Chapter 11

         The Beda-kirtana Pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

 

   Bhaktivinoda Thakura summarizes the Eleventh Chapter in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya.

   When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya tried his best to arrange a meeting between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and King Prataparudra, the Lord flatly denied his request. At this time Sri Ramananda Raya returned from his governmental post, and he praised King Prataparudra highly in Lord Caitanya's presence. Because of this, the Lord became a little soft. The King also made promises to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, who hinted how the King might meet the Lord. During Anavasara, while Lord Jagannatha was resting for fifteen days, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being unable to see Lord Jagannatha, went to Alalanatha. Later, when the devotees from Bengal came to see Him, He returned to Jagannatha Puri. While Advaita Acarya and the other devotees were coming to Jagannatha Puri, Svarupa Damodara and Govinda, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's two personal assistants, went to receive all the devotees with garlands. From the roof of his palace, King Prataparudra could see all the devotees arriving. Gopinatha Acarya stood on the roof with the King, and, following Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya's instructions, identified each and every devotee. The King discussed the devotees with Gopinatha Acarya, and he mentioned that the devotees were accepting prasada without observing the regulative principles governing pilgrimages. They accepted prasada without having shaved, and they neglected to fast in a holy place. Nonetheless, the King arranged residential quarters for all the devotees and saw to their prasada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu talked very happily with Vasudeva Datta and other devotees. Haridasa Thakura also came, and due to his humble and submissive attitude, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him a nice solitary place near the temple. After this, the Lord began performing sankirtana, dividing all the devotees into four divisions. After sankirtana, all the devotees left for their residential quarters.

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  aty-uddandam tandavam gauracandrah

                 kurvan bhaktaih sri-jagannatha-gehe

                   nana-bhavalankrtangah sva-dhamna

                  cakre visvam prema-vanya-nimagnam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ati--very much; uddandam--high jumping; tandavam--very graceful dancing; gaura-candrah--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kurvan--performing; bhaktaih--with the devotees; sri-jagannatha-gehe--in the temple of Lord Jagannatha; nana-bhava-alankrta-angah--having many ecstatic symptoms manifested in His transcendental body; sva-dhamna--by the influence of His ecstatic love; cakre--made; visvam--the whole world; prema-vanya-nimagnam--merged into the inundation of ecstatic love.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu merged the entire world into the ocean of ecstatic love by performing His beautiful dances within the temple of Jagannatha. He danced exquisitely and jumped high.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda

              jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jaya jaya--all glories; sri-caitanya--to Lord Caitanya; jaya--all glories; nityananda--to Nityananda Prabhu; jaya--all glories; advaita-candra--to Advaita Prabhu; jaya--all glories; gaura-bhakta-vrnda--to the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

 

                                TEXT 3

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ara dina sarvabhauma kahe prabhu-sthane

                abhaya-dana deha' yadi, kari nivedane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara dina--the next day; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--says; prabhu-sthane--in the presence of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; abhaya-dana--the charity of fearlessness; deha'--You give; yadi--if; kari--I do; nivedane--submission.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The next day Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya requested Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to give him permission to submit a statement without fear.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

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              prabhu kahe,--kaha tumi, nahi kichu bhaya

                yogya haile kariba, ayogya haile naya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kaha tumi--yes, you can speak; nahi--there is not; kichu--any; bhaya--fear; yogya--befitting; haile--if it is; kariba--I shall grant; ayogya--not befitting; haile--if it is; naya--then I shall not.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord gave the Bhattacarya assurance that he could speak without fear, but added that if his statement were suitable He would accept it, and if it were not, He would reject it.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sarvabhauma kahe--ei prataparudra raya

                 utkantha hanache, toma milibare caya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said; ei--this; prataparudra raya--King Prataparudra of Jagannatha Puri; utkantha hanache--has been very anxious; toma--You; milibare--to meet; caya--he wants.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "There is a king named Prataparudra Raya. He is very anxious to meet You, and he wants Your permission."

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

               karne hasta diya prabhu smare 'narayana'

                 sarvabhauma, kaha kena ayogya vacana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   karne--on the ears; hasta--hands; diya--placing; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; smare--remembers; narayana--the holy name of Lord Narayana; sarvabhauma--My dear Sarvabhauma; kaha--you say; kena--why; ayogya vacana--a request that is not suitable.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this proposal, He immediately covered His ears with His hands and said, "My dear Sarvabhauma, why are you requesting such an undesirable thing from Me?

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 virakta sannyasi amara raja-darasana

                  stri-darasana-sama visera bhaksana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   virakta--unattached; sannyasi--person in the renounced order; amara--My; raja-darasana--meeting a king; stri-darasana--meeting a woman; sama--like; visera--of poison; bhaksana--drinking.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Since I am in the renounced order, it is as dangerous for Me to meet a king as to meet a woman. To meet either would be just like drinking poison."

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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               niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya

                param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya

                sandarsanam visayinam atha yositam ca

              ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato 'py asadhu

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   niskincanasya--of a person who has completely detached himself from material enjoyment; bhagavat--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhajana--in serving; unmukhasya--who is eager to be engaged; param--to the other side; param--distant; jigamisoh--who is desiring to go; bhava-sagarasya--of the ocean of material existence; sandarsanam--the seeing (for some material purpose); visayinam--of persons engaged in material activities; atha--as well as; yositam--of women; ca--also; ha--alas; hanta hanta--expression of great lamentation; visa-bhaksanatah--than the act of drinking poison; api--even; asadhu--more abominable.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Greatly lamenting, the Lord then informed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, " 'Alas, for a person who is seriously desiring to cross the material ocean and engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without material motives, seeing a materialist engaged in sense gratification or seeing a woman who is similarly interested is more abominable than drinking poison willingly.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is a quotation from Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (8.23). Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enunciates the principles for a sannyasi renouncing the material world for spiritual advancement. Spiritual advancement is not meant for magic shows and jugglery but for crossing the material world and being transferred to the spiritual world. Param param jigamisoh means desiring to go to the other side of the material world. There is a river called Vaitarani, and on one side of this river is the material world, and on the other side is the spiritual world. Since the Vaitarani River is compared to a great ocean, it is named bhava-sagara, the ocean of repeated birth and death. Spiritual life aims at stopping this repetition of birth and death and entering into the spiritual world, where one can live eternally cognizant and blissful.

   Unfortunately, the general populace does not know anything about spiritual life or the spiritual world. The spiritual world is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita (8.20):

 

                      paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo

                      'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah

                        yah sa sarvesu bhutesu

                        nasyatsu na vinasyati

 

   "Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is."

   Thus there is a spiritual nature beyond this material world, and that spiritual nature exists eternally. Spiritual advancement means stopping material activities and entering into spiritual activities. This is the process of bhakti-yoga. In the material world, the via media for sense gratification is mainly a woman. One who is seriously interested in spiritual life should strictly avoid women. A sannyasi should never see a man or a woman for material benefit. In addition, talks with materialistic men and women are also dangerous, and they are compared to drinking poison. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very strict on this point. He therefore refused to see King Prataparudra, who was naturally always engaged in political and economic affairs. The Lord even refused to see the King despite the request of a personality like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, who was the Lord's intimate friend and devotee.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sarvabhauma kahe,--satya tomara vacana

               jagannatha-sevaka raja kintu bhaktottama

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied; satya--true; tomara--Your; vacana--statement; jagannatha-sevaka--servant of Lord Jagannatha; raja--the King; kintu--but; bhakta-uttama--a great devotee.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "My dear Lord, what You have said is correct, but this King is not an ordinary king. He is a great devotee and servant of Lord Jagannatha."

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,--tathapi raja kala-sarpakara

                kastha-nari-sparse yaiche upaje vikara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied; tathapi--still; raja--the King; kala-sarpa-akara--just like a venomous snake; kastha-nari--a woman made of wood; sparse--by touching; yaiche--as; upaje--arises; vikara--agitation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,"Although it is correct that the King is a great devotee, he is still to be considered a venomous snake. Similarly, even though a woman be made of wood, one becomes agitated simply by touching her form.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Canakya Pandita in his moral instructions has stated: tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. This means that one has to abandon the association of materialistic people and associate with spiritually advanced people. However qualified a materialist may be, he is no better than a venomous serpent. Everyone knows that a snake is dangerous and poisonous, and when its hood is decorated with jewels, it is no less poisonous or dangerous. However qualified a materialist may be, he is no better than a snake decorated with jewels. One should therefore be careful in dealing with such materialists, just as one would be careful in dealing with a bejeweled serpent.

   Even though a woman be made of wood or stone, she becomes attractive when decorated. One becomes sexually agitated even by touching the form. Therefore one should not trust his mind, which is so fickle that it can give way to enemies at any moment. The mind is always accompanied by six enemies--namely, kama, krodha, mada, moha, matsarya and bhaya--that is, lust, anger, intoxication, illusion, envy and fear. Although the mind may be merged in spiritual consciousness, one should always be very careful in dealing with it, just as one is careful in dealing with a snake. One should never think that his mind is trained and that he can do whatever he likes. One interested in spiritual life should always engage his mind in the service of the Lord so that the enemies of the mind, who always accompany the mind, will be subdued. If the mind is not engaged in Krsna consciousness at every moment, there is a chance that it will give way to its enemies. In this way we become victims of the mind.

   Chanting the Hare Krsna mantra engages the mind at the lotus feet of Krsna constantly; thus the mind's enemies do not have a chance to strike. Following Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's example in these verses, we should be very careful in dealing with the mind, which should not be indulged in any circumstance. Once we indulge the mind, it can create havoc in this life, even though we may be spiritually advanced. The mind is specifically agitated through the association of materialistic men and women. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, through His personal behavior, warns everyone to avoid meeting a materialistic person or a woman.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         akarad api bhetavyam

                        strinam visayinam api

                       yathaher manasah ksobhas

                         tatha tasyakrter api

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   akarat--from bodily features; api--even; bhetavyam--to be feared; strinam--of women; visayinam--of materialistic persons; api--even; yatha--as; aheh--from a serpent; manasah--of the mind; ksobhah--agitation; tatha--so; tasya--of it; akrteh--from the appearance; api--even.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'Just as one is immediately frightened upon seeing a live serpent or even the form of a serpent, one endeavoring for self-realization should similarly fear a materialistic person and a woman. Indeed, he should not even glance at their bodily features.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is a quotation from Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (8.24).

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  aiche bata punarapi mukhe na anibe

                kaha yadi, tabe amaya etha na dekhibe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aiche bata--such a request; punarapi--again; mukhe--in the mouth; na--do not; anibe--bring; kaha yadi--if you speak; tabe--then; amaya--Me; etha--here; na--not; dekhibe--you will see.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Bhattacarya, if you continue to speak like this, you will never see Me here again. Therefore you should never let such a request come from your mouth."

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhaya pana sarvabhauma nija ghare gela

                vasaya giya bhattacarya cintita ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhaya pana--being afraid; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma; nija--own; ghare--to home; gela--returned; vasaya giya--reaching his residential place; bhattacarya--the Bhattacarya; cintita ha-ila--became meditative.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Being afraid, Sarvabhauma returned home and began to meditate on the matter.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

               hena kale prataparudra purusottame aila

                patra-mitra-sange raja darasane calila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena kale--at this time; prataparudra--King Prataparudra; purusottame--at Jagannatha Puri; aila--arrived; patra-mitra-sange--accompanied by his secretaries, ministers, military officers and so on; raja--the King; darasane--to visit Lord Jagannatha; calila--departed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At this time, Maharaja Prataparudra arrived at Jagannatha Puri, Purusottama, and, accompanied by his secretaries, ministers and military officers, went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannatha.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It appears that Maharaja Prataparudra used to live at Kataka, his capital. Later he shifted his capital to Khurda, a few miles from Jagannatha Puri. Presently there is a railway station there called Khurda Road.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ramananda raya aila gajapati-sange

              prathamei prabhure asi' milila bahu-range

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ramananda raya--Ramananda Raya; aila--came; gajapati-sange--with the King; prathamei--in the first instance; prabhure--unto Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asi'--coming; milila--met; bahu-range--with great pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When King Prataparudra returned to Jagannatha Puri, Ramananda Raya also came with him. Ramananda Raya immediately went to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with great pleasure.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   All Indian kings are given titles. Sometimes they are known as Chatrapati, sometimes as Narapati, sometimes as Asvapati, and so on. The King of Orissa is addressed as Gajapati.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya pranati kaila, prabhu kaila alingana

                  dui jane premavese karena krandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya pranati kaila--Ramananda Raya offered his obeisances; prabhu--the Lord; kaila--did; alingana--embracing; dui jane--both of them; prema-avese--in ecstatic love; karena--did; krandana--crying.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon meeting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Ramananda Raya offered his obeisances. The Lord embraced him, and both of them began to cry in the great ecstasy of love.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya-sange prabhura dekhi' sneha-vyavahara

               sarva bhakta-ganera mane haila camatkara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya-sange--with Ramananda Raya; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dekhi'--seeing; sneha-vyavahara--very intimate behavior; sarva--all; bhakta-ganera--of all the devotees; mane--in the mind; haila--there was; camatkara--astonishment.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Seeing Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's intimate dealings with Sri Ramananda Raya, all the devotees there were astonished.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                raya kahe,--tomara ajna rajake kahila

               tomara icchaya raja mora visaya chadaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya said; tomara ajna--Your order; rajake kahila--I informed the King; tomara icchaya--by Your grace; raja--the King; mora--my; visaya--material activities; chadaila--gave me relief from.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "I duly informed King Prataparudra of Your order for me to retire from service. By Your grace, the King was pleased to relieve me of these material activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Ramananda Raya to retire from his governorship, and according to the Lord's desire, Ramananda Raya petitioned the King. The King was very much pleased to give him relief, and thus Ramananda Raya retired from service and received a pension from the government.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ami kahi,--ama haite na haya 'visaya'

                caitanya-carane rahon, yadi ajna haya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami kahi--I said; ama haite--by me; na--not; haya--is possible; visaya--government service; caitanya-carane--at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rahon--I may stay; yadi ajna haya--if you kindly give me permission.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I said, 'Your Majesty, I am now not willing to engage in political activities. I desire only to stay at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Kindly give me permission.'

 

                               TEXT 20

 

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                tomara nama suni' raja anandita haila

                asana haite uthi' more alingana kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara--Your; nama--name; suni'--hearing; raja--the King; anandita--very much pleased; haila--became; asana haite--from his throne; uthi'--standing; more--me; alingana kaila--embraced.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "When I submitted this proposal, the King immediately became very much pleased upon hearing Your name. Indeed, he instantly arose from his throne and embraced me.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tomara nama suni' haila maha-premavesa

                 mora hate dhari' kare piriti visesa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara--Your; nama--name; suni'--hearing; haila--became; maha--great; prema-avesa--ecstasy of love; mora hate--my hand; dhari'--catching; kare--does; piriti--loving symptoms; visesa--specific.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My dear Lord, as soon as the King heard Your holy name, he was immediately overwhelmed by great ecstatic love. Catching my hand, he displayed all the symptoms of love.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tomara ye vartana, tumi khao sei vartana

                niscinta hana bhaja caitanyera carana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomara--Your; ye--whatever; vartana--remuneration; tumi--you; khao--take; sei--that; vartana--pension; niscinta hana--without anxiety; bhaja--just worship; caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carana--the lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "As soon as he heard my petition, he immediately granted me a pension without reductions. Thus the King granted me a full salary as a pension and requested me to engage without anxiety in the service of Your lotus feet.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ami--chara, yogya nahi tanra darasane

                 tanre yei bhaje tanra saphala jivane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami--I; chara--very much fallen; yogya--fit; nahi--not; tanra--His; darasane--for interviewing; tanre--Him; yei--anyone who; bhaje--worships; tanra--his; saphala--successful; jivane--life.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Then Maharaja Prataparudra very humbly said, 'I am most fallen and abominable, and I am unfit to receive an interview with the Lord. One's life is successful if one engages in His service.'

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                parama krpalu tenha vrajendra-nandana

                kona-janme more avasya dibena darasana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   parama--very much; krpalu--merciful; tenha--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vrajendra-nandana--the son of Maharaja Nanda; kona-janme--in some future birth; more--unto me; avasya--certainly; dibena--will give; darasana--interview.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The King then said, 'Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda. He is very merciful, and I hope that in a future birth He will allow me an interview.'

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ye tanhara prema-arti dekhilun tomate

                   tara eka prema-lesa nahika amate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ye--whatever; tanhara--his; prema-arti--painful feelings of love of Godhead; dekhilun--I saw; tomate--unto You; tara--of that; eka--one; prema-lesa--fraction of love; nahika--there is not; amate--in me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My Lord, I don't think that there is even a fraction of Maharaja Prataparudra's loving ecstasy in me."

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,--tumi krsna-bhakata-pradhana

                 tomake ye priti kare, sei bhagyavan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; tumi--you; krsna-bhakata-pradhana--the chief of the devotees of Lord Krsna; tomake--unto you; ye--anyone who; priti kare--shows love; sei--such a person; bhagyavan--most fortunate.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, "My dear Ramananda Raya, you are the foremost of all the devotees of Krsna; therefore whoever loves you is certainly a very fortunate person.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  tomate ye eta priti ha-ila rajara

                 ei gune krsna tanre karibe angikara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tomate--unto you; ye--that; eta--so much; priti--love; ha-ila--was; rajara--of the King; ei gune--for this reason; krsna--Lord Krsna; tanre--him; karibe angikara--will accept.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Because the King has shown so much love for you, Lord Krsna will certainly accept him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   King Prataparudra requested an interview with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the Bhattacarya, who duly submitted the request. The Lord, however, immediately refused this interview. Now when Ramananda Raya informed the Lord how eager the King was to see Him, the Lord was immediately pleased. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Ramananda Raya to retire from his government post and come to Sri Purusottama-ksetra (Jagannatha Puri) to live with Him. When this proposal was submitted to King Prataparudra, he immediately accepted it and also encouraged Ramananda Raya by allowing him a full pension. This was very much appreciated by the Lord, and this confirms the fact that the Lord is more pleased when one serves the servant of the Lord. In ordinary parlance it is said, "If you love me, love my dog." To approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one has to go through His confidential servant. This is the method. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu clearly says, "Because the King loves you, Ramananda Raya, he is very fortunate. Krsna will certainly accept him due to his love for you."

