Chapter 5
How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya
The following summary of the Fifth Chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. Pradyumna Miśra, a resident of Śrīhaṭṭa, came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear from Him about Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes. The Lord, however, sent him to Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya. Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya was training the deva-dāsī dancing girls in the temple, and when Pradyumna Miśra heard about this, he returned to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord, however, elaborately described the character of Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya. Then Pradyumna Miśra went to see Rāmānanda Rāya again to hear about the transcendental truth from him.
A brāhmaṇa from Bengal composed a drama about the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and went to Jagannātha Purī to show it to the associates of the Lord. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, heard the drama, he discerned a tinge of Māyāvāda philosophy and pointed it out to the author. Although Svarūpa Dāmodara condemned the entire drama, by reference to secondary meanings of the introductory verse he nevertheless satisfied the brāhmaṇa. That brāhmaṇa poet thus became greatly obliged to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, renounced his family connections and stayed at Jagannātha Purī with the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 1
vaiguṇya-kīṭa-kalitaḥ
paiśunya-vraṇa-pīḍitaḥ
dainyārṇave nimagno ‘haṁ
caitanya-vaidyam āśraye
SYNONYMS
vaiguṇya-of material activities; kīṭa-by the germs; kalitaḥ-bitten; paiśunya-of envy; vraṇa-from boils; pīḍitaḥ-suffering; dainya-arṇave-in the ocean of humility; nimagnaḥ-merged; aham-I; caitanya-vaidyam-to the physician known as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āśraye-I surrender.
TRANSLATION
I am infected by germs of material activity and suffering from boils due to envy. Therefore, falling in an ocean of humility, I take shelter of the great physician Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 2
jaya jaya śacī-suta śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
jaya jaya kṛpā-maya nityānanda dhanya
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya-all glories; śacī-suta-to the son of mother Śacī; śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; jaya jaya-all glories; kṛpā-maya-to the most merciful; nityānanda dhanya-the glorious Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī! All glories to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu! Indeed, He is the most glorious and merciful.
TEXT 3
jayādvaita kṛpā-sindhu jaya bhakta-gaṇa
jaya svarūpa, gadādhara, rūpa, sanātana
SYNONYMS
jaya advaita-all glories to Advaita Prabhu; kṛpā-sindhu-the ocean of mercy,; jaya bhakta-gaṇa-all glories to the devotees; jaya svarūpa-all glories to Svarūpa Dāmodara; gadādhara-Gadādhara Paṇḍita; rūpa-Śrīla Rūpa; sanātana-Sanātana Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Advaita Prabhu, the ocean of mercy, and to all the devotees, such as Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī.
TEXT 4
eka-dina pradyumna-miśra prabhura caraṇe
daṇḍavat kari’ kichu kare nivedane
SYNONYMS
eka-dina-one day; pradyumna-miśra-the devotee named Pradyumna Miśra; prabhura caraṇe-at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; daṇḍavat kari’-offering his respects; kichu-something; kare nivedane-submits as a petition.
TRANSLATION
One day Pradyumna Miśra came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, offering his respects and inquiring from Him with great submission.
TEXT 5
“śuna, prabhu, muñi dīna gṛhastha adhama!
kona bhāgye pāñāchoṅ tomāra durlabha caraṇa
SYNONYMS
śuna-please hear; prabhu-my Lord; muñi-I; dīna-very fallen; gṛhastha-householder; adhama-the lowest of men; kona bhāgye-by some good fortune; pāñāchoṅ-i have gotten; tomāra-Your; durlabha-rarely achieved; caraṇa-lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
“My Lord,” he said,”kindly hear me. I am a cripple-minded householder, the most fallen of men, but somehow, by my good fortune, I have received the shelter of Your lotus feet, which are rarely to be seen.
TEXT 6
kṛṣṇa-kathā śunibāre mora icchā haya
kṛṣṇa-kathā kaha more hañā sadaya”
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-kathā-discussions on the subject of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śunibāre-to hear; mora-my; icchā-desire; haya-is; kṛṣṇa-kathā-talks about Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; kaha-kindly speak; more-unto me; hañā-being; sa-daya-kind.
TRANSLATION
“I wish to hear topics concerning Lord Kṛṣṇa constantly. Be merciful unto me and kindly tell me something about Kṛṣṇa.”
TEXT 7
prabhu kahena,–“kṛṣṇa-kathā āmi nāhi jāni
sabe rāmānanda jāne, tāṅra mukhe śuni
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahena-the Lord replied; kṛṣṇa-kathā-talks about Lord Kṛṣṇa; āmi-I; nāhi jāni-do not know; sabe-only; rāmānanda jāne-Rāmānanda Rāya knows; tāṅra mukhe-from his mouth; śuni-I hear.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “I do not know about topics concerning Lord Kṛṣṇa. I think that only Rāmānanda Rāya knows, for I hear these topics from him.
TEXT 8
bhāgye tomāra kṛṣṇa-kathā śunite haya mana
rāmānanda-pāśa yāi’ karaha śravaṇa
SYNONYMS
bhāgye-by fortune; tomāra-your; kṛṣṇa-kathā-topics about Lord Kṛṣṇa; śunite-to hear; haya mana-there is an inclination; rāmānanda-pāśa-to Rāmānanda Rāya; yāi’-going; karaha śravaṇa-hear.
TRANSLATION
“It is your good fortune that you are inclined to hear topics regarding Kṛṣṇa. The best course for you would be to go to Rāmānanda Rāya and hear these topics from him.
TEXT 9
kṛṣṇa-kathāya ruci tomāra–baḍa bhāgyavān
yāra kṛṣṇa-kathāya ruci, sei bhāgyavān
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-kathāya-in talking of Kṛṣṇa; ruci-taste; tomāra-your; baḍa bhāgyavān-very fortunate; yāra-of whom; kṛṣṇa-kathāya-in hearing about Kṛṣṇa; ruci-taste; sei bhāgyavān-he is very fortunate.
TRANSLATION
“I see that you have acquired a taste for hearing talks regarding Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you are extremely fortunate. Not only you but anyone who has awakened such a taste is considered most fortunate.
TEXT 10
dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
SYNONYMS
dharmaḥ-execution of the system of varṇa and āśrama; su-anuṣṭhitaḥ-properly executed; puṁsām-of men; viṣvaksena-kathāsu-in talks about Viṣvaksena, or Kṛṣṇa; yaḥ-which; na-not; utpādayet-awakens; yadi-if; ratim-taste; śrama-labor; eva-without doubt; hi-certainly; kevalam-only.
TRANSLATION
“A person who properly performs his regulative duties according to varṇa and āśrama but does not develop his dormant attachment for Kṛṣṇa or awaken his taste to hear and chant about Kṛṣṇa is certainly laboring fruitlessly.’ “
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.8).
TEXT 11
tabe pradyumna-miśra gelā rāmānandera sthāne
rāyera sevaka tāṅre vasāila āsane
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereafter; pradyumna-miśra-of the name Pradyumna Miśra; gelā-went; rāmānandera sthāne-to the place of Rāmānanda Rāya; rāyera sevaka-the servant of Rāmānanda Rāya; tāṅre-unto him; vasāila āsane-gave a sitting place.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra, being thus advised by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, went to the home of Rāmānanda Rāya. There the servant of Rāmānanda Rāya gave him a proper place to sit down.
TEXT 12
darśana nā pāñā miśra sevake puchila
rāyera vṛttānta sevaka kahite lāgila
SYNONYMS
darśana-audience; nā-not; pāñā-getting; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; sevake-unto the servant; puchila-inquired; rāyera-of Rāmānanda Rāya; vṛttānta-description; sevaka-the servant; kahite lāgila-began to speak.
TRANSLATION
Unable to see Rāmānanda Rāya immediately, Pradyumna Miśra inquired from the servant, who then gave a description of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya.
TEXT 13
“dui deva-kanyā haya parama-sundarī
nṛtya-gīte sunipuṇā, vayase kiśorī
SYNONYMS
dui-two; deva-kanyā-dancing girls; haya-are; parama-sundarī-very, very beautiful; nṛtya-gīte-in singing and dancing; su-nipuṇā-very expert; vayase-in age; kiśorī-very young.
TRANSLATION
“There are two dancing girls who are extremely beautiful. They are very youthful, and they are expert in dancing and singing.
TEXT 14
sei duṅhe lañā rāya nibhṛta udyāne
nija-nāṭaka-gītera śikhāya nartane
SYNONYMS
sei duṅhe-those two; lañā-taking; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; nibhṛta udyāne-in a solitary place in the garden; nija-nāṭaka-of the drama composed by him; gītera-of the songs; śikhāya-gives direction; nartane-in dancing.
TRANSLATION
“Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya has taken these two girls to a solitary place in his garden, where he is teaching and directing them to dance according to the songs he has composed for his drama.
PURPORT
The drama being rehearsed by Rāmānanda Rāya and the two young girls was the well-known jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka. The songs and dances were meant for the pleasure of Lord Jagannātha; therefore Rāmānanda Rāya was personally giving instructions on how to sing and dance for the drama.
TEXT 15
tumi ihāṅ vasi’ raha, kṣaṇeke āsibena
tabe yei ājñā deha, sei karibena”
SYNONYMS
tumi-you; ihāṅ-here; vasi’-sitting; raha-just wait; kṣaṇeke āsibena-he will come within a moment; tabe-then; yei-whatever; ājñā-order; deha-you give; sei-he; karibena-will do.
TRANSLATION
“Please sit here and wait for a few moments. As soon as he comes, he will execute whatever order you give him.”
TEXT 16
tabe pradyumna-miśra tāhāṅ rahila vasiyā
rāmānanda nibhṛte sei dui-jana lañā
SYNONYMS
tabe-then; pradyumna-miśra-of the name Pradyumna Miśra; tāhāṅ-there; rahila vasiyā-remained seated; rāmānanda-Rāmānanda Rāya; nibhṛte-in a solitary place; sei-those; dui-jana-two girls; lañā-taking.
TRANSLATION
While Pradyumna Miśra remained seated there, Rāmānanda Rāya took the two girls to a solitary place.
TEXT 17
sva-haste karena tāra abhyaṅga-mardana
sva-haste karāna snāna, gātra sammārjana
SYNONYMS
sva-haste-with his own hand; karena-does; tāra-of those two girls; abhyaṅga-mardana-massaging the body with oil; sva-haste-with his own hand; karāna snāna-bathes them; gātra sammārjana-cleansing the whole body.
TRANSLATION
With his own hand, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya massaged their bodies with oil and bathed them with water. Indeed, Rāmānanda Rāya cleansed their entire bodies with his own hand.
TEXT 18
sva-haste parāna vastra, sarvāṅga maṇḍana
tabu nirvikāra rāya-rāmānandera mana
SYNONYMS
sva-haste-with his own hand; parāna vastra-dresses them; sarvāṅga maṇḍana-decorating the whole body; tabu-still; nirvikāra-without transformation; rāya-rāmānandera-of Rāmānanda Rāya; mana-the mind.
TRANSLATION
Although he dressed the two young girls and decorated their bodies with his own hand, he remained unchanged. Such is the mind of Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya.
TEXT 19
kāṣṭha-pāṣāṇa-sparśe haya yaiche bhāva
taruṇī-sparśe rāmānandera taiche ‘svabhāva’
SYNONYMS
kāṣṭha-wood; pāṣāṇa-stone; sparśe-by touching; haya-there is; yaiche-as; bhāva-mental position; taruṇī-sparśe-by touching the young girls; rāmānandera-of Rāmānanda Rāya; taiche-like that; svabhāva-nature.
TRANSLATION
While touching the young girls, he was like a person touching wood or stone, for his body and mind were unaffected.
TEXT 20
sevya-bujhi āropiyā karena sevana
svābhāvika dāsī-bhāva karena āropaṇa
SYNONYMS
sevya-bujhi āropiyā-considering worshipable; karena sevana-engages in service; svābhāvika-by his natural position; dāsī-bhāva-as a maidservant; karena āropaṇa-considers.
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya used to act in that way because he thought of himself in his original position as a maidservant of the gopīs. Thus although externally he appeared to be a man, internally, in his original spiritual position, he considered himself a maidservant and considered the two girls gopīs.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya: “Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya composed a drama named Jagannātha-vallabha-nāṭaka, and he engaged two young girls who were professional dancers and singers to demonstrate the ideology of the drama. Such girls, who are called deva-dāsīs, are still employed in the temple of Jagannātha, where they are called māhārīs. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya engaged two such girls, and because they were meant to play the parts of gopīs, he taught them how to awaken thoughts like those of the gopīs. Because the gopīs are worshipable personalities, Rāmānanda Rāya, who considered the two girls gopīs and himself their maidservant, engaged in their service by massaging their bodies with oil to cleanse them completely. Because Rāmānanda Rāya always placed himself in the position of a maidservant of the gopīs, his rehearsal with the girls was actually on the spiritual platform.”
Because there was no question of personal sense gratification when Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was serving the girls, his mind was steady and his body untransformed. This is not to be imitated, nor is such a mentality possible for anyone but Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will explain. The example of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya is certainly unique. The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta has given this description because in perfect devotional service one can attain such a position. Nevertheless, one must understand this subject very seriously and never attempt to imitate such activities.
TEXT 21
mahāprabhura bhakta-gaṇera durgama mahimā
tāhe rāmānandera bhāva-bhakti-prema-sīmā
SYNONYMS
mahāprabhura-of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhakta-gaṇera-of the devotees; durgama-difficult to understand; mahimā-greatness; tāhe-in that connection; rāmānandera-of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; bhāva-bhakti-of ecstatic devotion; prema-sīmā-the limit of love of Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
The greatness of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is exceedingly difficult to understand. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya is unique among them all, for he showed how one can extend his ecstatic love to the extreme limit.
TEXT 22
tabe sei dui-jane nṛtya śikhāilā
gītera gūḍha artha abhinaya karāilā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; sei-those; dui-jane-two young girls; nṛtya śikhāilā-directed how to dance; gītera-of the songs; gūḍha artha-the deep meaning; abhinaya karāilā-taught how to express by dramatic performances.
TRANSLATION
Rāmānanda Rāya directed the two girls how to dance and express the deep meaning of his songs through dramatic performances.
