A Generous Love

Imagine we were rich with love. We had storage after storage rooms of love. And then imagine that we were one of those rare rich people that wanted to give it away generously. And we did. We went outside, knocked on doors, and said here, take it. They thought - what did we do to deserve this? Nothing. Generous love gives and goes where it’s not even asked for, not even thought of. There is no qualification, no requirements to get it.

Lord Nityananda is such a rich man. He had so much love to give away that he couldn’t contain himself from dancing on the streets and rolling on the ground in ecstasy. He would blow people away with his love, the love that he carried in his heart for Krishna.

Lord Nityananda comes before Lord Caitanya on the calendar. He clears the path. The teachings say that by the mercy of Lord Nityananda we get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. Sometimes it says you cannot get love for Krishna, if you don’t get the mercy of Lord Nityananda.

He thinks with his heart. He is also known to be a bit of a madman. Mad and intoxicated with love. Where do we ever see this?

He came to Krishna das Kaviraj, the author of the Caitanya Caritamrita, in a dream and told him to go to Vrindavan ‘for there you will attain all things.’ Go to Vrindavan! He also said, “In Vrindavan all things are possible.” Krishnadas went to Vrindavan and found his teachers, his service, his life.

May Lord Nityananda fill us with generous love. Fill us with exuberance about this path of bhakti, the path of love, the path of chanting and dancing. May we give and receive this generous love of Krishna, for Krishna, for all time to come.