River Alakananda (Parrot)

One day the Lord, while playing with me, went to a dense forest on the bank of the eastern bank of Ganga. I and Gadadhara went with him. He playfully caught a parrot in a bakula tree. Holding the parrot, he said, “You are son of Vyasa. Utter the names of Radha and Kṛṣṇa and increase our bliss.” The parrot did not utter this but uttered, “Gaura-hari!” Making a show of anger, the Lord tossed the parrot far away. The parrot, saying, “Gaura gaura,” began to dance. We experienced prema on hearing the parrot’s kirtana. The Lord said, “O parrot! This is Vṛndāvana. Say Radha-Kṛṣṇa so that all people can hear.” The parrot said, “Vṛndāvana has become Navadvipa. I have seen Radha and Krsna in the form of Gaura-hari. “I am a parrot. In this forest I sing the name of Gaura. You are my Krsna. Radha is Gadadhara. “Gadadhara and Gauranga are the lords of my life. I cannot utter anything else.” The Lord said, “I am the worshipper of Radha and Krsna. If I hear any other name I simply lament.” Saying this, he took Gadadhara’s hand and returned to Mayapura, leaving the parrot. The parrot said, “Sing as you please. I will perform my worship for a long time.” O brother! I offer respects to the feet of anyone who remembers sweet Caitanya.

I know that Gadadhara and Gauranga are Rädhä and Kṛṣṇa. I accept Vṛndavana as the sixteen krosas of Navadvipa. Why do not those who see the son of Yasoda and the son of Śaci as different, die! The logician who does not accept Vṛndavana within Navadvipa maintains his life uselessly. Without worshipping Gauranga, worship of Radha and Kṛṣṇa is useless. The person who worships Gauränga’s name, abode and pastimes has my sincere affection. The person, though born in Bengal, who does not worship the form, name, pastimes and abode of Gauranga, can never experience in his heart the astonishing names, forms, abode and pastimes of Rädhä and Kṛṣṇa.

(Prema-vivarta by Jagadananda Pandita, Translated by HH Bhanu Swami, Chapter 2 – Writing this work)