TEXT 23
sañcārī, sāttvika, sthāyi-bhāvera lakṣaṇa
mukhe netre abhinaya kare prakaṭana
SYNONYMS
sañcārī-passing; sāttvika-natural; sthāyi-continuously existing; bhāvera-of ecstasies; lakṣaṇa-symptoms; mukhe-in the facial expressions; netre-in the movement of the eyes; abhinaya-the dramatic performance; kare prakaṭana-he demonstrates.
TRANSLATION
He taught them how to express the symptoms of continuous, natural and transitional ecstasies with the movements of their faces, their eyes and the other parts of their bodies.
TEXT 24
bhāva-prakaṭana-lāsya rāya ye śikhāya
jagannāthera āge duṅhe prakaṭa dekhāya
SYNONYMS
bhāva-ecstasy; prakaṭana-manifesting; lāsya-feminine poses and dancing; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; ye-which; śikhāya-was teaching; jagannāthera āge-in front of Lord Jagannātha; duṅhe-both of them; prakaṭa dekhāya-demonstrated.
TRANSLATION
Through the feminine poses and dances they were taught by Rāmānanda Rāya, the two girls precisely exhibited all these expressions of ecstasy before Lord Jagannātha.
TEXT 25
tabe sei dui-jane prasāda khāoyāilā
nibhṛte duṅhāre nija-ghare pāṭhāilā
SYNONYMS
tabe-then; sei-to those; dui-jane-two girls; prasāda khāoyāilā-gave prasāda to eat; nibhṛte-without being exposed; duṅhāre-both of them; nija-ghare-their homes; pāṭhāilā-sent.
TRANSLATION
Then Rāmānanda Rāya fed the two girls sumptuous prasāda and sent them to their homes unexposed.
TEXT 26
prati-dina rāya aiche karāya sādhana
kon jāne kṣudra jīva kāṅhā tāṅra mana?
SYNONYMS
prati-dina-daily; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; aiche-in this way; karāya sādhana-teaches regularly; kon jāne-who can know; kṣudra jīva-an insignificant living entity; kāṅhā-where; tāṅra-his; mana-mind.
TRANSLATION
Every day he trained the two deva-dāsīs how to dance. Who among the small living entities, their minds always absorbed in material sense gratification, could understand the mentality of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya?
PURPORT
Rāmānanda Rāya’s service to the gopīs for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa is purely an affair of the spiritual world. Unless one is fully situated in the spiritual atmosphere, the activities of Rāmānanda Rāya are most difficult to understand.
TEXT 27
miśrera āgamana rāye sevaka kahilā
śīghra rāmānanda tabe sabhāte āilā
SYNONYMS
miśrera-of Pradyumna Miśra; āgamana-arrival; rāye-to Rāmānanda Rāya; sevaka kahilā-the servant informed; śīghra-very soon; rāmānanda-Rāmānanda Rāya; tabe-thereupon; sabhāte āilā-came to the assembly room.
TRANSLATION
When the servant informed Rāmānanda Rāya of Pradyumna Miśra’s arrival, Rāmānanda Rāya immediately went to the assembly room.
TEXT 28
miśrere namaskāra kare sammāna kariyā
nivedana kare kichu vinīta hañā
SYNONYMS
miśrere-unto Pradyumna Miśra; namaskāra kare-offers respectful obeisances; sammāna kariyā-with all respect; nivedana kare-submitted; kichu-something; vinīta hañā-with great humility.
TRANSLATION
He offered his obeisances to Pradyumna Miśra with all respect and then, with great humility, spoke as follows.
TEXT 29
“bahu-kṣaṇa āilā, more keha nā kahila
tomāra caraṇe mora aparādha ha-ila
SYNONYMS
bahu-kṣaṇa-long ago; āilā-you came; more-me; keha nā kahila-no one informed; tomāra caraṇe-unto your lotus feet; mora-my; aparādha-offense; ha-ila-there was.
TRANSLATION
“Sir, you came here long ago, but no one informed me. Therefore I have certainly become an offender at your lotus feet.
TEXT 30
tomāra āgamane mora pavitra haila ghara
ājñā kara, kyā karoṅ tomāra kiṅkara”
SYNONYMS
tomāra āgamane-because of your arrival; mora-my; pavitra-purified; haila-became; ghara-house; ājñā kara-kindly order; kyā karoṅ-what can I do; tomāra kiṅkara-I am your servant.
TRANSLATION
“My entire home has been purified by your arrival. Kindly order me. What can I do for you? I am your servant.”
TEXT 31
miśra kahe,–“tomā dekhite haila āgamane
āpanā pavitra kailuṅ tomāra daraśane”
SYNONYMS
miśra kahe-Pradyumna Miśra replied; tomā-you; dekhite-to see; haila āgamane-I came; āpanā-myself; pavitra kailuṅ-I have purified; tomāra daraśane-by seeing you.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra replied, “I came simply to see you. Now I have purified myself by seeing Your Honor.”
TEXT 32
atikāla dekhi’ miśra kichu nā kahila
vidāya ha-iyā miśra nija-ghara gela
SYNONYMS
atikāla dekhi’-seeing that it was too late; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; kichu-anything; nā kahila-did not say; vidāya ha-iyā-taking leave; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; nija-ghara-to his own place; gela-returned.
TRANSLATION
Because Pradyumna Miśra saw that it was late, he did not say anything else to Rāmānanda Rāya. Instead, he took leave of him and returned to his own home.
TEXT 33
āra dina miśra āila prabhu-vidyamāne
prabhu kahe,–‘kṛṣṇa-kathā śunilā rāya-sthāne’?
SYNONYMS
āra dina-the next day; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; āila-came; prabhu-vidyamāne-in the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired; kṛṣṇa-kathā-talks about Kṛṣṇa; śunilā-have you heard; rāya-sthāne-from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya.
TRANSLATION
The next day, when Pradyumna Miśra arrived in the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord inquired, “Have you heard talks about Kṛṣṇa from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya?”
TEXT 34
tabe miśra rāmānandera vṛttānta kahilā
śuni’ mahāprabhu tabe kahite lāgilā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; rāmānandera-of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; vṛttānta kahilā-described the activities; śuni’-hearing; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tabe-then; kahite lāgilā-began to speak.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra thereupon described the activities of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. After hearing about these activities, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to speak.
TEXTS 35-36
“āmi ta’ sannyāsī, āpanāre virakta kari’ māni
darśana rahu dūre, ‘prakṛtira’ nāma yadi śuni
tabahiṅ vikāra pāya mora tanu-mana
prakṛti-darśane sthira haya kon jana?”
SYNONYMS
āmi-I; ta’-certainly; sannyāsī-in the renounced order of life; āpanāre-Myself; virakta kari’-having renounced everything; māni-I consider; darśana rahu dūre-what to speak of seeing; prakṛtira-of a woman; nāma-name; yadi-if; śuni-I hear; tabahiṅ-immediately; vikāra-transformation; pāya-gets; mora-My; tanu-mana-mind and body; prakṛti-darśane-by seeing a woman; sthira-steady; haya-is; kon jana-what person.
TRANSLATION
“I am a sannyāsī,” He said, “and I certainly consider Myself renounced. But not to speak of seeing a woman, if I even hear the name of a woman, I feel changes in My mind and body. Therefore who could remain unmoved by the sight of a woman? It is very difficult.
TEXT 37
rāmānanda rāyera kathā śuna, sarva-jana
kahibāra kathā nahe, yāhā āścarya-kathana
SYNONYMS
rāmānanda rāyera-of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; kathā-topics; śuna-please hear; sarva-jana-all people; kahibāra-to be spoken; kathā-talks; nahe-they are not; yāhā-which; āścarya-kathana-wonderful and uncommon talks.
TRANSLATION
“Everyone please hear these topics about Rāmānanda Rāya, although they are so wonderful and uncommon that they should not be spoken.
TEXT 38
eke deva-dāsī, āra sundarī taruṇī
tāra saba aṅga-sevā karena āpani
SYNONYMS
eke-on one side; deva-dāsī-the professional dancing girls; āra-and; sundarī taruṇī-very beautiful and youthful; tāra-their; saba-all; aṅga-of the body,; sevā-service; karena āpani-performs personally.
TRANSLATION
“The two professional dancing girls are beautiful and youthful, yet Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya personally massages oil upon their bodies.
TEXT 39
snānādi karāya, parāya vāsa-vibhūṣaṇa
guhya aṅgera haya tāhā darśana-sparśana
SYNONYMS
snāna-ādi karāya-he performs their bathing and so on; parāya vāsa-vibhūṣaṇa-dresses and decorates the body with various types of ornaments; guhya aṅgera-of the private parts of the body; haya-there is; tāhā-that; darśana-sparśana-seeing and touching.
TRANSLATION
“He personally bathes and dresses them and decorates them with ornaments. In this way, he naturally sees and touches the private parts of their bodies.
TEXT 40
tabu nirvikāra rāya-rāmānandera mana
nānā-bhāvodgāra tāre karāya śikṣaṇa
SYNONYMS
tabu-still; nirvikāra-unchanged; rāya-rāmānandera mana-the mind of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; nānā-bhāva-udgāra-all the symptoms and transformations of ecstasy; tāre-unto them; karāya śikṣaṇa-he teaches.
TRANSLATION
“Nevertheless, the mind of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya never changes, although he teaches the girls how to physically express all the transformations of ecstasy.
TEXT 41
nirvikāra deha-mana–kāṣṭha-pāṣāṇa-sama!
āścarya,–taruṇī-sparśe nirvikāra mana
SYNONYMS
nirvikāra-unchanged; deha-mana-body and mind; kāṣṭha-pāṣāṇa-sama-like wood or stone; āścarya-wonderful; taruṇī-sparśe-in touching young girls; nirvikāra-unchanged; mana-mind.
TRANSLATION
“His mind is as steady as wood or stone. Indeed, it is wonderful that even when he touches such young girls, his mind never changes.
TEXT 42
eka rāmānandera haya ei adhikāra
tāte jāni aprākṛta-deha tāṅhāra
SYNONYMS
eka-only one; rāmānandera-of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; haya-there is; ei-this; adhikāra-special authority; tāte-in that way; jāni-we can understand; aprākṛta-spiritual; deha-body; tāṅhāra-his.
TRANSLATION
“The authority for such acts is the prerogative of Rāmānanda Rāya alone, for I can understand that his body is not material but has been completely transformed into a spiritual entity.
TEXT 43
tāṅhāra manera bhāva teṅha jāne mātra
tāhā jānibāre āra dvitīya nāhi pātra
SYNONYMS
tāṅhāra-his; manera-of the mind; bhāva-position; teṅha-he; jāne-knows; mātra-only; tāhā jānibāre-to understand that; āra-other; dvitīya-second; nāhi-there is not; pātra-eligible person.
TRANSLATION
“He alone, and no one else, can understand the position of his mind.
TEXT 44
kintu śāstra-dṛṣṭye eka kari anumāna
śrī-bhāgavata-śāstra–tāhāte pramāṇa
SYNONYMS
kintu-but; śāstra-dṛṣṭye-according to the direction of the śāstra; eka-one; kari anumāna-I make a guess; śrī-bhāgavata-śāstra-Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Vedic scripture; tāhāte-in that connection; pramāṇa-evidence.
TRANSLATION
“But I can make a guess in terms of directions from the śāstra. Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the Vedic scripture, gives the direct evidence in this matter.
TEXTS 45-46
vraja-vadhū-saṅge kṛṣṇera rāsādi-vilāsa
yei jana kahe, śune kariyā viśvāsa
hṛd-roga-kāma tāṅra tat-kāle haya kṣaya
tina-guṇa-kṣobha nahe, ‘mahā-dhīra’ haya
SYNONYMS
vraja-vadhū-saṅge-in the association of the damsels of Vrajabhūmi; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; rāsa-ādi-vilāsa-pastimes like the rāsa dance; yei-which; jana-person; kahe-describes; śune-hears; kariyā viśvāsa-with great faith; hṛt-roga-the disease of the heart; kāma-lust; tāṅra-of him; tat-kāle-at that time; haya kṣaya-becomes nullified; tina-guṇa-of the three modes of material nature; kṣobha-agitation; nahe-is not; mahā-dhīra-very sober; haya-becomes.
TRANSLATION
“When one hears or describes with great faith the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, such as His rāsa dance with the gopīs, the disease of lusty desires in his heart and the agitation caused by the three modes of material nature are immediately nullified, and he becomes sober and silent.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments in this connection, “Any person seriously inclined to hear about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, with great faith and a transcendental, spiritually inspired mind, is immediately freed from the natural lusty desires found within the heart of a materialistic man.”
When a pure Vaiṣṇava speaks on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and another pure Vaiṣṇava hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from such a realized soul, both of them live in the transcendental world, where the contamination of the modes of material nature cannot touch them. Freed from the contamination of the modes of nature, the speaker and hearer are fixed in a transcendental mentality, knowing that their position on the transcendental platform is to serve the Supreme Lord. The class known as prākṛta-sahajiyā, who consider the transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa something like the behavior between a man and a woman in the material field, artificially think that hearing the rāsa-līlā will help them by diminishing the lusty desires of their diseased hearts. But because they do not follow the regulative principles but instead violate even ordinary morals, their contemplation of rāsa-līlā is a futile attempt, which sometimes results in their imitating the dealings of the gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa. To forbid such habits of the prākṛta-sahajiyās, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has excluded their material intelligence by using the word viśvāsa (“faith”). In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.30), Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī says:
naitat samācarej jātu
manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ
vinaśyaty ācaran mauḍhyād
yathā rudro ‘bdhijaṁ viṣam
“Certainly one who is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead should never, even within his mind, imitate the activities of the transcendental rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. If out of ignorance one does so, he will be destroyed, just as if he were to imitate Lord Śiva, who drank poison produced from the ocean.”
TEXT 47
ujjvala madhura prema-bhakti sei pāya
ānande kṛṣṇa-mādhurye vihare sadāya
SYNONYMS
ujjvala-illuminated; madhura-sweet; prema-bhakti-ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa; sei-he; pāya-gets; ānande-in transcendental bliss; kṛṣṇa-mādhurye-the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes; vihare-enjoys; sadāya-always.
TRANSLATION
“Tasting the transcendental, effulgent, sweetly ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, such a person can enjoy life twenty-four hours a day in the transcendental bIiss of the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.
