“By the Grace of Nityananda Prabhu you will get Everything.” Srila B. S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj. 10 February 2006. Nabadwip Dham, India
English
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj
By the Grace of Nityānanda Prabhu you will get Everything
Appearance day of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu
(Śrī Nabadwīp Dhām, India. 10 February 2006)
Today is Nityānanda Prabhu’s appearance day, and it is a most joyful day for this world, because the divine conception that is Mahāprabhu’s gift, is coming to us through the personality of Nityānanda Prabhu. Advaita Āchāryya Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu both are spreading Mahāprabhu’s conception, Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the Universe.
In the Scripture it is written:
eka mahāprabhu āra prabhu duijana
dui prabhu seve mahāprabhura charaṇa
C.c. Adi: 7.14
“One is Mahāprabhu and He is Gaurāṅgasundar, famous in Nabadwīp Dhām, who later became known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya. And Nityānanda and Advaita Āchāryya they are both Prabhu (master) and they are serving Mahāprabhu’s conception.”
Mahāprabhu’s preaching conception was spread mainly by Nityānanda Prabhu. By His mercy, He has given everything—full-fledged Kṛṣṇa consciousness—to everyone. And Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāj Goswāmī, he has written very nicely, that actually, we are all fallen souls and our only hope is the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu. And he told in Chaitanya-charitāmṛta: “I am the evidence of that.”
Nityānanda Prabhu was born in Birbhum district of Bengal near to Burdwan, in Ekachakrā. There is a famous village there, which at present is known as Vīrachandrapur. Vīrachandra Prabhu was the son of Nityānanda Prabhu, and to honour his name it is famous at present as Vīrachandrapur. Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu also went there and so everyone is worshipping that place. And Śrīla Guru Mahārāj after withdrawing from the missionary activities of the Gauḍīya Maṭh, he went to Ekachakrāgrām and made his full daṇḍabat there to invoke Nityānanda Prabhu’s grace. And there he heard this, “What is existing within you, the wealth of the mercy of Mahāprabhu, which is your own property; you are not giving that to others, then why you are coming here and asking for My mercy, My blessings today?” Then Guru Mahārāj reflecting deeply on this, decided he would now accept disciples. Before that, Guru Mahārāj had resolved not to take disciples and that, alone, like Lokanath Goswāmī, he would practice his whole life. But when Nityānanda Prabhu gave His order, “If you not will give your property to others you cannot ask for My mercy.” Then Guru Mahārāj decided he would accept some disciples. Actually, this is why there are not so many disciples of Guru Mahārāj, but after this realisation, he accepted those who approached him, only for making Nityānanda Prabhu happy.
Today is the day of Nityānanda Prabhu. And in his last days when Guru Mahārāj was in his zone, upstairs in his rooms, he is always chanting, “Dayal Nitāi, Dayal Nitāi.” Always his consciousness was under Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy, and he was always thinking of Nityānanda Prabhu. Even when he is showing sickness, at that time the servitors of Guru Mahārāj would ask him, “Shall I give your chanting beads, you will get some relief.” Guru Mahārāj replied, “No, no, no I have Nityānanda Prabhu, you give these chanting beads to Govinda Mahārāj.” It is very clear. And “Dayal Nitāi, Dayal Nitāi,” this always he was calling.
Actually if you read and try to understand the meaning of Nityānanda Prabhu’s song, composed by Śrīla Narottam Dās Ṭhākur, “Nitāi-pada-kamala”, you will understand the truth about Nityānanda Prabhu.
nitāi-pada-kamala, koṭi-chandra-suśītala,
ye chhāyāya jagata juḍāy
heno nitāi bine bhāi, rādhā-kṛṣṇa pāite nāi,
dṛḍha kori’ dharo nitāira pāya
se sambandha nāhi yāra, bṛthā janma gelo tāra,
sei paśu boḍo durāchāra
nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilo saṁsāra-sukhe,
vidyā-kule ki koribe tāra
ahaṅkāre matta haiñā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā,
asatyere satya kori māni
nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe,
dharo nitāiyera charaṇa du’khāni
nitāiyer charaṇa satya, taṅhāra sevaka nitya,
nitāi-pada sadā koro āśa
narottama boḍo duḥkhi, nitāi more koro sukhi
rākho rāṅgā-charaṇera pāśa
This is Narottam Dās Ṭhākur’s prayer to Nityānanda Prabhu, and it is giving in a short way the main conception about Nityānanda Prabhu. That is, without the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu you not will proceed even one inch in your spiritual life, and so many examples we can see that illustrate this. Especially Kṛṣṇa Dās Kavirāj Goswāmī has given some example about his own self;
jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha
purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha
mora nāma śune yei tāra puṇya kṣaya
mora nāma laya yei tāra pāpa haya
emana nirghṛṇa more kebā kṛpā kare
eka nityānanda vinu jagat bhitare
preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra
uttama, adhama, kichhu nā kare vichāra
ye āge paḍaye, tāre karaye nistāra
ataeva nistārilā mo-hena durāchāra
C.c. Adi: 5.205–9
“Although I am without a doubt the most fallen and abominable, I have taken shelter of Nityānanda Prabhu’s lotus feet, and He has embraced me, and given all spiritual wealth to me.”
