Why Chant 'Nityananda' first?

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

Dear Guruji please accept my humble obeisances.

It seems that the follow order of the most merciful holy Names �Nityananda� and �Gauranga� are very much intertwined in the scriptures as well as according to the acharyas. We read and hear: �Nitai-Gauranga�, �Gaura-Nitai�, �Gaura-Nityananda� and �Nityananda-Gauranga�.

Instruction into the follow order of the Names is more specific mentioned by for instance Srila Narottama dasa Thakura who sings: �In the beginning one should very regularly chant Sri Gaurasundara's holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityananda. Thus one's heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach Vṛndavana-dhama to worship Lord Kṛṣṇa.�

In Chaitanya Bhagavata, Madhya-khanda 3.17 Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in his purport mentions that in order to understand the characteristics of Sri Nityananda we need the mercy of Lord Gauranga. He says: �It is impossible for conditioned souls to take shelter of the Lotus feet of Sri Nityananda. The truth regarding Nityananda is realized only by the grace of Sri Chaitanya�s merciful form as the caitya-guru, the Supersoul.�

Srila Prabhupada in his purport in CC Adi Lila 8.31 also says more than once that we should take shelter of the Names �Gaura-Nityananda�.

Also the Pancha Tattva starts first with Lord Gauranga and then Lord Nityananda.

In our case we chant the Mantraraja �Nityananda� first and then we chant the Mantraraja �Gauranga�. Do we adhere to this sequence because of the direct instruction of Lord Gauranga Himself when He says to Murari Gupta to pay first obeisances to Lord Nityananda and then to Himself because: �Lord Nityananda is the elder brother?� Or because we approach the Lord via His devotee and the topmost devotee (and guru) is Lord Nityananda?

What is the exact reason why we chant first �Nityananda� and then �Gauranga�?

Your servant,

Hadai Nityananda dasa

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

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