TEXT 48
vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ
śraddhānvito ‘nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ
hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ
SYNONYMS
vikrīḍitam-the activity of the rāsa dance; vraja-vadhūbhiḥ-the damsels of Vraja, the gopīs; idam-this; ca-and; viṣṇoḥ-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śraddhā-anvitaḥ-with transcendental faith; anuśṛṇuyāt-continuously hears in the paramparā system; atha-also; varṇayet-describes; yaḥ-one who; bhaktim-devotional service; parām-transcendental; bhagavati-unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratilabhya-attaining; kāmam-lusty material desires; hṛt-rogam-the disease of the heart; āśu-very soon; apahinoti-gives up; acireṇa-without delay; dhīraḥ-one who is sober because of advanced devotional service
TRANSLATION
“A transcendentally sober person who, with faith and love continuously hears from a realized soul about the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa in His rāsa dance with the gopīs, or one who describes such activities, can attain full transcendental devotional service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus lusty material desires, which are the heart disease of all materialistic persons, are for him quickly and completely vanquished.’
PURPORT
All the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa are transcendental, and the gopīs are also transcendentally situated. Therefore the activities of the gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa, if seriously understood, will certainly free one from material attachment. Then there is no possibility that lusty material desires will awaken.
TEXTS 49-50
ye śune, ye paḍe, tāṅra phala etādṛśī
sei bhāvāviṣṭa yei seve ahar-niśi
tāṅra phala ki kahimu, kahane nā yāya
nitya-siddha sei, prāya-siddha tāṅra kāya
SYNONYMS
ye śune-anyone who hears; ye paḍe-anyone who recites; tāṅra-of him; phala-the result; etādṛśī-this; sei-he; bhāva-āviṣṭa-always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa; yei seve-who serves; ahaḥ-niśi-day and night; tāṅra-his; phala-result; ki kahimu-what shall I say; kahane nā yāya-it is impossible to express; nitya-siddha-eternally liberated; sei-such a person; prāya-siddha-transcendental; tāṅra-his; kāya-body.
TRANSLATION
“If a transcendentally situated person, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, hears and speaks about the rāsa-līlā dance of Kṛṣṇa and is always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa while serving the Lord day and night within his mind, what shall I say about the result? It is so spiritually exalted that it cannot be expressed in words. Such a person is an eternally liberated associate of the Lord, and his body is completely spiritualized. Although he is visible to material eyes, he is spiritually situated, and all his activities are spiritual. By the will of Kṛṣṇa, such a devotee is understood to possess a spiritual body.
TEXT 51
rāgānuga-mārge jāni rāyera bhajana
siddha-deha-tulya, tāte ‘prākṛta’ nahe mana
SYNONYMS
rāgānuga-mārge-on the path of spontaneous love of Kṛṣṇa; jāni-we can understand; rāyera bhajana-the devotional service of Rāmānanda Rāya; siddha-deha-spiritual body; tulya-equal to; tāte-therefore; prākṛta-material; nahe-is not; mana-mind.
TRANSLATION
“Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya is situated on the path of spontaneous love of Godhead. Therefore he is in his spiritual body, and his mind is not materially affected.
TEXT 52
āmiha rāyera sthāne śuni kṛṣṇa-kathā
śunite icchā haya yadi, punaḥ yāha tathā
SYNONYMS
āmiha-I also; rāyera sthāne-from Rāmānanda Rāya; śuni-hear; kṛṣṇa-kathā-talks of Kṛṣṇa; śunite-to hear; icchā-desire; haya-there is; yadi-if; punaḥ-again; yāha-go; tathā-there.
TRANSLATION
“I also hear topics about Kṛṣṇa from Rāmānanda Rāya. If you want to hear such topics, go to him again.
TEXT 53
mora nāma la-iha,–‘teho pāṭhāilā more
toṁāra sthāne kṛṣṇa-kathā śunibāra tare’
SYNONYMS
mora-My; nāma-name; la-iha-take; teho-He; pāṭhāilā-sent; more-me; tomāra sthāne-from you; kṛṣṇa-kathā-topics of Kṛṣṇa; śunibāra tare-to hear.
TRANSLATION
“You can take My name before him, saying, ‘He has sent me to hear about Lord Kṛṣṇa from you.’
TEXT 54
śīghra yāha, yāvat teṅho āchena sabhāte”
eta śuni’ pradyumna-miśra calilā turite
SYNONYMS
śīghra yāha-go hastily; yāvat-while; teṅho-he; āchena-is; sabhāte-in the assembly room; eta śuni’-hearing this; pradyumna-miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; calilā-went; turite-very hastily.
TRANSLATION
“Go hastily while he is in the assembly room.” Hearing this, Pradyumna Miśra immediately departed.
TEXT 55
rāya-pāśa gela, rāya praṇati karila
‘ājñā kara, ye lāgi’ āgamana haila’
SYNONYMS
rāya-pāśa-to Rāmānanda Rāya; gela-he went; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; praṇati karila-offered his respects; ājñā kara-please order me; ye lāgi’-for what purpose; āgamana haila-have you come.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra went to Rāmānanda Rāya, who offered him respectful obeisances and said, “Please order me. For what purpose have you come?”
TEXT 56
miśra kahe,–‘mahāprabhu pāṭhāilā more
tomāra sthāne kṛṣṇa-kathā śunibāra tare’
SYNONYMS
miśra kahe-Pradyumna Miśra said; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; pāṭhāilā more-has sent me; tomāra sthāne-from you; kṛṣṇa-kathā-topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śunibāra tare-to hear.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra answered, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has sent me to hear topics about Lord Kṛṣṇa from you.”
TEXT 57
śuni’ rāmānanda rāya hailā premāveśe
kahite lāgilā kichu manera hariṣe
SYNONYMS
śuni’-hearing; rāmānanda rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; hailā-became; prema-āveśe-absorbed in ecstatic love; kahite lāgilā-began to speak; kichu-something; manera hariṣe-in transcendental pleasure.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, Rāmānanda Rāya became absorbed in ecstatic love and began to speak with great transcendental pleasure.
TEXT 58
“prabhura ājñāya kṛṣṇa-kathā śunite āilā ethā
ihā va-i mahā-bhāgya āmi pāba kothā?”
SYNONYMS
prabhura ājñāya-under the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛṣṇa-kathā-topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa; śunite-to hear; āilā ethā-you have come here; ihā va-i-without this; mahā-bhāgya-great fortune; āmi-I; pāba-will get; kothā-where.
TRANSLATION
“Following the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you have come to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is my great fortune. How else would I get such an opportunity?”
TEXT 59
eta kahi tāre lañā nibhṛte vasilā
‘ki kathā śunite cāha?’ miśrere puchilā
SYNONYMS
eta kahi-saying this; tāre-him; lañā-taking; nibhṛte vasilā-sat in a secluded place; ki kathā-what kind of topics; śunite cāha-do you want to hear; miśrere puchilā-he inquired from Pradyumna Miśra.
TRANSLATION
Saying this, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya took Pradyumna Miśra to a secluded place and inquired from him, “What kind of kṛṣṇa-kathā do you want to hear from me?”
TEXT 60
teṅho kahe,–“ye kahilā vidyānagare
sei kathā krame tumi kahibā āmāre
SYNONYMS
teṅho kahe-he replied; ye-what; kahilā-you spoke; vidyā-nagare-at Vidyānagara; sei kathā-those topics; krame-according to the order; tumi-you; kahibā-please speak; āmāre-to me.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra replied, “Kindly tell me about the same topics you spoke about at Vidyānagara.
TEXT 61
ānera ki kathā, tumi–prabhura upadeṣṭā!
āmi ta’ bhikṣuka vipra, tumi–mora poṣṭā
SYNONYMS
ānera ki kathā-what to speak of others; tumi-you; prabhura upadeṣṭā-an instructor of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āmi-I; ta’-certainly; bhikṣuka-beggar; vipra-brāhmaṇa; tumi-you; mora-my; poṣṭā-maintainer.
TRANSLATION
“You are an instructor even for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not to speak of others. I am but a beggar brāhmaṇa, and you are my maintainer.
TEXT 62
bhāla, manda–kichu āmi puchite nā jāni
‘dīna’ dekhi’ kṛpā kari’ kahibā āpani”
SYNONYMS
bhāla-good; manda-bad; kichu-something; āmi-I; puchite-to inquire; nā jāni-do not know; dīna-very poor in knowledge; dekhi’-seeing (me); kṛpā kari’-very mercifully; kahibā-please; āpani-by your own good will.
TRANSLATION
“I do not know how to inquire, for I do not know what is good and what is bad. Seeing me to be poor in knowledge, kindly speak whatever is good for me by your own good will.”
TEXT 63
tabe rāmānanda krame kahite lāgilā
kṛṣṇa-kathā-rasāmṛta-sindhu uthalilā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; rāmānanda-Rāmānanda Rāya; krame-gradually; kahite lāgilā-began to speak; kṛṣṇa-kathā-of the topics of Kṛṣṇa; rasāmṛta-sindhu-the ocean of transcendental mellow; uthalilā-became agitated.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon Rāmānanda Rāya gradually began speaking on topics of Kṛṣṇa. Thus the ocean of the transcendental mellow of those topics became agitated.
TEXT 64
āpane praśna kari’ pāche karena siddhānta
tṛtīya prahara haila, nahe kathā-anta
SYNONYMS
āpane-personally; praśna kari’-making the question; pāche-after that; karena siddhānta-gives the conclusion; tṛtīya prahara haila-it became afternoon; nahe kathā-anta-there was no end to such topics.
TRANSLATION
He began personally posing questions and then answering them with conclusive statements. When afternoon came, the topics still did not end.
TEXT 65
vaktā śrotā kahe śune duṅhe premāveśe
ātma-smṛti nāhi, kāhāṅ jāniba dina-śeṣe
SYNONYMS
vaktā-the speaker; śrotā-the listener; kahe-speaks; śune-hears; duṅhe-both of them; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; ātma-smṛti nāhi-there was no bodily consciousness; kāhāṅ-where; jāniba-can understand; dina-śeṣe-the end of day.
TRANSLATION
The speaker and listener spoke and heard in ecstatic love. Thus they forgot their bodily consciousness. How, then, could they perceive the end of the day?
TEXT 66
sevaka kahila,–‘dina haila avasāna’
tabe rāya kṛṣṇa-kathāra karilā viśrāma
SYNONYMS
sevaka kahila-the servant informed; dina-the day; haila avasāna-has ended; tabe-at that time; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; kṛṣṇa-kathāra-the talks of Kṛṣṇa; karilā viśrāma-ended.
TRANSLATION
The servant informed them, “The day has already ended.” Then Rāmānanda Rāya ended his discourses about Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 67
bahu-sammāna kari’ miśre vidāya dilā
‘kṛtārtha ha-ilāṅa’ bali’ miśra nācite lāgilā
SYNONYMS
bahu-sammāna-much respectful behavior; kari’-doing; miśre-unto Pradyumna Miśra; vidāya dilā-bade farewell; kṛtārtha ha-ilāṅa-i have become very satisfied; bali’-saying; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; nācite lāgilā-began to dance.
TRANSLATION
Rāmānanda Rāya paid great respect to Pradyumna Miśra and bade him farewell. Pradyumna Miśra said, “I have become very satisfied.” He then began to dance.
TEXT 68
ghare giyā miśra kaila snāna, bhojana
sandhyā-kāle dekhite āila prabhura caraṇa
SYNONYMS
ghare giyā-returning home; miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; kaila-performed; snāna-bathing; bhojana-eating; sandhyā-kāle-in the evening; dekhite-to see; āila-came; prabhura caraṇa-the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
After returning home, Pradyumna Miśra bathed and ate his meal. In the evening he came to see the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 69
prabhura caraṇa vande ullasita-mane
prabhu kake,–‘kṛṣṇa-kathā ha-ila śravaṇe’?
SYNONYMS
prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; caraṇa-the lotus feet; vande-he worships; ullasita-mane-in great happiness; prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says; kṛṣṇa-kathā-talks of Kṛṣṇa; ha-ila śravaṇe-did you hear.
TRANSLATION
In great happiness he worshiped the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord inquired, “Have you heard topics about Kṛṣṇa?”
TEXT 70
miśra kahe,–“prabhu, more kṛtārtha karilā
kṛṣṇa-kathāmṛtārṇave more ḍubāilā
SYNONYMS
miśra kahe-Pradyumna Miśra said; prabhu-my dear Lord; more-me; kṛtārtha-satisfied; karilā-You have made; kṛṣṇa-kathā-of talks about Kṛṣṇa; amṛta-arṇave-in the ocean of the nectar; more-me; ḍubāilā-You have drowned.
TRANSLATION
Pradyumna Miśra said, “My dear Lord, You have made me extremely obliged to You because You have drowned me in a nectarean ocean of talks about Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 71
rāmānanda rāya-kathā kahile nā haya
‘manuṣya’ nahe rāya, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-maya
SYNONYMS
rāmānanda rāya-kathā-the speeches of Rāmānanda Rāya; kahile-describing; nā haya-is not possible; manuṣya-an ordinary human being; nahe-is not; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-maya-absorbed in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
“I cannot properly describe the discourses of Rāmānanda Rāya, for he is not an ordinary human being. He is fully absorbed in the devotional service of the Lord.
PURPORT
One is forbidden to accept the guru, or spiritual master, as an ordinary human being (guruṣu nara-matiḥ). When Rāmānanda Rāya spoke to Pradyumna Miśra, Pradyumna Miśra could understand that Rāmānanda Rāya was not an ordinary human being. A spiritually advanced person who acts with authority, as the spiritual master, speaks as the Supreme Personality of Godhead dictates from within. Thus it is not he that is personally speaking. When a pure devotee or spiritual master speaks, what he says should be accepted as having been directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the paramparā system.
TEXT 72
āra eka kathā rāya kahilā āmāre
‘kṛṣṇa-kathā-vaktā kari’ nā jāniha more
SYNONYMS
āra-another; eka-one; kathā-topic; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; kahilā āmāre-said to me; kṛṣṇa-kathā-vaktā-the speaker on the talks of Kṛṣṇa; kari’-as; nā jāniha more-do not consider me.
