Nityananda Caritamrta
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Licensed for Personal Use Only<br />
ÇRÉ NITYÄNANDA CARITÄMÅTA<br />
and sat on their doorsteps with their babies on their laps to have<br />
a glimpse of the groom. Young boys rushed to where the procession<br />
was passing and became overwhelmed with happiness as<br />
they joined in the singing.<br />
After touring all over the city, Nityänanda Prabhu, resembling<br />
a full moon, came back to the house of Süryadäsa Paëòita.<br />
Süryadäsa Paëòita offered incense, a ghee lamp, sandalwood<br />
paste, and flower garlands to Nityänanda Prabhu. He then led<br />
Him by the hand to the marriage arena. Someone sprinkled<br />
scented water before Nityänanda as He walked. The ladies made<br />
auspicious sounds of ulu-dhvani.<br />
Nityänanda Prabhu was then made to stand on a low wooden<br />
platform. His radiance filled all directions. Holding ghee<br />
lamps and flower garlands, the brähmaëas circled Nityänanda<br />
seven times. The ladies smiled while covering their mouths with<br />
their särés and falling on one another. They then brought the<br />
bride on a beautiful throne and made her circle Nityänanda<br />
seven times.<br />
Jähnavä and Nityänanda glanced at each other as everyone<br />
threw flowers and pän. Their spontaneous love for each other<br />
awakened. After a long time, when Jähnavä finally saw her beloved<br />
Lord, she held her head down in shyness. The ladies then<br />
took Jähnavä inside a room while the brähmaëas completed the<br />
formalities, according to the scriptural injunctions.<br />
Süryadäsa Paëòita offered jewellery, clothes, and other items<br />
to Nityänanda Prabhu and formally accepted Him as a son-inlaw.<br />
Then he brought his daughter and offered her to Nityänanda<br />
Prabhu in charity, as per the Vedic injunctions. Taking<br />
his daughter and son-in-law inside, he made them sit on a divine<br />
bed decorated with flowers. Many young girls also entered the<br />
room, teasing the new groom and joking with Him. The whole<br />
night thus passed in great mirth.<br />
In the morning, Nityänanda Prabhu bathed and then sat<br />
down for the Vedic ceremony of putting sindüra (vermilion) on<br />
the bride’s head. The brähmaëas performed the fire sacrifice,<br />
according to the Vedic rules and regulations. Finally, hundreds<br />
of brähmaëas were served a feast. Nityänanda Prabhu thereafter<br />
lived happily at Süryadäsa Paëòita’s house for a few days.<br />
192<br />
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