Lord Nityānanda. Nityānanda Prabhu establishes people in their spiritual identity and thus provides a vessel for them to receive the gift of Mahāprabhu. Anyone can come in the shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu by accepting a bona fide guru, for Lord Nityānanda is the root of all spiritual masters.
Kīrtana continued late into the night of Lord Nityānanda’s advent. Ācārya Kesarī and the devotees jubilantly danced as they sang Gaura-Nitāi’s names and glories. They became so entranced in the bliss of saṅkīrtana-rasa that they were unaware of many hours passing. The wondrous spectacle inspired Śrīla Gurudeva and he reverentially gathered dust from the holy ground—where the Vaiṣṇavas leapt to the roars of Nitāi-Gaurāṅga, Jaya Nitāi-Gaurāṅga—and applied it on his body. Gurudeva prayed for dhāmeśvara Nityānanda Prabhu, He who manifests the dhāma, to grant a glimpse of the spiritual realm.
In awe, Gurudeva watched as a vision of the transcendental land of Navadvīpa was revealed before his eyes. Gurudeva saw the munificent Lords, Gaurāṅga and Nityānanda, shining like a thousand suns and moons rising simultaneously, dancing among countless effulgent associates on the sandy banks of the Gaṅgā, which shone like gold dust under the emerald foliage of wish-fulfilling trees, while wonderstruck demigods, witnessing from gemstone palaces, worshiped and offered prayers to the Golden Lords.
The beauty of Navadvīpa mesmerized Gurudeva. After the kīrtana, while Gurudeva massaged the feet of Ācārya Kesarī, he said, “Tonight, by your mercy, which can make the impossible possible, I had a vision of the transcendental Navadvīpa-dhāma.”
“Nityānanda Prabhu has manifested Navadvīpa-dhāma in your heart because of your faith.” Ācāryadeva said. “As the existence potency, Nityānanda Prabhu expands as the material and spiritual realms. He is particularly present as Navadvīpa and He gives spiritual eyes to perceive this eternal dhāma to those who practice serious sādhana with faith.”
Since meeting Śrīla Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrīla Gurudeva had desired to receive initiation from him. Gurudeva now expressed his wish, saying, “O Mahārāja, please accept me as your disciple and grant me the dīkṣā-mantras.”
“How can I accept or reject you?” Ācārya Kesarī replied. “You are already mine. How could you ever stay away?”
“Then will you give me initiation?”
“I shall initiate you on the upcoming festival of Gaura Pūrṇimā.”
Satisfied and feeling blessed, Gurudeva continued his service. That night Gurudeva had a vivid dream of Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and his dear disciple Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. He realized that they were the beloved associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he vowed to wholeheartedly serve their mission.
Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Sri Guru Darsana“