TRANSLATION
“There is one other thing Rāmānanda Rāya said to me. ‘Do not consider me the speaker in these talks about Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 73
mora mukhe kathā kahena āpane gauracandra
yaiche kahāya, taiche kahi,–yena vīṇā-yantra
SYNONYMS
mora mukhe-in my mouth; kathā-topics; kahena-speaks; āpane-personally; gaura-candra-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; yaiche kahāya-as He causes to speak; taiche kahi-so I speak; yena-like; vīṇā-yantra-the stringed instrument called the vīṇā.
TRANSLATION
“Whatever I speak is personally spoken by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Like a stringed instrument, I vibrate whatever He causes me to speak.
TEXT 74
mora mukhe kahāya kathā, kare paracāra
pṛthivīte ke jānibe e-līlā tāṅhāra?’
SYNONYMS
mora mukhe-in my mouth; kahāya-causes to speak; kathā-words; kare paracāra-preaches; pṛthivīte-in this world; ke jānibe-who will understand; e-līlā-this pastime; tāṅhāra-His.
TRANSLATION
“In this way the Lord speaks through my mouth to preach the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Within the world, who will understand this pastime of the Lord?’
TEXT 75
ye-saba śuniluṅ, kṛṣṇa-rasera sāgara
brahmādi-devera e saba nā haya gocara
SYNONYMS
ye-saba-all that; śuniluṅ-I heard; kṛṣṇa-rasera-of the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sāgara-the ocean; brahmā-ādi-devera-of the demigods, beginning with Lord Brahmā; e saba-all this; nā haya gocara-is not possible to be understood.
TRANSLATION
“What I have heard from Rāmānanda Rāya is like a nectarean ocean of discourses about Kṛṣṇa. Even the demigods, beginning with Lord Brahmā, cannot understand all these topics.
TEXT 76
hena ‘rasa’ pāna more karāilā tumi
janme janme tomāra pāya vikāilāṅa āmi
SYNONYMS
hena rasa-such transcendental mellows; pāna-to drink; more-me; karāilā tumi-You have caused; janme janme-life after life; tomāra pāya-at Your feet; vikāilāṅa āmi-I have become sold.
TRANSLATION
“My dear Lord, You have made me drink this transcendental nectar of kṛṣṇa-kathā. Therefore I am sold to Your lotus feet, life after life.”
TEXT 77
prabhu kahe,–“rāmānanda vinayera khani
āpanāra kathā para-muṇḍe dena āni’
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-the Lord replied; rāmānanda-Rāmānanda Rāya; vinayera khani-the mine of humility; āpanāra kathā-his own words; para-muṇḍe-on another’s head; dena-confers; āni’-bringing.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Rāmānanda Rāya is a source of all humility. Therefore he has attributed his own words to another’s intelligence.
TEXT 78
mahānubhavera ei sahaja ‘svabhāva’ haya
āpanāra guṇa nāhi āpane kahaya”
SYNONYMS
mahānubhavera-of those who are advanced in realization; ei-this; sahaja-natural; svabhāva-characteristic; haya-is; āpanāra guṇa-their own personal qualities; nāhi-do not; āpane-personally; kahaya-speak.
TRANSLATION
“This is a natural characteristic of those advanced in devotional service. They do not personally speak of their own good qualities.”
TEXT 79
rāmānanda-rāyera ei kahilu guṇa-leśa
pradyumna miśrere yaiche kailā upadeśa
SYNONYMS
rāmānanda-rāyera-of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; ei-this; kahilu-I have spoken; guṇa-leśa-a fraction of the transcendental attributes; pradyumna miśrere-unto Pradyumna Miśra; yaiche-in which way; kailā upadeśa-he gave instruction.
TRANSLATION
I have described but a fraction of the transcendental attributes of Rāmānanda Rāya, as revealed when he instructed Pradyumna Miśra.
TEXT 80
‘gṛhastha’ hañā nahe rāya ṣaḍ-vargera vaśe
‘viṣayī’ hañā sannyāsīre upadeśe
SYNONYMS
gṛhastha hañā-being a householder; nahe-is not; rāya-Rāmānanda Rāya; ṣaṭ-vargera vaśe-under the control of the six kinds of bodily change; viṣayī hañā-being a pounds-and-shillings man; sannyāsīre upadeśe-advises persons in the renounced order of life.
TRANSLATION
Although Rāmānanda Rāya was a householder, he was not under the control of the six kinds of bodily change. Although apparently a pounds-and-shillings man, he advised even persons in the renounced order.
PURPORT
Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya externally appeared to be a gṛhastha who was under the influence of the external, material energy, not a self-controlled brahmacārī, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Gṛhasthas (householders) who are under the influence of the external energy accept householder life for the purpose of sense enjoyment, but a transcendentally situated Vaiṣṇava is not subjected to the influence of the senses by the Lord’s material rule of the six kinds of bodily change (kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and mātsarya), even when he plays the part of a gṛhastha. Thus although Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya acted as a gṛhastha and was accepted as an ordinary pounds-and-shillings man, he was always absorbed in the transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore his mind was spiritually situated, and he was interested only in the subject of Kṛṣṇa. Rāmānanda Rāya was not among the Māyāvādī impersonalists or materialistic logicians who are opposed to the principles of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental pastimes. He was already spiritually situated in the order of renounced life; therefore he was able to turn sand into gold by spiritual potency, or, in other words, to elevate a person from a material to a spiritual position.
TEXT 81
ei-saba guṇa tāṅra prakāśa karite
miśrere pāṭhāilā tāhāṅ śravaṇa karite
SYNONYMS
ei-saba-all these; guṇa-attributes; tāṅra-of Rāmānanda Rāya; prakāśa karite-to demonstrate; miśrere-Pradyumna Miśra; pāṭhāilā-He sent; tāhāṅ-there; śravaṇa karite-to hear.
TRANSLATION
To demonstrate the transcendental attributes of Rāmānanda Rāya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent Pradyumna Miśra to hear discourses about Kṛṣṇa from him.
TEXT 82
bhakta-guṇa prakāśite prabhu bhāla jāne
nānā-bhaṅgīte guṇa prakāśi’ nija-lābha māne
SYNONYMS
bhakta-guṇa-the attributes of a devotee; prakāśite-to manifest; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhāla jāne-knows very well how; nānā-bhaṅgīte-by various ways; guṇa-attributes; prakāśi’-manifesting; nija-lābha-His profit; māne-He considers.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, knows very well how to demonstrate the qualities of His devotees. Therefore, acting like an artistic painter, He does so in various ways and considers this His personal profit.
TEXT 83
āra eka ‘svabhāva’ gaurera śuna, bhakta-gaṇa
aiśvarya-svabhāva gūḍha kare prakaṭana
SYNONYMS
āra-another; eka-one; svabhāva-characteristic; gaurera-of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śuna-hear; bhakta-gaṇa-O devotees; aiśvarya-svabhāva-opulences and characteristics; gūḍha-very deep; kare-does; prakaṭana-manifestation.
TRANSLATION
There is yet another characteristic of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. O devotees, listen carefully to how He manifests His opulence and characteristics, although they are exceptionally deep.
TEXT 84
sannyāsī paṇḍita-gaṇera karite garva nāśa
nīca-śūdra-dvārā karena dharmera prakāśa
SYNONYMS
sannyāsī-persons in the renounced order; paṇḍita-gaṇera-of the learned scholars; karite-to do; garva-pride; nāśa-vanquishing; nīca-lowborn; śūdra-a fourth-class man; dvārā-through; karena-does; dharmera prakāśa-spreading of real religious principles.
TRANSLATION
To vanquish the false pride of so-called renunciants and learned scholars, He spreads real religious principles, even through a śūdra, or lowborn fourth-class man.
PURPORT
When a man is greatly learned in the Vedānta-sūtras, he is known as paṇḍita, or a learned scholar. Generally this qualifications attributed to brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs. Sannyāsa, the renounced order of life, is the topmost position for a brāhmaṇa, a member of the highest of the four varṇas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra). According to public opinion, a person born in a brāhmaṇa family, duly reformed by the purificatory processes and properly initiated by a spiritual master, is an authority on Vedic literature. When such a person is offered the sannyāsa order, he comes to occupy the topmost position. The brāhmaṇa is supposed to be the spiritual master of the other three varṇas, namely kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, and the sannyāsī is supposed to be the spiritual master even of the exalted brāhmaṇas.
Generally brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs are very proud of their spiritual positions. Therefore, to cut down their false pride, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness through Rāmānanda Rāya, who was neither a member of the renounced order nor a born brāhmaṇa. indeed, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha belonging to the śūdra class, yet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arranged for him to be the master who taught Pradyumna Miśra, a highly qualified brāhmaṇa born in a brāhmaṇa family. Even Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, although belonging to the renounced order, took instruction from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His opulence through Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. That is the special significance of this incident.
According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s philosophy, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya: anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa can become a spiritual master, without reference to whether or not he is a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī. Ordinary people cannot understand the essence of śāstra, nor can they understand the pure character, behavior and abilities of strict followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s principles. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is creating pure, exalted Vaiṣṇavas even from those born in families considered lower than those of śūdras. This is proof that a Vaiṣṇava may appear in any family, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
ye ‘nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
“Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana and the Khasa races, and even others addicted to sinful acts, can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, for He is the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.” (Bhāg. 2.4.18) By the grace of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, one can be completely purified, become a preacher of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all Vedic literature. Evidence can be quoted from authoritative śāstras showing how a lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the entire world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to be considered the most munificent personality, for He distributes the real essence of Vedic śāstras to anyone who becomes qualified by becoming His sincere servant.
TEXT 85
‘bhakti’, ‘prema’, ‘tattva’ kahe rāye kari’ ‘vaktā’
āpani pradyumna-miśra-saha haya ‘śrotā’
SYNONYMS
bhakti-devotional service; prema-ecstatic love; tattva-truth; kahe-He says; rāye-Rāmānanda Rāya; kari’-by making; vaktā-the speaker; āpani-Himself; pradyumna-miśra-Pradyumna Miśra; saha-with; haya śrotā-becomes the listener.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached about devotional service, ecstatic love and the Absolute Truth by making Rāmānanda Rāya, a gṛhastha born in a low family, the speaker. Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, the exalted brāhmaṇa-sannyāsī, and Pradyumna Miśra, the purified brāhmaṇa, both became the hearers of Rāmānanda Rāya.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya that sannyāsīs in the line of Śaṅkarācārya always think that they have performed all the duties of brāhmaṇas and that, furthermore, having understood the essence of Vedānta-sūtra and become sannyāsīs, they are the natural spiritual masters of all society. Similarly, persons born in brāhmaṇa families think that because they execute the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas and follow the principles of smṛti, they alone can become spiritual masters of society. These highly exalted brāhmaṇas think that unless one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, one cannot become a spiritual master and teach the Absolute Truth. To cut down the pride of these birthright brāhmaṇas and Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu proved that a person like Rāmānanda Rāya, although born in a śūdra family and situated in the gṛhastha-āśrama, can become the spiritual master of such exalted personalities as Himself and Pradyumna Miśra. This is the principle of the Vaiṣṇava cult, as evinced in the teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. A person who knows what is spiritual and what is material and who is firmly fixed in the spiritual position can be jagad-guru, the spiritual master of the entire world. One cannot become jagad-guru simply by advertising oneself as jagad-guru without knowing the essential principles for becoming jagad-guru. Even people who never see what a jagad-guru is and never talk with other people become puffed-up sannyāsīs and declare themselves jagad-gurus. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not like this. Any person who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa and who is fully qualified in spiritual life can become jagad-guru. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally took lessons from Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and also sent Pradyumna Miśra, an exalted brāhmaṇa, to take lessons from him.
TEXT 86
haridāsa-dvārā nāma-māhātmya-prakāśa
sanātana-dvārā bhakti-siddhānta-vilāsa
SYNONYMS
haridāsa-dvārā-by Haridāsa Ṭhākura; nāma-māhātmya-of the glories of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra; prakāśa-manifestation; sanātana-dvārā-by Sanātana Gosvāmī; bhakti-siddhānta-vilāsa-spreading the essence of devotional life.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited the glories of the holy name of the Lord through Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was born in a Mohammedan family. Similarly, He exhibited the essence of devotional service through Sanātana Gosvāmī, who had almost been converted into a Mohammedan.
TEXT 87
śrī-rūpa-dvārā vrajera prema-rasa-līlā
ke bujhite pāre gambhīra caitanyera khelā?
SYNONYMS
śrī-rūpa-dvārā-through Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī; vrajera-of Vṛndāvana; prema-rasa-līlā-description of ecstatic love and pastimes; ke-who; bujhite pāre-can understand; gambhīra-deep; caitanyera khelā-the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
The Lord also fully exhibited the ecstatic love and transcendental pastimes of Vṛndāvana through Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Considering all this, who can understand the deep plans of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
TEXT 88
śrī-caitanya-līlā ei–amṛtera sindhu
trijagat bhāsāite pāre yāra eka bindu
SYNONYMS
śrī-caitanya-līlā-transcendental activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ei-these; amṛtera sindhu-the ocean of nectar; tri-jagat-the three worlds; bhāsāite-to inundate; pāre-is able; yāra-of which; eka bindu-one drop.
TRANSLATION
The activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are just like an ocean of nectar. Even a drop of this ocean ca inundate all the three worlds.
PURPORT
To inundate the three worlds with nectar is the purpose of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. How this could be possible was exhibited by Śrīla Raghunātha Gosvāmī and later by Ṭhākura Narottama dāsa and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, who all represented the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now that same mercy is overflooding the entire world through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nondifferent from the pastimes performed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was personally present, for the same principles are being followed and the same actions performed without fail.
TEXT 89
caitanya-caritāmṛta nitya kara pāna
yāhā haite ‘premānanda’, ‘bhakti-tattva-jñāna’
SYNONYMS
caitanya-caritāmṛta-this transcendental literature known as Caitanya-caritāmṛta; nitya-daily; kara pāna-do relish; yāhā haite-by which; prema-ānanda-transcendental bliss; bhakti-tattva-jñāna-transcendental knowledge in devotional service.
TRANSLATION
O devotees, relish daily the nectar of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for by doing so one can merge in the transcendental bliss and full knowledge of devotional service.
