Have you ever listened to this melodious song, rendered during Gaura Arati – the grand arati ceremony for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu?
This arati is also called Sandhya-arati because every evening (sandhya) at 7:00 pm, arati is performed to Their Lordships in the temple with incense, lamp, water, cloth, flowers, chamara and vyajana to the accompaniment of Gaura-arati song with melodious music.
Text One
(kiba) jaya jaya gaurachander aratiko shobha
jahnavi-tata-vane jaga-mana-lobha
All glories, all glories to the beautiful arati ceremony of Lord Chaitanya! This Gaura-arati is being performed in a grove on the bank of the Ganges and is captivating everyone in the universe.
Text Two
dakhine nitaichand, bame gadadhara
nikate adwaita, shrinivasa chatra-dhara
On Lord Chaitanya’s right is Lord Nityananda, and on His left is Sri Gadadhara. Nearby stands Sri Advaita, and Srivasa Thakura holds an umbrella over Lord Chaitanya’s head.
Text Three
bosiyache gaurachand ratna-simhasane
arati koren brahma-adi deva-gane
Lord Chaitanya has sat down on a jeweled throne, and Lord Brahma and the other demigods are performing His arati.
Text Four
narahari-adi kori’ chamara dhulaya
sanjaya-mukunda-basu-ghosh-adi gaya
As Narahari Sarakara and other associates of Lord Chaitanya fan Him with chamaras, Sanjaya Pandita, Mukunda Datta, Vasu Ghosha and other devotees sing sweet kirtana.
Text Five
shankha baje ghantha baje baje karatala
madhura mrdanga baje parama rasala
Conch shells, bells, and karatalas resound, and the mridangas play very sweetly. This kirtana music is supremely sweet and relishable to hear.
Text Six
bahu-koti chandra jini’ vadana ujjvala
gala-deshe bana-mala kore jhalamala
The brilliance of Lord Chaitanya’s face conquers millions upon millions of moons, and the garland of forest flowers around His neck shines.
Text Seven
shiva-shuka-narada preme gada-gada
bhakativinoda dekhe gaurara sampada
Lord Shiva, Shukadeva Gosvami, and Narada Muni are all present, and their voices are choked with the great ecstasy of transcendental love. Thus Thakura Bhaktivinoda envisions the glory of Lord Sri Chaitanya.
Related Links: Sri Gaura Purnima | Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu | Jagannath Mishra’s Feast Recipes
