Nityananda or Nitai for short is an incarnation of Balaram, Krishna's elder brother. Cultivation of the practice of mridanga is essentially done under the guidance of Nityananda who also manifests as one's Guru or Master. Included here are some prayers to Nityananda Prabhu.
nityananda namas tubhyam premananda-pradayine
kalau kalmasa-nasaya jahnava-pataye namah
I offer my obeisances unto Lord Nityananda Prabhu who bestows the bliss of divine love, eliminates the filth of the age of Kali, and who is the master of Srimati Jahnava-devi.
Sriman
Nityananda-Dvadasakam excerpts,
Prayers by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj
to Lord Nityananda Prabhu
Verse 5
sri-krishna-premanama parama-sukhamayah ko’pyachintyah
padartho
yad gandhat sajjanaugha nigama-banhumatam moksham apy
akshipanti
kaivalyaisvaryya-seva-pradagana iti yasyangatah premadatuh
sri nityananda-chandram bhaja bhaja satatam
gaura-krishna-pradam tam
Pure unalloyed love for Lord Krishna, which is
inconceivable to all, embodies the most supreme and intense
happiness. When the devotees of the Lord realize the joy
of such love, they caste away the innumerable doctrines
offered by the Vedas, including the soul’s emancipation.
Lord Nityananda openly bestows pure love, automatically
including worship of the non-differentiated Brahman and
service offered in Vaikuntha, which is dominated by
opulence
and grandeur. Let us eternally worship that great
personality
Sri Nityananda-chandra, who freely grants the association
of
Sri Gaurangadeva, who is none other than Lord Krishna.
Verse 11
sri-radha-prema-lubdho divasa-nisi-tadasvada-mattaika
lilo
gauro yan-chadidesa svaparikara-vritam krishna-nama
pradatum
gaude ’badham dadau yah subhaga-gana-dhanam
gaura-nama-prakamam
sri-nityananda-chandram bhaja bhaja satatam
gaura-krishna-pradam tam
Day and night Lord Chaitanya was intoxicated with the
intense desire to taste the sweetness of Sri Radhika’s
divine love for Krishna. Sriman Mahaprabhu instructed
Lord Nityananda and His associates to go out and profusely
distribute the Holy Names of Lord Krishna. However, Lord
Nityananda instead plentifully distributed Lord Gauranga’s
Name, the most precious fortune available to the living
entities,
with no impediment at all. Let us worship that great
personality
Sri Nityananda-chandra, who freely grants the association
of
Sri Gaurangadeva, who is none other than Lord Krishna.