TEXT 90
ei-mata mahāprabhu bhakta-gaṇa lañā
nīlācale viharaye bhakti pracāriyā
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhakta-gaṇa lañā-accompanied by His pure devotees; nīlācale-at Jagannātha Purī; viharaye-enjoys transcendental bliss; bhakti pracāriyā-preaching the cult of devotional service.
TRANSLATION
Thus Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accompanied by His associates, His pure devotees, enjoyed transcendental bliss in Jagannātha Purī [Nīlācala] preaching the bhakti cult in many ways.
TEXT 91
baṅga-deśī eka vipra prabhura carite
nāṭaka kari’ lañā āila prabhuke śunāite
SYNONYMS
baṅga-deśī-from Bengal; eka vipra-one brāhmaṇa; prabhura carite-about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s characteristics; nāṭaka kari’-making a drama; lañā-taking; āila-came; prabhuke śunāite-to induce Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear.
TRANSLATION
A brāhmaṇa from Bengal wrote a drama about the characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and came with his manuscript to induce the Lord to hear it.
TEXT 92
bhagavān-ācārya-sane tāra paricaya
tāṅre mili’ tāṅra ghare karila ālaya
SYNONYMS
bhagavān-ācārya-the devotee of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu named Bhagavān Ācārya; sane-with; tāra paricaya-his acquaintance; tāṅre mili’-meeting him; tāṅra ghare-at his place; karila ālaya-made residence.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇa was acquainted with Bhagavān Ācārya, one of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore after meeting him at Jagannātha Purī, the brāhmaṇa made his residence at Bhagavān Ācārya’ s home.
TEXT 93
prathame nāṭaka teṅho tāṅre śunāila
tāṅra saṅge aneka vaiṣṇava nāṭaka śunila
SYNONYMS
prathame-at first; nāṭaka-the drama; teṅho-he; tāṅre-him; śunāila-made to hear; tāṅra saṅge-with him; aneka-many; vaiṣṇava-devotees; nāṭaka śunila-listened to the drama.
TRANSLATION
First the brāhmaṇa induced Bhagavān Ācārya to hear the drama, and then many other devotees joined Bhagavān Ācārya in listening to it.
TEXT 94
sabei praśaṁse nāṭaka ‘parama uttama’
mahāprabhure śunāite sabāra haila mana
SYNONYMS
sabei-all; praśaṁse-praised; nāṭaka-the drama; parama uttama-“very good, very good”; mahāprabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śunāite-to cause to hear; sabāra-of everyone; haila-there was; mana-mind.
TRANSLATION
All the Vaiṣṇavas praised the drama, saying,”Very good, very good.” They also desired for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear the drama.
TEXT 95
gīta, śloka, grantha, kavitva–yei kari’ āne
prathame śunāya sei svarūpera sthāne
SYNONYMS
gīta-song; śloka-verse; grantha-literature; kavitva-poetry; yei-anyone who; kari’-making; āne-brings; prathame-first; śunāya-recites; sei-that person; svarūpera sthāne-before Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
Customarily, anyone who composed a song, verse, literary composition or poem about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first had to bring it to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to be heard.
TEXT 96
svarūpa-ṭhāñi uttare yadi, lañā, tāṅra mana
tabe mahāprabhu-ṭhāñi karāya śravaṇa
SYNONYMS
svarūpa-ṭhāñi-before Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; uttare-passes; yadi-if one; lañā-taking; tāṅra mana-his mind; tabe-thereafter; mahāprabhu-ṭhāñi-before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karāya śravaṇa-causes to be heard.
TRANSLATION
If passed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, it could be presented for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear.
TEXT 97
‘rasābhāsa’ haya yadi ‘siddhānta-virodha’
sahite nā pāre prabhu, mane haya krodha
SYNONYMS
rasa-ābhāsa-overlapping of transcendental mellows; haya-there is; yadi-if; siddhānta-virodha-against the principles of the bhakti cult; sahite nā pāre-cannot tolerate; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mane-within the mind; haya-is; krodha-anger.
TRANSLATION
If there were a hint that transcendental mellows overlapped in a manner contrary to the principles of the bhakti cult, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not tolerate it and would become very angry.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following definition of rasābhāsa from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (Uttara-vibhāga, Ninth Wave, 1-3,20,22,24):
pūrvam evānuśiṣṭena
vikalā rasa-lakṣaṇā
rasā eva rasābhāsā
rasajñair anukīrtitāḥ
syus tridhoparasāś cānu-
rasāś cāparasāś ca te
uttamā madhyamāḥ proktāḥ
kaniṣṭhāś cety amī kramāt
prāptaiḥ sthāyi-vibhāvānu-
bhāvādyais tu virūpatām
śāntādayo rasā eva
dvādaśoparasā matāḥ
bhaktādibhir vibhāvādyaiḥ
kṛṣṇa-sambandha-varjitaiḥ
rasā hāsyādayaḥ sapta
śāntaś cānurasā matāḥ
kṛṣṇa-tat-pratipakṣaś ced
viṣayāśrayatāṁ gatāḥ
hāsādīnāṁ tadā te ‘tra
prājñair aparasā matāḥ
bhāvāḥ sarve tadābhāsā
rasābhāsāś ca kecana
amī prokta-rasābhijñaiḥ
sarve ‘pi rasanād rasāḥ
A mellow temporarily appearing transcendental but contradicting mellows previously stated and lacking some of a mellow’s necessities is called rasābhāsa, an overlapping mellow, by advanced devotees who know how to taste transcendental mellows. Such mellows are called uparasa (submellows), anurasa (imitation transcendental mellows) and aparasa (opposing transcendental mellows). Thus the overlapping of transcendental mellows is described as being first grade, second grade or third grade. When the twelve mellows-such as neutrality, servitorship and friendship-are characterized by adverse sthāyi-bhāva, vibhāva and anubhāva ecstasies, they are known as uparasa, submellows. When the seven indirect transcendental mellows and the dried up mellow of neutrality are produced by devotees and moods not directly related to Kṛṣṇa and devotional service in ecstatic love, they are described as anurasa, imitation mellows. If Kṛṣṇa and the enemies who harbor feelings of opposition toward Him are respectively the object and abodes of the mellow of laughter, the resulting feelings are called aparasa, opposing mellows. Experts in distinguishing one mellow from another sometimes accept some overlapping transcendental mellows (rasābhāsa) as rasas due to their being pleasurable and tasteful. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, paraspara-vairayor yadi yogas tadā rasābhāsaḥ: “When two opposing transcendental mellows overlap, they produce rasābhāsa, or an overlapping of transcendental mellows.”
TEXT 98
ataeva prabhu kichu āge nāhi śune
ei maryādā prabhu kariyāche niyame
SYNONYMS
ataeva-therefore; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kichu-anything; āge-ahead; nāhi śune-does not hear; ei maryādā-this etiquette; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kariyāche niyame-has made a regulative principle.
TRANSLATION
Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not hear anything before Svarūpa Dāmodara heard it first. The Lord made this etiquette a regulative principle.
TEXT 99
svarūpera ṭhāñi ācārya kailā nivedana
eka vipra prabhura nāṭaka kariyāche uttama
SYNONYMS
svarūpera ṭhāñi-before Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; ācārya-Bhagavān Ācārya; kailā-did; nivedana-submission; eka vipra-one brāhmaṇa; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nāṭaka-drama; kariyāche-has composed; uttama-very nice.
TRANSLATION
Bhagavān Ācārya submitted to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, “A good brāhmaṇa has prepared a drama about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that appears exceptionally well composed.
TEXT 100
ādau tumi śuna, yadi tomāra mana māne
pāche mahāprabhure tabe karāimu śravaṇe
SYNONYMS
ādau-in the beginning; tumi-you; śuna-hear; yadi-if; tomāra mana māne-you accept; pāche-thereafter; mahāprabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tabe-then; karāimu śravaṇe-I shall request to hear.
TRANSLATION
“First you hear it, and if it is acceptable to your mind, I shall request Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear it.”
TEXT 101
svarūpa kahe,–“tumi ‘gopa’ parama-udāra
ye-se śāstra śunite icchā upaje tomāra
SYNONYMS
svarūpa kahe-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī said; tumi-you; gopa-cowherd boy; parama-udāra-very liberal; ye-se śāstra-anything written as scripture; śunite-to hear; icchā-desire; upaje-awakens; tomāra-of you.
TRANSLATION
Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī replied, “Dear Bhagavān Ācārya, you are a very liberal cowherd boy. Sometimes the desire awakens within you to hear any kind of poetry.
TEXT 102
‘yadvā-tadvā’ kavira vākye haya ‘rasābhāsa’
siddhānta-viruddha śunite nā haya ullāsa
SYNONYMS
yadvā-tadvā kavira-of any so-called poet; vākye-in the words; haya-there is; rasa-ābhāsa-overlapping of transcendental mellows; siddhānta-viruddha-against the conclusive understanding; śunite-to hear; nā-not; haya-there is; ullāsa-joy.
TRANSLATION
“In the writings of so-called poets there is generally a possibility of overlapping transcendental mellows. When the mellows thus go against the conclusive understanding, no one likes to hear such poetry.
PURPORT
Yadvā-tadvā kavi refers to anyone who writes poetry without knowledge of how to do so. Writing poetry, especially poetry concerning the Vaiṣṇava conclusion, is very difficult. If one writes poetry without proper knowledge, there is every possibility that the mellows will overlap. When this occurs, no learned or advanced Vaiṣṇava will like to hear it.
TEXT 103
‘rasa’, ‘rasābhāsa’ yāra nāhika vicāra
bhakti-siddhānta-sindhu nāhi pāya pāra
SYNONYMS
rasa-transcendental mellows; rasa-ābhāsa-overlapping of transcendental mellows; yāra-of whom; nāhika vicāra-there is no consideration; bhakti-siddhānta-sindhu-the ocean of the conclusions of devotional service; nāhi-not; pāya-attains; pāra-the limit.
TRANSLATION
“A so-called poet who has no knowledge of transcendentaI mellows and the overlapping of transcendental mellows cannot cross the ocean of the conclusions of devotional service.
TEXTS 104-105
‘vyākaraṇa’ nāhi jāne, nā jāne ‘alaṅkāra’
‘nāṭakālaṅkāra’-jñāna nāhika yāhāra
kṛṣṇa-līlā varṇite nā jāne sei chāra!
viśeṣe durgama ei caitanya-vihāra
SYNONYMS
vyākaraṇa-grammar; nāhi jāne-does not know; nā jāne-does not know; alaṅkāra-metaphorical ornaments; nāṭaka-alaṅkāra-of the metaphorical ornaments of drama; jñāna-knowledge; nāhika-there is not; yāhāra-of whom; kṛṣṇa-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; varṇite-to describe; nā jāne-does not know; sei-he; chāra-condemned; viśeṣe-especially; durgama-very, very difficult; ei-these; caitanya-vihāra-the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
“A poet who does not know the grammatical regulative principles, who is unfamiliar with metaphorical ornaments, especially those employed in drama, and who does not know how to present the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa is condemned. Moreover, the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are especially difficult to understand.
TEXT 106
kṛṣṇa-līlā, gaura-līlā se kare varṇana
gaura-pāda-padma yāṅra haya prāṇa-dhana
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa; gaura-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; se-he; kare varṇana-describes; gaura-pāda-padma-the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; yāṅra-whose; haya-is; prāṇa-dhana-the life and soul.
TRANSLATION
“One who has accepted the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as his life and soul can describe the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa or the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 107
grāmya-kavira kavitva śunite haya ‘duḥkha’
vidagdha-ātmīya-vākya śunite haya ‘sukha’
SYNONYMS
grāmya-kavira-of a poet who writes poetry concerning man and woman; kavitva-poetry; śunite-to hear; haya-there is; duḥkha-unhappiness; vidagdha-ātmīya-of a devotee fully absorbed in ecstatic love; vākya-the words; śunite-to hear; haya-there is; sukha-happiness.
TRANSLATION
“Hearing the poetry of a person who has no transcendental knowledge and who writes about the relationships between man and woman simply causes unhappiness, whereas hearing the words of a devotee fully absorbed in ecstatic love causes great happiness.
PURPORT
Grāmya-kavi refers to a poet or writer such as the authors of novels and other fiction who write only about the relationships between man and woman. Vidagdha-ātmīya-vākya, however, refers to words written by a devotee who fully understands pure devotional service. Such devotees, who follow the paramparā system, are sometimes described as sajātīyāśaya-snigdha, or “pleasing to the same class of people.” Only the poetry and other writings of such devotees are accepted with great happiness by devotees.
TEXT 108
rūpa yaiche dui nāṭaka kariyāche ārambhe
śunite ānanda bāḍe yāra mukha-bandhe”
SYNONYMS
rūpa-Rūpa Gosvāmī; yaiche-as; dui-two; nāṭaka-dramas; kariyāche ārambhe-has compiled; śunite-to hear; ānanda bāḍe-transcendental happiness increases; yāra-of which; mukha-bandhe-even the introductory portion.
TRANSLATION
“The standard for writing dramas has been set by Rūpa Gosvāmī. If a devotee hears the introductory portions of his two dramas, they enhance his transcendental pleasure.”
TEXT 109
bhagavān-ācārya kahe,–‘śuna eka-bāra
tumi śunile bhāla-manda jānibe vicāra’
SYNONYMS
bhagavān-ācārya-Bhagavān Ācārya; kahe-says; śuna-please hear; eka-bāra-once; tumi śunile-if you hear; bhāla-manda-good or bad; jānibe vicāra-will be able to understand.
TRANSLATION
Despite the explanation of Svarūpa Dāmodara, Bhagavān Ācārya requested, “Please hear the drama once. If you hear it, you can consider whether it is good or bad.”
TEXT 110
dui tina dina ācārya āgraha karila
tāṅra āgrahe svarūpera śunite icchā ha-ila
SYNONYMS
dui tina dina-for two or three days; ācārya-Bhagavān Ācārya; āgraha karila-expressed his ardent desire; tāṅra āgrahe-by his eagerness; svarūpera-of Svarūpa Dāmodara; śunite-to hear; icchā-desire; ha-ila-there was.
TRANSLATION
For two or three days Bhagavān Ācārya continually asked Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to hear the poetry. Because of his repeated requests, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī wanted to hear the poetry written by the brāhmaṇa from Bengal.
