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6 versionsMy Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all good qualities, my Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all good qualities, has brought the flood of ecstatic love of God that drowned the entire world.
Bringing this overwhelming deluge of prema when He returned to Bengal from Jagannātha Purī on Lord Chaitanya's order, Nitāi has inundated the assembly of devotees. The fallen non-devotees did not drown, however, but remained floating on that ecstatic ocean.
Lord Nityānanda freely offered this exalted prema, which is difficult for Lord Brahmā to attain, even to the fallen and wretched souls who were not desirous of receiving it.
The ocean of mercy had formerly been sealed tightly, but Nitāi cut a channel in its boundary to allow the great flooding waves of nectarean prema to splash from house to house.
Locana Dāsa says, "Whoever has not worshipped my Nitāi or taken advantage of this excellent opportunity offered by Him, knowingly commits suicide."
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About Nitai Guna Mani
A well-loved kirtan glorifying Nityananda Prabhu's qualities. Its final verse carries the author's own signature — "locana bole" ("Locana says") — identifying Locana Dasa Thakura, one of the associates of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu remembered as gifted singer-poets, as its author. It remains a staple of Gaudiya Vaishnava kirtan repertoires today.
Srila Prabhupada on this song
Srila Prabhupada spoke on this song in one of his classes:
“Ocean of love of Godhead is a big ocean, but it was not inundated. So Nityananda Prabhu cut a canal from the ocean, and He brought the canal in every door”
Excerpted from Srila Prabhupada's recorded classes, © Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Read the complete purport at the Vanisource link above.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Nitai Guna Mani?
Nitai Guna Mani was composed by Locana Dasa Thakura. It appears in More Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas.
What is the meaning of Nitai Guna Mani?
My Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all good qualities, my Lord Nityānanda, the jewel of all good qualities, has brought the flood of ecstatic love of God that drowned the entire world.
Where can I listen to Nitai Guna Mani?
You can listen to 6 recordings of Nitai Guna Mani on this page, including versions sung by Srila Prabhupada, HG Ananta Nitai Prabhu, HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu, HG Sivarama Prabhu.
How many verses does Nitai Guna Mani have?
Nitai Guna Mani has 5 verses.
Can I download Nitai Guna Mani as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Nitai Guna Mani — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.
Audio courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree, ISKCON Devotees. All glories to the devotee singers.