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      ye me bhakta-janah partha

                      na me bhaktas ca te janah

                     mad-bhaktanam ca ye bhaktas

                       te me bhakta-tama matah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ye--those who; me--My; bhakta-janah--devotees; partha--O Partha; na--not; me--My; bhaktah--devotees; ca--and; te--those; janah--persons; mat-bhaktanam--of My devotees; ca--certainly; ye--those who; bhaktah--devotees; te--such persons; me--My; bhakta-tamah--most advanced devotees; matah--that is My opinion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Lord Krsna told Arjuna, 'Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My servant are factually My devotees.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu quotes this verse from the Adi Purana. The verse is also included in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta (2.6).

 

                             TEXTS 29-30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         adarah paricaryayam

                       sarvangair abhivandanam

                       mad-bhakta-pujabhyadhika

                       sarva-bhutesu man-matih

 

                      mad-arthesv anga-cesta ca

                         vacasa mad-guneranam

                       mayy arpanam ca manasah

                        sarva-kama-vivarjanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   adarah--respect, care; paricaryayam--in service; sarva-angaih--by all the parts of the body; abhivandanam--offering obeisances; mat-bhakta--of My devotees; puja--worshiping; abhyadhika--very high; sarva-bhutesu--in all living entities; mat-matih--realization of having a relationship with Me; mat-arthesu--for the sake of My service; anga-cestah--engaging the bodily energy; ca--and; vacasa--by words; mat-guna-iranam--describing My glories; mayi--unto Me; arpanam--dedicating; ca--and; manasah--of the mind; sarva-kama--all material desires; vivarjanam--giving up.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'My devotees take great care and respect in rendering Me service. They offer obeisances to Me with all their bodily limbs. They worship other devotees and find all living entities related to Me. For Me they engage the entire energy of their bodies. They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   These two verses are quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.19.21-22). They were spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, who was answering Uddhava's inquiry about devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         aradhananam sarvesam

                        visnor aradhanam param

                        tasmat parataram devi

                         tadiyanam samarcanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aradhananam--of varieties of worship; sarvesam--all; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; aradhanam--worship; param--the most exalted; tasmat--and above such worship of Lord Visnu; parataram--of greater value; devi--O goddess; tadiyanam--of persons in relationship with Lord Visnu; samarcanam--rigid and firm worship.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Lord Siva told the goddess Durga, 'My dear Devi, although the Vedas recommend worship of demigods, the worship of Lord Visnu is topmost. However, above the worship of Lord Visnu is the rendering of service to Vaisnavas, who are related to Lord Visnu.'

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Vedas are divided into three divisions--karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda. These are activities dealing with fruitive work, empiric philosophical speculation and worship. There are recommendations in the Vedas for the worship of various demigods as well as Lord Visnu. In this quotation from the Padma Purana, Lord Siva answers a question posed to him by the goddess Durga. This verse is also included in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta (2.4), by Srila Rupa Gosvami. The words visnor aradhanam refer to the worship of Lord Visnu, or Krsna. Thus the supreme form of worship is the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. It is further concluded that the worshiper of Lord Visnu renders better service by worshiping the devotee of Lord Krsna. There are different types of devotees--those in santa-rasa, dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa and madhurya-rasa. Although all the rasas are on the transcendental platform, madhurya-rasa is the supreme transcendental mellow. Consequently it is concluded that the worship of devotees engaged in the Lord's service in madhurya-rasa is the supreme spiritual activity. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers mainly worship Lord Krsna in madhurya-rasa. Other Vaisnava acaryas recommended worship up to vatsalya-rasa. Therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami in his Vidagdha-madhava (1.2) describes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult as supreme:

 

             anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau

          samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this Age of Kali to exhibit the superexcellence of madhurya-rasa, a gift never previously bestowed by any acarya or incarnation. Consequently Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is accepted as the most magnanimous incarnation. It is He only who distributed love of Krsna while exhibiting the superexcellence of loving Krsna in the conjugal rasa.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        durapa hy alpa-tapasah

                       seva vaikuntha-vartmasu

                         yatropagiyate nityam

                         deva-devo janardanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   durapa--very difficult to achieve; hi--certainly; alpa-tapasah--by a person not advanced in spiritual life; seva--service; vaikuntha-vartmasu--unto persons on the path back home, back to Godhead; yatra--wherein; upagiyate--is worshiped and glorified; nityam--regularly; deva-devah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; janardanah--Lord Krsna.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'Those whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees progressing on the path back to the kingdom of Godhead, the Vaikunthas. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.7.20). It was spoken by Vidura in his conversation with Maitreya Rsi, a great devotee of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

              puri, bharati-gosani, svarupa, nityananda

               jagadananda, mukundadi yata bhakta-vrnda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   puri--Paramananda Puri; bharati--Brahmananda Bharati; gosani--on the level of the spiritual master; svarupa--Svarupa Damodara Gosvami; nityananda--Lord Nityananda Prabhu; jagadananda--Jagadananda; mukunda--Mukunda; adi--and others; yata--all; bhakta-vrnda--devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Paramananda Puri, Brahmananda Bharati Gosani, Svarupa Damodara Gosani, Lord Nityananda, Jagadananda, Mukunda and others were present before the Lord at that time.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

               cari gosanira kaila raya carana vandana

               yatha-yogya saba bhaktera karila milana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari gosanira--of the four gosanis, or spiritual masters; kaila--did; raya--Ramananda Raya; carana vandana--worshiping the lotus feet; yatha-yogya--as it is befitting; saba--all; bhaktera--of the devotees; karila--did; milana--meeting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Ramananda Raya therefore offered his obeisances to all the Lord's devotees, in particular to the four spiritual masters. Thus Ramananda Raya suitably met all the devotees.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The four spiritual masters referred to in this verse are Paramananda Puri, Brahmananda Bharati, Svarupa Damodara and Lord Nityananda.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,--raya, dekhile kamala-nayana?

                   raya kahe--ebe yai paba darasana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--the Lord said; raya--My dear Ramananda Raya; dekhile--have you seen; kamala-nayana--the lotus-eyed Lord Jagannatha; raya kahe--Ramananda Raya replied; ebe yai--now I shall go; paba darasana--I shall visit the temple.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu next asked Ramananda Raya, "Have you already visited the temple of the lotus-eyed Lord Jagannatha?"

   Ramananda Raya replied, "I shall now go visit the temple."

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhu kahe,--raya, tumi ki karya karile?

                 isvare na dekhi' kene age etha aile?

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; raya--My dear Ramananda Raya; tumi--you; ki karya--what; karile--have done; isvare--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na dekhi'--without seeing; kene--why; age--first; etha--here; aile--you came.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "What have you done, My dear Raya? Why did you not first see Lord Jagannatha and then come here? Why have you come here first?"

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

              raya kahe, carana--ratha, hrdaya--sarathi

                yahan lana yaya, tahan yaya jiva-rathi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raya kahe--Ramananda Raya replied; carana--the legs; ratha--chariot; hrdaya--the heart; sarathi--chariot driver; yahan--wherever; lana--taking; yaya--goes; tahan--there; yaya--goes; jiva-rathi--the living entity on the chariot.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Ramananda Raya said, "The legs are like the chariot, and the heart is like the charioteer. Wherever the heart takes the living entity, the living entity is obliged to go."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the Bhagavad-gita (18.61) Lord Krsna explains:

 

                        isvarah sarva-bhutanam

                       hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

                       bhramayan sarva-bhutani

                         yantrarudhani mayaya

 

   "The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of material energy."

   Thus the living entity wanders within this universe riding upon a chariot (the body) bestowed by material nature. A similar explanation is given in the Katha Upanisad (1.3.3-4):

 

                       atmanam rathinam viddhi

                        sariram ratham eva tu

                      buddhim tu sarathim viddhi

                        manah pragraham eva ca

 

                         indriyani hayan ahur

                        visayams tesu gocaran

                        atmendriya-mano-yuktam

                       bhoktety ahur manisinah

 

   Here it is said that the living entity is the passenger riding in the chariot of the body, which is offered by material nature. The intelligence is the charioteer, the mind is the reins controlling the horses, and the senses are the horses. Thus the living entity is the false enjoyer of the material world.

   One who is advanced in Krsna consciousness can control the mind and intelligence and in this way rein in the horses, the senses, even though they are very powerful. One who can control the senses by his mind and intelligence can very easily approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Visnu, who is the ultimate goal of life. Tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah. Those who are actually advanced approach Lord Visnu, their ultimate goal. Such people are never captivated by Lord Visnu's external energy, the material world.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ami ki kariba, mana ihan lana aila

                 jagannatha-darasane vicara na kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami--I; ki--what; kariba--shall do; mana--my mind; ihan--here; lana--taking; aila--arrived; jagannatha-darasane--to see Lord Jagannatha; vicara--consideration; na--did not; kaila--make.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Ramananda Raya continued, "What shall I do? My mind has brought me here. I could not consider going first to Lord Jagannatha's temple."

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prabhu kahe,--sighra giya kara darasana

                 aiche ghara yai' kara kutumba milana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; sighra giya--going hastily; kara darasana--see Lord Jagannatha; aiche--similarly; ghara yai'--going home; kara--just do; kutumba--family; milana--meeting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, "Immediately go to Lord Jagannatha's temple to see the Lord. Then go home and meet your family members."

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                prabhu ajna pana raya calila darasane

               rayera prema-bhakti-riti bujhe kon jane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu ajna--the Lord's permission; pana--getting; raya--Ramananda Raya; calila--departed; darasane--to see Lord Jagannatha; rayera--of Ramananda Raya; prema-bhakti--of ecstatic love for Krsna; riti--process; bujhe--understands; kon jane--what person.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Having received Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's permission, Ramananda Raya hastily went to the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Who can understand the devotional service of Raya Ramananda?

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ksetre asi' raja sarvabhaume bolaila

                sarvabhaume namaskari' tanhare puchila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ksetre--to Jagannatha Puri; asi'--coming; raja--the King; sarvabhaume--for Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; bolaila--called; sarvabhaume--unto Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; namaskari'--offering obeisances; tanhare puchila--he asked him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When King Prataparudra returned to Jagannatha Puri, he called for Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. When the Bhattacarya went to see the King, the King offered him respects and made the following inquiries.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                mora lagi' prabhu-pade kaile nivedana?

                sarvabhauma kahe,--kainu aneka yatana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mora lagi'--on my behalf; prabhu-pade--at the lotus feet of the Lord; kaile nivedana--did you submit my petition; sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma replied; kainu--I did; aneka yatana--much endeavor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King asked, "Have you submitted my petition to the Lord?"

   Sarvabhauma replied, "Yes, with much endeavor I have tried my best.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tathapi na kare tenha raja-darasana

            ksetra chadi' yabena punah yadi kari nivedana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tathapi--yet; na kare--does not do; tenha--He; raja-darasana--visiting a king; ksetra chadi'--leaving Jagannatha-ksetra; yabena--He will go away; punah--again; yadi--if; kari nivedana--I request.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Yet despite my great endeavor, the Lord would not agree to see a king. Indeed, He said that if He were asked again, He would quit Jagannatha Puri and go elsewhere."

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  suniya rajara mane duhkha upajila

                  visada kariya kichu kahite lagila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suniya--hearing; rajara--of the King; mane--in the mind; duhkha--unhappiness; upajila--arose; visada--lamentation; kariya--doing; kichu--something; kahite--to speak; lagila--began.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hearing this, the King became very unhappy and, greatly lamenting, began to speak as follows.

 

                               TEXT 45

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  papi nica uddharite tanra avatara

                  jagai madhai tenha karila uddhara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   papi--sinful; nica--lowborn; uddharite--to deliver; tanra--His; avatara--incarnation; jagai--Jagai; madhai--Madhai; tenha--He; karila uddhara--delivered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended just to deliver all kinds of sinful, lowborn persons. Consequently He has delivered sinners like Jagai and Madhai.

 

                               TEXT 46

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prataparudra chadi' karibe jagat nistara

                ei pratijna kari' kariyachena avatara?

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prataparudra chadi'--except for Prataparudra; karibe--He will do; jagat--of the whole universe; nistara--deliverance; ei pratijna--this promise; kari'--making; kariyachena--has made; avatara--incarnation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Alas, has Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu incarnated to deliver all kinds of sinners with the exception of a king named Maharaja Prataparudra?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is thus described by Narottama dasa Thakura: patita-pavana-hetu tava avatara. mo-sama patita prabhu na paibe ara. If Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu descended to reclaim sinners, then one who is the most sinful and lowborn is the first candidate for the Lord's consideration. Maharaja Prataparudra considered himself a most fallen soul because he had to deal with material things constantly and enjoy material profits. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's business was the deliverance of the most fallen. How, then, could He reject the King? The more fallen a person is, the more he has the right to be delivered by the Lord--provided, of course, he surrenders unto the Lord. Maharaja Prataparudra was a fully surrendered soul; therefore the Lord could not refuse him on the grounds that he was a worldly pounds-shillings man.

 

                               TEXT 47

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      adarsaniyan api nica-jatin

                   samviksate hanta tathapi no mam

                     mad-eka-varjam krpayisyatiti

                    nirniya kim so 'vatatara devah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   adarsaniyan--upon those who are unfit to be seen; api--although; nica-jatin--the lower class of men; samviksate--puts His merciful glance; hanta--alas; tatha api--still; na u--not; mam--upon me; mat--myself; eka--alone; varjam--rejecting; krpayisyati--He will bestow His mercy; iti--thus; nirniya--deciding; kim--whether; sah--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avatatara--has descended; devah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'Alas, has Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made His advent deciding that He will deliver all others with the exception of me? He bestows His merciful glance upon many lower-class men who are usually not even to be seen.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is found in the Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (8.28).

 

                               TEXT 48

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tanra pratijna--more na karibe darasana

               mora pratijna--tanha vina chadiba jivana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tanra pratijna--His determination; more--unto me; na--not; karibe--will do; darasana--seeing; mora pratijna--my promise; tanha vina--without Him; chadiba--I will give up; jivana--life.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Prataparudra continued, "If Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is determined not to see me, then I am determined to give up my life if I do not see Him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A devotee with Maharaja Prataparudra's determination will certainly be victorious in advancing in Krsna consciousness. Sri Krsna confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita (9.14):

 

                        satatam kirtayanto mam

                       yatantas ca drdha-vratah

                      namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

                         nitya-yukta upasate

 

   "Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion."

   These are the symptoms of a mahatma engaged in the Lord's service in full Krsna consciousness. Thus Maharaja Prataparudra's determination is very much exalted and is called drdha-vrata. Because of this determination, he was finally able to receive Lord Caitanya's direct mercy.

 

                               TEXT 49

 

                                 TEXT

 

               yadi sei mahaprabhura na pai krpa-dhana

                 kiba rajya, kiba deha,--saba akarana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yadi--if; sei--that; mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na--not; pai--I get; krpa-dhana--the treasure of mercy; kiba rajya--what is the value of my kingdom; kiba deha--what is the value of this body; saba akarana--everything useless.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "If I do not receive Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy, my body and my kingdom are certainly useless."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is an excellent example of drdha-vrata, determination. If one does not receive the Supreme Personality of Godhead's mercy, one's life is defeated. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.5) it is said: parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam. Unless one inquires into spiritual life, everything is useless. Without spiritual inquiry, our labor and the object of our labor are simply a waste of time.

 

                               TEXT 50

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eta suni' sarvabhauma ha-ila cintita

                 rajara anuraga dekhi' ha-ila vismita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta suni'--hearing this; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma; ha-ila--became; cintita--very thoughtful; rajara--of the King; anuraga--attachment; dekhi'--seeing; ha-ila--became; vismita--astonished.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hearing King Prataparudra's determination, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became thoughtful. Indeed, he was very much astonished to see the King's determination.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was astonished because such determination is not possible for a worldly man attached to material enjoyment. The King certainly had ample opportunity for material enjoyment, but he was thinking that his kingdom and everything else was useless if he could not see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is certainly sufficient cause for astonishment. In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that bhakti, devotional service, must be unconditional. No material impediments can actually check the advancement of devotional service, be it executed by a common man or a king. In any case, devotional service rendered to the Lord is always complete, despite the devotee's material position. Devotional service is so exalted that it can be executed by anyone in any position. One must simply be drdha-vrata, firmly determined.

 

                               TEXT 51

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhattacarya kahe--deva na kara visada

                tomare prabhura avasya ha-ibe prasada

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhattacarya kahe--the Bhattacarya said; deva--O King; na kara visada--do not be worried; tomare--unto you; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avasya--certainly; ha-ibe--there must be; prasada--mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Finally Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "My dear King, do not worry. Because of your firm determination, I am sure that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy will definitely be bestowed upon you."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Due to King Prataparudra's firm determination, the Bhattacarya predicted that the King would receive Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy without fail. As confirmed elsewhere in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.151), guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: "By the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna, one gets the seed of devotional service." The Bhattacarya was the spiritual master of King Prataparudra, and he gave his blessings to the effect that the Lord would be merciful upon the King. The mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna combine to grant success to a devotee engaged in Krsna consciousness. This is confirmed by the Vedas:

 

                       yasya deve para bhaktir

                        yatha deve tatha gurau

                      tasyaite kathita hy arthah

                        prakasante mahatmanah

 

   "Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23)

   Maharaja Prataparudra had firm faith in the Bhattacarya, who declared Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Having firm faith in the Bhattacarya as his spiritual master, King Prataparudra immediately accepted Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as the Supreme Lord. Thus he began worshiping Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in his mind. This is the process of devotional service. According to Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita (9.34):

 

                      man-mana bhava mad-bhakto

                        mad-yaji mam namaskuru

                       mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam

                        atmanam mat-parayanah

 

   "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me."

   This process is very simple. One need only be firmly convinced by the spiritual master that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one decides this, he can make further progress by thinking of Krsna, chanting of Krsna and glorifying Him. There is then no doubt that such a fully surrendered devotee will receive the blessings of Lord Krsna. Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya explains this further.

 

                               TEXT 52

 

                                 TEXT

 

              tenha--premadhina, tomara prema--gadhatara

                  avasya karibena krpa tomara upara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tenha--He (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu); prema-adhina--under the control of love; tomara prema--your love; gadha-tara--very deep; avasya--certainly; karibena krpa--He will bestow mercy; tomara upara--upon you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as the Bhattacarya saw the King's firm determination, he declared, "The Supreme Lord is approached only by pure love. Your love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very, very deep; therefore without a doubt He will be merciful upon you."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Such determination is the first qualification. As confirmed by Rupa Gosvami (Upadesamrta 3): utsahan niscayad dhairyat. One must first have firm determination, firm faith. When one engages in devotional service, he must maintain this firm determination. Then Krsna will be pleased with his service. The spiritual master can show the path of devotional service. If the disciple follows the principles rigidly and undeviatingly, he will certainly receive the mercy of Krsna. This is confirmed by the sastras.

 

                               TEXT 53

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     tathapi kahiye ami eka upaya

                 ei upaya kara' prabhu dekhibe yahaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tathapi--still; kahiye--say; ami--I; eka upaya--one means; ei upaya--this means; kara'--try to adopt; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dekhibe--will see you; yahaya--by that.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then suggested, "There is one means by which you can directly see Him.

 

                               TEXT 54

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ratha-yatra-dine prabhu saba bhakta lana

               ratha-age nrtya karibena premavista hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ratha-yatra-dine--on the day of the car festival ceremony; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saba--all; bhakta--devotees; lana--taking with Him; ratha--the chariot; age--in front of; nrtya karibena--will dance; prema-avista hana--in great ecstatic love.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "On the day of the car festival, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will dance before the Deity in great ecstatic love.

 

                               TEXT 55

 

                                 TEXT

 

                premavese puspodyane karibena pravesa

                 sei-kale ekale tumi chadi' raja-vesa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prema-avese--in ecstatic love; puspa-udyane--into the garden at Gundica where the Lord stays; karibena pravesa--will enter; sei-kale--at that time; ekale--alone; tumi--you; chadi'--giving up; raja-vesa--the royal dress.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "On that Ratha-yatra festival day, after dancing before the Lord, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will enter the Gundica garden. At that time you should go there alone, stripped of your royal dress.

 

                               TEXT 56

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'krsna-rasa-pancadhyaya' karite pathana

                ekale yai' mahaprabhura dharibe carana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsna-rasa-panca-adhyaya--the five chapters in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam in which Lord Krsna's pastimes of the rasa dance are described; karite pathana--to recite; ekale yai'--going alone; mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dharibe carana--catch hold of the lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enters the Gundica, you should also go there and read the five chapters about Lord Krsna's dancing with the gopis. In this way you can catch hold of the Lord's lotus feet.

 

                               TEXT 57

 

                                 TEXT

 

              bahya-jnana nahi, se-kale krsna-nama suni,

              alingana karibena tomaya 'vaisnava' jani'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bahya-jnana nahi--without external consciousness; se-kale--at that time; krsna-nama suni'--by hearing the holy name of Lord Krsna; alingana karibena--He will embrace; tomaya--you; vaisnava jani'--taking you to be a Vaisnava.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be in a mood of ecstatic love, without external consciousness. At that time, as you recite those chapters from Srimad-Bhagavatam, He will embrace you, knowing you to be a pure Vaisnava.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A Vaisnava is always ready to help another Vaisnava progress toward realization of the Absolute Truth. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya could understand the King's position as a pure Vaisnava. The King was always thinking of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Bhattacarya wanted to help him approach the Lord. A Vaisnava is always compassionate, especially when he sees a prospective devotee very much determined (drdha-vrata). Consequently the Bhattacarya was ready to help the King.

 

                               TEXT 58

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ramananda raya, aji tomara prema-guna

             prabhu-age kahite prabhura phiri' gela mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ramananda raya--Ramananda Raya; aji--today; tomara--your; prema-guna--quality of love; prabhu-age--in front of the Lord; kahite--when he described; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; phiri' gela--became changed; mana--the mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The Lord has already changed His mind due to Ramananda Raya's description of your pure love for Him."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   At first the Lord did not want to see the King, but due to the Bhattacarya's and Ramananda Raya's earnest endeavors, the Lord's mind was changed. The Lord already declared that Krsna would be merciful upon the King due to the King's service to the devotees. This is the process by which one can advance in Krsna consciousness. First there must be the devotee's mercy; then Krsna's mercy will descend. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto 'pi. Our first duty, therefore, is to satisfy the spiritual master, who can arrange for the Lord's mercy. A common man must first begin to serve the spiritual master, or the devotee. Then, through the mercy of the devotee, the Lord will be satisfied. Unless one receives the dust of a devotee's lotus feet on one's head, there is no possibility of advancement. This is also confirmed by a statement of Prahlada Maharaja's in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32):

 

                  naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim

                   sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

                    mahiyasam pada-rajo-'bhisekam

                    niskincananam na vrnita yavat

 

   Unless one approaches a pure devotee, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Maharaja Prataparudra worshiped both Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Thus he touched the lotus feet of pure devotees and was able thereby to approach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 59

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 suni' gajapatira mane sukha upajila

               prabhure milite ei mantrana drdha kaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suni'--hearing; gajapatira--of King Prataparudra; mane--in the mind; sukha--happiness; upajila--awakened; prabhure--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milite--to meet; ei--this; mantrana--instruction; drdha kaila--decided to accept rigidly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Prataparudra took the Bhattacarya's advice and firmly decided to follow his instructions. Thus he felt transcendental happiness.

 

                               TEXT 60

 

                                 TEXT

 

                snana-yatra kabe habe puchila bhattere

                bhatta kahe,--tina dina achaye yatrare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   snana-yatra--the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha; kabe--when; habe--will be; puchila--he inquired; bhattere--from the Bhattacarya; bhatta kahe--the Bhattacarya said; tina dina--three days; achaye--there are still; yatrare--until the festival.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the King asked the Bhattacarya when the bathing ceremony [Snana-yatra] of Lord Jagannatha would take place, the Bhattacarya replied that there were only three days left before the ceremony.

 

                               TEXT 61

 

                                 TEXT

 

                rajare prabodhiya bhatta gela nijalaya

               snana-yatra-dine prabhura ananda hrdaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rajare--the King; prabodhiya--encouraging; bhatta--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; gela--departed; nija-alaya--to his own home; snana-yatra-dine--on the day of the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ananda--full of happiness; hrdaya--heart.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After thus encouraging the King, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya returned home. On the day of Lord Jagannatha's bathing ceremony, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very happy at heart.

 

                               TEXT 62

 

                                 TEXT

 

             snana-yatra dekhi' prabhura haila bada sukha

                isvarera 'anavasare' paila bada duhkha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   snana-yatra--the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha; dekhi'--seeing; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; haila--became; bada--very much; sukha--happiness; isvarera--of the Lord; anavasare--during the pastime of retirement; paila--got; bada--very much; duhkha--unhappiness.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon seeing the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very happy. But when Lord Jagannatha retired after the ceremony, Lord Caitanya became very unhappy because He could not see Him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   After the bathing ceremony of Sri Jagannatha, which takes place just a fortnight before the Ratha-yatra ceremony, the body of the Lord Jagannatha Deity is repainted, and this takes just about a fortnight to complete. This period is called Anavasara. There are many who visit the temple to see Lord Jagannatha regularly every day, and for them His retirement after the bathing ceremony is unbearable. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt Lord Jagannatha's absence from the temple very much.

 

                               TEXT 63

 

                                 TEXT

 

                gopi-bhave virahe prabhu vyakula hana

                alalanathe gela prabhu sabare chadiya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gopi-bhave--in the mood of the gopis; virahe--in separation; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vyakula--agitated; hana--being; alalanathe--to Alalanatha; gela--went; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sabare--all; chadiya--having given up.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Due to separation from Lord Jagannatha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt the same great anxiety the gopis feel in separation from Krsna. In this condition He gave up all association and went to Alalanatha.

 

                               TEXT 64

 

                                 TEXT

 

                pache prabhura nikata aila bhakta-gana

               gauda haite bhakta aise,--kaila nivedana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pache--behind; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nikata--in the presence; aila--came; bhakta-gana--the devotees; gauda haite--from Bengal; bhakta--devotees; aise--come; kaila nivedana--submitted.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The devotees who had followed the Lord came into His presence and requested Him to return to Puri. They submitted that the devotees from Bengal were coming to Purusottama-ksetra.

 

                               TEXT 65

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sarvabhauma nilacale aila prabhu lana

                prabhu aila,--raja-thani kahilena giya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; nilacale--to Jagannatha Puri; aila--came; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lana--taking; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--arrived; raja-thani--to the King; kahilena--said; giya--after going.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya brought Lord Caitanya back to Jagannatha Puri. He then went to King Prataparudra and informed him of the Lord's arrival.

 

                               TEXT 66

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 hena-kale aila tatha gopinathacarya

            rajake asirvada kari' kahe,--suna bhattacarya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena-kale--during this time; aila--came; tatha--there; gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; rajake--unto the King; asirvada kari'--offering a benediction; kahe--said; suna bhattacarya--my dear Bhattacarya, kindly listen.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At this time, Gopinatha Acarya came there while Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was with King Prataparudra. Being a brahmana, he offered his benediction to the King and addressed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya as follows.

 

                               TEXT 67

 

                                 TEXT

 

               gauda haite vaisnava asitechena dui-sata

               mahaprabhura bhakta saba--maha-bhagavata

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gauda haite--from Bengal; vaisnava--devotees; asitechena--are coming; dui-sata--numbering about two hundred; mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta--the devotees; saba--all; maha-bhagavata--greatly advanced devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "About two hundred devotees are coming from Bengal. All of them are greatly advanced devotees and specifically devoted to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 68

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 narendre asiya sabe haila vidyamana

                tan-sabare cahi vasa prasada-samadhana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   narendre--on the bank of Lake Narendra; asiya--coming; sabe--all of them; haila vidyamana--staying; tan-sabare--for all of them; cahi--I want; vasa--residential quarters; prasada--for distributing prasada; samadhana--arrangement.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "All of them have already arrived on the bank of Lake Narendra and are waiting there. I desire residential quarters and prasada arrangements for them."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Narendra is a small lake still existing in Jagannatha Puri, where the Candana-yatra festival takes place. Up to the present date, all the Bengali devotees who visit the Jagannatha temple first take their bath in this lake. There they wash their hands and feet before entering the temple.

 

                               TEXT 69

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 raja kahe,--padichake ami ajna diba

                vasa adi ye cahiye,--padicha saba diba

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; padichake--unto the attendant; ami--I; ajna diba--shall give orders; vasa--residential quarters; adi--and other arrangements; ye cahiye--whatever you want; padicha--the attendant; saba--everything; diba--will supply.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King replied, "I shall give orders to the attendant in the temple. He will arrange for everyone's residential quarters and prasada, as you desire.

 

                               TEXT 70

 

                                 TEXT

 

               mahaprabhura gana yata aila gauda haite

                  bhattacarya, eke eke dekhaha amate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gana--associates; yata--all; aila--who have come; gauda haite--from Bengal; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; eke eke--one after another; dekhaha--please show; amate--to me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, please show me, one after another, all of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees who are coming from Bengal."

 

                               TEXT 71

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhatta kahe,--attalikaya kara arohana

                gopinatha cine sabare, karabe darasana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhatta kahe--the Bhattacarya said; attalikaya--on the roof of the palace; kara arohana--just go up; gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; cine--knows; sabare--everyone; karabe darasana--he will show.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya requested the King, "Go up on the roof of the palace. Gopinatha Acarya knows every one of the devotees. He will identify them for you.

 

                               TEXT 72

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ami kaho nahi cini, cinite mana haya

                gopinathacarya sabare kara'be paricaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami--I; kaho--anyone; nahi--do not; cini--know; cinite mana haya--I desire to know; gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; sabare--all of them; kara'be paricaya--will identify.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Actually I do not know any of them, although I have a desire to know them. Since Gopinatha Acarya knows them all, he will give you their names."

 

                               TEXT 73

 

                                 TEXT

 

                eta bali' tina jana attalikaya cadila

                 hena-kale vaisnava saba nikate aila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta bali'--saying this; tina jana--the three persons (namely, the King, Gopinatha Acarya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya); attalikaya--on the roof of the palace; cadila--went up; hena-kale--at this time; vaisnava--the Vaisnava devotees; saba--all; nikate--nearby; aila--came.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After Sarvabhauma said this, he went up to the top of the palace with the King and Gopinatha Acarya. At this time all the Vaisnava devotees from Bengal drew closer to the palace.

 

                               TEXT 74

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 damodara-svarupa, govinda,--dui jana

             mala-prasada lana yaya, yahan vaisnava-gana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   damodara-svarupa--Svarupa Damodara; govinda--Govinda; dui jana--two persons; mala-prasada--flower garlands and remnants of Lord Jagannatha's food; lana--taking; yaya--went; yahan--where; vaisnava-gana--the Vaisnavas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Svarupa Damodara and Govinda, taking the flower garlands and prasada of Lord Jagannatha, proceeded to where all the Vaisnavas were standing.

 

                               TEXT 75

 

                                 TEXT

 

                prathamete mahaprabhu pathaila dunhare

                  raja kahe, ei dui kon cinaha amare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prathamete--at first; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pathaila--sent; dunhare--two persons; raja kahe--the King said; ei dui--these two; kon--who are they; cinaha--kindly identify; amare--to me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first sent them both in advance. The King inquired, "Who are these two? Please let me know their identities."

 

                               TEXT 76

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhattacarya kahe,--ei svarupa-damodara

               mahaprabhura haya inha dvitiya kalevara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhattacarya kahe--the Bhattacarya said; ei--this gentleman; svarupa-damodara--his name is Svarupa Damodara; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; haya--is; inha--he; dvitiya--the second; kalevara--expansion of the body.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "Here is Svarupa Damodara, who is practically the second expansion of the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 77

 

                                 TEXT

 

              dvitiya, govinda--bhrtya, ihan donha diya

               mala pathanachena prabhu gaurava kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dvitiya--the second; govinda--Govinda; bhrtya--personal servant; ihan--here; donha diya--through these two persons; mala--flower garlands; pathanachena--has sent; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gaurava kariya--giving much honor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The second person is Govinda, Lord Caitanya's personal servant. The Lord has sent garlands and remnants of Lord Jagannatha's food with these two persons simply to honor the devotees from Bengal."

 

                               TEXT 78

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 adau mala advaitere svarupa paraila

              pache govinda dvitiya mala ani' tanre dila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   adau--in the beginning; mala--a garland; advaitere--unto Advaita Acarya; svarupa--Svarupa Damodara; paraila--offered; pache--after that; govinda--Govinda, the Lord's personal servant; dvitiya--a second; mala--garland; ani'--bringing; tanre dila--delivered to Him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At the beginning, Svarupa Damodara came forward and garlanded Advaita Acarya. Govinda next came and offered a second garland to Advaita Acarya.

 

                               TEXT 79

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tabe govinda dandavat kaila acaryere

               tanre nahi cine acarya, puchila damodare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--at that time; govinda--Govinda; dandavat--falling flat to offer obeisances; kaila--did; acaryere--unto Advaita Acarya; tanre--him; nahi--not; cine--recognized; acarya--Advaita Acarya; puchila--inquired; damodare--to Svarupa Damodara.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Govinda offered his obeisances by falling down flat before Advaita Acarya, Advaita Acarya asked Svarupa Damodara about his identity, for He did not know Govinda at that time.

 

                               TEXT 80

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 damodara kahe,--ihara 'govinda' nama

                   isvara-purira sevaka ati gunavan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   damodara kahe--Damodara said; ihara--of him; govinda--Govinda; nama--the name; isvara-purira sevaka--servant of Isvara Puri; ati gunavan--very much qualified.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Svarupa Damodara informed Him, "Govinda was the servant of Isvara Puri. He is very highly qualified.

 

                               TEXT 81

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prabhura seva karite puri ajna dila

                 ataeva prabhu inhake nikate rakhila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; seva--the service; karite--to perform; puri--Isvara Puri; ajna dila--ordered; ataeva--therefore; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; inhake--him; nikate--by His side; rakhila--kept.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Isvara Puri ordered Govinda to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus the Lord keeps him by His side."

 

                               TEXT 82

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 raja kahe,--yanre mala dila dui-jana

             ascarya teja, bada mahanta,--kaha kon jana?

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King inquired; yanre--unto which person; mala--garlands; dila--offered; dui-jana--Svarupa Damodara and Govinda; ascarya teja--wonderfully effulgent; bada mahanta--a very great devotee; kaha kon jana--kindly let me know who He is.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King inquired, "To whom did Svarupa Damodara and Govinda offer the two garlands? His bodily effulgence is so great that He must be a very great devotee. Please let me know who He is."

 

                               TEXT 83

 

                                 TEXT

 

               acarya kahe,--inhara nama advaita acarya

              mahaprabhura manya-patra, sarva-sirodharya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   acarya kahe--Gopinatha Acarya said; inhara nama--His name; advaita acarya--Advaita Acarya; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; manya-patra--honorable; sarva-sirodharya--the topmost devotee.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Gopinatha Acarya replied, "His name is Advaita Acarya. He is honored even by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He is therefore the topmost devotee.

 

                               TEXT 84

 

                                 TEXT

 

               srivasa-pandita inha, pandita-vakresvara

              vidyanidhi-acarya, inha pandita-gadadhara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   srivasa-pandita--Srivasa Pandita; inha--here; pandita-vakresvara--Vakresvara Pandita; vidyanidhi-acarya--Vidyanidhi Acarya; inha--here; pandita-gadadhara--Gadadhara Pandita.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here are Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita, Vidyanidhi Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita.

 

                               TEXT 85

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 acaryaratna inha, pandita-purandara

               gangadasa pandita inha, pandita-sankara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   acaryaratna--Candrasekhara; inha--here; pandita-purandara--Purandara Pandita; gangadasa pandita--Gangadasa Pandita; inha--here; pandita-sankara--Sankara Pandita.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here are Acaryaratna, Purandara Pandita, Gangadasa Pandita and Sankara Pandita.

 

                               TEXT 86

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ei murari gupta, inha pandita narayana

                 haridasa thakura inha bhuvana-pavana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei--this; murari gupta--Murari Gupta; inha--here; pandita narayana--Narayana Pandita; haridasa thakura--Haridasa Thakura; inha--here; bhuvana-pavana--deliverer of the whole universe.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here are Murari Gupta, Pandita Narayana and Haridasa Thakura, the deliverer of the whole universe.

 

                               TEXT 87

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ei hari-bhatta, ei sri-nrsimhananda

                   ei vasudeva datta, ei sivananda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei--this; hari-bhatta--Hari Bhatta; ei--this; sri-nrsimhananda--Sri Nrsimhananda; ei--this; vasudeva datta--Vasudeva Datta; ei--this; sivananda--Sivananda.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here is Hari Bhatta, and there is Nrsimhananda. Here are Vasudeva Datta and Sivananda Sena.