TEXT 111
sabā lañā svarūpa gosāñi śunite vasilā
tabe sei kavi nāndī-śloka paḍilā
SYNONYMS
sabā lañā-in the company of other devotees; svarūpa gosāñi-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; śunite vasilā-sat down to hear; tabe-thereafter; sei kavi-that poet; nāndī-śloka-the introductory verse; paḍilā-read.
TRANSLATION
Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī sat down with other devotees to hear the poetry, and then the poet began to read the introductory verse.
TEXT 112
vikaca-kamala-netre śrī-jagannātha-saṁjñe
kanaka-rucir ihātmany ātmatāṁ yaḥ prapannaḥ
prakṛti-jaḍam aśeṣaṁ cetayann āvirāsīt
sa diśatu tava bhavyaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaḥ
SYNONYMS
vikaca-expanded; kamala-netre-whose lotus eyes; śrī-jagannātha-saṁjñe-named Śrī Jagannātha; kanaka-ruciḥ-possessing a golden hue; iha-here in Jagannātha Purī; ātmani-in the body; ātmatām-the state of being the self; yaḥ-who; prapannaḥ-has obtained; prakṛti-matter; jaḍam-inert; aśeṣam-unlimitedly; cetayan-enlivening; āvirāsīt-has appeared; saḥ-He; diśatu-may bestow; tava-unto you; bhavyam-auspiciousness; kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaḥ-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, known as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.
TRANSLATION
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead has assumed a golden complexion and has become the soul of the body named Lord Jagannātha, whose blooming lotus eyes are widely expanded. Thus He has appeared in Jagannātha Purī and brought dull matter to life. May that Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva, bestow upon you all good fortune.”
TEXT 113
śloka śuni’ sarva-loka tāhāre vākhāne
svarūpa kahe,–‘ei śloka karaha vyākhyāne’
SYNONYMS
śloka śuni’-hearing the verse; sarva-loka-everyone; tāhāre-him; vākhāne-praised; svarūpa kahe-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī said; ei śloka-this verse; karaha vyākhyāne-kindly explain.
TRANSLATION
When everyone present heard the verse, they all commended the poet, but Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī requested him, “Kindly explain this verse.”
TEXT 114
kavi kahe,–‘jagannātha–sundara-śarīra
caitanya-gosāñi–śarīrī mahā-dhīra
SYNONYMS
kavi kahe-the poet said; jagannātha-Lord Jagannātha; sundara-śarīra-very beautiful body; caitanya-gosāñi-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śarīrī-possessor of the body; mahā-dhīra-very grave.
TRANSLATION
The poet said, “Lord Jagannātha is a most beautiful body, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is exceptionally grave, is the owner of that body.
PURPORT
Śarīrī refers to a person who owns the śarīra, or body. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā:
dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13) For the ordinary living being in material existence there is a division or distinction between the body and the owner of the body. In spiritual existence, however, there is no such distinction, for the body is the owner himself and the owner is the body itself. In spiritual existence, everything must be spiritual. Therefore there is no distinction between the body and its owner.
TEXT 115
sahaje jaḍa-jagatera cetana karāite
nīlācale mahāprabhu hailā āvirbhute
SYNONYMS
sahaje-naturally; jaḍa-jagatera-the dull material world; cetana karāite-to inspire to spiritual consciousness; nīlācale-at Jagannātha Purī; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; hailā āvirbhute-has appeared.
TRANSLATION
“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared here in Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī] to spiritualize the entire dull material world.”
TEXT 116
śuniyā sabāra haila ānandita-mana
duḥkha pāñā svarūpa kahe sakrodha vacana
SYNONYMS
śuniyā-hearing; sabāra-of all of them; haila-there was; ānandita-mana-great happiness in the mind; duḥkha pāñā-becoming unhappy; svarūpa kahe-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī began to speak; sa-krodha vacana-angry words.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, everyone present was greatly happy. But Svarūpa Dāmodara, who alone was very unhappy, began to speak in great anger.
TEXT 117
“āre mūrkha, āpanāra kaili sarva-nāśa!
dui ta’ īśvare tora nāhika viśvāsa
SYNONYMS
āre mūrkha-O fool; āpanāra-of yourself; kaili-you have done; sarva-nāśa-loss of all auspiciousness; dui ta’ īśvare-in the two controllers; tora-your; nāhika viśvāsa-there is no faith.
TRANSLATION
“You are a fool,” he said.”You have brought ill fortune upon yourself, for you have no knowledge of the existence of the two Lords, Jagannāthadeva and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, nor have you faith in Them.
TEXT 118
pūrṇānanda-cit-svarūpa jagannātha-rāya
tāṅre kaili jaḍa-naśvara-prākṛta-kāya!!
SYNONYMS
pūrṇa-ānanda-complete transcendental bliss; cit-svarūpa-the spiritual identity; jagannātha-rāya-Lord Jagannātha; tāṅre-Him; kaili-you have made; jaḍa-inert; naśvara-perishable; prākṛta-material; kāya-possessing a body.
TRANSLATION
“Lord Jagannātha is completely spiritual and full of transcendental bliss, but you have compared Him to a dull, destructible body composed of the inert, external energy of the Lord.
PURPORT
If one thinks that the form of Lord Jagannātha is an idol made of wood, he immediately brings ill fortune into his life. According to the direction of the Padma Purāṇa: arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ. ..yasya vā nārakī saḥ. Thus one who thinks that the body of Lord Jagannātha is made of matter and who distinguishes between Lord Jagannātha’s body and soul is condemned, for he is an offender. A pure devotee who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes no distinction between Lord Jagannātha and His body. He knows that they are identical, just as Lord Kṛṣṇa and His soul are one and the same. When one’s eyes are purified by devotional service performed on the spiritual platform, one can actually envision Lord Jagannātha and His body as being completely spiritual. The advanced devotee, therefore, does not see the worshipable Deity to have a soul within a body like an ordinary human being. There is no distinction between the body and soul of Lord Jagannātha, for Lord Jagannātha is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, just as the body of Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. There is actually no difference between Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but the ignorant poet from Bengal applied a material distinction to the body of Lord Śrī Jagannātha.
TEXT 119
pūrṇa-ṣaḍ-aiśvarya caitanya–svayaṁ bhagavān
tāṅre kaili kṣudra jīva sphuliṅga-samāna!!
SYNONYMS
pūrṇa-complete; ṣaṭ-aiśvarya-possessing six opulences; caitanya-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; svayam-Himself; bhagavān-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tāṅre-Him; kaili-you have made; kṣudra jīva-an ordinary living entity; sphuliṅga-samāna-exactly equal to the spark.
TRANSLATION
“You have calculated Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in six opulences, to be on the level of an ordinary living being. Instead of knowing Him as the supreme fire, you have accepted Him as a spark.”
PURPORT
In the Upaniṣads it is said, yathāgner visphuliṅgā vyuccaranti: the living entities are like sparks of fire, and His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead is considered the original great fire. When we hear this śruti-vākya, or message from the Vedas, we should understand the distinction between the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa and the living entities. A person under the control of the external energy, however, cannot understand that distinction. Such a person cannot understand that the Supreme Person is the original great fire, whereas the living entities are simply small fragmental parts of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7):
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati
“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.”
There is a distinction between the body and soul of the materially existing living being, but because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Jagannātha do not possess material bodies, there is no distinction between Their bodies and souls. On the spiritual platform, body and soul are identical; there is no distinction between them. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
etad īśanam īśasya
prakṛti-stho ‘pi tad-guṇaiḥ
na yujyate sadātma-sthair
yathā buddhis tad-āśrayā
“This is the divinity of the Personality of Godhead. He is not affected by the qualities of material nature, even though He is in contact with them. Similarly, the devotees who have taken shelter of the Lord cannot be influenced by the material qualities.” (Bhāg. 1.11.38) His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is unaffected by the influence of the three modes of material nature. Indeed, His devotees are also unpolluted by the influence of the external energy because they engage in the service of His Lordship. Even the very body of a devotee becomes spiritualized, just as an iron rod put into fire becomes as qualified as fire because it becomes red hot and will immediately burn anything it touches. Therefore the poet from Bengal committed a great offense by treating Lord Jagannātha’s body and Lord Jagannātha, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as two different entities, material and spiritual, as if the Lord were an ordinary living being. The Lord is always the master of the material energy; therefore He is not doomed to be covered by the material energy like an ordinary living entity.
TEXT 120
dui-ṭhāñi aparādhe pāibi durgati!
atattva-jña ‘tattva’ varṇe, tāra ei rīti!
SYNONYMS
dui-ṭhāñi-unto both; aparādhe-by offense; pāibi-you will get; durgati-hellish destination; a-tattva-jña-one who has no knowledge of the Absolute Truth; tattva varṇe-describes the Absolute Truth; tāra-his; ei-this; rīti-course.
TRANSLATION
Svarūpa Dāmodara continued, “Because you have committed an offense to Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you will attain a hellish destination. You do not know how to describe the Absolute Truth, but nevertheless you have tried to do so. Therefore you must be condemned.
PURPORT
The brāhmaṇa poet from Bengal was an offender in the estimation of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, for although the poet had no knowledge of the Absolute Truth, he had nevertheless tried to describe it. The Bengali poet was an offender to both Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Jagannātha. Because he had made a distinction between Lord Jagannātha’s body and soul and because he had indicated that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was different from Lord Jagannātha, he had committed offenses to Them both. A-tattva-jña refers to one who has no knowledge of the Absolute Truth or who worships his own body as the Supreme personality of Godhead. If an ahaṅgrahopāsaka-māyāvādī, a person engaged in fruitive activities or a person interested only in sense gratification, describes the Absolute Truth, he immediately becomes an offender.
TEXT 121
āra eka kariyācha parama ‘pramāda’!
deha-dehi-bheda īśvare kaile ‘aparādha’!
SYNONYMS
āra eka-another one; kariyācha-you have done; parama-the supreme; pramāda-illusion; deha-dehi-bheda-the distinction between the body and soul; īśvare-in His Lordship; kaile-you have done; aparādha-an offense.
TRANSLATION
“You are in complete illusion, for you have distinguished between the body and soul of His Lordship [Lord Jagannātha or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu]. That is a great offense.
PURPORT
When one differentiates between the body and soul of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he immediately becomes an offender. Because the living entities in the material world are generally covered by material bodies, the body and soul of an ordinary human being cannot be identical. The Supreme Lord bestows the fruits of one’s activities, for He is the Lord of the results of fruitive action. He is also the cause of all causes, and He is the master of the material energy. Therefore He is supreme. An ordinary living being, however, in his material condition, enjoys the results of his own fruitive activities and therefore falls under their influence. Even in the liberated stage of brahma-bhūta identification, he engages in rendering service to His Lordship. Thus there are distinctions between an ordinary human being and the Supreme Lord. Karmīs and jñānīs who ignore these distinctions are offenders against the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
An ordinary human being is prone to be subjugated by the material energy, whereas His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Jagannātha-is always the master of the material energy and is therefore never subject to its influence. His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an unlimited spiritual identity, never to be broken, whereas the consciousness of the living entity is limited and fragmented. The living entities are fragmental portions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally (mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ). It is not that they are covered by the material energy in conditioned life but become one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead when freed from the influence of material energy. Such an idea is offensive.
According to the considerations of Māyāvādī fools, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts a material body when He appears in the material world. A Vaiṣṇava, however, knows perfectly well that for Kṛṣṇa, Lord Jagannātha or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu-unlike ordinary human beings-there is no distinction between the body and the soul. Even in the material world His Lordship retains His spiritual identity; therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa exhibited all opulences even in His childhood body. There is no distinction between the body and soul of Kṛṣṇa; whether He is in His childhood body or His youthful body, He is always identical with His body. Even though Kṛṣṇa appears like an ordinary human being, He is never subjected to the rules and regulations of the material world. He is svarāṭ, or fully independent. He can appear in the material world, but contrary to the offensive conclusion of the Māyāvāda school, He has no material body. In this connection one may again refer to the above-mentioned verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.11.38):
etad īśanam īśasya
prakṛti-stho ‘pi tad-guṇaiḥ
na yujyate sadātma-sthair
yathā buddhis tad-āśrayā
The Supreme Person has an eternal spiritual body. If one tries to distinguish between the body and soul of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he commits a great offense.
TEXT 122
īśvarera nāhi kabhu deha-dehi-bheda
svarūpa, deha,–cid-ānanda, nāhika vibheda
SYNONYMS
īśvarera-of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nāhi-there is not; kabhu-at any time; deha-dehi-bheda-distinction between the body and soul; svarūpa-personal identity; deha-body; cit-ānanda-all made of blissful spiritual energy; nāhika vibheda-there is no distinction.
TRANSLATION
“At no time is there a distinction between the body and soul of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His personal identity and His body are made of blissful spiritual energy. There is no distinction between them.
PURPORT
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja, is advaya-jñāna; in other words, there is no distinction between His body and soul, for His existence is completely spiritual. According to the verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam beginning with the words vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (1.2.11), the Absolute Truth is always to be understood from three angles of vision as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Unlike the objects of the material world, however, the Absolute Truth is always one and always the same. Thus there is no distinction between His body and soul. His form, name, attributes and pastimes, therefore, are completely distinct from those of the material world. One should know perfectly well that there is no difference between the body and soul of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one conceives of a distinction between His body and soul, one is immediately conditioned by material nature. Because a person in the material world makes such distinctions, he is called baddha-jīva, a conditioned soul.
TEXT 123
“deha-dehi-vibhāgo ‘yaṁ
neśvare vidyate kvacit”
SYNONYMS
deha-of the body; dehi-of the embodied; vibhāgaḥ-distinction; ayam-this; na-not; īśvare-in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vidyate-exists; kvacit-at any time.
TRANSLATION
“There is no distinction between the body and soul of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at any time.’
PURPORT
This quotation, which is included in the Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.342), is from the Kūrma Purāṇa.
