Chapter Three
Śoka Śātana (The Dispelling of Grief)

Śrī Gaurāṅga-līlā-caritra
(The Character and Activities of Lord Gaurāṅga’s Transcendental Pastimes)

Song Twelve
Śrī Gaurahari Performs the Funeral Ceremony Along with His Associates

(1-2)
mṛta śiśu lo’ye tabe bhakata-batsala
bhakata-saṅgete gāya śrī-nāma-maṅgala
gāite gāite gelā jāhnabīra tīre
balake satkāra koilo jāhnabīra nīre

Lord Caitanya, Who is so affectionate to His own devotees, then took the dead boy and, along with all the devotees, began to chant the most auspicious sound vibration of the holy names. Thus singing and singing, they all arrived on the bank of the Gaṅgā (the Jāhnavī). Then they performed the proper funeral rites with some water from the Gaṅgā.

(3)
jāhnabī bolena mama saubhāgya apāra
saphala hoilo brata chilo je āmāra

The personified Gaṅgāmayī, Śrī Jāhnavī-devī, then appeared herself and said, “Such unlimited auspicious fortune has become mine today! Now I have achieved the successful fruits of all the vows and penances I had undertaken!”

(4)
mṛta śiśu dena gorā jāhnabīra jale
uṭhali jāhnabī debī śiśu loya kole

Then Lord Caitanya personally put the boy’s body into the river. Immediately thereafter, Jāhnavī Devī picked up the body and took him on her lap.

(5)
uṭhaliyā sparśa gorā-caraṇa-kamala
śiśu kole preme debī hoya ṭalamala

Bringing the dead boy out of the water, she touched the lotus feet of Lord Gaura. With the body still on her lap, she began to tremble in ecstatic love for the Lord.

(6)
jāhnabīra bhāba dekhi’ jata bhakta-gaṇa
śrī-nāma-maṅgala-dhwani kore anukhaṇa

Seeing such an ecstatic mood being exhibited by Śrī Jāhnavī Devī, all the assembled devotees there immediately began chanting the auspicious holy names incessantly.

(7)
swarge hoite debe kore puṣpa-bariṣaṇa
bimāna saṅkula tabe chailo gagana

From the heavens, the demigods began to shower flowers like rainfall. They crowded in the sky, almost blocking out the sunlight with their innumerable airplanes.

(8)
ei rūpe nānā-bhābe hoiyā magana
satkāra koriyā snāna koilo sarba-jana

In this way, everyone on all sides was absorbed in various ecstasies. After performing the funeral rites, they all took their bath in the Gaṅgā.

(9)
parama ānande sabe gelo nija ghare
bhakatibinoda māje gorā-bhāba-bhare

In great happiness, everyone then returned to their respective homes, and Bhaktivinoda is now completely immersed in the transcendental ecstasies of Lord Gaurasundara.