āre āre kṛṣṇadāsa, nā karaha bhaya
vṛṇdāvane yāha,—tāṅhā sarva labhya haya
C.c. Adi: 5.195
“By the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu I have got Vṛṇdavan Dhām. He ordered me, ‘Go to Vṛṇdavan, and there you will receive your super benefit.’ And when I came to Vṛṇdavan, I have got the lotus feet of Rādhā-Madana-Mohan, Rādhā-Govinda, and Rādhā-Gopinath. And the supermost devotees of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu; Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī, Śrīla Sanātan Goswāmī, Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī, Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī—from all the Goswāmīs I have gotten the dust of their lotus feet and received their mercy. Very exclusively they have embraced me, and particularly I have the mercy of Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī and Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī.”
When he composed Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta, there he has written:
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
chaitanya-charitāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇdāsa
Without the mercy of Rūpa-Raghunāth we cannot understand Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, and without the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu we cannot enter into that Chaitanya-līlā, and the Vṛṇdavan-līlā. Nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe. If you will get the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, then simultaneously you will get the mercy of all the Vaiṣṇavas and Mahāprabhu, Śrī Chaitanyadev. All is depending upon the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu.
Look at the character of Śrīla Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī. Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī had an extremely renounced mentality although he was incredibly wealthy. Both his father and his uncle wanted to give all their riches and property to him, for his benefit, but he did not want anything. Only, he wanted to get Mahāprabhu’s and Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy.
Many times, Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī tried to leave his family life to join with Mahāprabhu’s group but he was always unsuccessful. His father was determined to prevent him leaving and used all his strength and influence to do this. Security guards, accomplished fighters, were employed to keep him at home and so he was unable to leave. Then one day Nityānanda Prabhu came to Pānihāṭi. Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī’s house was perhaps only seven miles or so from there, and seeing his opportunity he told his father, “My dear father, Nityānanda Prabhu has come nearby and I want to go and worship Him.” His father said, “Yes, that is no difficulty, if you will not run away from home then you can go.” So Raghunāth Dās went to Nityānanda Prabhu, and Nityānanda Prabhu blessed him saying “Yes, now you have come to me, you will get relief. But before that I have one condition; with me are a thousand devotees, you feed them today and make a feast here. I want to see that.”
And Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī immediately he arranged dadhi (yoghurt), chiṛa (flat-rice) kṣīra, sandeśa, rasagullā, and banana, and so many other foodstuffs. That festival is known as Dadhi-Chiṛā-Mahotsava, it is very famous and every year the devotees are celebrating that at Pānihāṭi. ISKCON are always making a big festival and our party is also going there. It is also known as the Daṇḍa-Mahotsava, the punishment of Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī enabling him to enter into the Chaitanya-līlā. Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī fed all the devotees there, and not only that he gave some praṇami in the form of gold coins. According to their positions all the devotees were given praṇami. Nityānanda Prabhu was given the largest quantity of gold coins, then Rāghava Paṇḍit some quantity of gold coins, and then the general devotees, everyone got some money from Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī. And Nityānanda Prabhu was so happy that he gave His lotus feet to the head of Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī, and told, “Now you are clean from your family life. I am giving you entrance—you will get Lord Chaitanya Mahāprabhu.” And shortly afterwards when the next chance came to him, Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī went to Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, to join His mission in Purī. From his home it took twelve days to reach Mahāprabhu, and almost the whole time, day and night he ran to reach there. Anyhow that is another history but the fact is that by the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu, Raghunāth Dās Goswāmī got relief from family life and attained the service of Śrī Chaitanyadev. And Kavirāja Goswāmī also, by satisfying Nityānanda Prabhu’s dear servitor, Mīnaketan Rāma Dās, Nityānanda Prabhu blessed him.
Nityānanda Prabhu was so very happy with Kavirāja Goswāmī, and in a dream, early in the morning, Nityānanda Prabhu appeared in front of him. He has very expertly expressed Nityānanda Prabhu’s divine form; a very big form, as a great master with so many ornaments, etc. Nityānanda Prabhu was Avadhūt. Avadhūt means, who is the self-controller, not controlled by the scriptural rules and regulations, but whatever he is doing, that is perfect, and that is always right. That type of person is called Avadhūt. The nature of the Avadhūt has been given in Tantra Śāstra.
antaḥ śāktaḥ bahiḥ śaivaḥ
sabhāyāṁ vaiṣṇavo mataḥ
That is the Avadhūt’s nature. He can do anything and everything and will never be considered to be wrong. And if externally it is wrong in the eyes of others, then that is also right. This is the kind of activity of the Avadhūt. And Nityānanda Prabhu, He became known by everyone as ‘Avadhūt’. Everyone is calling Him, ‘Avadhūt’, even the people forgot that His name was Nityānanda. They would say “Oh, Avadhūt is coming,” like that. And when Kṛṣṇadās Kavirāja Goswāmī has got Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy he has expressed that in Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta, and he went to Vṛṇdavan. And really it is the truth that Kṛṣṇadās Kavirāja Goswāmī, he is the most worshippable master of the Śrī Chaitanya Sampradāya.
Another thing I must mention to you all because you are the proprietors of that: our Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh in Sevā Kuñja, Vṛṇdavan. That place was given by Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī—by his order Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī has given that to us. How this came about you will be astonished to hear. I already had one property in Vṛṇdavan. I purchased that on the border side of the Parikramā Mārga. It was a big property, but when I constructed a building there, a great thunderstorm came and it was demolished. Then I am thinking there must be some reason for this and so I waited two or three years to see what will be. Thereafter, my telephone was inactive—no line in or out. So I am thinking, is the phone working or not, and now and again lifting the receiver to see if there is any dial tone. This day I lifted the receiver and on the line at that very moment was the voice of a friend of mine from Vṛṇdavan, “Oh Govinda Mahārāj, within fifteen days Rūpa Goswāmī’s property will be released by the government for purchase. After then the government will again withdraw it. If you want that property please send one person and make registration.” I was surprised to hear that news but the amount of money required to secure that property I did not have at that time, so I asked him, “Immediately within fifteen days, how shall I collect that amount of money?” He told me, “Don’t worry, I shall give the money and you give that to me later, you just send one person and he will register that property for you.” Then after again replacing the telephone, the line was dead. So anyway, I sent Pūrṇānanda Prabhu, and he made the registration. That is 96 Sevā Kuñja Road, Vṛṇdavan. It is the property of Śrīla Rūpa Goswāmī and Śrīla Jīva Goswāmī directly adjoining Jīva Goswāmī’s land. It is the mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu, otherwise it is not possible, and it is a miraculous thing. And also, Kavirāja Goswāmī’s house is opposite that property, and so many highly respected Vaiṣṇava societies, wanted to purchase that, but I prayed to Nityānanda Prabhu, if Kavirāja Goswāmī’s property will come to me then that will be very good. And finally, that property also come to me and if you will go there in the future, you will see that Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Goswāmī’s place is well organised and developed by the Śrī Chaitanya Sāraswat Maṭh in Vṛṇdavan.
Actually, Guru Mahārāj told me, “If you want to make something, make it in Govarddhan, because Govarddhan is our proper place. We will stay the night in Govarddhan, and in the daytime we will go to Rādhā-Kuṇḍa, and serve Rādhārāṇī, etc. This is our inner form of aspiration, then if you will do anything then that shall be in Govarddhan.” And first I have done that, in Govarddhan. If you will go to Govarddhan now, you will see our glorious centre there, very large with two guest houses for the devotees, and the temple of Girirāj and a beautiful temple garden. But I observed that all our devotees’ attention is in Vṛṇdavan, and they want to go to Vṛṇdavan even if that means staying in a hotel. They are not staying in Govarddhan for more than two or three days. Without any inner and deeper feeling then there is nothing to see and nothing to feel there. So, they are going to Vṛṇdavan and doing their own business there and I am losing the devotees. Seeing this I meditated on Guru Mahārāj, and I think I must do something in Vṛṇdavan, for our devotees. My duty is service; service to the Deity, the Mission and the devotees. I have got this duty from my Guru Mahārāj. Then I established our Maṭh in Vṛṇdavan also, and happily I have got shelter there, next to Rūpa Goswāmī, and next to so many other Goswāmī’s just the other side of our wall. Anyhow, everything is coming by the grace of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, because my Guru Mahārāj is so much attached with Nityānanda Prabhu’s lotus feet—this he has shown. And we are feeling Guru Mahārāj as the incarnation of Nityānanda Prabhu. The Scripture confirms that Gurudev is always non-different form of Nityānanda Prabhu, and Nityānanda Prabhu, He is non-different form of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu. Then, nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe, dharo nitāi-charaṇa du’khāni.