TEXTS 124-125
nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam
ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ
paśyāmi viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman
bhūtendriyātmaka-madas ta upāśrito ‘smi
tad vā idaṁ bhuvana-maṅgala maṅgalāya
dhyāne sma no daraśitaṁ ta upāsakānām
tasmai namo bhagavate ‘nuvidhema tubhyaṁ
yo ‘nādṛto naraka-bhāgbhir asat-prasaṅgaiḥ
SYNONYMS
na-do not; ataḥ param-here after; parama-O Supreme; yat-that which; bhavataḥ-of Your Lordship; svarūpam-eternal form; ānanda-mātram-impersonal Brahman effulgence; avikalpam-without changes; aviddha-varcaḥ-without deterioration of potency; paśyāmi-do I see; viśva-sṛjam-creator of the cosmic manifestation; ekam-one without a second; aviśvam-and yet not of matter; ātman-O supreme cause; bhūta-body; indriya-senses; ātmaka-on such identification; madaḥ-pride; te-unto You; upāśritaḥ-surrendered; asmi-I am; tat-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vā-or; idam-this present form; bhuvana-maṅgala-they are all-auspicious for all the universes; maṅgalāya-for the sake of all prosperity; dhyāne-in meditation; sma-as it were; naḥ-unto us; daraśitam-manifested; te-Your; upāsakānām-of the devotees; tasmai-unto Him; namaḥ-my respectful obeisances; bhagavate-unto the Personality of Godhead; anuvidhema-I perform; tubhyam-unto You; yaḥ-which; anādṛtaḥ-is neglected; naraka-bhāgbhiḥ-by persons destined for hell; asat-prasaṅgaiḥ-by material topics.
TRANSLATION
“O my Lord, I do not see a form superior to Your present form of eternal bliss and knowledge. In Your impersonal Brahman effulgence in the spiritual sky, there is no occasional change and no deterioration of internal potency. I surrender unto You because, whereas I am proud of my material body and senses, Your Lordship is the cause of the cosmic manifestation. Yet You are untouched by matter.
” ‘This present form, or any transcendental form expanded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is equally auspicious for all the universes. Since You have manifested this eternal personal form upon whom Your devotees meditate, I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You. Those who are destined to be dispatched to the path of hell neglect Your personal form because of speculating on material topics.’
PURPORT
These verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.9.3-4) were spoken by Lord Brahmā.
TEXT 126
kāhāṅ ‘pūrṇānandaiśvarya’ kṛṣṇa ‘māyeśvara’!
kāhāṅ’kṣudra’ jīva ‘duḥkhī’, ‘māyāra kiṅkara’!
SYNONYMS
kāhāṅ-whereas; pūrṇa-full; ānanda-bliss; aiśvarya-opulences; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; māyā-īśvara-the master of the material energy; kāhāṅ-whereas; kṣudra jīva-the little conditioned soul; duḥkhī-unhappy; māyāra kiṅkara-the servant of the material energy.
TRANSLATION
“Whereas Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is full of transcendental bliss, possesses all six spiritual opulences in full, and is the master of the material energy, the small conditioned soul, who is always unhappy, is the servant of the material energy.
PURPORT
The living entity is an ever-conditioned servant of the material energy, whereas Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is master of the material energy. How, then, could they be on an equal level? There can be no comparison between them. His Lordship is always in a happy condition of transcendental bliss, whereas the conditioned soul is always unhappy because of his contact with the material energy. The Supreme Lord controls the material energy, and the material energy controls the conditioned souls. There is therefore no comparison between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the ordinary living entities.
TEXT 127
“hlādinyā samvidāśliṣṭaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-īśvaraḥ
svāvidyā saṁvṛto jīvaḥ
saṅkleśa-nikārākara”
SYNONYMS
hlādinyā-by the hlādinī potency; samvidā-by the samvit potency; āśliṣṭaḥ-surrounded; sat-cit-ānanda-always transcendentally blissful; īśvaraḥ-the Supreme Controller; sva-own; avidyā-by ignorance; saṁvṛtaḥ-surrounded; jīvaḥ-the living entity; saṅkleśa-of the three fold miseries; nikāra-of the multitude; ākara-the mine.
TRANSLATION
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Controller, is always full of transcendental bliss and is accompanied by the potencies known as hlādinī and samvit. The conditioned soul, however, is always covered by ignorance and embarassed by the threefold miseries of life. Thus he is a treasure house of all kinds of tribulations.”
PURPORT
This verse is found in Śrīdhara Svāmī’s Bhāvārtha-dīpikā (1.7.6), wherein he quotes Śrī Viṣṇusvāmī.
TEXT 128
śuni’ sabhā-sadera citte haila camatkāra
‘satya kahe gosāñi, duṅhāra kariyāche tiraskāra’
SYNONYMS
śuni’-hearing; sabhā-sadera-of all the members of the assembly; citte-in the minds; haila-there was; camatkāra-wonder; satya-the truth; kahe-said; gosāñi-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; duṅhāra-of both; kariyāche-has done; tiraskāra-offense.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this explanation, all the members of the assembly were struck with wonder. “Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī has spoken the real truth,” they admitted. “The brāhmaṇa from Bengal has committed an offense by wrongly describing Lord Jagannātha and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
TEXT 129
śuniyā kavira haila lajjā, bhaya, vismaya
haṁsa-madhye baka yaiche kichu nāhi kaya
SYNONYMS
śuniyā-hearing; kavira-of the poet; haila-there was; lajjā-shame; bhaya-fear; vismaya-astonishment; haṁsa-madhye-in a society of white swans; baka-a duck; yaiche-just as; kichu-anything; nāhi-not; kaya-utters.
TRANSLATION
When the Bengali poet heard this chastisement from Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, he was ashamed, fearfuI and astonished. Indeed, being like a duck in a society of white swans, he could not say anything.
TEXT 130
tāra duḥkha dekhi, svarūpa sadaya-hṛdaya
upadeśa kailā tāre yaiche ‘hita’ haya
SYNONYMS
tāra-his; duḥkha dekhi-observing the unhappiness; svarūpa-Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī; sadaya-hṛdaya-very kindhearted; upadeśa kailā-gave instruction; tāre-unto him; yaiche-so that; hita-benefit; haya-there can be.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the poet’s unhappiness, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, who was naturally very kindhearted, advised him so that he could derive some benefit.
TEXT 131
“yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne
ekānta āśraya kara caitanya-caraṇe
SYNONYMS
yāha-just go; bhāgavata paḍa-read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; vaiṣṇavera sthāne-from a self-realized Vaiṣṇava; ekānta āśraya kara-fully surrender; caitanya-caraṇe-at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
“If you want to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,” he said, “you must approach a self-realized Vaiṣṇava and hear from him. You can do this when you have completely taken shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
PURPORT
Herein Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī instructs the poet from Bengal to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a pure Vaiṣṇava and learn from him. In India especially, there is now a class of professional Bhāgavatam readers whose means of livelihood is to go from village to village, town to town, reading Bhāgavatam and collecting dakṣiṇa, or rewards, in the form of money or goods, like umbrellas, cloth and fruit. Thus there is now a system of Bhāgavata business, with recitations called Bhāgavata-saptāha that continue for one week, although this is not mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nowhere does Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam say that the Bhāgavatam should be heard for one week from professionals. Rather, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) says: śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. One should regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a self-realized Vaiṣṇava. By such hearing, one becomes pious. Hṛdy antaḥstho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt-satām. As one thus hears the Bhāgavatam regularly and sincerely, his heart is purified of all material contamination.
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
“As one regularly hears the Bhāgavatam or renders service unto the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is practically destroyed, and loving service unto the glorious Lord, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.” (Bhāg. 1.2.18)
This is the proper process, but people are accustomed to being misled by professional Bhāgavatam reciters. Therefore Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī herein advises that one should not hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from professional reciters. Instead, one must hear and learn the Bhāgavatam from a self-realized Vaiṣṇava. Sometimes it is seen that when a Māyāvādī sannyāsī reads the Bhāgavatam, flocks of men go to hear jugglery of words that cannot awaken their dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes people go to see professional dramas and offer food and money to the players, who are expert at collecting these offerings very nicely. The result is that the members of the audience remain in the same position of gṛham andha-kūpam, family affection, and do not awaken their love for Kṛṣṇa.
In the Bhāgavatam (7.5.30), it is said, matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho ‘bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām: the gṛhavratas, those who are determined to continue following the materialistic way of life, will never awaken their dormant love of Kṛṣṇa, fur they hear the Bhāgavatam only to solidify their position in household life and to be happy in family affairs and sex. Condemning this process of hearing the Bhāgavatam from professionals, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī says, yāha, bhāgavata paḍa vaiṣṇavera sthāne: “To understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you must approach a self-realized Vaiṣṇava.” One should rigidly avoid hearing the Bhāgavatam from a Māyāvādī or other nondevotee who simply performs a grammatical jugglery of words to twist some meaning from the text, collect money from the innocent public, and thus keep people in darkness.
Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī strictly prohibits the behavior of the materialistic so-called hearers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Instead of awakening real love for Kṛṣṇa, such hearers of the Bhāgavatam become more and more attached to household affairs and sex life (yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham). One should hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a person who has no connection with material activities, or, in other words, from a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava, one who has achieved the highest stage of sannyāsa. This, of course, is not possible unless one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is understandable only for one who can follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 132
caitanyera bhakta-gaṇera nitya kara ‘saṅga’
tabeta jānibā siddhānta-samudra-taraṅga
SYNONYMS
caitanyera-of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhakta-gaṇera-of the devotees; nitya-regularly; kara-do; saṅga-association; tabeta-then only; jānibā-you will understand; siddhānta-samudra-taraṅga-the waves of the ocean of devotional service.
TRANSLATION
Svarūpa Dāmodara continued, “Associate regularly with the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for then only will you understand the waves of the ocean of devotional service.
PURPORT
It is clearly to be understood in this connection that the followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s way of devotional service are eternally associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and perfect knowers of the Absolute Truth. If one immediately follows the principles of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by associating with His devotees, lusty desires for material enjoyment will vanish from one’s heart. Then one will be able to understand the meaning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the purpose of listening to it. Otherwise such understanding is impossible.
TEXT 133
tabeta pāṇḍitya tomāra ha-ibe saphala
kṛṣṇera svarūpa-līlā varṇibā nirmala
SYNONYMS
tabeta-then only; pāṇḍitya-learning; tomāra-your; ha-ibe-will become; sa-phala-successful; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; svarūpa-līlā-the transcendental pastimes; varṇibā-you will describe; nirmala-without material contamination.
TRANSLATION
“Only if you follow the principles of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees will your learning be successful. Then you will be able to write about the transcendental pastimes of Kṛṣṇa without material contamination.
TEXT 134
ei śloka kariyācha pāñā santoṣa
tomāra hṛdayera arthe duṅhāya lāge ‘doṣa’
SYNONYMS
ei śloka-this verse; kariyācha-you have composed; pāñā santoṣa-getting satisfaction; tomāra hṛdayera-of your heart; arthe-by the meaning; duṅhāya-to both; lāge doṣa-there is an offense.
TRANSLATION
“You have composed this introductory verse to your great satisfaction, but the meaning you have expressed is contaminated by offenses to both Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 135
tumi yaiche-taiche kaha, nā jāniyā rīti
sarasvatī sei-śabde kariyāche stuti
SYNONYMS
tumi-you; yaiche-taiche-somehow or other; kaha-speak; nā jāniyā rīti-not knowing the regulative principles; sarasvatī-the goddess of learning; sei-śabde-in those words; kariyāche stuti-has made prayers.
TRANSLATION
“You have written something irregular, not knowing the regulative principles, but the goddess of learning, Sarasvatī, has used your words to offer her prayers to the Supreme Lord.
PURPORT
Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī informed the Bengali poet, “Because of your ignorance and your leaning toward Māyāvāda philosophy, you cannot distinguish the difference between the Māyāvāda and Vaiṣṇava philosophies. Therefore the process you have adopted to praise Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Jagannātha does not follow the proper system; indeed, it is irregular and offensive. Fortunately, however, through your words, the goddess of learning, mother Sarasvatī, has tactfully offered her prayers to her master, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”
TEXT 136
yaiche indra, daityādi kare kṛṣṇera bhartsana
sei-śabde sarasvatī karena stavana
SYNONYMS
yaiche-just like; indra-Lord Indra, the King of heaven; daitya-demons; ādi-and others; kare-do; kṛṣṇera bhartsana-chastisement to Kṛṣṇa; sei-śabde-by those words; sarasvatī-the goddess of learning; karena stavana-offers prayers.
TRANSLATION
“Sometimes demons, and even Lord Indra, the King of heaven, chastised Kṛṣṇa, but mother Sarasvatī, taking advantage of their words, offered prayers to the Lord.
TEXT 137
vācālaṁ bāliśaṁ stabdhaṁ
ajñaṁ paṇḍita-māninam
kṛṣṇaṁ martyam upāśritya
gopā me cakrur apriyam
SYNONYMS
vācālam-talkative; bāliśam-childish; stabdham-impudent; ajñam-foolish; paṇḍita-māninam-thinking Himself a very learned scholar; kṛṣṇam-Kṛṣṇa; martyam-an ordinary mortal human being; upāśritya-taking shelter of; gopāḥ-the cowherd men; me-unto me; cakruḥ-committed; apriyam-that which is not very much appreciated.
TRANSLATION
“[Lord Indra said:] ‘This Kṛṣṇa, who is an ordinary human being, is talkative, childish, impudent and ignorant, although He thinks Himself very learned. The cowherd men in Vṛndāvana have offended me by accepting Him. This has not been greatly appreciated by me.’
PURPORT
This verse is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.25.5).
TEXT 138
aiśvarya-made matta indra,–yena mātoyāla
buddhi-nāśa haila, kevala nāhika sāmbhāla
SYNONYMS
aiśvarya-made-being proud of his opulence; matta-maddened; indra-the King of heaven; yena-as if; mātoyāla-a mad person; buddhi-nāśa-bereft of intelligence; haila-became; kevala-only; nāhika-there is not; sāmbhāla-caution.
TRANSLATION
“Indra, the King of heaven, being too proud of his heavenly opulences, became like a madman. Thus bereft of his intelligence, he could not restrain himself from speaking nonsensically about Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 139
indra bale,–“muñi kṛṣṇera kariyāchi nindana”
tāra-i mukhe sarasvatī karena stavana
SYNONYMS
indra bale-Indra says; muñi-I; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kariyāchi-have done; nindana-chastisement and defamation; tāra-i mukhe-from his mouth; sarasvatī-mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning; karena stavana-offers prayers.