 

                               TEXT 88

 

                                 TEXT

 

                govinda, madhava ghosa, ei vasu-ghosa

              tina bhaira kirtane prabhu payena santosa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   govinda--Govinda Ghosa; madhava ghosa--Madhava Ghosa; ei--this; vasu-ghosa--Vasudeva Ghosa; tina bhaira--of the three brothers; kirtane--in the sankirtana; prabhu--the Lord; payena santosa--gets very much pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here also are Govinda Ghosa, Madhava Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa. They are three brothers, and their sankirtana, congregational chanting, pleases the Lord very much.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Govinda Ghosa belonged to the kayastha dynasty of the Uttara-radhiya section, and he was known as Ghosa Thakura. Even to the present day there is a place named Agradvipa, near Katwa, where a fair takes place and is named after Ghosa Thakura. As far as Vasudeva Ghosa is concerned, he composed many nice songs about Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and these are all authorized Vaisnava songs, like the songs of Narottama dasa Thakura, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Locana dasa Thakura, Govinda dasa Thakura and other great Vaisnavas.

 

                               TEXT 89

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 raghava pandita, inha acarya nandana

                sriman pandita ei, srikanta, narayana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raghava pandita--Raghava Pandita; inha--here; acarya nandana--Acarya Nandana; sriman pandita--Sriman Pandita; ei--this; srikanta--Srikanta; narayana--and also Narayana.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here is Raghava Pandita, here is Acarya Nandana, there is Sriman Pandita, and here are Srikanta and Narayana."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Narottama dasa Thakura, honoring the personal associates of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has sung as follows (Prarthana 13):

 

          gaurangera sangi-gane,     nitya-siddha kari' mane

                     se yaya vrajendra-suta-pasa

 

   One who is intelligent understands that all the personal associates and devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are ever liberated. This means that they do not belong to this material world because they are always engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. One who is engaged in the Lord's devotional service twenty-four hours daily and never forgets the Lord is called nitya-siddha. Srila Rupa Gosvami confirms this statement:

 

                        iha yasya harer dasye

                         karmana manasa gira

                       nikhilasv apy avasthasu

                        jivan-muktah sa ucyate

 

   "A person acting in the service of Krsna with body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.187)

   A devotee is always thinking of how better to serve Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and how to broadcast His name, fame and qualities throughout the world. One who is nitya-siddha has no business other than broadcasting the glories of the Lord all over the world according to his ability. Such people are already associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, nitya-siddha kari' mane. One should not think that because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was personally present five hundred years ago, only His associates were liberated. Rather, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says that anyone is a nitya-siddha if he acts on behalf of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by spreading the glories of the holy name of the Lord. We should respect those devotees preaching the glories of the Lord as nitya-siddha and should not consider them conditioned.

 

                       mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

                         bhakti-yogena sevate

                        sa gunan samatityaitan

                        brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

 

                                                           (Bg. 14.26)

   One who has transcended the material modes of nature is said to be on the Brahman platform. That is also the platform of nitya-siddha. The nitya-siddha not only stays on the Brahman platform but also works on that platform. Simply by accepting the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as nitya-siddha, one can very easily go back home, back to Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 90

 

                                 TEXT

 

                suklambara dekha, ei sridhara, vijaya

                vallabha-sena, ei purusottama, sanjaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suklambara--Suklambara; dekha--see; ei--this; sridhara--Sridhara; vijaya--Vijaya; vallabha-sena--Vallabha Sena; ei--this; purusottama--Purusottama; sanjaya--Sanjaya.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Gopinatha Acarya continued to point out the devotees. "Here is Suklambara. See, there is Sridhara. Here is Vijaya, and there is Vallabha Sena. Here is Purusottama, and there is Sanjaya.

 

                               TEXT 91

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 kulina-grama-vasi ei satyaraja-khana

                  ramananda-adi sabe dekha vidyamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kulina-grama-vasi--residents of the village known as Kulina-grama; ei--these; satyaraja-khana--Satyaraja Khan; ramananda-adi--headed by Ramananda; sabe--everyone; dekha--you see; vidyamana--present.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "And here are all the residents of Kulina-grama, such as Satyaraja Khan and Ramananda. Indeed, all of them are present here. Please see.

 

                               TEXT 92

 

                                 TEXT

 

               mukunda-dasa, narahari, sri-raghunandana

                 khanda-vasi ciranjiva, ara sulocana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mukunda-dasa--Mukunda dasa; narahari--Narahari; sri-raghunandana--Sri Raghunandana; khanda-vasi--residents of Khanda; ciranjiva--Ciranjiva; ara--and; sulocana--Sulocana.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Here are Mukunda dasa, Narahari, Sri Raghunandana, Ciranjiva and Sulocana, all residents of Khanda.

 

                               TEXT 93

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  kateka kahiba, ei dekha yata jana

                caitanyera gana, saba--caitanya-jivana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kateka kahiba--how many shall I speak; ei--these; dekha--see; yata jana--all the persons; caitanyera gana--associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saba--all of them; caitanya-jivana--considering Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu their life and soul.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "How many names shall I speak to you? All the devotees you see here are associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is their life and soul."

 

                               TEXT 94

 

                                 TEXT

 

                raja kahe--dekhi' mora haila camatkara

                 vaisnavera aiche teja dekhi nahi ara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; dekhi'--after seeing; mora--my; haila--there is; camatkara--astonishment; vaisnavera--of the devotees of the Lord; aiche--such; teja--effulgence; dekhi--I see; nahi--not; ara--anyone else.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said, "Upon seeing all these devotees, I am very much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence.

 

                               TEXT 95

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 koti-surya-sama saba--ujjvala-varana

                  kabhu nahi suni ei madhura kirtana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   koti-surya-sama--equal to the shining of millions of suns; saba--all of them; ujjvala-varana--very bright luster; kabhu nahi suni--I have never heard; ei--this; madhura kirtana--such melodious performance of congregational chanting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Indeed, their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord's names chanted so melodiously.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Such are the symptoms of pure devotees when they are chanting. All the pure devotees are as bright as sunshine, and their bodily luster is very effulgent. In addition, their performance of sankirtana is unparalleled. There are many professional chanters who can perform congregational chanting with various musical instruments in an artistic and musical way, but their chanting cannot be as attractive as the congregational chanting of pure devotees. If a devotee sticks strictly to the principles governing Vaisnava behavior, his bodily luster will naturally be attractive, and his singing and chanting of the holy names of the Lord will be effective. People will appreciate such kirtana without hesitation. Even dramas about the pastimes of Lord Caitanya or Sri Krsna should be played by devotees. Such dramas will immediately interest an audience and be full of potency. The students of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should note these two points and try to apply these principles in their spreading of the Lord's glories.

 

                               TEXT 96

 

                                 TEXT

 

             aiche prema, aiche nrtya, aiche hari-dhvani

               kahan nahi dekhi, aiche kahan nahi suni

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aiche--such; prema--ecstatic love; aiche nrtya--such dancing; aiche hari-dhvani--such vibration of the chanting of the holy name; kahan--anywhere; nahi dekhi--I have never seen; aiche--such; kahan--anywhere; nahi suni--I never heard.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I have never before seen such ecstatic love, nor heard the vibration of the holy name of the Lord chanted in such a way, nor seen such dancing during sankirtana."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Because the temple of Lord Jagannatha is situated at Jagannatha Puri, many devotees from all parts of the world came to perform sankirtana in glorification of the Lord. All these devotees were certainly seen and heard by Maharaja Prataparudra, but he herein admits that the kirtana performed by the associates of the Lord was unique. He had never before heard such sankirtana nor seen such attractive features manifest by the devotees. The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should go to India during the birthday ceremony of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Mayapura and perform sankirtana congregationally. This will attract the attention of all the important personalities in India, just as the beauty, bodily luster and sankirtana performance by the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu attracted the attention of Maharaja Prataparudra. The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were unlimited during the Lord's presence on this planet, but anyone who is pure in life and devoted to the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is to be understood as a nitya-siddha associate of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 97

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  bhattacarya kahe ei madhura vacana

                caitanyera srsti--ei prema-sankirtana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--replied; ei--this; madhura vacana--transcendental sweetness of the voice; caitanyera srsti--the creation of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ei--this; prema-sankirtana--chanting in the ecstasy of love of Godhead.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "This sweet transcendental sound is a special creation of the Lord known as prema-sankirtana, congregational chanting in love of Godhead.

 

                               TEXT 98

 

                                 TEXT

 

               avatari' caitanya kaila dharma-pracarana

               kali-kale dharma--krsna-nama-sankirtana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   avatari'--descending; caitanya--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--did; dharma-pracarana--preaching of real religion; kali-kale--in this Age of Kali; dharma--religious principle; krsna-nama--of the holy name of Lord Krsna; sankirtana--chanting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "In this Age of Kali, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended to preach the religion of Krsna consciousness. Therefore the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krsna is the religious principle for this age.

 

                               TEXT 99

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sankirtana-yajne tanre kare aradhana

                 sei ta' sumedha, ara--kali-hata-jana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sankirtana-yajne--in the performance of congregational chanting; tanre--unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kare--does; aradhana--worship; sei ta'--such a person; su-medha--sharply intelligent; ara--others; kali-hata-jana--victims of this Age of Kali.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Anyone who worships Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by congregational chanting should be understood to be very intelligent. One who does not do so must be considered a victim of this age and bereft of all intelligence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Rascals propose that anyone can invent his own religious process, and this proposition is condemned herein. If one actually wants to become religious, he must take up the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The real meaning of religion is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.3.19-22).

 

                 dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam

                    na vai vidur rsayo napi devah

                   na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah

                    kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

 

                      svayambhur naradah sambhuh

                         kumarah kapilo manuh

                        prahlado janako bhismo

                        balir vaiyasakir vayam

 

                         dvadasaite vijanimo

                      dharmam bhagavatam bhatah

                      guhyam visuddham durbodham

                        yam jnatvamrtam asnute

 

                        etavan eva loke 'smin

                     pumsam dharmah parah smrtah

                        bhakti-yogo bhagavati

                        tan-nama-grahanadibhih

 

   The purport of these verses is that dharma, or religion, cannot be manufactured by a human being. Religion is the law or code of the Lord. Consequently religion cannot be manufactured even by great saintly persons, demigods or siddha-mukhyas, and what to speak of asuras, human beings, Vidyadharas, Caranas, and so on. The principles of dharma, religion, come down in the parampara system beginning with twelve personalities--namely, Lord Brahma; the great saint Narada; Lord Siva; the four Kumaras; Kapila, the son of Devahuti; Svayambhuva Manu; Prahlada Maharaja; King Janaka; grandfather Bhisma; Bali Maharaja; Sukadeva Gosvami; and Yamaraja. The principles of religion are known to these twelve personalities. Dharma refers to the religious principles by which one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma is very confidential, uncontaminated by any material influence, and very difficult for ordinary men to understand. However, if one actually understands dharma, he immediately becomes liberated and is transferred to the kingdom of God. Bhagavata-dharma, or the principle of religion enunciated by the parampara system, is the supreme principle of religion. In other words, dharma refers to the science of bhakti-yoga, which begins by the novice's chanting the holy name of the Lord (tan-nama-grahanadibhih).

   Therefore in this Age of Kali, as recommended here in the Caitanya-caritamrta (text 98), kali-kale dharma--krsna-nama-sankirtana: the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the method of religion approved by all Vedic scriptures. In the next text of the Caitanya-caritamrta, quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32), this principle is further stressed.

 

                               TEXT 100

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam

                       sangopangastra-parsadam

                      yajnaih sankirtana-prayair

                        yajanti hi su-medhasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   krsna-varnam--repeating the syllables krs-na; tvisa--with a luster; akrsnam--not black (golden); sa-anga--along with associates; upanga--servitors; astra--weapons; parsadam--confidential companions; yajnaih--by sacrifice; sankirtana-prayaih--consisting chiefly of congregational chanting; yajanti--they worship; hi--certainly; su-medhasah--intelligent persons.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   For an explanation of this verse, refer to Adi-lila, Chapter Three, verse 52.

 

                               TEXT 101

 

                                 TEXT

 

            raja kahe,--sastra-pramane caitanya hana krsna

               tabe kene pandita saba tanhate vitrsna?

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; sastra-pramane--by the evidence of revealed scripture; caitanya--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; hana--is; krsna--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna; tabe--therefore; kene--why; pandita--so-called learned scholars; saba--all; tanhate--unto Him; vitrsna--indifferent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said, "According to evidence given in the revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Lord Krsna Himself. Why, then, are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?"

 

                               TEXT 102

 

                                 TEXT

 

               bhatta kahe,--tanra krpa-lesa haya yanre

               sei se tanhare 'krsna' kari' la-ite pare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhatta kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said; tanra krpa--of Lord Caitanya's mercy; lesa--even a fraction; haya--there is; yanre--unto whom; sei se--that person only; tanhare--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krsna kari'--accepting as Krsna; la-ite pare--can take up.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Bhattacarya replied, "A person who has received but a small fraction of mercy from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can understand that He is Lord Krsna. No one else can.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The sankirtana movement can be spread by a person who is especially favored by Lord Krsna (krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana). Without first obtaining the mercy of the Lord, one cannot spread the holy name of the Lord. One who can spread the Lord's name is called labdha-caitanya in the words of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. The labdha-caitanya is one who has actually awakened his original consciousness, Krsna consciousness. The influence of the pure devotees in Krsna consciousness is such that it can awaken others to become immediately Krsna conscious and engage themselves in the transcendental loving service of Krsna. In this way the descendants of pure devotees increase, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu takes much pleasure in seeing the increase of His devotees. The word su-medhasah means "sharply intelligent." When one's intelligence is sharp, he can increase the interests of common men in loving Caitanya Mahaprabhu and through Him in loving Radha-Krsna. Those not interested in understanding Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are simply material in their attempts at professional chanting and dancing for money, despite their supposed artistry. If one does not have full faith in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he cannot properly chant and dance in the sankirtana movement. Artificial chanting and dancing may be due to sentiments or sentimental agitation, but this cannot help one advance in Krsna consciousness.

 

                               TEXT 103

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tanra krpa nahe yare, pandita nahe kene

               dekhile sunileha tanre 'isvara' na mane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tanra krpa--His mercy; nahe--there is not; yare--unto whom; pandita--learned scholar; nahe--even though; kene--nevertheless; dekhile--even by seeing; sunileha--even by listening; tanre--Him; isvara--as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na mane--does not accept.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "If the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not bestowed upon a person--regardless of how learned a scholar that person may be and regardless of his seeing or listening--he cannot accept Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The same principles can be applied to demoniac persons, even though they be in the sampradaya of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Without receiving the Lord's special power, one cannot preach His glories all over the world. Even though one may celebrate himself as a learned follower of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and even though one may attempt to preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world, if he is not favored by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he will find fault with the pure devotee and will not be able to understand how a preacher is empowered by Lord Caitanya. One must be considered bereft of the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he criticizes the Krsna consciousness movement now spreading all over the world or finds fault with this movement or the leader of the movement.

 

                               TEXT 104

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-

                     prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi

                   janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno

                   na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atha--therefore; api--indeed; te--Your; deva--my Lord; pada-ambuja-dvaya--of the two lotus feet; prasada--of the mercy; lesa--by only a trace; anugrhitah--favored; eva--certainly; hi--indeed; janati--one knows; tattvam--the truth; bhagavat--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahimnah--of the greatness; na--never; ca--and; anyah--another; ekah--one; api--although; ciram--for a long period; vicinvan--speculating.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.29). It is explained in the Madhya-lila, in the Sixth Chapter, text 84.

 

                               TEXT 105

 

                                 TEXT

 

                raja kahe,--sabe jagannatha na dekhiya

                  caitanyera vasa-grhe calila dhana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; sabe--all of them; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; na dekhiya--without visiting; caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vasa-grhe--to the residential place; calila--they went; dhana--running.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said, "Instead of visiting the temple of Lord Jagannatha, all the devotees are running toward the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

 

                               TEXT 106

 

                                 TEXT

 

              bhatta kahe,--ei ta' svabhavika prema-rita

                 mahaprabhu milibare utkanthita cita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhatta kahe--the Bhattacarya replied; ei ta'--this is; svabhavika--spontaneous; prema-rita--attraction of love; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milibare--for meeting; utkanthita--anxious; cita--mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "This is spontaneous love. All the devotees are very anxious to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 107

 

                                 TEXT

 

                age tanre mili' sabe tanre sange lana

                tanra sange jagannatha dekhibena giya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   age--first; tanre--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mili'--meeting; sabe--all the devotees; tanre--Him; sange--with them; lana--taking; tanra sange--with Him; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; dekhibena--they will see; giya--going.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "First the devotees will meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and then take Him with them to the temple to see Lord Jagannatha."

 

                               TEXT 108

 

                                 TEXT

 

               raja kahe,--bhavanandera putra vaninatha

                  prasada lana sange cale panca-sata

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; bhavanandera putra--the son of Bhavananda; vaninatha--Vaninatha; prasada lana--taking maha-prasada; sange--along; cale--goes; panca-sata--five or seven men.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King said, "The son of Bhavananda Raya named Vaninatha, along with five or seven other men, went there to obtain the remnants of Lord Jagannatha's food.

 

                               TEXT 109

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   mahaprabhura alaye karila gamana

                eta maha-prasada cahi'--kaha ki karana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; alaye--the residential place; karila gamana--he has already gone; eta--so much; maha-prasada--maha-prasada; cahi'--requiring; kaha--please tell; ki karana--what is the reason.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Indeed, Vaninatha has already gone to the residence of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and has taken a huge quantity of maha-prasada. Please let me know the reason for this."

 

                               TEXT 110

 

                                 TEXT

 

                bhatta kahe,--bhakta-gana aila janina

               prabhura ingite prasada yaya tanra lana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhatta kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said; bhakta-gana--all the devotees; aila--have come; janina--knowing; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ingite--by the indication; prasada--remnants of the food of Jagannatha; yaya--go; tanra--all of them; lana--taking.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "Understanding that all the devotees have come, Lord Caitanya gave the sign, and therefore Vaninatha and the others have brought such great quantities of maha-prasada."

 

                               TEXT 111

 

                                 TEXT

 

            raja kahe,--upavasa, ksaura--tirthera vidhana

                 taha na kariya kene khaiba anna-pana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   raja kahe--the King said; upavasa--fasting; ksaura--shaving; tirthera vidhana--this is the regulation for visiting a holy place; taha--that; na kariya--without performing; kene--why; khaiba--they shall eat; anna-pana--solid and liquid food.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King then asked the Bhattacarya, "Why have the devotees not observed the regulations for visiting the pilgrimage place, such as fasting, shaving and so on? Why have they first eaten prasada?"

 

                               TEXT 112

 

                                 TEXT

 

            bhatta kahe,--tumi yei kaha, sei vidhi-dharma

                ei raga-marge ache suksma-dharma-marma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhatta kahe--the Bhattacarya said; tumi yei kaha--whatever you say; sei vidhi-dharma--that is a regulative principle; ei raga-marge--in this spontaneous love; ache--there are; suksma-dharma-marma--subtle intricacies of the religious system.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Bhattacarya told the King, "What you have said is right according to the regulative principles governing the visiting of holy places, but there is another path, which is the path of spontaneous love. According to those principles, there are subtle intricacies involved in the execution of religious principles.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   According to the Vedic regulative principles, one has to be celibate before entering a holy place of pilgrimage. Generally people are very much addicted to sense gratification, and unless they have sex at night, they cannot sleep. The regulative principles therefore enjoin that before a common man goes to a holy place of pilgrimage, he should observe complete celibacy. As soon as one enters a holy place, he must observe fasting for the day, and after shaving his head clean, he must take a bath in a river or ocean near the holy place. These methods are adopted to neutralize the effects of sinful activities. Visiting a holy place of pilgrimage means neutralizing the reactions of a sinful life. Those who go to holy places of pilgrimage actually unload the reactions of their sinful lives, and consequently holy places are overloaded with sinful activities left there by visitors.

   When a saintly person or pure devotee visits such a holy place, he absorbs the sinful effects left by the common man and again purifies the holy place. Tirthi-kurvanti tirthani (Bhag. 1.13.10). Therefore a common man's visit to a holy place and an exalted saintly person's visit there are different. The common man leaves his sins in the holy place, and a saintly person or devotee cleanses these sins simply by his presence. The devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu were not common men, and they could not be subjected to the rules and regulations governing the visiting of holy places. Rather, they exhibited their spontaneous love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Immediately upon arrival at the holy place, they went to see Lord Caitanya, and by His order they took maha-prasada without following the regulations governing holy places.

 

                               TEXT 113

 

                                 TEXT

 

                isvarera paroksa ajna--ksaura, uposana

                prabhura saksat ajna--prasada-bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   isvarera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; paroksa--indirect; ajna--order; ksaura--shaving; uposana--fasting; prabhura--of the Lord; saksat--direct; ajna--order; prasada-bhojana--to take the prasada.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The scriptural injunctions for shaving and fasting are indirect orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, when there is a direct order from the Lord to take prasada, naturally the devotees take prasada as their first duty.

 

                               TEXT 114

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tahan upavasa, yahan nahi maha-prasada

               prabhu-ajna-prasada-tyage haya aparadha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tahan--there; upavasa--fasting; yahan--where; nahi--there is not; maha-prasada--remnants of food of the Lord; prabhu-ajna--direct order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prasada--remnants of food; tyage--giving up; haya--there is; aparadha--offense.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "When maha-prasada is not available, there must be fasting, but when the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly orders one to take prasada, neglecting such an opportunity is offensive.

 

                               TEXT 115

 

                                 TEXT

 

               visese sri-haste prabhu kare parivesana

                  eta labha chadi' kon kare uposana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   visese--especially; sri-haste--with His transcendental hands; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kare--does; parivesana--distribution; eta--so much; labha--profit; chadi'--giving up; kon--who; kare--does; uposana--fasting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is distributing prasada with His transcendental hand, who will neglect such an opportunity and accept the regulative principle of fasting?

 

                               TEXT 116

 

                                 TEXT

 

               purve prabhu more prasada-anna ani' dila

                prate sayyaya vasi' ami se anna khaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purve--before this; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; more--unto me; prasada-anna--rice maha-prasada; ani'--bringing; dila--delivered; prate--early in the morning; sayyaya--on my bed; vasi'--sitting; ami--I; se--that; anna--rice; khaila--ate.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Previously the Lord gave me maha-prasada rice one morning, and I ate that just sitting on my bed, without having even washed my mouth.

 

                               TEXT 117

 

                                 TEXT

 

                yanre krpa kari' karena hrdaye prerana

               krsnasraya haya, chade veda-loka-dharma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yanre--in whomever; krpa--mercy; kari'--bestowing; karena--does; hrdaye--in the heart; prerana--inspiration; krsna-asraya--shelter of Lord Krsna; haya--there is; chade--he gives up; veda--Vedic principles; loka-dharma--social etiquette.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The man to whom the Lord shows His mercy by inspiring him within the heart takes shelter only of Lord Krsna and abandons all Vedic and social customs.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is also the teaching of Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita (18.66):

 

                       sarva-dharman parityajya

                        mam ekam saranam vraja

                       aham tvam sarva-papebhyo

                        moksayisyami ma sucah

 

   "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Such firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is possible only by the mercy of the Lord. The Lord is sitting within everyone's heart, and when He personally inspires His devotee, the devotee does not stick to the Vedic principles or social customs but rather devotes himself to the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is confirmed in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.29.46).

 

                               TEXT 118

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         yada yam anugrhnati

                        bhagavan atma-bhavitah

                         sa jahati matim loke

                        vede ca parinisthitam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yada--when; yam--to whom; anugrhnati--shows special favor; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atma-bhavitah--who is seated in everyone's heart; sah--that person; jahati--gives up; matim--attention; loke--to social behavior; vede--to Vedic injunctions; ca--also; parinisthitam--attached.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'When one is inspired by the Lord, who is sitting in everyone's heart, he does not care for social custom or Vedic regulative principles.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This instruction (Bhag. 4.29.46) was given by Narada Gosvami to King Pracinabarhi in connection with the story of Puranjana. Here Narada implies that without the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one cannot extricate himself from the fruitive activities that are under the jurisdiction of the Vedas. In previous verses (Bhag. 4.29.42-44) Narada admits that even personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Manu, the Prajapatis (headed by Daksa), the four Kumaras, Marici, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrgu, Vasistha and even Narada himself could not properly receive the causeless mercy of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 119

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 tabe raja attalika haite talete aila

               kasi-misra, padicha-patra, dunhe anaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--thereafter; raja--the King; attalika haite--from the top of the palace; talete--to the ground; aila--came down; kasi-misra--of the name Kasi Misra; padicha-patra--the inspector of the temple; dunhe--both of them; anaila--called for.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, King Prataparudra came down from the top of his palace to the ground and called for Kasi Misra and the inspector of the temple.

 

                            TEXTS 120-121

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prataparudra ajna dila sei dui jane

             prabhu-sthane asiyachena yata prabhura gane

 

              sabare svacchanda vasa, svacchanda prasada

             svacchanda darsana karaiha, nahe yena badha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prataparudra--King Prataparudra; ajna dila--ordered; sei dui jane--to those two persons; prabhu-sthane--at the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asiyachena--have arrived; yata--all the devotees who; prabhura gane--associates of the Lord; sabare--to all of them; svacchanda--convenient; vasa--residential places; svacchanda--convenient; prasada--remnants of the food of Jagannatha; svacchanda darsana--convenient visit; karaiha--arrange for; nahe yena badha--so that there will not be any difficulties.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maharaja Prataparudra then told both Kasi Misra and the temple inspector, "Provide all the devotees and associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with comfortable residences, convenient eating facilities for prasada and convenient visiting arrangements at the temple so that there will not be any difficulty.

 

                               TEXT 122

 

                                 TEXT

 

              prabhura ajna paliha dunhe savadhana hana

                ajna nahe, tabu kariha, ingita bujhiya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ajna--the order; paliha--carry out; dunhe--both of you; savadhana--careful; hana--becoming; ajna nahe--although there is no direct order; tabu--still; kariha--do; ingita--indication; bujhiya--understanding.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must be carefully carried out. Although the Lord may not give direct orders, you are still to carry out His desires simply by understanding His indications."

 

                               TEXT 123

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  eta bali' vidaya dila sei dui-jane

               sarvabhauma dekhite aila vaisnava-milane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta bali'--saying this; vidaya dila--granted permission to go; sei dui-jane--to those two persons; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; dekhite--to see; aila--came; vaisnava-milane--in the meeting of all the Vaisnavas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saying this, the King gave them permission to leave. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya also went to see the assembly of all the Vaisnavas.

 

                               TEXT 124

 

                                 TEXT

 

                gopinathacarya bhattacarya sarvabhauma

              dure rahi' dekhe prabhura vaisnava-milana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; bhattacarya sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; dure rahi'--standing a little off; dekhe--see; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vaisnava-milana--meeting with the Vaisnavas.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   From a distant place both Gopinatha Acarya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya watched the meeting of all the Vaisnavas with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 125

 

                                 TEXT

 

             simha-dvara dahine chadi' saba vaisnava-gana

                 kasi-misra-grha-pathe karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   simha-dvara dahine--on the right side of the lion gate; chadi'--leaving aside; saba--all; vaisnava-gana--devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kasi-misra-grha--to the house of Kasi Misra; pathe--on the way; karila gamana--began to proceed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Beginning from the right side of the lion gate, or the main gate of the temple, all the Vaisnavas began to proceed toward the house of Kasi Misra.

 

                               TEXT 126

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 hena-kale mahaprabhu nija-gana-sange

                vaisnave milila asi' pathe bahu-range

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena-kale--at this time; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nila-gana-sange--in the association of His personal assistants; vaisnave--all the Vaisnavas; milila--met; asi'--coming; pathe--on the road; bahu-range--in great jubilation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the meantime, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, accompanied by His personal associates, met all the Vaisnavas on the road with great jubilation.

 

                               TEXT 127

 

                                 TEXT

 

                advaita karila prabhura carana vandana

                 acaryere kaila prabhu prema-alingana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   advaita--Advaita Acarya; karila--did; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carana--of the lotus feet; vandana--worship; acaryere--unto Advaita Acarya; kaila--did; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prema-alingana--embracing in ecstatic love.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   First Advaita Acarya offered prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord immediately embraced Him in ecstatic love.

 

                               TEXT 128

 

                                 TEXT

 

                premanande haila dunhe parama asthira

               samaya dekhiya prabhu haila kichu dhira

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prema-anande--in ecstatic love; haila--became; dunhe--both of them; parama asthira--greatly agitated; samaya--the time; dekhiya--seeing; prabhu--the Lord; haila--became; kichu--a little; dhira--patient.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Indeed, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acarya displayed agitation due to ecstatic love. Seeing the time and circumstance, however, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained patient.

 

                               TEXT 129

 

                                 TEXT

 

               srivasadi karila prabhura carana vandana

                pratyeke karila prabhu prema-alingana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   srivasa-adi--devotees headed by Srivasa Thakura; karila--did; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carana vandana--worshiping the lotus feet; pratyeke--to everyone; karila--did; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prema-alingana--embracing in love.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, all the devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura, offered prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord embraced each and every one of them in great love and ecstasy.

 

                               TEXT 130

 

                                 TEXT

 

                eke eke sarva-bhakte kaila sambhasana

                  saba lana abhyantare karila gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eke eke--one after another; sarva-bhakte--to every devotee; kaila--did; sambhasana--address; saba lana--taking all of them; abhyantare--inside; karila gamana--entered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord addressed all the devotees one after another and took all of them with Him into the house.

 

                               TEXT 131

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  misrera avasa sei haya alpa sthana

                asankhya vaisnava tahan haila parimana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   misrera avasa--the residence of Kasi Misra; sei--that; haya--is; alpa sthana--insufficient place; asankhya--unlimited; vaisnava--devotees; tahan--there; haila--were; parimana--overcrowded.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Since the residence of Kasi Misra was insufficient, all the assembled devotees were very much overcrowded.

 

                               TEXT 132

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   apana-nikate prabhu saba vasaila

               apani sri-haste sabare malya-gandha dila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   apana-nikate--by His own side; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saba--all of them; vasaila--made sit; apani--personally Himself; sri-haste--with His hand; sabare--unto everyone; malya--garland; gandha--sandalwood pulp; dila--offered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made all the devotees sit at His side, and with His own hand He offered them garlands and sandalwood pulp.

 

                               TEXT 133

 

                                 TEXT

 

             bhattacarya, acarya tabe mahaprabhura sthane

                   yatha-yogya milila sabakara sane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; tabe--thereafter; mahaprabhura sthane--at the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yatha-yogya--as it is befitting; milila--met; sabakara sane--with all the Vaisnavas assembled there.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, Gopinatha Acarya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya met all the Vaisnavas at the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in a befitting manner.

 

                               TEXT 134

 

                                 TEXT

 

                advaitere kahena prabhu madhura vacane

                aji ami purna ha-ilana tomara agamane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   advaitere--unto Advaita Acarya Prabhu; kahena--says; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; madhura vacane--in sweet language; aji--today; ami--I; purna--perfect; ha-ilana--became; tomara--Your; agamane--on arrival.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu addressed Advaita Acarya Prabhu, saying sweetly, "My dear Sir, today I have become perfect because of Your arrival."

 

                            TEXTS 135-136

 

                                 TEXT

 

               advaita kahe,--isvarera ei svabhava haya

                yadyapi apane purna, sarvaisvarya-maya

 

                 tathapi bhakta-sange haya sukhollasa

                bhakta-sange kare nitya vividha vilasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   advaita kahe--Advaita Acarya Prabhu said; isvarera--of the Lord; ei--this; svabhava--feature; haya--becomes; yadyapi--although; apane--Himself; purna--all-perfect; sarva-aisvarya-maya--full of all opulences; tathapi--still; bhakta-sange--in the association of devotees; haya--there is; sukha-ullasa--great jubilation; bhakta-sange--with devotees; kare--does; nitya--eternally; vividha--various; vilasa--pastimes.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Advaita Acarya Prabhu replied, "This is a natural characteristic of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is personally complete and full of all opulences, He takes transcendental pleasure in the association of His devotees, with whom He has a variety of eternal pastimes."

 

                               TEXT 137

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 vasudeva dekhi' prabhu anandita hana

                tanre kichu kahe tanra ange hasta diya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vasudeva--Vasudeva; dekhi'--seeing; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; anandita hana--becoming very much pleased; tanre--unto him; kichu kahe--says something; tanra ange--on his body; hasta diya--placing His hand.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw Vasudeva Datta, the father of Mukunda Datta, He immediately became very happy and, placing His hand on his body, began to speak.

 

                               TEXT 138

 

                                 TEXT

 

                yadyapi mukunda--ama-sange sisu haite

               tanha haite adhika sukha tomare dekhite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yadyapi--although; mukunda--Mukunda; ama-sange--with Me; sisu haite--from childhood; tanha haite--than him; adhika--still more; sukha--happiness; tomare dekhite--to see you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Although Mukunda is My friend from childhood, I nonetheless take greater pleasure in seeing you than in seeing him."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Vasudeva Datta was the father of Mukunda Datta, who was the childhood friend of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is naturally a great pleasure to see a friend, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed the father that although it was His pleasure to see His friend, His pleasure was increased by seeing the father.

 

                               TEXT 139

 

                                 TEXT

 

             vasu kahe,--mukunda adau paila tomara sanga

                 tomara carana paila sei punar-janma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vasu kahe--Vasudeva Datta said; mukunda--Mukunda; adau--in the beginning; paila--got; tomara sanga--Your association; tomara carana--Your lotus feet; paila--got; sei--that; punah-janma--transcendental rebirth.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Vasudeva replied, "Mukunda got Your association in the beginning. As such, he has taken shelter at Your lotus feet. That is his transcendental rebirth."

 

                               TEXT 140

 

                                 TEXT

 

              chota hana mukunda ebe haila amara jyestha

              tomara krpa-patra tate sarva-gune srestha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   chota hana--being junior; mukunda--Mukunda; ebe--now; haila--has become; amara--my; jyestha--senior; tomara--Your; krpa-patra--favorite; tate--therefore; sarva-gune--in all good qualities; srestha--superior.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Vasudeva Datta admitted his inferiority to Mukunda, his son. "Although Mukunda is my junior," he said, "he first received Your favor. Consequently he became transcendentally senior to me. Besides that, You very much favored Mukunda. Thus he is superior in all good qualities."

 

                               TEXT 141

 

                                 TEXT

 

                punah prabhu kahe--ami tomara nimitte

                dui pustaka aniyachi 'daksina' ha-ite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   punah--again; prabhu kahe--the Lord said; ami--I; tomara nimitte--for your sake; dui--two; pustaka--books; aniyachi--have brought; daksina ha-ite--from South India.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord said, "For your sake only, I have brought two books from South India.

 

                               TEXT 142

 

                                 TEXT

 

                svarupera thani ache, laha ta likhiya

                    vasudeva anandita pustaka pana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupera thani--in the possession of Svarupa Damodara; ache--they are; laha--you take; ta--them; likhiya--copying; vasudeva--Vasudeva; anandita--very glad; pustaka--the books; pana--getting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "The books are kept with Svarupa Damodara, and you can get them copied." Hearing this, Vasudeva became very glad.

 

                               TEXT 143

 

                                 TEXT

 

                pratyeka vaisnava sabe likhiya la-ila

               krame krame dui grantha sarvatra vyapila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pratyeka--each and every; vaisnava--devotee; sabe--all; likhiya--copying; la-ila--took; krame krame--by and by; dui grantha--the two books; sarvatra--everywhere; vyapila--become broadcast.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Indeed, each and every Vaisnava copied the two books. By and by, the two books [the Brahma-samhita and Sri Krsna-karnamrta] were broadcast all over India.

 

                               TEXT 144

 

                                 TEXT

 

               srivasadye kahe prabhu kari' maha-prita

                tomara cari-bhaira ami ha-inu vikrita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   srivasa-adye--unto Srivasa and his three brothers; kahe--says; prabhu--the Lord; kari'--giving; maha-prita--great love; tomara--of you; cari-bhaira--of four brothers; ami--I; ha-inu--became; vikrita--purchased.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord addressed Srivasa and his brothers with great love and affection, saying, "I am so obliged that I am purchased by you four brothers."

 

                               TEXT 145

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 srivasa kahena,--kene kaha viparita

                krpa-mulye cari bhai ha-i tomara krita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   srivasa kahena--Srivasa Thakura replied; kene--why; kaha viparita--do You speak just the opposite; krpa-mulye--by the price of Your mercy; cari bhai--we four brothers; ha-i--become; tomara--of You; krita--purchased.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Srivasa then replied to the Lord, "Why are You speaking in a contradictory way? Rather, we four brothers have been purchased by Your mercy."

 

                               TEXT 146

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sankare dekhiya prabhu kahe damodare

                  sagaurava-priti amara tomara upare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sankare dekhiya--seeing Sankara; prabhu--the Lord; kahe--says; damodare--unto Damodara; sa-gaurava-priti--affection with awe and reverence; amara--My; tomara upare--upon you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After seeing Sankara, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Damodara, "My affection for you is on the platform of awe and reverence.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here the Lord is addressing Damodara Pandita, who is different from Svarupa Damodara. Damodara Pandita is the elder brother of Sankara. Thus the Lord informed Damodara that His affection toward him was on the platform of awe and reverence. However, the Lord's affection toward his younger brother, Sankara, was on the platform of pure love.

 

                               TEXT 147

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  suddha kevala-prema sankara-upare

                 ataeva tomara sange rakhaha sankare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suddha kevala-prema--pure unalloyed affection; sankara-upare--upon Sankara; ataeva--therefore; tomara sange--along with you; rakhaha--keep; sankare--Sankara.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Therefore keep your younger brother Sankara with you because he is connected to Me by pure unalloyed love."

 

                               TEXT 148

 

                                 TEXT

 

               damodara kahe,--sankara chota ama haite

                  ebe amara bada bhai tomara krpate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   damodara kahe--Damodara Pandita replied; sankara--Sankara; chota--younger; ama haite--than me; ebe--now; amara--my; bada bhai--elder brother; tomara--of You; krpate--by the mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Damodara Pandita replied, "Sankara is my younger brother, but from today he becomes my elder brother because of Your special mercy upon him."

 

                               TEXT 149

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 sivanande kahe prabhu,--tomara amate

                  gadha anuraga haya, jani age haite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sivanande--unto Sivananda Sena; kahe--says; prabhu--the Lord; tomara--your; amate--upon Me; gadha anuraga--deep affection; haya--there is; jani--I know; age haite--from the very beginning.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then turning toward Sivananda Sena, the Lord said, "I know that from the very beginning your affection for Me has been very great."

 

                               TEXT 150

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 suni' sivananda-sena premavista hana

                   dandavat hana pade sloka padiya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   suni'--hearing; sivananda-sena--Sivananda Sena; prema-avista hana--becoming absorbed in pure love; dandavat hana--offering obeisances; pade--falls down; sloka--a verse; padiya--reciting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Immediately upon hearing this, Sivananda Sena became absorbed in ecstatic love and fell down on the ground, offering obeisances to the Lord. He then began to recite the following verse.

 

                               TEXT 151

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   nimajjato 'nanta bhavarnavantas

                    ciraya me kulam ivasi labdhah

                   tvayapi labdham bhagavann idanim

                    anuttamam patram idam dayayah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nimajjatah--being immersed; ananta--O unlimited one; bhava-arnava-antah--within the ocean of nescience; ciraya--after a long time; me--of me; kulam--the shore; iva--like; asi--You are; labdhah--obtained; tvaya--by You; api--also; labdham--has been gained; bhagavan--O my Lord; idanim--now; anuttamam--the best; patram--candidate; idam--this; dayayah--for showing Your mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   " 'O my Lord! O unlimited one! Although I was merged in the ocean of nescience, I have now, after a long time, attained You, just as one may attain the seashore. My dear Lord, by getting me, You have obtained the right person upon whom to bestow Your causeless mercy.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is a verse from the Stotra-ratna (21), composed by Alabandaru Yamunacarya. One's relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead may be reestablished even after one has fallen into the ocean of nescience, which is the ocean of material existence involving the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, all arising out of the acceptance of the material body. There are 8,400,000 species of material life, but in the human body one attains a chance to get release from the repetition of birth and death. When one becomes the Lord's devotee, he is rescued from this dangerous ocean of birth and death. The Lord is always prepared to show His mercy to the fallen souls struggling against miserable material conditions. As Lord Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

 

                         mamaivamso jiva-loke

                        jiva-bhutah sanatanah

                        manah-sasthanindriyani

                        prakrti-sthani karsati

 

   "The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind."

   Thus every living being is struggling hard in this material nature. Actually the living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and when he surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he attains release from the ocean of birth and death. The Lord, being very kind to fallen souls, is always anxious to get the living entity out of the ocean of nescience. If the living entity understands his position and surrenders to the Lord, his life becomes successful.

 

                               TEXT 152

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prathame murari-gupta prabhure na miliya

                  bahirete padi' ache dandavat hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prathame--at first; murari-gupta--Murari Gupta; prabhure--to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na--without; miliya--meeting; bahirete--outside; padi'--falling down; ache--was there; dandavat--falling flat like a stick; hana--becoming so.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Murari Gupta at first did not meet the Lord but rather remained outside the door, falling down like a stick to offer obeisances.

 

                               TEXT 153

 

                                 TEXT

 

                murari na dekhiya prabhu kare anvesana

                  murari la-ite dhana aila bahu-jana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   murari--Murari; na--without; dekhiya--seeing; prabhu--the Lord; kare--does; anvesana--inquiry; murari--Murari Gupta; la-ite--to take; dhana--running; aila--came; bahu-jana--many persons.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could not see Murari amongst the devotees, He inquired about him. Thereupon many people immediately went to Murari, running to take him to the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 154

 

                                 TEXT

 

                trna dui-guccha murari dasane dhariya

                 mahaprabhu age gela dainyadhina hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   trna--of straw; dui--two; guccha--bunches; murari--Murari; dasane--in his teeth; dhariya--catching; mahaprabhu--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; age--in front; gela--went; dainya-adhina--under obligation of meekness; hana--becoming.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Murari Gupta, catching two bunches of straw in his teeth, went before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with humility and meekness.

 

                               TEXT 155

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  murari dekhiya prabhu aila milite

                  pache bhage murari, lagila kahite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   murari--Murari; dekhiya--seeing; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came out; milite--to meet; pache--thereafter; bhage--runs away; murari--Murari; lagila--began; kahite--to speak.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon seeing Murari come to meet Him, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went up to him, but Murari began to run away and speak as follows.

 

                               TEXT 156

 

                                 TEXT

 

               more na chuniha, prabhu, muni ta' pamara

                tomara sparsa-yogya nahe papa kalevara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   more--me; na chuniha--do not touch; prabhu--my Lord; muni--I; ta'--certainly; pamara--most abominable; tomara--of You; sparsa-yogya--fit to be touched; nahe--not; papa--sinful; kalevara--body.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My Lord, please do not touch me. I am most abominable and am not fit for You to touch because my body is sinful."

 

                               TEXT 157

 

                                 TEXT

 

             prabhu kahe,--murari, kara dainya samvarana

             tomara dainya dekhi' mora vidirna haya mana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--the Lord said; murari--My dear Murari; kara dainya samvarana--please restrain your great humility; tomara--your; dainya--humility; dekhi'--seeing; mora--My; vidirna haya mana--mind becomes disturbed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord said, "My dear Murari, please restrain your unnecessary humility. My mind is disturbed to see your meekness."

 

                               TEXT 158

 

                                 TEXT

 

                eta bali' prabhu tanre kaila alingana

                  nikate vasana kare anga sammarjana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta bali'--saying this; prabhu--the Lord; tanre--him; kaila--did; alingana--embrace; nikate--nearby; vasana--making sit down; kare--does; anga--of his body; sammarjana--cleansing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saying this, the Lord embraced Murari and had him sit down by His side. The Lord then began to cleanse his body with His own hands.

 

                            TEXTS 159-160

 

                                 TEXT

 

              acaryaratna, vidyanidhi, pandita gadadhara

               gangadasa, hari-bhatta, acarya purandara

 

                pratyeke sabara prabhu kari' guna gana

                 punah punah alingiya karila sammana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   acaryaratna--Acaryaratna; vidyanidhi--Vidyanidhi; pandita gadadhara--Pandita Gadadhara; gangadasa--Gangadasa; hari-bhatta--Hari Bhatta; acarya purandara--Acarya Purandara; pratyeke--each and every one of them; sabara--of all of them; prabhu--the Lord; kari' guna gana--glorifying the qualities; punah punah--again and again; alingiya--embracing; karila--did; sammana--honor.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then again and again embraced all the devotees, including Acaryaratna, Vidyanidhi, Pandita Gadadhara, Gangadasa, Hari Bhatta and Acarya Purandara. The Lord described their good qualities and glorified them again and again.

 

                               TEXT 161

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sabare sammani' prabhura ha-ila ullasa

              haridase na dekhiya kahe,--kahan haridasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabare sammani'--respecting everyone; prabhura--of the Lord; ha-ila--there was; ullasa--jubilation; haridase--Haridasa Thakura; na dekhiya--without seeing; kahe--says; kahan haridasa--where is Haridasa.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After thus offering respect to each and every devotee, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very jubilant. However, not seeing Haridasa Thakura, He inquired, "Where is Haridasa?"

 

                               TEXT 162

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  dura haite haridasa gosane dekhiya

              rajapatha-prante padi' ache dandavat hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dura haite--from a distance; haridasa gosane--Haridasa Thakura; dekhiya--seeing; rajapatha-prante--at the side of the common road; padi'--falling down; ache--he was; dandavat hana--offering obeisances.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then saw in the distance that Haridasa Thakura was lying down flat on the road offering obeisances.

 

                               TEXT 163

 

                                 TEXT

 

                milana-sthane asi' prabhure na milila

                 rajapatha-prante dure padiya rahila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   milana-sthane--in the meeting place; asi'--coming; prabhure--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na--not; milila--did meet; rajapatha-prante--on the side of the common road; dure--at a distant place; padiya--falling flat; rahila--remained.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Haridasa Thakura did not come to the Lord's meeting place but remained fallen flat on the common road at a distance.

 

                               TEXT 164

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 bhakta saba dhana aila haridase nite

              prabhu tomaya milite cahe, calaha tvarite

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhakta--devotees; saba--all; dhana--running; aila--came; haridase--Haridasa; nite--to take; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tomaya--you; milite--to meet; cahe--wants; calaha--just come; tvarite--very soon.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the devotees then went to Haridasa Thakura, saying, "The Lord wants to meet you. Please come immediately."

 

                               TEXT 165

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 haridasa kahe,--muni nica-jati chara

               mandira-nikate yaite mora nahi adhikara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   haridasa kahe--Haridasa Thakura said; muni--I; nica-jati--low caste; chara--abominable; mandira-nikate--near the temple; yaite--to go; mora--my; nahi--there is not; adhikara--authority.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Haridasa Thakura replied, "I cannot go near the temple because I am a low-caste, abominable person. I have no authority to go there."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Although Haridasa Thakura was such a highly exalted Vaisnava that he was addressed as Haridasa Gosvami, he still did not like to disturb the common sense of the general populace. Haridasa Thakura was so exalted that he was addressed as thakura and gosani, and these titles are offered to the most advanced Vaisnavas. The spiritual master is generally called gosani, and thakura is used to address the paramahamsas, those in the topmost rank of spirituality. Nonetheless, Haridasa Thakura did not want to go near the temple, although he was called there by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. The Jagannatha temple still accepts only those Hindus who are in the varnasrama order. Other castes, especially those who are not Hindu, are not allowed to enter the temple. This is a long-standing regulation, and thus Haridasa Thakura, although certainly competent and qualified to enter the temple, did not want even to go near it. This is called Vaisnava humility.

 

                               TEXT 166

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 nibhrte tota-madhye sthana yadi pana

                 tahan padi' raho, ekale kala gonana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nibhrte--in a solitary place; tota-madhye--within the gardens; sthana--place; yadi--if; pana--I get; tahan--there; padi' raho--I shall stay; ekale--alone; kala--time; gonana--I shall pass.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Haridasa Thakura then expressed his desire: "If I could just get a solitary place near the temple, I could stay there alone and pass my time.

 

                               TEXT 167

 

                                 TEXT

 

              jagannatha-sevakera mora sparsa nahi haya

               tahan padi' rahon,--mora ei vancha haya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jagannatha-sevakera--of the servants of Lord Jagannatha; mora--my; sparsa--touching; nahi--not; haya--takes place; tahan--there; padi' rahon--I stay; mora--my; ei--this; vancha--desire; haya--is.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "I do not wish the servants of Lord Jagannatha to touch me. I would remain there in the garden alone. That is my desire."

 

                               TEXT 168

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ei katha loka giya prabhure kahila

                suniya prabhura mane bada sukha ha-ila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei katha--this message; loka--people; giya--going; prabhure--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahila--informed; suniya--hearing; prabhura mane--in the mind of the Lord; bada--very much; sukha--happiness; ha-ila--became.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When this message was relayed to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by the people, the Lord became very happy to hear it.

 

                               TEXT 169

 

                                 TEXT

 

               hena-kale kasi-misra, padicha,--dui jana

                 asiya karila prabhura carana vandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena-kale--at this time; kasi-misra--Kasi Misra; padicha--the superintendent; dui jana--two persons; asiya--coming; karila--did; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carana vandana--worshiping the lotus feet.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At this time, Kasi Misra, along with the superintendent of the temple, came and offered his respects unto the lotus feet of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 170

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sarva vaisnava dekhi' sukha bada paila

                 yatha-yogya saba-sane anande milila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarva vaisnava--all the Vaisnavas; dekhi'--seeing; sukha--happiness; bada--very much; paila--got; yatha-yogya--as is befitting; saba-sane--along with everyone; anande--in happiness; milila--met.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon seeing all the Vaisnavas together, Kasi Misra and the superintendent became very happy. With great happiness they met with the devotees in a befitting manner.

 

                               TEXT 171

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prabhu-pade dui jane kaila nivedane

                ajna deha',--vaisnavera kari samadhane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu-pade--unto the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dui jane--both of them; kaila--did; nivedane--submission; ajna deha'--please order; vaisnavera--of all the Vaisnavas; kari--let us do; samadhane--accommodation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Both submitted to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Please give us orders so that we may make proper arrangements to accommodate all the Vaisnavas.

 

                               TEXT 172

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sabara kariyachi vasa-grha-sthana

                 maha-prasada sabakare kari samadhana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabara--for all of them; kariyachi--we have arranged; vasa-grha-sthana--residential places for staying; maha-prasada--remnants of food of Jagannatha; sabakare--to all of them; kari--let us do; samadhana--distribution.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Accommodations have been arranged for all the Vaisnavas. Now let us distribute maha-prasada to all of them."

 

                               TEXT 173

 

                                 TEXT

 

             prabhu kahe,--gopinatha, yaha' vaisnava lana

               yahan yahan kahe vasa, tahan deha' lana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; gopinatha--My dear Gopinatha; yaha'--please go; vaisnava lana--taking all the Vaisnavas; yahan yahan--wherever; kahe--they say; vasa--staying place; tahan--there; deha'--give; lana--accepting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately told Gopinatha Acarya, "Please go with the Vaisnavas and accommodate them in whatever residences Kasi Misra and the temple superintendent offer."

 

                               TEXT 174

 

                                 TEXT

 

                maha-prasadanna deha vaninatha-sthane

                sarva-vaisnavera inho karibe samadhane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maha-prasada-anna--the remnants of food; deha--deliver; vaninatha-sthane--unto Vaninatha; sarva-vaisnavera--unto all the Vaisnavas; inho--he; karibe--will do; samadhane--distribution.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then the Lord told Kasi Misra and the temple superintendent, "As for the remnants of food left by Jagannatha, let them be delivered to Vaninatha Raya's charge, for he can take care of all the Vaisnavas and distribute maha-prasada to them."

 

                               TEXT 175

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    amara nikate ei puspera udyane

                 eka-khani ghara ache parama-nirjane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   amara nikate--nearby My place; ei--this; puspera udyane--in a garden of flowers; eka-khani--one; ghara--room; ache--there is; parama-nirjane--in a very solitary place.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then said, "Nearby My place, in this garden of flowers, is a single room that is very solitary.

 

                               TEXT 176

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sei ghara amake deha'--ache prayojana

                 nibhrte vasiya tahan kariba smarana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sei ghara--that room; amake deha'--please give to Me; ache prayojana--there is necessity; nibhrte--in the solitary place; vasiya--sitting; tahan--there; kariba smarana--I shall remember the lotus feet of the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Please give that room to Me, for I have a need for it. Indeed, I shall remember the lotus feet of the Lord sitting in that solitary place."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This statement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is significant. Nibhrte vasiya tahan kariba smarana: "I shall sit down there in that solitary place and remember the lotus feet of the Lord." Neophyte students are not to imitate sitting in a solitary place and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. We should always remember that it was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself who wanted such a place, either for Himself or Haridasa Thakura. No one can suddenly attain the level of Haridasa Thakura and sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Only an exalted person like Haridasa Thakura or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is personally exhibiting the proper behavior for an acarya, can engage in such a practice.

   At the present moment we see that some of the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are tending to leave their preaching activities in order to sit in a solitary place. This is not a very good sign. It is a fact that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has condemned this process for neophytes. He has even stated in a song, pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nama kevala kaitava: "Sitting in a solitary place intending to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is considered a cheating process." This practice is not possible for neophytes at all. The neophyte devotee must act and work very laboriously under the direction of the spiritual master, and he must thus preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Only after maturing in devotion can he sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself did. Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He nonetheless traveled all over India continuously for six years and then retired at Jagannatha Puri to teach us a lesson. Even at Jagannatha Puri the Lord chanted the Hare Krsna maha-mantra in great meetings at the Jagannatha temple. The point is that one should not try to imitate Haridasa Thakura at the beginning of one's transcendental life. One must first become very mature in devotion and thus receive the approval of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Only at such a time may one actually sit down peacefully in a solitary place to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The senses are very strong, and if a neophyte devotee imitates Haridasa Thakura, his enemies (kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya) will disturb and fatigue him. Instead of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, the neophyte will simply sleep soundly. Preaching work is meant for advanced devotees, and when an advanced devotee is further elevated on the devotional scale, he may retire to chant the Hare Krsna mantra in a solitary place. However, if one simply imitates advanced spiritual life, he will fall down, just like the sahajiyas in Vrndavana.

 

                               TEXT 177

 

                                 TEXT

 

              misra kahe,--saba tomara, caha ki karane?

                 apana-icchaya laha, yei tomara mane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   misra kahe--Kasi Misra said; saba--everything; tomara--Yours; caha ki karane--why do You beg; apana-icchaya--by Your own will; laha--You take; yei--whatever; tomara mane--is in Your mind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Kasi Misra then told Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: "Everything belongs to You. What is the use of Your begging? By Your own will You can take whatever You like.

 

                               TEXT 178

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  ami-dui ha-i tomara dasa ajnakari

                  ye caha, sei ajna deha' krpa kari'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ami--we; dui--two; ha-i--are; tomara--Your; dasa--servants; ajna-kari--order-carriers; ye caha--whatever You want; sei ajna--that order; deha'--give; krpa kari'--being merciful.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "My Lord, we are Your two servants and are here just to carry out Your orders. By Your mercy, please tell us to do whatever You want."

 

                               TEXT 179

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   eta kahi' dui jane vidaya la-ila

                gopinatha, vaninatha--dunhe sange nila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta kahi'--saying this; dui jane--both of them; vidaya la-ila--took leave; gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; vaninatha--Vaninatha Raya; dunhe sange nila--took both of them with them.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saying this, Kasi Misra and the temple inspector took their leave, and Gopinatha and Vaninatha went with them.

 

                               TEXT 180

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  gopinathe dekhaila saba vasa-ghara

                 vaninatha-thani dila prasada vistara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gopinathe--unto Gopinatha Acarya; dekhaila--showed; saba--all; vasa-ghara--residential places; vaninatha-thani--unto Vaninatha Raya; dila--delivered; prasada vistara--remnants of food in large quantities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Gopinatha was then shown all the residential places, and Vaninatha was given large quantities of food [maha-prasada] left by Lord Jagannatha.

 

                               TEXT 181

 

                                 TEXT

 

                vaninatha aila bahu prasada pitha lana

                 gopinatha aila vasa samskara kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   vaninatha--Vaninatha; aila--returned; bahu--a very large quantity of; prasada--remnants of food; pitha lana--also taking cakes with them; gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; aila--returned; vasa--residential places; samskara kariya--cleansing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus Vaninatha Raya returned with large quantities of Lord Jagannatha's food remnants, including cakes and other good eatables. Gopinatha Acarya also returned after cleansing all the residential quarters.

 

                               TEXT 182

 

                                 TEXT

 

             mahaprabhu kahe,--suna, sarva vaisnava-gana

                  nija-nija-vasa sabe karaha gamana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahaprabhu kahe--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; suna--kindly listen; sarva vaisnava-gana--all Vaisnavas; nija-nija-vasa--to the respective residential quarters; sabe--all of you; karaha--make; gamana--departure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then addressed all the Vaisnavas and requested that they listen to Him. He said, "Now you can go to your respective residential quarters.

 

                               TEXT 183

 

                                 TEXT

 

                samudra-snana kari' kara cuda darasana

                  tabe aji ihan asi' karibe bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   samudra-snana--bathing in the sea; kari'--finishing; kara--just do; cuda darasana--observing the top of the temple; tabe--thereafter; aji--today; ihan--here; asi'--coming back; karibe bhojana--take your lunch.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Go to the sea and bathe and look at the top of the temple. After so doing, please come back here and take your lunch."

 

                               TEXT 184

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prabhu namaskari' sabe vasate calila

                 gopinathacarya sabe vasa-sthana dila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu namaskari'--after offering obeisances to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sabe--all the devotees; vasate calila--departed for their residential quarters; gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; sabe--to everyone; vasa--residential quarters; sthana--place; dila--delivered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After offering obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the devotees departed for their residences, and Gopinatha Acarya showed them their respective quarters.

 

                               TEXT 185

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 mahaprabhu aila tabe haridasa-milane

                 haridasa kare preme nama-sankirtane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came; tabe--thereafter; haridasa-milane--to meet Thakura Haridasa; haridasa--Thakura Haridasa; kare--does; preme--in ecstatic love; nama-sankirtane--chanting of the holy name.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to meet Haridasa Thakura, and He saw him engaged in chanting the maha-mantra with ecstatic love. Haridasa chanted, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

 

                               TEXT 186

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 prabhu dekhi' pade age dandavat hana

                  prabhu alingana kaila tanre uthana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu dekhi'--after seeing the Lord; pade--fell down; age--in front of Him; dandavat--flat like a stick; hana--becoming; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; alingana kaila--embraced; tanre--him; uthana--raising him up.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As soon as Haridasa Thakura saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he immediately fell down like a stick to offer Him obeisances, and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu raised him up and embraced him.

 

                               TEXT 187

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  dui-jane premavese karena krandane

            prabhu-gune bhrtya vikala, prabhu bhrtya-gune

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   dui-jane--both of them; prema-avese--in loving ecstasy; karena krandane--were crying; prabhu-gune--by the quality of the Lord; bhrtya--servant; vikala--transformed; prabhu--the Lord; bhrtya-gune--by the quality of the servant.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then both the Lord and His servant began to cry in ecstatic love. Indeed, the Lord was transformed by the quality of His servant, and the servant was transformed by the quality of his master.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Mayavadi philosophers say that the living entity and the Supreme Lord are nondifferent, and therefore they equate the transformation of the living entity with the transformation of the Lord. In other words, Mayavadis say that if the living entity is pleased, the Lord is also pleased, and if the living entity is displeased, the Lord is also displeased. By juggling words in this way, Mayavadis try to prove that there is no difference between the living entity and the Lord. This, however, is not a fact. In this verse Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami explains: prabhu-gune bhrtya vikala, prabhu bhrtya-gune. The Lord and the living entity are not equal, for the Lord is always the master, and the living entity is always the servant. Transformation takes place due to transcendental qualities, and it is thus said that the servant of the Lord is the heart of the Lord, and the Lord is the heart of the servant. This is also explained by Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita (4.11):

 

                       ye yatha mam prapadyante

                      tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

                        mama vartmanuvartante

                       manusyah partha sarvasah

 

   "As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha."

   The Lord is always eager to congratulate the servant because of the servant's transcendental quality. The servant pleasingly renders service unto the Lord, and the Lord also very pleasingly reciprocates, rendering even more service unto the servant.

 

                               TEXT 188

 

                                 TEXT

 

                haridasa kahe,--prabhu, na chunio more

                  muni--nica, asprsya, parama pamare

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   haridasa kahe--Haridasa Thakura said; prabhu--my dear Lord; na chunio more--please do not touch me; muni--I; nica--most fallen; asprsya--untouchable; parama pamare--the lowest of mankind.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Haridasa Thakura said, "My dear Lord, please do not touch me, for I am most fallen and untouchable and am the lowest among men."

 

                               TEXT 189

 

                                 TEXT

 

               prabhu kahe,--toma sparsi pavitra ha-ite

                  tomara pavitra dharma nahika amate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu kahe--the Lord said; toma sparsi--I touch you; pavitra ha-ite--just to become purified; tomara--your; pavitra--purified; dharma--occupation; nahika--is not; amate--in Me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord said, "I wish to touch you just to be purified, for your purified activities do not exist in Me."

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This is an example of the reciprocation of feelings between master and servant. The servant thinks that he is most impure and that the master should not touch him, and the master thinks that because He has become impure by associating with so many impure living entities, He should touch a pure devotee like Haridasa Thakura just to purify Himself. Actually both the servant and the master are already purified because neither of them is in touch with the impurities of material existence. They are already equal in quality because both of them are the purest. There is a difference in quantity, however, because the master is unlimited and the servant is limited. Consequently the servant always remains subordinate to the master, and this relationship is eternal and undisturbed. As soon as the servant feels like becoming the master, he falls into maya. Thus it is by misuse of free will that one falls under the influence of maya.

   The Mayavadi philosophers try to explain the equality of master and servant in terms of quantity, but they fail to explain why, if the master and servant are equal, the servant falls victim to maya. They try to explain that when the servant, the living entity, is out of the clutches of maya, he immediately becomes the so-called master again. Such an explanation is never satisfactory. Being unlimited, the master cannot become a victim of maya, for in such a case His unlimitedness would be crippled or limited. Thus the Mayavada explanation is not correct. The fact is that the master is always master and unlimited, and the servant, being limited, is sometimes curtailed by the influence of maya. Maya is also the master's energy and is also unlimited; therefore the limited servant or limited living entity is forced to remain under the master or the master's potency, maya. Being freed from maya's influence, one can again become a pure servant and equal qualitatively to the Lord. The relationship between master and servant continues due to their being unlimited and limited respectively.

 

                               TEXT 190

 

                                 TEXT

 

               ksane ksane kara tumi sarva-tirthe snana

                ksane ksane kara tumi yajna-tapo-dana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ksane ksane--at every moment; kara--do; tumi--you; sarva-tirthe snana--bathing in all the holy places of pilgrimage; ksane ksane--at every moment; kara--perform; tumi--you; yajna--sacrifices; tapah--austerities; dana--charity.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exalted Haridasa Thakura, stating, "At every moment you take your bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage, and at every moment you perform great sacrifices, austerity and charity.

 

                               TEXT 191

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  nirantara kara cari veda adhyayana

                 dvija-nyasi haite tumi parama-pavana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nirantara--constantly; kara--you do; cari--four; veda--of the Vedas; adhyayana--study; dvija--brahmana; nyasi--sannyasi; haite--than; tumi--you; parama-pavana--supremely pure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "You are constantly studying the four Vedas, and you are far better than any brahmana or sannyasi."

 

                               TEXT 192

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan

                  yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam

                  tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya

                    brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aho bata--how wonderful it is; sva-pacah--dog-eaters; atah--than the initiated brahmana; gariyan--more glorious; yat--of whom; jihva-agre--on the tongue; vartate--remains; nama--holy name; tubhyam--of You, my Lord; tepuh--have performed; tapah--austerity; te--they; juhuvuh--have performed sacrifices; sasnuh--have bathed in all holy places; aryah--really belonging to the Aryan race; brahma--all the Vedas; anucuh--have studied; nama--holy name; grnanti--chant; ye--who; te--they.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then recited the following verse: " 'My dear Lord, one who always keeps Your holy name on his tongue becomes greater than an initiated brahmana. Although he may be born in a family of dog-eaters and therefore by material calculation may be the lowest among men, he is still glorious. This is the wonderful effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord. It is therefore concluded that one who chants the holy name of the Lord should be understood to have performed all kinds of austerities and great sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. He has already taken his bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage. He has studied all the Vedas, and he is actually an Aryan.' "

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word Aryan means advanced. Unless one is spiritually advanced, he cannot be called an Aryan, and this is the difference between Aryan and non-Aryan. Non-Aryans are those who are not spiritually advanced. By following the Vedic culture, by performing great sacrifices and by becoming a strict follower of the Vedic instructions, one may become a brahmana, a sannyasi or an Aryan. It is not possible to become a brahmana, sannyasi or Aryan without being properly qualified. Bhagavata-dharma never allows one to become a cheap brahmana, sannyasi or Aryan. The qualities or qualifications described herein are quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.7) and were spoken by Devahuti, the mother of Kapiladeva, when she understood the influence of devotional service (bhakti-yoga). In this way Devahuti praised the devotee, pointing out his greatness in all respects.

 

                               TEXT 193

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eta bali tanre lana gela puspodyane

                  ati nibhrte tanre dila vasa-sthane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eta bali--saying this; tanre lana--taking him; gela--went; puspa-udyane--in the flower garden; ati nibhrte--in a very much secluded place; tanre--unto him; dila--delivered; vasa-sthane--a place to remain.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took Haridasa Thakura within the flower garden, and there, in a very much secluded place, He showed him his residence.

 

                               TEXT 194

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ei-sthane rahi' kara nama sankirtana

                  prati-dina asi' ami kariba milana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei-sthane--in this place; rahi'--remaining; kara--perform; nama sankirtana--chanting of the holy name; prati-dina--every day; asi'--coming; ami--I; kariba--shall do; milana--meeting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Haridasa Thakura, "Remain here and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. I shall personally come here to meet you daily.

 

                               TEXT 195

 

                                 TEXT

 

                mandirera cakra dekhi' kariha pranama

                   ei thani tomara asibe prasadanna

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mandirera--of the temple of Jagannatha; cakra--the wheel on the top; dekhi'--seeing; kariha pranama--offer your obeisances; ei thani--in this place; tomara--your; asibe--will come; prasada-anna--remnants of food of Jagannatha.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Remain here peacefully and look at the cakra on the top of the temple and offer obeisances. As far as your prasada is concerned, I shall arrange to have that sent here."

   Since he was born in a Muslim family, Srila Haridasa Thakura could not enter the temple of Jagannatha due to temple restrictions. Nonetheless, he was recognized by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as Namacarya Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura, however, considered himself unfit to enter the Jagannatha temple. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could have personally taken Haridasa Thakura into the Jagannatha temple if He wished, but the Lord did not like to disturb a popular custom. Consequently the Lord asked His servant simply to look at the Visnu wheel on top of the temple and offer obeisances (namaskara). This means that if one is not allowed to enter the temple, or if he thinks himself unfit to enter the temple, he can look at the wheel from outside the temple, and that is as good as seeing the Deity within.

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu promised to come daily to see Srila Haridasa Thakura, and this indicates that Srila Haridasa Thakura was so advanced in spiritual life that, although considered unfit to enter the temple, he was being personally visited by the Lord every day. Nor was there any need for his going outside his residence to collect food. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu assured Haridasa Thakura that the remnants of His food would be sent there. As the Lord states in the Bhagavad-gita (9.22), yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: "I arrange all life's necessities for My devotees."

   A reference is made here for those who are very anxious to imitate the behavior of Thakura Haridasa in an unnatural way. One must receive the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative before adopting such a way of life. The duty of a pure devotee or a servant of the Lord is to carry out the order of the Lord. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Nityananda Prabhu to go to Bengal and preach, and He asked the Gosvamis, Rupa and Sanatana, to go to Vrndavana and excavate the lost places of pilgrimage. In this case the Lord asked Haridasa Thakura to remain there at Jagannatha Puri and constantly chant the holy names of the Lord. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave different persons different orders, and consequently one should not try to imitate the behavior of Haridasa Thakura without being ordered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura condemns such imitations in this way:

 

                  dusta mana! tumi kisera vaisnava?

                  pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,

                    tava hari-nama kevala kaitava

 

   "My dear mind, you are trying to imitate Haridasa Thakura and chant the Hare Krsna mantra in a secluded place, but you are not worth being called a Vaisnava because what you want is cheap popularity and not the actual qualifications of Haridasa Thakura. If you try to imitate him you will fall down, for your neophyte position will cause you to think of women and money. Thus you will fall into the clutches of maya, and your so-called chanting in a secluded place will bring about your downfall."

 

                               TEXT 196

 

                                 TEXT

 

              nityananda, jagadananda, damodara, mukunda

                   haridase mili' sabe paila ananda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nityananda--Nityananda; jagadananda--Jagadananda; damodara--Damodara; mukunda--Mukunda; haridase--Haridasa; mili'--meeting; sabe--all of them; paila--got; ananda--great pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Nityananda Prabhu, Jagadananda Prabhu, Damodara Prabhu and Mukunda Prabhu met Haridasa Thakura, they all became very much pleased.

 

                               TEXT 197

 

                                 TEXT

 

             samudra-snana kari' prabhu aila nija sthane

                 advaitadi gela sindhu karibare snane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   samudra-snana kari'--after bathing in the sea; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came; nija sthane--to His own place; advaita-adi--devotees, headed by Advaita Prabhu; gela--went; sindhu--to the ocean; karibare--just to take; snane--bath.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to His residence after taking a bath in the sea, all the devotees, headed by Advaita Prabhu, went to bathe in the sea.

 

                               TEXT 198

 

                                 TEXT

 

                asi' jagannathera kaila cuda darasana

                  prabhura avase aila karite bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asi'--coming back; jagannathera--of Lord Jagannatha; kaila--did; cuda darasana--looking at the top of the temple; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avase--at the residence; aila--came; karite bhojana--to take their luncheon.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After bathing in the sea, all the devotees, headed by Advaita Prabhu, returned, and on their return they saw the top of the Jagannatha temple. They then went to the residence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to take their luncheon.

 

                               TEXT 199

 

                                 TEXT

 

               sabare vasaila prabhu yogya krama kari'

                 sri-haste parivesana kaila gaurahari

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabare--all the devotees; vasaila--made to sit; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yogya--befitting; krama--in order, one after another; kari'--setting; sri-haste--by His own transcendental hand; parivesana--distribution; kaila--did; gaurahari--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   One after the other, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made all the devotees sit in their proper places. He then began to distribute prasada with His own transcendental hand.

 

                               TEXT 200

 

                                 TEXT

 

                alpa anna nahi aise dite prabhura hate

                  dui-tinera anna dena eka eka pate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   alpa anna--a small quantity of prasada; nahi--does not; aise--come; dite--to give; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; hate--in the hand; dui--two; tinera--or of three; anna--food; dena--He delivers; eka eka pate--on each and every plantain leaf.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the devotees were served prasada on plantain leaves, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu distributed on each leaf a quantity suitable for two or three men to eat, for His hand could not distribute less than that.

 

                               TEXT 201

 

                                 TEXT

 

                prabhu na khaile keha na kare bhojana

              urdhva-haste vasi' rahe sarva bhakta-gana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na khaile--without eating; keha--anyone; na--not; kare--does; bhojana--eating; urdhva-haste--raising the hand; vasi'--sitting; rahe--remain; sarva--all; bhakta-gana--devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   All the devotees kept their hands raised over the prasada distributed to them, for they did not want to eat without seeing the Lord eat first.

 

                               TEXT 202

 

                                 TEXT

 

                svarupa-gosani prabhuke kaila nivedana

                 tumi na vasile keha na kare bhojana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupa-gosani--Svarupa Damodara Gosani; prabhuke--unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--did; nivedana--submission; tumi--You; na vasile--if not sitting; keha--anyone; na--not; kare--does; bhojana--eating.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Svarupa Damodara Gosvami then informed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Unless You sit and take prasada, no one will accept it.

 

                               TEXT 203

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 toma-sange rahe yata sannyasira gana

              gopinathacarya tanre kariyache nimantrana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   toma-sange--along with You; rahe--remain; yata--as many as; sannyasira gana--rank of sannyasis; gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; tanre--all of them; kariyache--has done; nimantrana--invitation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Gopinatha Acarya has invited all the sannyasis who remained with You to come and take prasada.

 

                               TEXT 204

 

                                 TEXT

 

              acarya asiyachena bhiksara prasadanna lana

              puri, bharati achena tomara apeksa kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; asiyachena--has come; bhiksara--for eating; prasada-anna lana--taking the remnants of all kinds of food; puri--Paramananda Puri; bharati--Brahmananda Bharati; achena--are; tomara--for You; apeksa kariya--waiting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "Gopinatha Acarya has already come bringing sufficient remnants of food to distribute to all the sannyasis, and sannyasis like Paramananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati are waiting for You.

 

                               TEXT 205

 

                                 TEXT

 

               nityananda lana bhiksa karite vaisa tumi

                 vaisnavera parivesana karitechi ami

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nityananda lana--taking along Sri Nityananda Prabhu; bhiksa--luncheon; karite--to take; vaisa--sit down; tumi--You; vaisnavera--to all the devotees; parivesana--distribution of prasada; karitechi--am doing; ami--I.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   "You may sit down and accept the luncheon with Nityananda Prabhu, and I shall distribute the prasada to all the Vaisnavas."

 

                               TEXT 206

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tabe prabhu prasadanna govinda-hate dila

                yatna kari' haridasa-thakure pathaila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--thereafter; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prasada-anna--remnants of Jagannatha's food; govinda-hate--in the hand of Govinda; dila--delivered; yatna kari'--with great attention; haridasa-thakure--unto Haridasa Thakura; pathaila--sent.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu carefully delivered some prasada into the hands of Govinda to be given to Haridasa Thakura.

 

                               TEXT 207

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  apane vasila saba sannyasire lana

                 parivesana kare acarya harasita hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   apane--personally; vasila--sat down; saba--all; sannyasire lana--taking with Him the sannyasis; parivesana kare--distributes; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; harasita hana--with great pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally sat down to accept lunch with the other sannyasis, and Gopinatha Acarya began to distribute the prasada with great pleasure.

 

                               TEXT 208

 

                                 TEXT

 

                svarupa gosani, damodara, jagadananda

                vaisnavere parivese tina jane--ananda

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   svarupa gosani--Svarupa Gosani; damodara--Damodara; jagadananda--Jagadananda; vaisnavere parivese--distributed to the Vaisnavas; tina jane--the three persons; ananda--very jubilant.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, Damodara Pandita and Jagadananda all began to distribute prasada to the devotees with great pleasure.

 

                               TEXT 209

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 nana pitha-pana khaya akantha puriya

               madhye madhye 'hari' kahe anandita hana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nana--various; pitha-pana--cakes and sweet rice; khaya--eat; a-kantha puriya--filling up to the throat; madhye madhye--occasionally; hari--the holy name of Krsna; kahe--they speak; anandita hana--in great jubilation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   They ate all kinds of cakes and sweet rice, filling themselves up to their throats, and at intervals they vibrated the holy name of the Lord in great jubilation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is the practice of Vaisnavas while taking prasada to chant the holy name of Lord Hari at intervals and also sing various songs, such as sarira avidya-jala. Those who are honoring prasada, accepting the remnants of food offered to the Deity, must always remember that prasada is not ordinary food. Prasada is transcendental. We are therefore reminded:

 

                         maha-prasade govinde

                        nama-brahmani vaisnave

                      sv-alpa-punya-vatam rajan

                         visvaso naiva jayate

 

   Those who are not pious cannot understand the value of maha-prasada or the holy name of the Lord. Both prasada and the Lord's name are on the Brahman platform, or spiritual platform. One should never consider prasada to be like ordinary hotel cooking. Nor should one touch any kind of food not offered to the Deity. Every Vaisnava strictly follows this principle and does not accept any food that is not prasada. One should take prasada with great faith and should chant the holy name of the Lord and worship the Deity in the temple, always remembering that the Deity, maha-prasada and the holy name do not belong to the mundane platform. By worshiping the Deity, eating prasada and chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can always remain on the spiritual platform (brahma-bhuyaya kalpate).

 

                               TEXT 210

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 bhojana samapta haila, kaila acamana

                 sabare paraila prabhu malya-candana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhojana--lunch; samapta--ending; haila--there was; kaila--did; acamana--washing the mouth; sabare--on everyone; paraila--put; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; malya-candana--a garland and sandalwood pulp.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After everyone had finished his lunch and washed his mouth and hands, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally decorated everyone with flower garlands and sandalwood pulp.

 

                               TEXT 211

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  visrama karite sabe nija vasa gela

               sandhya-kale asi' punah prabhuke milila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   visrama karite--going to take rest; sabe--all the Vaisnavas; nija--to their own; vasa--residential quarters; gela--went; sandhya-kale--in the evening; asi'--coming; punah--again; prabhuke milila--met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After thus accepting prasada, they all went to take rest at their respective residences, and in the evening they again came to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 212

 

                                 TEXT

 

                hena-kale ramananda aila prabhu-sthane

               prabhu milaila tanre saba vaisnava-gane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   hena-kale--at this time; ramananda--Ramananda; aila--came; prabhu-sthane--at the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milaila--caused to meet; tanre--him (Sri Ramananda Raya); saba--all; vaisnava-gane--the devotees of the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At this time Ramananda Raya also came to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the Lord took the opportunity to introduce all the Vaisnavas to him.

 

                               TEXT 213

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 saba lana gela prabhu jagannathalaya

                 kirtana arambha tatha kaila mahasaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   saba lana--taking all of them; gela--went; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jagannatha-alaya--to the temple of Lord Jagannatha; kirtana--congregational chanting; arambha--beginning; tatha--there; kaila--did; mahasaya--the great personality.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The great Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then took all of them to the temple of Jagannatha and began the congregational chanting of the holy name there.

 

                               TEXT 214

 

                                 TEXT

 

              sandhya-dhupa dekhi' arambhila sankirtana

                padicha asi' sabare dila malya-candana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sandhya-dhupa--dhupa-arati just in the beginning of the evening; dekhi'--they all saw; arambhila--began; sankirtana--congregational chanting; padicha--the inspector of the temple; asi'--coming; sabare--unto everyone; dila--offered; malya-candana--flower garlands and sandalwood pulp.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After seeing the dhupa-arati of the Lord, they all began congregational chanting. Then the padicha, the superintendent of the temple, came and offered flower garlands and sandalwood pulp to everyone.

 

                               TEXT 215

 

                                 TEXT

 

               cari-dike cari sampradaya karena kirtana

               madhye nrtya kare prabhu sacira nandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari-dike--in the four directions; cari--four; sampradaya--groups; karena--performed; kirtana--congregational chanting; madhye--in the middle; nrtya kare--dances; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sacira nandana--the son of mother Saci.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Four parties were then distributed in four directions to perform sankirtana, and in the middle of them the Lord Himself, known as the son of mother Saci, began to dance.

 

                               TEXT 216

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 asta mrdanga baje, batrisa karatala

              hari-dhvani kare sabe, bale--bhala, bhala

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asta mrdanga--eight mrdangas; baje--sounded; batrisa--thirty-two; karatala--cymbals; hari-dhvani--vibrating the transcendental sound; kare--does; sabe--every one of them; bale--says; bhala bhala--very good, very good.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the four groups there were eight mrdangas and thirty-two cymbals. All together they began to vibrate the transcendental sound, and everyone said, "Very good! Very good!"

 

                               TEXT 217

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 kirtanera dhvani maha-mangala uthila

               caturdasa loka bhari' brahmanda bhedila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kirtanera dhvani--the vibration of the sankirtana; maha-mangala uthila--all good fortune awakened; caturdasa--fourteen; loka--planetary systems; bhari'--filling up; brahmanda--the whole universe; bhedila--penetrated.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the tumultuous vibration of sankirtana resounded, all good fortune immediately awakened, and the sound penetrated the whole universe through the fourteen planetary systems.

 

                               TEXT 218

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 kirtana-arambhe prema uthali' calila

                    nilacala-vasi loka dhana aila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kirtana-arambhe--in the beginning of the sankirtana; prema--ecstasy of love; uthali'--overpowering; calila--began to proceed; nilacala-vasi--all the residents of Jagannatha Puri; loka--people; dhana--running; aila--came.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When the congregational chanting began, ecstatic love immediately overflooded everything, and all the residents of Jagannatha Puri came running.

 

                               TEXT 219

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kirtana dekhi' sabara mane haila camatkara

                kabhu nahi dekhi aiche premera vikara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kirtana dekhi'--seeing the performance of sankirtana; sabara--of all of them; mane--in the mind; haila--there was; camatkara--astonishment; kabhu--at any time; nahi--never; dekhi--see; aiche--such; premera--of ecstatic love; vikara--transformation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Everyone was astonished to see such a performance of sankirtana, and they all agreed that never before had kirtana been so performed and ecstatic love of God so exhibited.

 

                               TEXT 220

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tabe prabhu jagannathera mandira bediya

                pradaksina kari' bulena nartana kariya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tabe--thereafter; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jagannathera--of Lord Jagannatha; mandira--temple; bediya--walking all around; pradaksina--circumambulation; kari'--doing; bulena--walks; nartana kariya--dancing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At this time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu circumambulated the temple of Jagannatha and continuously danced about the whole area.

 

                               TEXT 221

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 age-pache gana kare cari sampradaya

                 achadera kale dhare nityananda raya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   age-pache--in front and in the rear; gana--singing; kare--do; cari--four; sampradaya--groups; achadera--of falling down; kale--at the time; dhare--captures; nityananda raya--Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As the circumambulation was performed, the four kirtana parties sang in front and in the rear. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell down to the ground, Sri Nityananda Raya Prabhu lifted Him up.

 

                               TEXT 222

 

                                 TEXT

 

             asru, pulaka, kampa, sveda, gambhira hunkara

                 premera vikara dekhi' loke camatkara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asru--tears; pulaka--jubilation; kampa--trembling; sveda--perspiration; gambhira hunkara--deep resounding; premera--of ecstatic love; vikara--transformation; dekhi'--seeing; loke--all the people; camatkara--were astonished.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While kirtana was going on, there was a transformation of ecstatic love and much tears, jubilation, trembling, perspiration and deep resounding in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Upon seeing this transformation, all the people present became very much astonished.

 

                               TEXT 223

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   pickari-dhara jini' asru nayane

                 cari-dikera loka saba karaye sincane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pickari-dhara--like water coming in force from a syringe; jini'--conquering; asru--tears; nayane--in the eyes; cari-dikera--in all four directions; loka--people; saba--all; karaye sincane--moistened.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The tears from the eyes of the Lord came out with great force, like water from a syringe. Indeed, all the people who surrounded Him were moistened by His tears.

 

                               TEXT 224

 

                                 TEXT

 

               'beda-nrtya' mahaprabhu kari' kata-ksana

                 mandirera pache rahi' karaye kirtana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   beda-nrtya--the dancing surrounding the temple; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kari'--performing; kata-ksana--for some time; mandirera pache--at the rear of the temple; rahi'--staying; karaye--performed; kirtana--congregational chanting.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After circumambulating the temple, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for some time remained at the rear of the temple and continued His sankirtana.

 

                               TEXT 225

 

                                 TEXT

 

              cari-dike cari sampradaya uccaihsvare gaya

                 madhye tandava-nrtya kare gauraraya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari-dike--on four sides; cari sampradaya--the four groups; uccaih-svare--very loudly; gaya--chant; madhye--in the middle; tandava-nrtya--jumping and dancing; kare--performs; gauraraya--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On all four sides the four sankirtana groups chanted very loudly, and in the middle Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced, jumping high.

 

                               TEXT 226

 

                                 TEXT

 

              bahu-ksana nrtya kari' prabhu sthira haila

                 cari mahantere tabe nacite ajna dila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bahu-ksana--for a long period; nrtya kari'--dancing; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sthira haila--became silent; cari mahantere--to four great personalities; tabe--then; nacite--to dance; ajna dila--ordered.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After dancing for a long time, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became still and ordered four great personalities to begin to dance.

 

                               TEXT 227

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 eka sampradaye nace nityananda-raye

                  advaita-acarya nace ara sampradaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   eka sampradaye--in one group; nace--dances; nityananda-raye--Lord Nityananda; advaita-acarya--Advaita Acarya Prabhu; nace--dances; ara--another; sampradaye--in a group.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In one group Nityananda Prabhu began to dance, and in another group Advaita Acarya began to dance.

 

                               TEXT 228

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ara sampradaye nace pandita-vakresvara

                 srivasa nace ara sampradaya-bhitara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ara sampradaye--in another sampradaya, or group; nace--dances; pandita-vakresvara--Vakresvara Pandita; srivasa--Srivasa Thakura; nace--dances; ara--another; sampradaya-bhitara--in the middle of a group.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Vakresvara Pandita began to dance in another group, and in yet another group Srivasa Thakura began to dance.

 

                               TEXT 229

 

                                 TEXT

 

               madhye rahi' mahaprabhu karena darasana

              tahan eka aisvarya tanra ha-ila prakatana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   madhye rahi'--keeping in the middle; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karena darasana--looks over; tahan--there; eka--one; aisvarya--miracle; tanra--of Him; ha-ila--became; prakatana--exhibited.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   While this dancing was going on, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu watched them and performed a miracle.

 

                               TEXT 230

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 cari-dike nrtya-gita kare yata jana

               sabe dekhe,--prabhu kare amare darasana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari-dike--on four sides; nrtya-gita--chanting and dancing; kare--does; yata jana--all people; sabe dekhe--everyone sees; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kare--does; amare darasana--looking at me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stood in the middle of the dancers, and all the dancers in all directions perceived that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was looking at them.

 

                               TEXT 231

 

                                 TEXT

 

             cari janera nrtya dekhite prabhura abhilasa

                  sei abhilase kare aisvarya prakasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cari janera--of the four persons; nrtya--dancing; dekhite--to see; prabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; abhilasa--desire; sei abhilase--for that purpose; kare--does; aisvarya prakasa--exhibition of a miracle.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Wanting to see the dancing of the four great personalities, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited Himself in such a way to appear as if He were seeing everyone.

 

                               TEXT 232

 

                                 TEXT

 

                darsane avesa tanra dekhi' matra jane

                 kemane caudike dekhe,--iha nahi jane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   darsane--while looking over; avesa--emotional ecstasy; tanra--His; dekhi'--seeing; matra jane--only knows; kemane--how; cau-dike--on four sides; dekhe--He sees; iha nahi jane--one does not know.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Everyone who saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand that He was performing a miracle, but they did not know how it was that He could see on all four sides.

 

                               TEXT 233

 

                                 TEXT

 

               pulina-bhojane yena krsna madhya-sthane

                 caudikera sakha kahe,--amare nehane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pulina-bhojane--eating on the bank of Yamuna; yena--as; krsna--Lord Krsna; madhya-sthane--sitting in the middle; cau-dikera--on four sides; sakha--cowherd boyfriends; kahe--say; amare nehane--just seeing me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In His own pastimes in Vrndavana, when Krsna used to eat on the bank of the Yamuna and sit in the center of His friends, every one of the cowherd boys would perceive that Krsna was looking at him. In the same way, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing, everyone saw that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was facing him.

 

                               TEXT 234

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   nrtya karite yei aise sannidhane

                 mahaprabhu kare tanre drdha alingane

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nrtya karite--dancing; yei--anyone who; aise--comes; sannidhane--nearby; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kare--does; tanre--unto him; drdha--tight; alingane--embracing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When someone came nearby while dancing, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would tightly embrace him.

 

                               TEXT 235

 

                                 TEXT

 

               maha-nrtya, maha-prema, maha-sankirtana

                 dekhi' premavese bhase nilacala-jana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maha-nrtya--great dancing; maha-prema--great love; maha-sankirtana--great congregational chanting; dekhi'--seeing; prema-avese--in ecstatic love; bhase--float; nilacala-jana--all the residents of Jagannatha Puri.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon seeing the great dancing, great love and great sankirtana, all the people of Jagannatha Puri floated in an ecstatic ocean of love.

 

                               TEXT 236

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 gajapati raja suni' kirtana-mahattva

                 attalika cadi' dekhe svagana-sahita

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   gajapati raja--the King of Orissa; suni'--hearing; kirtana-mahattva--the greatness of sankirtana; attalika cadi'--ascending to the top of the palace; dekhe--sees; svagana-sahita--along with his personal associates.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Hearing the greatness of the sankirtana, King Prataparudra went up to the top of his palace and watched the performance with his personal associates.

 

                               TEXT 237

 

                                 TEXT

 

                kirtana dekhiya rajara haila camatkara

                prabhuke milite utkantha badila apara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kirtana dekhiya--seeing the performance of kirtana; rajara--of the King; haila--there was; camatkara--astonishment; prabhuke--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milite--to meet; utkantha--anxiety; badila--increased; apara--unlimitedly.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The King was very much astonished to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's kirtana, and the King's anxiety to meet Him increased unlimitedly.

 

                               TEXT 238

 

                                 TEXT

 

              kirtana-samaptye prabhu dekhi' puspanjali

              sarva vaisnava lana prabhu aila vasa cali'

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   kirtana-samaptye--at the end of the performance of kirtana; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dekhi'--after seeing; puspanjali--offering flowers to the Lord Jagannatha Deity; sarva vaisnava--all the devotees; lana--accompanying; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--returned; vasa--to His residence; cali'--going.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   After the sankirtana ended, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu watched the offering of flowers to the Lord Jagannatha Deity. Then He and all the Vaisnavas returned to His residence.

 

                               TEXT 239

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  padicha aniya dila prasada vistara

                  sabare bantiya taha dilena isvara

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   padicha--the superintendent of the temple; aniya--bringing; dila--delivered; prasada--of remnants of Jagannatha's food; vistara--a large quantity; sabare--unto everyone; bantiya--distributing; taha--that; dilena--gave; isvara--the Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The superintendent of the temple then brought large quantities of prasada, which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally distributed to all the devotees.

 

                               TEXT 240

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   sabare vidaya dila karite sayana

                   ei-mata lila kare sacira nandana

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sabare--unto everyone; vidaya--bidding farewell; dila--gave; karite sayana--to take rest; ei-mata--in this way; lila--pastimes; kare--performed; sacira nandana--the son of Saci.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Finally they all departed to rest in bed. In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of Sacimata, performed His pastimes.

 

                               TEXT 241

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  yavat achila sabe mahaprabhu-sange

                prati-dina ei-mata kare kirtana-range

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yavat--so long; achila--remained; sabe--all the devotees; mahaprabhu-sange--along with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prati-dina--every day; ei-mata--in this way; kare--performed; kirtana-range--sankirtana in great pleasure.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   As long as the devotees remained at Jagannatha Puri with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the pastime of sankirtana was performed with great jubilation every day.

 

                               TEXT 242

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ei ta' kahilun prabhura kirtana-vilasa

                 yeba iha sune, haya caitanyera dasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ei ta' kahilun--thus I have explained; prabhura--of the Lord; kirtana-vilasa--pastimes in yeba--anyone who; iha--this; sune--listens to; haya--becomes; caitanyera dasa--a servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In this way I have explained the Lord's pastime of sankirtana, and I bless everyone with this benediction: By listening to this description, one will surely become a servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

                               TEXT 243

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa

                  caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsnadasa--Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

 

   Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Eleventh Chapter, describing the beda-kirtana  pastimes of  Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 


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