Here is one thing to understand. Depending on your own position you will feel if you have Nityānanda Prabhu’s mercy or not. You will feel that within you, and if you have got it, you will be fully satisfied.
Nityānanda Prabhu appeared before Chaitanya Mahāprabhu in Ekachakrā in Birbhum. That area is called Rāḍhadeśa, where the earth is very strong, but muddy. Nityānanda Prabhu was very tall. Mahāprabhu was two inches taller than Nityānanda Prabhu, and Nityānanda Prabhu was almost seven feet tall. And after Nityānanda Prabhu had taken his birth all auspiciousness come to Rāḍhadeśa. He grew up there with the children of village, and His Pastimes was all very miraculous. He is always playing Kṛṣṇa-līlā, from His childhood, and many wonderful descriptions of that have been given in the Scriptures. His father’s name was Hāḍāi Paṇḍit, and His mother was Padmāvatī. He was there only son and the joy of their lives. But one day a sannyāsī came to their house, and requested then to give their boy to accompany him on his pilgrimage. Hāḍāi Paṇḍit was beside himself to hear that, but the sannyāsī’s demand, he cannot deny. So, he gave Nityānanda Prabhu to that sannyāsī and became half-mad in separation. Mother Padmāvatī fainted, but still they have given, because this is their religion, if any sannyāsī, especially a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī will ask anything then you must give that to him, even their own life they can give. And Nityānanda Prabhu was more than life to Hāḍāi Paṇḍit, but still he has given. And that sannyāsī took Nityānanda Prabhu away. Some say that sannyāsī was Mādhavendra Purī, that is not clear, but no doubt he was a great personality, and Nityānanda Prabhu served him. Then Nityānanda Prabhu went on pilgrimage to the holy places with that sannyāsī all over India. And when that sannyāsī disappeared then Nityānanda Prabhu felt, “Now My time has come to join with Chaitanyadev—Nimāi Paṇḍit, in Nabadwīp Dhām.” His feelings clearly manifested within Him, and He appeared to the common people as if mad, an Avadhūt.
He is always thinking Himself to be Balarāma, and His activities were like that. He is not hiding that, and He knows that Nimāi Paṇḍit is really Kṛṣṇa Himself. He told in His life history, “I asked to the Brajabāsī, ’Where is Kṛṣṇa?’ They told me, ‘Kṛṣṇa has taken birth in Nabadwīp, Māyāpur. He is growing there.’ And so, I came here, and I am asking ‘Where is Nimāi Paṇḍit’s house, where is Nimāi Paṇḍit’s house?’” When He found that out he hid in Māyāpur, waiting to see if Mahāprabhu will discover Him. He was staying at Nandan Āchāryya Bhavan, the house of Nandan Āchāryya, who was Mahāprabhu’s very dear devotee. And that day Mahāprabhu told his devotees, “Last night I had a dream;
tāla-dhvaja eka ratha—saṁsārera sāra
āsiyā rahila ratha—āmāra duyāra
C. Bhāg. Madhya: 3.142
A great personality in a chariot bearing the flag of the palm tree, came and is asking my address. Now I am thinking someone has come, a special personality, you please search Him out. He must be in Nabadwīp, somewhere.” The devotees searched everywhere, but they could not find Nityānanda Prabhu. Then they came back and told Mahāprabhu, “We could not find Him anywhere.” Then Mahāprabhu said, “It is a very hidden matter, I am going.” Directly he went to the Nandan Āchāryya Bhavan, and there sitting on the veranda was Nityānanda Prabhu. Mahāprabhu and His devotees saw Nityānanda Prabhu, and upon seeing each other, Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu both fainted. Then waking they embraced, and again fainted there. After some time, they regained their senses, and they are crying in the name of Kṛṣṇa. Nityānanda Prabhu said, “I went to Vṛṇdavan but Kṛṣṇa is not there. Then someone told me You are here in Nabadwīp, so I have come, now You save Me.”
That was the first day that Nityānanda Prabhu joined in Mahāprabhu’s saṇkīrttan. And up to His last day, Nityānanda Prabhu preached Chaitanya Mahāprabhu’s glories. Mahāprabhu preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and gave Harinām-saṇkīrttan to everyone, He gave that Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra to all, and Nityānanda Prabhu, He gave something even more; the glories of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu. His preaching style was:
bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāma
ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje sei amāra prāṇa
“Who is worshipping Lord Gaurāṅga, he is My life and soul,” this way Nityānanda Prabhu preached. And His preaching was so successful. Mahāprabhu gave Rūpa-Sanātan upper India for preaching, Mahāprabhu Himself took South India for preaching, and Mahāprabhu gave East India to Nityānanda Prabhu. And after Nityānanda Prabhu, Vīrachandra Prabhu taken the rudder and after Vīrachandra Prabhu, Narottam Dās Ṭhākur has taken the rudder of the ship of Nityānanda Prabhu. That preaching was so glorious, and still we are seeing that, by the preaching of Narottam Dās Ṭhākur, everyone in Maṇipur, Assam, and Bengal are singing the glories of Nityānanda Prabhu and Mahāprabhu, and chanting the Holy Name of the Lord—this Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra. By the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu you will get everything, especially Mahāprabhu’s mercy. If you want that, then you must be surrendered to Nityānanda Prabhu, and then in the very easiest way you will get it. This is the easiest and only procedure, to get the mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Nityānanda Prabhu went everywhere, with that sannyāsī, but after that, Nityānanda Prabhu did not go again to Braja Dhām. Mahāprabhu sent Rūpa-Sanātan to Braja Dhām along with Jīva Goswāmī and the other Goswāmīs—Ṣaḍ Goswāmī.
śrī-rūpa, sanātana, bhaṭṭa-raghunātha
śrī-jīva, gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātha
C.c. Adi: 1.36
They are preaching, but their style was incredibly austere.
eka eka vṛkṣera tale eka eka rātri śayana
C.c. Madhya: 19.127
How they can do that I cannot understand, it is not conceivable actually. One night they are living under one tree, the next night another tree and not making any permanent place of shelter. That is the kind of austerity and renunciation of the Goswāmīs. The Goswāmī preached there so widely and gloriously, and so many Brajabāsī were very much submissive and affectionate with the Ṣaḍ Goswāmī. And Mahāprabhu, Chaitanyadev once came to Vṛṇdavan and he could see the places of Kṛṣṇa’ pastimes that had become hidden, and He informed Rūpa-Sanātan, “That place, that place, that place, you reveal them.” Rādhā-Kuṇḍa, Śyāma-Kuṇḍa, etc. Especially we can remember that there was one paddy field and Mahāprabhu took the water of that place on His head, and told, “This is Rādhā-Kuṇḍa, Śyāma-Kuṇḍa.” And Rūpa-Sanātan understood that and they went there, and uncovered that place. And later the followers of Raghunātha Dās Goswāmī made a big kuṇḍa there as you will see at present in Vṛṇdavan. So many things Rūpa-Sanātan and others did in Vṛṇdavan. And here is Nabadwīp; and Maṇipur, Bengal and Assam, all were influenced by Nityānanda Prabhu, Vīrachandra Prabhu, and Narottam Dās Ṭhākur. Everyone became Vaiṣṇavas by Their grace.
preme matta nityānanda kṛpā-avatāra
uttama, adhama, kichhu nā kare vichāra
ye āge paḍaye, tāre karaye nistāra
ataeva nistārilā mo-hena durāchāra
C.c. Adi: 5.208–9
“Nityānanda Prabhu has so mercifully given me the dust of His lotus feet and so I have become Kṛṣṇa Dās Kavirāja.” That is Kṛṣṇa Dās Kavirāja Goswāmī’s expression, “I am a very fallen soul, but by the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu I have got everything. And now I am truly a rich man, because Śrī Rūpa and Raghunāth have given me their mercy, and they [have] taken me as their own servitor.” In this way Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Goswāmī has expressed his real wealth.
Many things about Nityānanda Prabhu’s Pastimes are written in the books and written in the heart of the devotees. But I am very poor, I cannot speak more. I am feeling very tired now, but something is better than nothing. I expressed something about Nityānanda Prabhu’s Pastimes, now you can go there, and join with the saṇkīrttan, and reading from the Scriptures.
Actually, Nityānanda Prabhu’s full mercy is within saṇkīrttan. It is very appropriate, and now all over the world there is chanting of the Holy Name—the Divine Name of Lord Kṛṣṇa—the transcendental sound vibration form of the Lord— the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra. But everything is coming through the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu, and that Nityānanda Prabhu’s appearance day is today.
In the Hari-Bhakti-Vilās, Vaiṣṇava Smṛti, the law book of Vaiṣṇavism, there it is given that up to noon we will honour the time of Nityānanda Prabhu’s appearance day. Then after Bhoga-ārati and the offering to Nityānanda Prabhu, we will get prasādam. They must make nice prasādam today—I think so.
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