TRANSLATION
“Thus Indra thought, ‘I have properly chastised Kṛṣṇa and defamed Him.’ But Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, took this opportunity to offer prayers to Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 140
‘vācāla kahiye–‘veda-pravartaka’ dhanya
‘bāliśa’–tathāpi ‘śiśu-prāya’ garva-śūnya
SYNONYMS
vācāla-talkative; kahiye-I say; veda-pravartaka-one who can speak with the authority of the Vedas; dhanya-glorious; bāliśa-childish; tathāpi-still; śiśu-prāya-like a child; garva-śūnya-without pride.
TRANSLATION
“The word ‘vācāla’ is used to refer to a person who can speak according to Vedic authority, and the word ‘bāliśa’ means ‘innocent.’ Kṛṣṇa spoke the Vedic knowledge, yet He always presents Himself as a prideless, innocent boy.
TEXT 141
vandyābhāve ‘anamra’–‘stabdha’-śabde kaya
yāhā haite anya ‘vijña’ nāhi–se ‘ajña’ haya
SYNONYMS
vandya-abhāve-because there is no one else to be offered obeisances; anamra-the one who does not offer obeisances; stabdha-śadbe-by the word stabdha (“impudent”); kaya-says; yāhā haite-than whom; anya-other,; vijña-learned scholar; nāhi-is not; se-He; ajña-one by whom nothing is unknown; haya-is.
TRANSLATION
“When there is no one else to receive obeisances, one may be called ‘anamra,’ or one who offers obeisances to no one. This is the meaning of the word ‘stabdha.’ And because no one is found to be more learned than Kṛṣṇa, He may be called ‘ajña,’ indicating that nothing is unknown to Him.
TEXT 142
‘paṇḍitera mānya-pātra–haya ‘paṇḍita-mānī’
tathāpi bhakta-vātsalye ‘manuṣya’ abhimānī
SYNONYMS
paṇḍitera-of learned scholars; mānya-pātra-worshipable object; haya-is; paṇḍita-mānī-a person honored by the learned scholars; tathāpi-still; bhakta-vātsalye-because of being very affectionate to the devotees; manuṣya abhimānī-presents Himself as an ordinary human being.
TRANSLATION
“The word ‘paṇḍita-mānī’ can be used to indicate that Kṛṣṇa is honored even by learned scholars. Nevertheless, because of affection for His devotees, Kṛṣṇa appears like an ordinary human being and may therefore be called ‘martya.’
TEXT 143
jarāsandha kahe,–“kṛṣṇa–puruṣa-adhama
tora saṅge nā yujhimu, “yāhi bandhu-han”
SYNONYMS
jarāsandha kahe-Jarāsandha says; kṛṣṇa-Kṛṣṇa; puruṣa-adhama-the lowest of human beings; tora saṅge-with You; nā yujhimu-I shall not fight; yāhi-because; bandhu-han-killer of Your own relatives.
TRANSLATION
“The demon Jarāsandha chastised Kṛṣṇa, saying, ‘You are the lowest of human beings. I shall not fight with You, for You killed Your own relatives.’
PURPORT
In this verse also, mother Sarasvatī offers prayers to Kṛṣṇa. The word puruṣa-adhama refers to the Personality of Godhead, under whom all other persons remain, or, in other words, puruṣa-uttama, the best of all living beings. Similarly, the word bandhu-han means “the killer of māyā.” In the conditioned state of life, one is closely related with māyā as a friend, but when one comes in contact with Kṛṣṇa one is freed from that relationship.
TEXT 144
yāhā haite anya puruṣa-sakala–‘adhama’
sei haya ‘puruṣādhama’–sarasvatīra mana
SYNONYMS
yāhā haite-from whom; anya-other; puruṣa-persons; sakala-all; adhama-subordinate; sei-he; haya-is; puruṣa-adhama-the person under whom all others remain; sarasvatīra mana-the explanation of mother Sarasvatī.
TRANSLATION
“Mother Sarasvatī takes ‘puruṣādhama’ to mean ‘puruṣottama,’ He to whom all men are subordinate.
TEXT 145
‘bāndhe sabāre’–tāte avidyā ‘bandhu’ haya
‘avidyā-nāśaka’–‘bandhu-han’-śabde kaya
SYNONYMS
bāndhe-binds; sabāre-everyone; tāte-therefore; avidyā-nescience, or māyā; bandhu-binder or relative; haya-is; avidyā-nāśaka-vanquisher of māyā; bandhu-han-śabde-by the word “bandhu-han”; kaya-mother Sarasvatī says.
TRANSLATION
“Nescience, or māyā, may be called ‘bandhu’ because she entangles everyone in the material world. Therefore by using the word ‘bandhu-han,’ mother Sarasvatī says that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the vanquisher of māyā.
PURPORT
Everyone is entangled in the illusory energy, but as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: as soon as one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, he is freed from māyā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa may be called bandhu-han, the killer of māyā.
TEXT 146
ei-mata śiśupāla karila nindana
sei-vākye sarasvatī karena stavana
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; śiśu-pāla-of the name Śiśupāla; karila nindana-blasphemed; sei-vākye-by those words; sarasvatī-the goddess of learning; karena stavana-offers prayers.
TRANSLATION
“Śiśupāla also blasphemed Kṛṣṇa in this way, but the goddess of learning, Sarasvatī, offered her prayers to Kṛṣṇa even by his words.
TEXT 147
taiche ei śloke tomāra arthe ‘nindā’ āise
sarasvatīra artha śuna, yāte ‘stuti’ bhāse
SYNONYMS
taiche-in that way; ei śloke-in this verse; tomāra-your; arthe-by the meaning; nindā-blasphemy; āise-comes; sarasvatīra artha-the meaning of mother Sarasvatī; śuna-hear; yāte-by which; stuti-prayers; bhāse-appear.
TRANSLATION
“In that way, although your verse is blasphemous according to your meaning, mother Sarasvatī has taken advantage of it to offer prayers to the Lord.
TEXT 148
jagannātha hana kṛṣṇera ‘ātma-svarupa’
kintu ihāṅ dāru-brahma–sthāvara-svarūpa
SYNONYMS
jagannātha-Lord Jagannātha; hana-is; kṛṣṇera ātma-svarūpa-identical with Kṛṣṇa; kintu-but; ihāṅ-here, at Jagannātha Purī; dāru-brahma-the Absolute appearing as wood; sthāvara-svarūpa-nonmoving identity.
TRANSLATION
“There is no difference between Lord Jagannātha and Kṛṣṇa, but here Lord Jagannātha is fixed as the Absolute Person appearing in wood. Therefore He does not move.
TEXT 149
tāṅhā-saha ātmatā eka-rūpa hañā
kṛṣṇa eka-tattva-rūpa–dui rūpa hañā
SYNONYMS
tāṅhā-saha-with Him; ātmatā-the quality of being the self; eka-rūpa hañā-being one form; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; eka-tattva-rūpa-one principle; dui-two; rūpa-forms; hañā-becoming.
TRANSLATION
“Thus Lord Jagannātha and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although appearing as two, are one because They are both Kṛṣṇa, who is one alone.
TEXT 150
saṁsāra-tāraṇa-hetu yei icchā-śakti
tāhāra milana kari’ ekatā yaiche prāpti
SYNONYMS
saṁsāra-tāraṇa-hetu-for delivering the entire world; yei-that; icchā-śakti-the potency of will; tāhāra-of that will; milana kari’-by the meeting; ekatā-oneness; yaiche-so that; prāpti-obtainment.
TRANSLATION
“The supreme desire to deliver the entire world meets in both of Them, and for that reason also They are one and the same.
TEXT 151
sakala saṁsārī lokera karite uddhāra
gaura-jaṅgama-rūpe kailā avatāra
SYNONYMS
sakala-all; saṁsārī-materially contaminated; lokera-persons; karite uddhāra-to deliver; gaura-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; jaṅgama-moving; rūpe-in the form; kailā avatāra-has descended.
TRANSLATION
“To deliver all the materially contaminated people of the world, that same Kṛṣṇa has descended, moving as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 152
jagannāthera darśane khaṇḍāya saṁsāra
saba-deśera saba-loka nāre āsibāra
SYNONYMS
jagannāthera-of Lord Jagannātha; darśane-by visiting; khaṇḍāya saṁsāra-one is freed from material existence; saba-deśera-of all countries; saba-loka-all men; nāre āsibāra-cannot come.
TRANSLATION
“By visiting Lord Jagannātha one is freed from material existence, but not all men of all countries can come or be admitted here in Jagannātha Purī.
TEXT 153
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu deśe deśe yāñā
saba-loke nistārilā jaṅgama-brahma hañā
SYNONYMS
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu-Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; deśe deśe yāñā-moving from one country to another; saba-loke nistārilā-delivered all conditioned souls; jaṅgama-brahma-moving Brahman; hañā-being.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, moves from one country to another, personally or by His representative. Thus He, as the moving Brahman, delivers all the people of the world.
TEXT 154
sarasvatīra artha ei kahiluṅ vivaraṇa
eho bhāgya tomāra aiche karile varṇana
SYNONYMS
sarasvatīra-of Sarasvatī; artha-meaning; ei-this; kahiluṅ vivaraṇa-I have explained; eho-this; bhāgya-great fortune; tomāra aiche-in such a way; karile varṇana-you have described.
TRANSLATION
“Thus I have explained the meaning intended by mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning. It is your great fortune that you have described Lord Jagannātha and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in that way.
TEXT 155
kṛṣṇe gāli dite kare nāma uccāraṇa
sei nāma haya tāra ‘muktira’ kāraṇa”
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇe-Lord Kṛṣṇa; gāli dite-to blaspheme or chastise; kare nāma uccāraṇa-chants the name of Kṛṣṇa; sei nāma-that holy name; haya-becomes; tāra-his; muktira kāraṇa-the cause of liberation.
TRANSLATION
“Sometimes it so happens that one who wants to chastise Kṛṣṇa utters the holy name, and thus the holy name becomes the cause of his liberation.”
TEXT 156
tabe sei kavi sabāra caraṇe paḍiyā
sabāra śaraṇa laila dante tṛṇa lañā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; sei-that; kavi-poet; sabāra-of all; caraṇe-at the feet; paḍiyā-falling down; sabāra-of all the devotees; śaraṇa laila-took shelter; dante-in the mouth; tṛṇa lañā-taking a straw.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing this proper explanation by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, the Bengali poet fell down at the feet of all the devotees and took shelter of them with a straw in his mouth.
TEXT 157
tabe saba bhakta tāre aṅgīkāra kailā
tāra guṇa kahi’ mahāprabhure milāilā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; saba bhakta-all the devotees; tāre-him; aṅgīkāra kailā-accepted as one of the associates; tāra guṇa kahi’-explaining his humble behavior; mahāprabhure milāilā-introduced him to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Thereupon all the devotees accepted his association. Explaining his humble behavior, they introduced him to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 158
sei kavi sarva tyaji’ rahilā nīlācale
gaura-bhakta-gaṇera kṛpā ke kahite pāre?
SYNONYMS
sei kavi-that poet; sarva tyaji’-giving up all nonsensical activities; rahilā-remained; nīlācale-at Jagannātha Purī; gaura-bhakta-gaṇera-of the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpā-the mercy; ke-who; kahite pāre-can explain.
TRANSLATION
By the mercy of the devotees of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that poet from Bengal gave up all other activities and stayed with them at Jagannātha Purī. Who can explain the mercy of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
TEXT 159
ei ta’ kahiluṅ pradyumna-miśra-vivaraṇa
prabhura ājñāya kaila kṛṣṇa-kathāra śravaṇa
SYNONYMS
ei ta’ kahiluṅ-thus I have described; pradyumna-miśra-vivaraṇa-the descriptive narration of Pradyumna Miśra; prabhura ājñāya-on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kaila-did; kṛṣṇa-kathāra śravaṇa-listening to discourses on topics concerning Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
I have thus described the narration concerning Pradyumna Miśra and how, following the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he listened to discourses about Kṛṣṇa spoken by Rāmānanda Rāya.
TEXT 160
tāra madhye kahiluṅ rāmānandera mahimā
āpane śrī-mukhe prabhu varṇe yāṅra sīmā
SYNONYMS
tāra madhye-within these statements; kahiluṅ-I have explained; rāmānandera mahimā-the glories of Rāmānanda Rāya; āpane-personally; śrī-mukhe-from his mouth; prabhu-the Lord; varṇe-explains; yāṅra-of whom; sīmā-the limit of ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
Within the narration I have explained the glorious characteristics of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, through whom Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally described the limits of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 161
prastāve kahiluṅ kavira nāṭaka-vivaraṇa
ajña hañā śraddhāya pāila prabhura caraṇa
SYNONYMS
prastāve-by the way; kahiluṅ-I have explained; kavira-of the poet; nāṭaka-vivaraṇa-description of the drama; ajña hañā-although being ignorant; śraddhāya-with faith and love; pāila-got; prabhura caraṇa-the shelter of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
In the course of the narration, I have also told about the drama by the poet from Bengal. Although he was ignorant, because of his faith and humility he nevertheless obtained the shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 162
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-līlā–amṛtera sāra
eka-līlā-pravāhe vahe śata-śata dhāra
SYNONYMS
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; amṛtera sāra-the essence of nectar; eka-līlā-of one pastime; pravāhe-by the stream; vahe-flow; śata-śata dhāra-hundreds and hundreds of branches.
TRANSLATION
The pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu are the essence of nectar. From the stream of one of His pastimes flow hundreds and thousands of branches.
TEXT 163
śraddhā kari’ ei līlā yei paḍe, śune
gaura-līlā, bhakti-bhakta-rasa-tattva jāne
SYNONYMS
śraddhā kari’-with faith and love; ei līlā-these pastimes; yei-anyone who; paḍe, śune-reads and hears; gaura-līlā-the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhakti-bhakta-rasa-tattva-the truth about devotional service, devotees and their transcendental mellows; jāne-understands.
TRANSLATION
Anyone who reads and hears these pastimes with faith and love can understand the truth about devotional service, devotees and the transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 164
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
SYNONYMS
śrī-rūpa-Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; raghunātha-Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; pade-at the lotus feet; yāra-whose; āśa-expectation; caitanya-caritāmṛta-the book named Caitanya-caritāmṛta; kahe-describes; kṛṣṇadāsa-Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, Fifth Chapter, describing how Pradyumna Miśra received instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya.