Chapter 18
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana
The following summary of the Eighteenth Chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. In the village of Āriṭ-grāma, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discovered the transcendental lakes known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. He then saw the Deity Harideva at Govardhana Village. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had no desire to climb Govardhana Hill because the hill is worshiped as Kṛṣṇa. The Gopāla Deity could understand the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; therefore on the plea of being attacked by Muslims, Gopāla transferred Himself to the village of Gāṅṭhuli-grāma. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Gāṅṭhuli-grāma to see Lord Gopāla. Some years later, Lord Gopāla also went to Mathurā to the temple of Viṭhṭhaleśvara and stayed there for one month just to give an audience to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
After visiting Nandīśvara, Pāvana-sarovara, Śeṣaśāyī, Khelā-tīrtha, Bhāṇḍīravana, Bhadravana, Lohavana and Mahāvana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Gokula and then finally returned to Mathurā. Seeing a great crowd in Mathurā, He moved His residence near Akrūra-ghāṭa, and from there He went every day to Vṛndāvana to see Kālīya-hrada, Dvādaśāditya-ghāṭa, Keśī-ghāṭa, Rāsa-sthalī, Cīra-ghāṭa and Āmli-talā. At Kālīya Lake, many people mistook a fisherman for Kṛṣṇa. When some respectable people came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they expressed their opinion that when one takes sannyāsa, he becomes Nārāyaṇa. Their mistake was corrected by the Lord. In this way, their Kṛṣṇa consciousness was awakened, and they could understand that a sannyāsī is simply a living entity and not the Supreme personality of Godhead.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath at Akrūra-ghāṭa, He submerged Himself in the water for a long time. Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya decided to take Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Prayāga after visiting the holy place known as Sorokṣetra. While stopping near a village on the way to Prayāga, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fainted in ecstatic love. Some Pāṭhāna soldiers who were passing through saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and falsely concluded that the Lord’s associates, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and others, had killed the Lord with a poison named dhuturā and were taking His wealth. Thus the soldiers arrested them. However, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regained His senses, His associates were released. He talked with a person who was supposed to be a holy man in the party. From the Koran, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu established devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Thus the leader of the soldiers, named Vijalī Khān, surrendered to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he and his party became devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The same village today is known as the village of Pāṭhāna Vaiṣṇavas. After bathing in the Ganges at Soro, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at Prayāga at the confluence of three rivers-the Ganges, Yamunā and Sarasvatī.
TEXT 1
vṛndāvane sthira-carān
nandayan svāvalokanaiḥ
ātmānaṁ ca tad-ālokād
gaurāṅgaḥ parito ‘bhramat
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane-in Vṛndāvana; sthira-carān-to the living entities, both moving and not moving; nandayan-giving pleasure; sva-avalokanaiḥ-by His personal glances; ātmānam-to Himself; ca-also; tat-ālokāt-by seeing them; gaurāṅgaḥ-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; paritaḥ-all around; abhramat-traveled.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu traveled all over Vṛndāvana and pleased all living entities, moving and nonmoving, with His glances. The Lord took much personal pleasure in seeing everyone. In this way Lord Gaurāṅga traveled in Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 2
jaya jaya gauracandra jaya nityānanda
jayādvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya-all glories; gauracandra-to Lord Gauracandra (Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu); jaya-all glories; nityānanda-to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; jaya-all glories; advaita-candra-to Śrī Advaita Gosāñi; jaya-all glories; gaura-bhakta-vṛnda-to the devotees of Lord Caitanya.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Lord Gauracandra! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura!
TEXT 3
ei-mata mahāprabhu nācite nācite
‘āriṭ’-grāme āsi’ ‘bāhya’ haila ācambite
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nācite nācite-dancing and dancing; āriṭ-grāme-in the village known as Āriṭ-grāma; āsi,-coming; bāhya-sense perception; haila-there was; ācambite-suddenly.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced in ecstasy, but when He arrived at Āriṭgrāma, His sense perception was awakened.
PURPORT
Āriṭ-grāma is also called Ariṣṭa-grāma. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu understood that in that village, Ariṣṭāsura was killed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. While there, He inquired about Rādhā-kuṇḍa, but no one could tell Him where it was. The brāhmaṇa accompanying Him could also not ascertain its whereabouts. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could then understand that the holy places known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa were at that time lost to everyone’s vision. He therefore discovered Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa, which were two reservoirs of water in two paddy fields. Although there was very little water, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was omniscient and could understand that formerly these two ponds were called Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. In this way Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa were discovered.
TEXT 4
āriṭe rādhā-kuṇḍa-vārtā puche loka-sthāne
keha nāhi kahe, saṅgera brāhmaṇa nā jāne
SYNONYMS
āriṭe-in the village known as Āriṭ-grāma; rādhā-kuṇḍa-vārtā-news of Rādhākuṇḍa; puche-inquires; loka-sthāne-from the local people; keha-anyone; nāhi-not; kahe-could say; saṅgera-the companion; brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇa; nā jāne-does not know.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the local people,”Where is Rādhā-kunda?” No one could inform Him, and the brāhmaṇa accompanying Him did not know either.
TEXT 5
tīrtha ‘lupta’ jāni’ prabhu sarvajña bhagavān
dui dhānya-kṣetre alpa-jale kailā snāna
SYNONYMS
tīrtha-holy place; lupta-lost; jāni’-knowing; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sarva-jña-omniscient; bhagavān-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dui-two; dhānya-kṣetre-in paddy fields; alpa-jale-in not very deep water; kailā snāna-took a bath.
TRANSLATION
The Lord then understood that the holy place called Rādhā-kuṇḍa was no longer visible. However, being the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, He discovered Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa in two paddy fields. There was only a little water, but He took His bath there.
TEXT 6
dekhi’ saba grāmya-lokera vismaya haila mana
preme prabhu kare rādhā-kuṇḍera stavana
SYNONYMS
dekhi’-seeing; saba grāmya-lokera-of all the people of the village; vismaya haila-became astonished; mana-the minds; preme-in ecstatic love; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kare-does; rādhā-kuṇḍera-of Rādhā-kuṇḍa; stavana-prayers.
TRANSLATION
When the people of the village saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taking His bath in those two ponds in the middle of the paddy fields, they were very astonished. The Lord then offered His prayers to Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa.
TEXT 7
saba gopī haite rādhā kṛṣṇera preyasī
taiche rādhā-kuṇḍa priya ‘priyāra sarasi’
SYNONYMS
saba-all; gopī-the gopīs; haite-from; rādhā-Rādhārāṇī; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; preyasī-most beloved; taiche-similarly; rādhā-kuṇḍa-Rādhā-kuṇḍa; priya-very dear; priyāra sarasī-the lake of the most beloved Rādhārāṇī.
TRANSLATION
“Of all the gopīs, Rādhārāṇī is the dearmost. Similarly, the lake known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa is very dear to the Lord because it is very dear to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
TEXT 8
yathā rādhā priyā viṣṇos
tasyāḥ kuṇḍaṁ priyaṁ tathā
sarva-gopīṣu saivaikā
viṣṇor atyanta-vallabhā
SYNONYMS
yathā-as; rādhā-Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; priyā-beloved; viṣṇoḥ-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; tasyāḥ-Her; kuṇḍam-lake; priyam-very dear; tathā-similarly; sarva-gopīṣu-among all the gopīs; sā-She; eva-certainly; ekā-alone; viṣṇoḥ-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; atyanta-very much; vallabhā-dear.
TRANSLATION
” ‘Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is most dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Her lake known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa is also very dear to Him. Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is certainly the most beloved.’
PURPORT
This is a verse from the Padma Purāṇa.
TEXT 9
yei kuṇḍe nitya kṛṣṇa rādhikāra saṅge
jale jala-keli kare, tīre rāsa-raṅge
SYNONYMS
yei kuṇḍe-in which lake; nitya-daily; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; rādhikāra saṅge-accompanied by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; jale-in the water; jala-keli-sporting in the water; kare-performs; tīre-on the bank; rāsa-raṅge-His rāsa dance.
TRANSLATION
“In that lake, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī used to sport daily in the water and have a rāsa dance on the bank.
TEXT 10
sei kuṇḍe yei eka-bāra kare snāna
tāṅre rādhā-sama ‘prema’ kṛṣṇa kare dāna
SYNONYMS
sei kuṇḍe-in that lake; yei-anyone who; eka-bāra-once; kare snāna-takes a bath; tāṅre-unto him; rādhā-sama-like Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; prema-ecstatic love; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; kare dāna-gives as charity.
TRANSLATION
“Indeed, Lord Kṛṣṇa gives ecstatic love like that of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to whoever bathes in that lake even once in his life.
TEXT 11
kuṇḍera ‘mādhurī’–yena rādhāra ‘madhurimā’
kuṇḍera ‘mahimā’–yena rādhāra ‘mahimā’
SYNONYMS
kuṇḍera-of the lake; mādhurī-sweetness; yena-as if; rādhāra-of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; madhurimā-sweetness; kuṇḍera-of the lake; mahimā-glories; yena-as if; rādhāra-of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; mahimā-glories.
TRANSLATION
“The attraction of Rādhā-kuṇḍa is as sweet as that of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Similarly, the glories of the kuṇḍa [lake] are as glorious as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
TEXT 12
śrī-rādheva hares tadīya-sarasī preṣṭhādbhutaiḥ svair guṇair
yasyāṁ śrī-yuta-mādhavendur aniśaṁ prītyā tayā krīḍati
premāsmin bata rādhikeva labhate yasyāṁ sakṛt snāna-kṛt
tasyā vai mahimā tathā madhurimā kenāstu varṇyaḥ kṣitau
SYNONYMS
śrī-rādhā-Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; iva-like; hareḥ-of Kṛṣṇa; tadīya-Her; sarasī-lake; preṣṭhā-very dear; adbhutaiḥ-by wonderful; svaiḥ-own; guṇaiḥ-transcendental qualities; yasyām-in which; śrī-yuta-all-opulent; mādhava-Śrī Kṛṣṇa; induḥ-like the moon; aniśam-incessantly; prītyā-with great affection; tayā-in association with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; krīḍati-performs pastimes; premā-love; asmin-for Lord Kṛṣṇa; bata-certainly; rādhikā iva-exactly like Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; labhate-obtains; yasyām-in which; sakṛt-once; snāna-kṛt-one who takes a bath; tasyāḥ-of the lake; vai-certainly; mahimā-glories; tathā-as well as; madhurimā-sweetness; kena-by whom; astu-can be; varṇyaḥ-described; kṣitau-on this earth.
TRANSLATION
” ‘Because of its wonderful transcendental qualities, Rādhā-kuṇḍa is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. It was in that lake that the all-opulent Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī with great pleasure and transcendental bliss. Whoever bathes just once in Rādhā-kuṇḍa attains Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s loving attraction for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Who within this world can describe the glories and sweetness of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa?’ “
PURPORT
This verse is found in the Govinda-līlāmṛta (7.102).
TEXT 13
ei-mata stuti kare premāviṣṭa hañā
tīre nṛtya kare kuṇḍa-līlā saṅariyā
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; stuti kare-offers prayers; prema-āviṣṭa-overwhelmed by ecstatic love; hañā-becoming; tīre-on the bank; nṛtya kare-dances; kuṇḍa-līlā-pastimes of Rādhā-kuṇḍa; saṅariyā-remembering.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus offered prayers to Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He danced on the bank, remembering the pastimes Lord Kṛṣṇa performed on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa.
TEXT 14
kuṇḍera mṛttikā lañā tilaka karila
bhaṭṭācārya-dvārā mṛttikā saṅge kari’ laila
SYNONYMS
kuṇḍera -of the lake; mṛttikā-earth; lañā-taking; tilaka karila-formed tilaka; bhaṭṭācārya-dvārā-with the help of Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; mṛttikā-earth; saṅge-along; kari’-making; laila-took.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then marked His body with tilaka made from the mud of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, and with the help of Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, He collected some of the mud and took it with Him.
TEXT 15
tabe cali’ āilā prabhu ‘sumanaḥ-sarovara’
tāhāṅ ‘govardhana’ dekhi’ ha-ilā vihvala
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereafter; cali’-traveling; āilā-came; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sumanaḥ-sarovara-to the lake known as Sumanaḥ; tāhāṅ-there; govardhana-Govardhana Hill; dekhi’-seeing; ha-ilā vihvala-became overwhelmed.
TRANSLATION
From Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Sumanaḥ Lake. When He saw Govardhana Hill from there, He was overwhelmed by joy.
TEXT 16
govardhana dekhi’ prabhu ha-ilā daṇḍavat
‘eka śilā’ āliṅgiyā ha-ilā unmatta
SYNONYMS
govardhana dekhi’-seeing Govardhana Hill; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ha-ilā daṇḍavat-offered obeisances like a straight rod; eka śilā-one piece of stone; āliṅgiyā-embracing; ha-ilā-became; unmatta-maddened.
TRANSLATION
When the Lord saw Govardhana Hill, He immediately offered obeisances, falling down on the ground like a rod. He embraced one piece of rock from Govardhana Hill and became mad.
TEXT 17
preme matta cali’ āilā govardhana-grāma
‘harideva’ dekhi’ tāhāṅ ha-ilā praṇāma
SYNONYMS
preme-in ecstatic love; matta-maddened; cali’-proceeding; āilā-came; govardhana-grāma-to the village known as Govardhana; hari-deva-the Deity named Harideva installed there; dekhi’-seeing; tāhāṅ-there; ha-ilā praṇāma-offered obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Mad with ecstatic love, the Lord came to the village known as Govardhana. It was there that He saw the Deity Harideva and offered His obeisances unto Him.
TEXT 18
‘mathurā’-padmera paścima-dale yāṅra vāsa
‘harideva’ nārāyaṇa–ādi parakāśa
SYNONYMS
mathurā-padmera-of the lotus flower of Mathurā; paścima-dale-on the western petal; yāṅra-whose; vāsa-residence; hari-deva-Lord Harideva; nārāyaṇa-incarnation of Nārāyaṇa; ādi-original; parakāśa-manifestation.
TRANSLATION
Harideva is an incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, and His residence is on the western petal of the lotus of Mathurā.
TEXT 19
harideva-āge nāce preme matta hañā
saba loka dekhite āila āścarya śuniyā
SYNONYMS
hari-deva-āge-in front of Harideva; nāce-dances; preme-in ecstatic love; matta hañā-becoming maddened; saba loka-all the people; dekhite-to see; āila-came; āścarya-wonderful; śuniyā-hearing.
TRANSLATION
Mad with ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to dance before the Harideva Deity. Hearing of the Lord’s wonderful activities, all the people came to see Him.
TEXT 20
prabhu-prema-saundarya dekhi’ loke camatkāra
haridevera bhṛtya prabhura karila satkāra
SYNONYMS
prabhu-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prema-saundarya-ecstatic love and beauty; dekhi’-seeing; loke-people; camatkāra-astonished; hari-devera-of Lord Harideva; bhṛtya-servants; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karila satkāra-offered a good reception.
TRANSLATION
The people were astonished when they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love and personal beauty. The priests who served the Harideva Deity offered the Lord a good reception.
TEXT 21
bhaṭṭācārya ‘brahma-kuṇḍe’ pāka yāñā kaila
brahma-kuṇḍe snāna kari’ prabhu bhikṣā kaila
SYNONYMS
bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; brahma-kuṇḍe-at the lake called Brahma-kuṇḍa; pāka-cooking; yāñā-going there; kaila-peformed; brahma-kuṇḍe-at Brahma-kuṇḍa; snāna kari’-taking a bath; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhikṣā kaila-accepted lunch.
TRANSLATION
At Brahma-kuṇḍa, Bhaṭṭācārya cooked food, and the Lord, after taking His bath at Brahma-kuṇḍa, accepted His lunch.
TEXT 22
se-rātri rahilā haridevera maṇḍire
rātre mahāprabhu kare manete vicāre
SYNONYMS
se-rātri-that night; rahilā-remained; hari-devera-of Harideva; mandire-in the temple; rātre-at night; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kare-does; manete-in the mind; vicāre-consideration.
TRANSLATION
That night the Lord stayed at the temple of Harideva, and during the night He began to reflect.
TEXT 23
‘govardhana-upare āmi kabhu nā caḍiba
gopāla-rāyera daraśana kemane pāiba?’
SYNONYMS
govardhana-upare-upon the hill known as Govardhana; āmi-I; kabhu-at any time; nā-not; caḍiba-shall climb; gopāla-rāyera-of Lord Gopāla; daraśana-visit; kemane-how; pāiba-I shall get.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Since I shall not at any time climb Govardhana Hill, how shall I be able to see Gopāla Rāya?”
TEXT 24
eta mane kari’ prabhu mauna kari’ rahilā
jāniyā gopāla kichu bhaṅgī uṭhāilā
SYNONYMS
eta-so much; mane kari’-considering within the mind; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mauna-silent; kari’-becoming; rahilā-remained; jāniyā-knowing; gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; kichu-some; bhaṅgī-tricks; uṭhāilā-raised.
TRANSLATION
Thinking in this way, the Lord remained silent, and Lord Gopāla, knowing His contemplation, played a trick.
TEXT 25
anārurukṣave śailaṁ
svasmai bhaktābhimānine
avaruhya gireḥ kṛṣṇo
gaurāya svam adarśayat
SYNONYMS
anārurukṣave-who was unwilling to climb up; śailam-the mountain; svasmai-unto Himself; bhakta-abhimānine-considering Himself a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; avaruhya-getting down; gireḥ-from the hill; kṛṣṇaḥ-Lord Kṛṣṇa; gaurāya-unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; svam-Himself; adarśayat-showed.
TRANSLATION
Coming down from Govardhana Hill, Lord Gopāla granted an interview to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was unwilling to climb the hill, thinking Himself a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 26
‘annakūṭa’-nāme grāme gopālera sthiti
rāja-puta-lokera sei grāme vasati
SYNONYMS
annakūṭa-nāme-by the name Annakūṭa; grāme-in the village; gopālera-of Gopāla; sthiti-residence; rāja-puta-lokera-of people from Rajasthan; sei grāme-in that village; vasati-habitation.
TRANSLATION
Gopāla stayed in a village called Annakūṭa-grāma on Govardhana Hill. The villagers who lived in that village were mainly from Rajasthan.
PURPORT
The village named Annakūṭa-grāma is referred to in Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
gopa-gopī bhuñjāyena kautuka apāra
ei hetu ‘āniyora’ nāma se ihāra
annakūṭa-sthāna ei dekha śrīnivāsa
e-sthāna darśane haya pūrṇa abhilāṣa
“It is here that all the gopīs and the gopas enjoyed wonderful pastimes with Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this place is also called Āniyora. The Annakūṭa ceremony was celebrated here. O Śrīnivāsa, whoever sees this place has all his desires fulfilled.” It is also stated:
kuṇḍera nikaṭa dekha niviḍa-kānana
ethāi ‘gopāla’ chilā hañā saṅgopana
“Look at the dense forest near the kuṇḍa. It was there that Gopāla was concealed.” Also, the Stavāvalī (8.75) by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī states:
vrajendra-varyārpita-bhogam uccair
dhṛtvā bṛhat-kāyam aghārir utkaḥ
vareṇa rādhāṁ chalayan vibhuṅkte
yatrānna-kūṭaṁ tad ahaṁ prapadye
TEXT 27
eka-jana āsi’ rātre grāmīke balila
‘tomāra grāma mārite turuka-dhārī sājila
SYNONYMS
eka-jana-one person; āsi’-coming; rātre-at night; grāmīke-to the inhabitants of the village; balila-said; tomāra-your; grāma-village; mārite-to attack; turuka-dhārī-Turkish Mohammedan soldiers; sājila-are prepared.
TRANSLATION
One person who came to the village informed the inhabitants, “The Turkish soldiers are now preparing to attack your village.
TEXT 28
āji rātrye palāha, nā rahiha eka-jana
ṭhākura lañā bhāga’, āsibe kāli yavana’
SYNONYMS
āji rātrye-this night; palāha-go away; nā rahiha-do not remain; eka-jana-one person; ṭhākura-the Deity; lañā-taking; bhāga’-go away; āsibe-will come; kāli-tomorrow; yavana-the Mohammedan soldiers.
TRANSLATION
“Flee this village tonight, and do not allow one person to remain. Take the Deity with you and leave, for the Mohammedan soldiers will come tomorrow.”
TEXT 29
śuniyā grāmera loka cintita ha-ila
prathame gopāla lañā gāṅṭhuli-grāme khuila
SYNONYMS
śuniyā-hearing; grāmera loka-all the people in the village; cintita ha-ila-became very anxious; prathame-first; gopāla lañā-taking Gopāla; gāṅṭhuli-grāme-in the village known as Gāṅṭhuli; khuila-kept Him hidden.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, all the villagers became very anxious. They first took Gopāla and moved Him to a village known as Gāṅṭhuli.
TEXT 30
vipra-gṛhe gopālera nibhṛte sevana
grāma ujāḍa haila, palāila sarva-jana
SYNONYMS
vipra-gṛhe-in the house of a brāhmaṇa; gopālera-of Lord Gopāla; nibhṛte-very secretly; sevana-worship; grāma-the village; ujāḍa haila-became deserted; palāila-fled; sarva-jana-all the people.
TRANSLATION
The Gopāla Deity was kept in the house of a brāhmaṇa, and His worship was conducted secretly. Everyone fled, and thus the village of Annakūṭa was deserted.
TEXT 31
aiche mleccha-bhaye gopāla bhāge bāre-bāre
mandira chāḍi’ kuñje rahe, kibā grāmāntare
SYNONYMS
aiche-in that way; mleccha-bhaye-because of fear of the Mohammedans; gopāla-the Deity of Gopāla Rāya; bhāge-runs away; bāre-bāre-again and again; mandira chāḍi’-giving up the temple; kuñje-in the bush; rahe-remains; kibā-or; grāma-antare-in a different village.
TRANSLATION
Due to fear of the Mohammedans, the Gopāla Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopāla would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.
TEXT 32
prātaḥ-kāle prabhu ‘mānasa-gaṅgā’ya kari’ snāna
govardhana-parikramāya karilā prayāṇa
SYNONYMS
prātaḥ-kāle-in the morning; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mānasa-gaṅgāya-in the lake named Mānasa-gaṅgā; kari’-performing; snāna-bathing; govardhana-Govardhana Hill; parikramāya-in circumambulating; karilā-did; prayāṇa-starting.
TRANSLATION
In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in a lake called Mānasa-gaṅgā. He then circumambulated Govardhana Hill.
TEXT 33
govardhana dekhi’ prabhu premāviṣṭa hañā
nācite nācite calilā śloka paḍiyā
SYNONYMS
govardhana dekhi’-seeing Govardhana Hill; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prema-āviṣṭa hañā-becoming ecstatic in love; nācite nācite-dancing and dancing; calilā-departed; śloka paḍiyā-reciting the following verse.
TRANSLATION
Just by seeing Govardhana Hill, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic with love of Kṛṣṇa. While dancing and dancing, He recited the following verse.
TEXT 34
hantāyam adrir abalā haridāsa-varyo
yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ
mānaṁ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat
pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kanda-mūlaiḥ
SYNONYMS
hanta-oh; ayam-this; adriḥ-hill; abalāḥ-O friends; haridāsa-varyaḥ-the best among the servants of the Lord; yat-because; rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; sparaśa-by the touch; pramodaḥ-jubilant; mānam-respects; tanoti-offers; saha-with; go-gaṇayoḥ-cows, calves and cowherd boys; tayoḥ-to Them (Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma); yat-because; pānīya-drinking water; sūyavasa-very soft grass; kandara-caves; kanda-mūlaiḥ-and by roots.
TRANSLATION
“Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O My friends, this hill supplies Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, as well as Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities-water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respect to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant. “
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.21.18). It was spoken by the gopīs when Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma entered the forest in the autumn. The gopīs spoke among themselves and glorified Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for Their pastimes.
TEXT 35
‘govinda-kuṇḍādi’ tīrthe prabhu kailā snāna
tāhāṅ śunilā–gopāla gela gāṅṭhuli grāma
SYNONYMS
govinda-kuṇḍa-ādi-Govinda-kuṇḍa and others; tīrthe-in the holy places; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kailā snāna-performed bathing; tāhāṅ-there; śunilā-heard; gopāla-the Gopāla Deity; gela-has gone; gāṅṭhuli-Gāṅṭhuli; grāma-to the village.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then took His bath in a lake called Govinda-kuṇḍa, and while He was there, He heard that the Deity Gopāla had already gone to Gāṅṭhuli-grāma.
TEXT 36
sei grāme giyā kaila gopāla-daraśana
premāveśe prabhu kare kīrtana-nartana
SYNONYMS
sei grāme-to that village; giyā-going; kaila-performed; gopāla-daraśana-seeing Lord Gopāla; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kare-performs; kīrtana-nartana-chanting and dancing.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to the village of Gāṅṭhuli-grāma and saw the Lord Gopāla Deity. Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He began to chant and dance.
TEXT 37
gopālera saundarya dekhi’ prabhura āveśa
ei śloka paḍi’ nāce, haila dina-śeṣa
SYNONYMS
gopālera-of Gopāla; saundarya-beauty; dekhi’-seeing; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āveśa-ecstasy; ei śloka paḍi’-reciting the following verse; nāce-dances; haila-there was; dina-śeṣa-the end of the day.
TRANSLATION
As soon as the Lord saw the beauty of the Gopāla Deity, He was immediately overwhelmed by ecstatic love, and He recited the following verse. He then chanted and danced until the day ended.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following information about Govinda-kuṇḍa. There is a village named Āniyora on Govardhana Hill, a little distance from the village of Paiṭhā. Govinda-kuṇḍa is situated near here, and there are two temples to Govinda and Baladeva there. According to some, Queen Padmāvatī excavated this lake. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), the following statement is found:
ei śrī-govinda-kuṇḍa-mahimā aneka
ethā indra kaila govindera abhiṣeka
“Govinda-kuṇḍa is exalted for its many spiritual activities. It was here that Indra was defeated by Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Indra offered his prayers and bathed Lord Govinda.” In the book Stavāvalī (Vraja-vilāsa-stava 74) the following verse is found:
nīcaiḥ prauḍha-bhayāt svayaṁ surapatiḥ pādau vidhṛtyeha yaiḥ
svar-gaṅgā-salilaiś cakāra surabhi-dvārābhiṣekotsavam
govindasya navaṁ gavām adhipatā rājye sphuṭaṁ kautukāt
tair yat prādurabhūt sadā sphuratu tad govinda-kuṇḍaṁ dṛśoḥ
In the Mathurā-khaṇḍa it is also stated:
yatrābhiṣikto bhagavān
maghonā yadu-vairiṇā
govinda-kuṇḍaṁ taj-jātaṁ
snāna-mātreṇa mokṣadam
“Simply by bathing in Govinda-kuṇḍa, one is awarded liberation. This lake was produced when Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa was bathed by Lord Indra.”
Gāṅṭhuli-grāma is situated near the two villages Bilachu and Gopāla-pura. According to hearsay, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa first met here. In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave), it is stated: sakhī duṅha vastre gāṅṭhi dila saṅgopane. It is also stated: phāguyā laiyā keha gāṅṭhi khuli’ dilā. For this reason the village is known as Gāṅṭhuli.
TEXT 38
vāmas tāmarasākṣasya
bhuja-daṇḍaḥ sa pātu vaḥ
krīḍā-kandukatāṁ yena
nīto govardhano giriḥ
SYNONYMS
vāmaḥ-the left; tāmarasa-akṣasya-of Kṛṣṇa, who has eyes like lotus petals; bhuja-daṇḍaḥ-arm; saḥ-that; pātu-let it protect; vaḥ-all of you; krīḍā-kandukatām-being like a toy; yena-by which; nītaḥ-attained; govardhanaḥ-named Govardhana; giriḥ-the hill.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ” ‘May the left arm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you. With His left arm He raised Govardhana Hill as if it were a toy.’ “
PURPORT
This verse is found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.62).
TEXT 39
ei-mata tina-dina gopāle dekhilā
caturtha-divase gopāla svamandire gelā
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; tina-dina-for three days; gopāle-Gopāla; dekhilā-saw; caturtha-divase-on the fourth day; gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; sva-mandire-in His own temple; gelā-returned.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the Gopāla Deity for three days. On the fourth day, the Deity returned to His own temple.
TEXT 40
gopāla saṅge cali’ āilā nṛtya-gīta kari
ānanda-kolāhale loka bale ‘hari’ ‘hari’
SYNONYMS
gopāla saṅge-with Gopāla; cali’-walking; āilā-came; nṛtya-gīta kari-chanting and dancing; ānanda-kolāhale-in great jubilation; loka-people; bale-say; hari hari-Hari, Hari.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahāprabhu walked with the Deity of Gopāla, and He chanted and danced. A large and jubilant crowd of people also chanted the transcendental name of Kṛṣṇa, “Hari! Hari!”
TEXT 41
gopāla mandire gelā, prabhu rahilā tale
prabhura vāñchā pūrṇa saba karila gopāle
SYNONYMS
gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; mandire gelā-returned to His temple; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; rahilā tale-remain at the bottom; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vāñchā-desires; pūrṇa-satisfied; saba-all; karila-made; gopāle-the Deity Gopāla.
TRANSLATION
The Deity Gopāla then returned to His own temple, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at the bottom of the hill. Thus all the desires of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were satisfied by the Deity Gopāla.
TEXT 42
ei-mata gopālera karuṇa svabhāva
yei bhakta janera dekhite haya ‘bhāva’
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; gopālera-of the Deity Gopāla; karuṇa sva-bhāva-kind behavior; yei-which; bhakta janera-of persons who are devotees; dekhite-to see; haya-there is; bhāva-ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
This is the way of Lord Gopāla’s kind behavior to His devotees. Seeing this, the devotees were overwhelmed by ecstatic love.
TEXT 43
dekhite utkaṇṭhā haya, nā caḍe govardhane
kona chale gopāla āsi’ utare āpane
SYNONYMS
dekhite-to see; utkaṇṭhā haya-there was great anxiety; nā caḍe-does not go up; govardhane-on the hill known as Govardhana; kona chale-by some trick; gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; āsi’-coming; utare-descends; āpane-personally.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very anxious to see Gopāla, but He did not want to climb Govardhana Hill. Therefore by some trick the Deity Gopāla personally descended.
TEXT 44
kabhu kuñje rahe, kabhu rahe grāmāntare
sei bhakta, tāhāṅ āsi’ dekhaye tāṅhāre
SYNONYMS
kabhu-sometimes; kuñje-in the bushes; rahe-remains; kabhu-sometimes; rahe-He stays; grāma-antare-in a different village; sei bhakta-that devotee; tāhāṅ āsi’-coming there; dekhaye tāṅhāre-sees Him.
TRANSLATION
In this way, giving some excuse, Gopāla sometimes remains in the bushes of the forest, and sometimes He stays in a village. One who is a devotee comes to see the Deity.
TEXT 45
parvate nā caḍe dui–rūpa-sanātana
ei-rūpe tāṅ-sabāre diyāchena daraśana
SYNONYMS
parvate-on the hill; nā caḍe-do not ascend; dui-two; rūpa-sanātana-Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī; ei-rūpe-in this way; tāṅ-sabāre-unto them; diyāchena-has given; daraśana-interview.
TRANSLATION
The two brothers Rūpa and Sanātana did not climb the hill. To them also Lord Gopāla granted an interview.
TEXT 46
vṛddha-kāle rūpa-gosāñi nā pāre yāite
vāñchā haila gopālera saundarya dekhite
SYNONYMS
vṛddha-kāle-in ripe old age; rūpa-gosāñi-Rūpa Gosvāmī; nā pāre-is not able; yāite-to go; vāñchā haila-there was a desire; gopālera-of Gopāla; saundarya dekhite-to see the beauty.
TRANSLATION
In ripe old age, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could not go there, but he had a desire to see the beauty of Gopāla.
TEXT 47
mleccha-bhaye āilā gopāla mathurā-nagare
eka-māsa rahila viṭhṭhaleśvara-ghare
SYNONYMS
mleccha-bhaye-because of fear of the Muslims; āilā-came; gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; mathurā-nagare-to the city of Mathurā; eka-māsa-one month; rahila-stayed; viṭhṭhaleśvara-ghare-in the temple of Viṭhṭhaleśvara.
TRANSLATION
Due to fear of the Mohammedans, Gopāla went to Mathurā, where He remained in the temple of Viṭhṭhaleśvara for one full month.
PURPORT
When the two brothers Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, they decided to live there. Following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s example, they did not climb the hill because they considered it nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On some pretext, the Gopāla Deity granted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu an audience beneath the hill, and Gopāla similarly favored Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. During his ripe old age, when Rūpa Gosvāmī could not go to Govardhana Hill because of invalidity, Gopāla kindly went to Mathurā and remained at the temple of Viṭhṭhaleśvara for one month. It was then that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could see Gopāla’s beauty to his heart’s content.
TEXT 48
tabe rūpa gosāñi saba nija-gaṇa lañā
eka-māsa daraśana kailā mathurāya rahiyā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereupon; rūpa gosāñi-Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; saba-all; nija-gaṇa lañā-taking his associates with him; eka-māsa-for one month; daraśana kailā-saw the Deity; mathurāya rahiyā-staying at the city of Mathurā.
TRANSLATION
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and his associates stayed in Mathurā for one month and saw the Deity Gopāla.
PURPORT
The following description of the temple of Viṭhṭhaleśvara is given in Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
viṭhṭhalera sevā kṛṣṇa-caitanya-vigraha
tāhāra darśane haila parama āgraha
śrī-viṭhṭhalanātha–bhaṭṭa-vallabha-tanaya
karilā yateka prīti kahile nā haya
gāṭholi-grāme gopāla āilā ‘chala’ kari’
tāṅre dekhi’ nṛtya-gīte magna gaurahari
śrī-dāsa-gosvāmī ādi parāmarśa kari’
śrī-viṭhṭhaleśvare kailā sevā-adhikārī
pitā śrī-vallabha-bhaṭṭa tāṅra adarśane
kata-dina mathurāya chilena nirjane
Śrī Vallabha Bhaṭṭa had two sons. The elder, Gopīnātha, was born in 1432 Śakābda Era, and the younger, Viṭhṭhalanātha, was born in 1437 and died in 1507. Viṭhṭhala had seven sons: Giridhara, Govinda, Bālakṛṣṇa, Gokuleśa, Raghunātha, Yadunātha and Ghanaśyāma. Viṭhṭhala completed many of his father’s unfinished books, including his commentary on Vedānta-sūtra, the Subodhinī commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vidvan-maṇḍana, Śṛṅgāra-rasa-maṇḍana and Nyāsādeśa-vivaraṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Vṛndāvana before the birth of Viṭhṭhala. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was very old at the time Gopāla stayed at the house of Viṭhṭhalanātha.
TEXT 49
saṅge gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātha
raghunātha-bhaṭṭa-gosāñi, āra lokanātha
SYNONYMS
saṅge-with Rūpa Gosvāmī; gopāla-bhaṭṭa-Gopāla Bhaṭṭa; dāsa-raghunātha-Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; raghunātha-bhaṭṭa-gosāñi-Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; āra-and; lokanātha-Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
When Rūpa Gosvāmī stayed at Mathurā, he was accompanied by Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
PURPORT
Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī was a personal associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and a great devotee of the Lord. He was a resident of a village named Tālakhaḍi in the district of Yaśohara in Bengal. Previously he lived in Kācnāpāḍā. His father’s name was Padmanābha, and his only younger brother was Pragalbha. Following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Lokanātha went to Vṛndāvana to live. He established a temple named Gokulānanda. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura selected Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī to be his spiritual master, and he was his only disciple. Because Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī did not want his name mentioned in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, we do not often see it in this celebrated book. On the E.B.R. Railroad, the Yaśohara station is located in Bangladesh. From the railway station one has to go by bus to the village of Sonākhāli and from there to Khejurā. From there one has to walk, or, during the rainy season, go by boat to the village of Tālakhaḍi. In this village there are still descendants of Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s younger brother.
TEXT 50
bhūgarbha-gosāñi, āra śrī-jīva-gosāñi
śrī-yādava-ācārya, āra govinda gosāñi
SYNONYMS
bhūgarbha-gosāñi-Bhūgarbha Gosāñi; āra-and; śrī-jīva-gosāñi-Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī; śrī-yādava-ācārya-Śrī Yādava Ācārya; āra-and; govinda gosāñi-Govinda Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATION
Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Yādava Ācārya and Govinda Gosvāmī also accompanied Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
TEXT 51
śrī-uddhava-dāsa, āra mādhava–dui-jana
śrī-gopāla-dāsa, āra dāsa-nārāyaṇa
SYNONYMS
śrī-uddhava-dāsa-Śrī Uddhava dāsa; āra-and; mādhava-Mādhava; dui-jana-two persons; śrī-gopāla-dāsa-Śrī Gopāla dāsa; āra-and; dāsa-nārāyaṇa-Nārāyaṇa dāsa.
TRANSLATION
He was also accompanied by Śrī Uddhava dāsa, Mādhava, Śrī Gopāla dāsa and Nārāyaṇa dāsa.
TEXT 52
‘govinda’ bhakta, āra vāṇī-kṛṣṇadāsa
puṇḍarīkākṣa, īśāna, āra laghu-haridāsa
SYNONYMS
govinda-Govinda; bhakta-a great devotee; āra-and; vāṇī-kṛṣṇadāsa-Vāṇī Kṛṣṇadāsa; puṇḍarīkākṣa-Puṇḍarīkākṣa; īśāna-Īśāna; āra-and; laghu-haridāsa-Laghu Haridāsa.
TRANSLATION
The great devotee Govinda, Vāṇī Kṛṣṇadāsa, Puṇḍarīkākṣa, Īśāna and Laghu Haridāsa also accompanied him.
PURPORT
Laghu Haridāsa should not be confused with Junior Haridāsa, who committed suicide at Prayāga. Generally a devotee is called Haridāsa, and consequently there are many Haridāsas. The chief was Ṭhākura Haridāsa. There was also a Madhyama Haridāsa.
In Bhakti-ratnākara (Sixth Wave), there is a list of many of the chief devotees who accompanied Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
gosvāmī gopāla-bhaṭṭa ati dayāmaya
bhūgarbha, śrī-lokanātha–guṇera ālaya
śrī-mādhava, śrī-paramānanda-bhaṭṭācārya
śrī-madhu-paṇḍita–yāṅra caritra āścarya
premī kṛṣṇadāsa kṛṣṇadāsa brahmacārī
yādava ācārya, nārāyaṇa kṛpāvān
śrī-puṇḍarīkākṣa-gosāñi, govinda, īśāna
śrī-govinda vāṇī-kṛṣṇadāsa aty-udāra
śrī-uddhava–madhye-madhye gauḍe gati yāṅra
dvija-haridāsa kṛṣṇadāsa kavirāja
śrī-gopāla-dāsa yāṅra alaukika kāya
śrī-gopāla, mādhavādi yateka vaiṣṇava
“The following Vaiṣṇavas were present with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: the merciful Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī; Śrī Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī, a reservoir of good qualities; Śrī Mādhava; Śrī Paramānanda Bhaṭṭācārya; Śrī Madhu Paṇḍita, whose characteristics are all wonderful; Premī Kṛṣṇadāsa; Kṛṣṇadāsa Brahmacārī; Yādava Ācārya; the merciful Nārāyaṇa; Śrī Puṇḍarīkākṣa Gosvāmī; Govinda; Īśāna; Śrī Govinda; the magnanimous Vāṇī Kṛṣṇadāsa; Śrī Uddhava, who occasionally visited Bengal; Dvija Haridāsa; Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; Śrī Gopāla dāsa, whose body is completely spiritual; Śrī Gopāla; Mādhava; and many others.”
TEXT 53
ei saba mukhya-bhakta lañā nija-saṅge
śrī-gopāla daraśana kailā bahu-raṅge
SYNONYMS
ei saba-all these; mukhya-bhakta-chief devotees; lañā nija-saṅge-taking with him personally; śrī-gopāla daraśana-visiting Lord Gopāla; kailā bahu-raṅge-performed in great jubilation.
TRANSLATION
It was with great jubilation that Rūpa Gosvāmī visited Lord Gopāla accompanied by all these devotees.
TEXT 54
eka-māsa rahi’ gopāla gelā nija-sthāne
śrī-rūpa-gosāñi āilā śrī-vṛndāvane
SYNONYMS
eka-māsa rahi’-staying for one month; gopāla-the Deity Gopāla; gelā-went; nija-sthāne-to His own place; śrī-rūpa-gosāñi-Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī; āilā-came back; śrī-vṛndāvane-to Vṛndāvana.
TRANSLATION
After staying at Mathurā for one month, the Deity Gopāla returned to His own place, and Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī returned to Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 55
prastāve kahiluṅ gopāla-kṛpāra ākhyāna
tabe mahāprabhu gelā ‘śrī-kāmyavana’
SYNONYMS
prastāve-in the course of the story; kahiluṅ-I have stated; gopāla-kṛpāra-of the mercy of Gopāla; ākhyāna-description; tabe-after this; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; gelā-went; śrī-kāmya-vana-to Śrī Kāmyavana.
TRANSLATION
In the course of this story, I have given a description of Lord Gopāla’s mercy. After seeing the Gopāla Deity, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Śrī Kāmyavana.
PURPORT
Kāmyavana is mentioned in the Ādi-varāha Purāṇa:
caturthaṁ kāmyaka-vanaṁ
vanānāṁ vanam uttamam
tatra gatvā naro devi
mama loke mahīyate
In the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave) it is also said:
ei kāmyavane kṛṣṇa-līlā manohara
karibe darśana sthāna kuṇḍa bahutara
kāmyavane yata tīrtha lekhā nāhi tāra
TEXT 56
prabhura gamana-rīti pūrve ye likhila
sei-mata vṛndāvane tāvat dekhila
SYNONYMS
prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; gamana-rīti-method of touring; pūrve-formerly; ye-which; likhila-I have written; sei-mata-similarly; vṛndāvane-at Vṛndāvana; tāvat dekhila-saw all the places.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s touring Vṛndāvana has been previously described. In the same ecstatic way, He traveled all over Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 57
tāhāṅ līlā-sthalī dekhi’ gelā ‘nandīśvara’
‘nandīśvara’ dekhi’ preme ha-ilā vihvala
SYNONYMS
tāhāṅ-at Kāmyavana; līlā-sthalī-all the places of pastimes; dekhi’-visiting; gelā nandīśvara-went to Nandīśvara; nandīśvara dekhi’-while seeing Nandīśvara; preme ha-ilā vihvala-became overwhelmed by ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
After visiting the places of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes at Kāmyavana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Nandīśvara. While there, He was overwhelmed with ecstatic love.
PURPORT
Nandīśvara is the house of Mahārāja Nanda.
TEXT 58
‘pāvanādi’ saba kuṇḍe snāna kariyā
lokere puchila, parvata-upare yāñā
SYNONYMS
pāvana-ādi-Pāvana and others; saba kuṇḍe-in every lake; snāna kariyā-taking a bath; lokere puchila-inquired from persons there; parvata-upare yāñā-going up a hill.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed in all the celebrated lakes, beginning with Lake Pāvana. Thereafter He climbed a hill and spoke to the people.
PURPORT
The Pāvana-sarovara is described in the Mathurā-māhātmya:
pāvane sarasi snātvā
kṛṣṇaṁ nandīśvare girau
dṛṣṭvā nandaṁ yaśodāṁ ca
sarvābhīṣṭam avāpnuyāt
TEXT 59
kichu deva-mūrti haya parvata-upare?
loka kahe,–mūrti haya gophāra bhitare
SYNONYMS
kichu-any; deva-mūrti-deities; haya-are there; parvata-upare-on the top of the hill; loka kahe-people said; mūrti haya-there are deities; gophāra bhitare-within a cave.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Are there any deities on top of this hill?” The local people replied, “There are deities on this hill, but they are located within a cave.
TEXT 60
dui-dike mātā-pitā puṣṭa kalevara
madhye eka ‘śiśu’ haya tribhaṅga-sundara
SYNONYMS
dui-dike-on two sides; mātā-pitā-father and mother; puṣṭa kalevara-very well-built body; madhye-between them; eka-one; śiśu-child; haya-there is; tri-bhaṅga-curved in three places; sundara-very beautiful.
TRANSLATION
“There is a father and mother with well-built bodies, and between them is a very beautiful child who is curved in three places.”
TEXT 61
śuni’ mahāprabhu mane ānanda pāñā
‘tina’ mūrti dekhilā sei gophā ughāḍiyā
SYNONYMS
śuni’-hearing; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mane-within the mind; ānanda pāñā-getting great pleasure; tina mūrti-the three deities; dekhilā-saw; sei gophā ughāḍiyā-by excavating the cave.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy. After excavating the cave, He saw the three deities.
TEXT 62
vrajendra-vrajeśvarīra kaila caraṇa vandana
premāveśe kṛṣṇera kaila sarvāṅga-sparśana
SYNONYMS
vraja-indra-of the King of Vraja, Nanda Mahārāja; vraja-īśvarīra-and of the Queen of Vraja, mother Yaśodā; kaila-did; caraṇa vandana-worshiping the lotus feet; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; kṛṣṇera-of Lord Kṛṣṇa; kaila-did; sarva-aṅga-sparśana-touching the whole body.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His respects to Nanda Mahārāja and mother Yaśodā, and with great ecstatic love He touched the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 63
saba dina premāveśe nṛtya-gīta kailā
tāhāṅ haite mahāprabhu ‘khadira-vana, āilā
SYNONYMS
saba dina-all the days; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; nṛtya-gīta kailā-danced and chanted; tāhāṅ haite-from there; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; khadira-vana āilā-came to the place known as Khadiravana.
TRANSLATION
Every day the Lord chanted and danced in ecstatic love. Finally He went to Khadiravana.
PURPORT
Khadiravana is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
dekhaha khadira-vana vidita jagate
viṣṇu-loka-prāpti ethā gamana-mātrete
“Behold the forest named Khadiravana, renowned throughout the universe. If one comes to Khadiravana, he can immediately be elevated to Viṣṇuloka.”
TEXT 64
līlā-sthala dekhi’ tāhāṅ gelā ‘śeṣaśāyī’
‘lakṣmī’ dekhi’ ei śloka paḍena gosāñi
SYNONYMS
līlā-sthala dekhi’-seeing the places of pastimes; tāhāṅ-there; gelā-departed; śeṣa-śāyī-for seeing Śeṣaśāyī; lakṣmī-the goddess of fortune; dekhi’-seeing; ei-this; śloka-verse; paḍena-recites; gosāñi-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
After seeing the places of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, Śrī Caitanya went to Śeṣaśāyī, where He saw Lakṣmī and recited the following verse.
TEXT 65
yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu
bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu
tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit
kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ
SYNONYMS
yat-which; te-Your; sujāta-very fine; caraṇa-ambu-ruham-lotus feet; staneṣu-on the breasts; bhītāḥ-being afraid; śanaiḥ-gently; priya-O dear one; dadhīmahi-we place; karkaśeṣu-rough; tena-with them; aṭavīm-the path; aṭasi-You roam; tat-they; vyathate-are distressed; na-not; kim svit-we wonder; kūrpa-ādibhiḥ-by small stones and so on; bhramati-flutters; dhīḥ-the mind; bhavat-āyuṣām-of those of whom Your Lordship is the very life; naḥ-of us.
TRANSLATION
“O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the forest path.”
PURPORT
This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.31.19) spoken by the gopīs when Kṛṣṇa left them in the midst of the rāsa-līlā.
TEXT 66
tabe ‘khelā-tīrtha’ dekhi’ ‘bhāṇḍīravana, āilā
yamunā pāra hañā ‘bhadra-vana’ gelā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereafter; khelā-tīrtha-Khelā-tīrtha; dekhi’-seeing; bhāṇḍīravana-Bhāṇḍīravana; āilā-came to; yamunā pāra hañā-crossing the River Yamunā; bhadra-vana-to Bhadravana; gelā-went.
TRANSLATION
Afterwards, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Khelā-tīrtha and then went to Bhāṇḍīravana. Crossing the Yamunā River, He went to Bhadravana.
PURPORT
In the Bhakti-ratnākara it is said that Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma used to play at Khelā-tīrtha with the cowherd boys during the entire day. Mother Yaśodā had to call Them to take Their baths and eat Their lunch.
TEXT 67
‘śrīvana’ dekhi’ punaḥ gelā ‘loha-vana’
‘mahāvana’ giyā kailā janma-sthāna-daraśana
SYNONYMS
śrī-vana-Śrīvana; dekhi’-seeing; punaḥ-again; gelā-went; loha-vana-to Lohavana; mahā-vana-to Mahāvana; giyā-going; kailā-performed; janma-sthāna-birth site; daraśana-seeing.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited Śrīvana and Lohavana. He then went to Mahāvana and saw Gokula, the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s early childhood pastimes.
PURPORT
Of Śrīvana (also called Bilvavana), the Bhakti-ratnākara states, devatā-pūjita bilvavana śobhāmaya: “The beautiful forest of Bilvavana is worshiped by all the demigods.”
About Lohavana, Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave) states:
lohavane kṛṣṇera adbhuta go-cāraṇa
ethā loha-jaṅghāsure vadhe bhagavān
“At Lohavana, Lord Kṛṣṇa used to tend cows. The demon named Lohajaṅgha was killed at this place.”
Mahāvana is described as follows in Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
dekha nanda-yaśodā-ālaya mahāvane
ei dekha śrī-kṛṣṇa-candrera janma sthala
śrī-gokula, mahāvana–dui ‘eka’ haya
“Behold the house of Nanda and Yaśodā in Mahāvana. See the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mahāvana and the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Gokula, are one and the same.”
TEXT 68
yamalārjuna-bhaṅgādi dekhila sei sthala
premāveśe prabhura mana haila ṭalamala
SYNONYMS
yamala-arjuna-bhaṅga-the place where the twin arjuna trees were broken; ādi-beginning with; dekhila-saw; sei sthala-that place; prema-āveśe-in great ecstasy; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mana-mind; haila-became; ṭalamala-agitated.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the place where the twin arjuna trees were broken by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was moved to great ecstatic love.
TEXT 69
‘gokula’ dekhiyā āilā ‘mathurā’-nagare
janma-sthāna’ dekhi’ rahe sei vipra-ghare
SYNONYMS
gokula dekhiyā-seeing Gokula; āilā-came; mathurā-nagare-in the city of Mathurā; janma-sthāna-the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa; dekhi’-seeing; rahe-stays; sei vipra-ghare-in the house of the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa.
TRANSLATION
After seeing Gokula, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Mathurā, where He saw the birthplace of the Lord. While there, He stayed at the house of the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa.
TEXT 70
lokera saṅghaṭṭa dekhi mathurā chāḍiyā
ekānte ‘akrūra-tīrthe’ rahilā āsiyā
SYNONYMS
lokera-of people; saṅghaṭṭa-crowd; dekhi-seeing; mathurā-the city of Mathurā; chāḍiyā-leaving; ekānte-in a solitary place; akrūra-tīrthe-at Akrūra-tīrtha; rahilā-stayed; āsiyā-coming.
TRANSLATION
Seeing a great crowd assemble at Mathurā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left and went to Akrūra-tīrtha. He remained there in a solitary place.
PURPORT
Akrūra-tīrtha is also mentioned in the Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
dekha, śrīnivāsa, ei akrūra grāmete
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu chilena nibhṛte
“Śrīnivāsa, look at this village of Akrūra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed there in a solitary place.”
TEXT 71
āra dina āilā prabhu dekhite ‘vṛndāvana’
‘kālīya-hrade’ snāna kailā āra praskandana
SYNONYMS
āra dina-the next day; āilā-came; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dekhite-to see; vṛndāvana-Vṛndāvana; kālīya-hrade-in the Kālīya Lake; snāna kailā-took a bath; āra-and; praskandana-at Praskandana.
TRANSLATION
The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Vṛndāvana and took His bath at the Kālīya Lake and Praskandana.
PURPORT
Kālīya-hrada is mentioned in Bhakti-ratnākara (Fifth Wave):
e kālīya-tīrtha pāpa vināśaya
kālīya-tīrtha-sthāne bahu-kārya-siddhi haya
“When one takes a bath in Kālīya-hrada, he is freed from all sinful activities. One can also be successful in business by bathing in Kālīya-hrada.”
TEXT 72
‘dvādaśa-āditya’ haite ‘keśī-tīrthe’ āilā
rāsa-sthalī dekhi’ preme mūrcchita ha-ilā
SYNONYMS
dvādaśa-āditya haite-from Dvādaśāditya; keśī-tīrthe āilā-came to Keśī-tīrtha; rāsa-sthalī dekhi’-visiting the place of the rāsa dance; preme-in ecstatic love; mūrcchita ha-ilā-became unconscious.
TRANSLATION
After seeing the holy place called Praskandana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Dvādaśāditya. From there He went to Keśī-tīrtha, and when He saw the place where the rāsa dance had taken place, He immediately lost consciousness due to ecstatic love.
TEXT 73
cetana pāñā punaḥ gaḍāgaḍi yāya
hāse, kānde, nāce, paḍe, uccaiḥ-svare gāya
SYNONYMS
cetana pāñā-getting His senses back; punaḥ-again; gaḍāgaḍi yāya-rolls on the ground; hāse-laughs; kānde-cries; nāce-dances; paḍe-falls down; uccaiḥ-svare gāya-sings very loudly.
TRANSLATION
When the Lord regained His senses, He began to roll on the ground. He would sometimes laugh, cry, dance and fall down. He would also chant very loudly.
TEXT 74
ei-raṅge sei-dina tathā goṅāilā
sandhyā-kāle akrūre āsi’ bhikṣā nirvāhilā
SYNONYMS
ei-raṅge-in this amusement; sei-dina-that day; tathā goṅāilā-passed the day there; sandhyā-kāle-in the evening; akrūre āsi’-returning to Akrūra-tīrtha; bhikṣā nirvāhilā-took His meal.
TRANSLATION
Being thus transcendentally amused, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that day happily at Keśī-tīrtha. In the evening He returned to Akrūra-tīrtha, where He took His meal.
TEXT 75
prāte vṛndāvane kailā ‘cīra-ghāṭe’ snāna
teṅtulī-talāte āsi’ karilā viśrāma
SYNONYMS
prāte-in the morning; vṛndāvane-in Vṛndāvana; kailā-performed; cīra-ghāṭe snāna-bathing at Cīra-ghāṭa; teṅtulī-talāte-underneath the Teṅtulī tree; āsi’-coming; karilā viśrāma-took rest.
TRANSLATION
The next morning Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to Vṛndāvana and took His bath at Cīra-ghāṭa. He then went to Teṅtulī-talā, where He took rest.
TEXT 76
kṛṣṇa-līlā-kālera sei vṛkṣa purātana
tāra tale piṅḍi-bāndhā parama-cikkaṇa
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-līlā-kālera-of the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s presence; sei vṛkṣa-that tamarind tree; purātana-very old; tāra tale-underneath that tree; piṅḍi-bāndhā-a platform; parama-cikkaṇa-very shiny.
TRANSLATION
The tamarind tree named Teṅtulī-talā was very old, having been there since the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Beneath the tree was a very shiny platform.
TEXT 77
nikaṭe yamunā vahe śītala samīra
vṛndāvana-śobhā dekhe yamunāra nīra
SYNONYMS
nikaṭe-near the Teṅtulī-talā, or Āmli-talā; yamunā-the Yamunā; vahe-flows; śītala samīra-very cool breeze; vṛndāvana-śobhā-the beauty of Vṛndāvana; dekhe-sees; yamunāra-of the River Yamunā; nīra-water.
TRANSLATION
Since the River Yamunā flowed near Teṅtulī-talā, a very cool breeze blew there. While there, the Lord saw the beauty of Vṛndāvana and the water of the River Yamunā.
TEXT 78
teṅtula-tale vasi’ kare nāma-saṅkīrtana
madhyāhna kari’ āsi’ kare ‘akrūre’ bhojana
SYNONYMS
teṅtula-tale-underneath the tamarind tree; vasi’-sitting down; kare-does; nāma-saṅkīrtana-chanting the holy name of the Lord; madhyāhna kari’-at noon; āsi’-coming back; kare-performs; akrūre-at Akrūra-tīrtha; bhojana-taking lunch.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to sit beneath the old tamarind tree and chant the holy name of the Lord. At noon He would return to Akrūra-tīrtha to take lunch.
TEXT 79
akrūrera loka āise prabhure dekhite
loka-bhiḍe svacchande nāre ‘kīrtana’ karite
SYNONYMS
akrūrera loka-the people at Akrūra-tīrtha; āise-came; prabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dekhite-to see; loka-bhiḍe-because of such a crowd of people; svacchande-without disturbance; nāre-was not able; kīrtana karite-to perform kīrtana.
TRANSLATION
All the people who lived near Akrūra-tīrtha came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and due to the large crowds, the Lord could not peacefully chant the holy name.
TEXT 80
vṛndāvane āsi’ prabhu vasiyā ekānta
nāma-saṅkīrtana kare madhyāhna-paryanta
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane āsi’-coming to Vṛndāvana; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vasiyā-sitting; ekānta-in a solitary place; nāma-saṅkīrtana kare-performs chanting of the holy name; madhyāhna-paryanta-until noon.
TRANSLATION
Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would go to Vṛndāvana and sit in a solitary place. It was there that He chanted the holy name until noon.
TEXT 81
tṛtīya-prahare loka pāya daraśana
sabāre upadeśa kare ‘nāma-saṅkīrtana’
SYNONYMS
tṛtīya-prahare-in the afternoon; loka-people; pāya daraśana-get an interview; sabāre-unto everyone; upadeśa kare-instructs; nāma-saṅkīrtana-chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
In the afternoon, people were able to speak to Him. The Lord told everyone of the importance of chanting the holy name.
TEXT 82
hena-kāle āila vaiṣṇava ‘kṛṣṇadāsa’ nāma
rājaputa-jāti,–gṛhastha, yamunā-pāre grāma
SYNONYMS
hena-kāle-at this time; āila-came; vaiṣṇava-a devotee; kṛṣṇadāsa nāma-of the name Kṛṣṇadāsa; rājaputa-jāti-belonging to the kṣatriya class; gṛhastha-householder; yamunā-pāre grāma-his residence on the other side of the Yamunā.
TRANSLATION
During this time, a Vaiṣṇava named Kṛṣṇadāsa came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was a householder belonging to the kṣatriya caste, and his house was located on the other side of the Yamunā.
TEXT 83
‘keśī’ snāna kari’ sei ‘kālīya-daha’ yāite
āmli-talāya gosāñire dekhe ācambite
SYNONYMS
keśī snāna kari’-after taking his bath at the place known as Keśī-tīrtha; sei-that person; kālīya-daha yāite-going to the Kālīya-daha; āmli-talāya-at the place known as Āmli-talā; gosāñire-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dekhe-sees; ācambite-suddenly.
TRANSLATION
After bathing at Keśī-tīrtha, Kṛṣṇadāsa went toward Kālīya-daha and suddenly saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sitting at Āmli-talā [Teṅtulī-talā].
TEXT 84
prabhura rūpa-prema dekhi’ ha-ila camatkāra
premāveśe prabhure karena namaskāra
SYNONYMS
prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; rūpa-prema-personal beauty and ecstatic love; dekhi’-seeing; ha-ila camatkāra-became astonished; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; prabhure-to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karena namaskāra-offers obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the Lord’s personal beauty and ecstatic love, Kṛṣṇadāsa was very astonished. Out of ecstatic love, he offered his respectful obeisances unto the Lord.
TEXT 85
prabhu kahe,–ke tumi, kāhāṅ tomāra ghara?
kṛṣṇadāsa kahe,–mui gṛhastha pāmara
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-the Lord inquired; ke tumi-who are you; kāhāṅ-where; tomāra-your; ghara-residence; kṛṣṇadāsa kahe-Kṛṣṇadāsa replied; mui-I; gṛhastha-householder; pāmara-most fallen.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Kṛṣṇadāsa, “Who are you? Where is your home?” Kṛṣṇadāsa replied, “I am a most fallen householder.
TEXT 86
rājaputa-jāti muñi, o-pāre mora ghara
mora icchā haya–‘haṅa vaiṣṇava-kiṅkara’
SYNONYMS
rājaputa-jāti-belong to the Rājaputa caste; muñi-I; o-pāre-on the other side of the Yamunā; mora ghara-my residence; mora icchā haya-I wish; haṅa-to become; vaiṣṇava-kiṅkara-the servant of a Vaiṣṇava.
TRANSLATION
“I belong to the Rājaputa caste, and my home is just on the other side of the River Yamunā. However, I wish to be the servant of a Vaiṣṇava.
TEXT 87
kintu āji eka muñi ‘svapna’ dekhinu
sei svapna parateka tomā āsi’ pāinu
SYNONYMS
kintu-but; āji-today; eka-one; muñi-I; svapna-dream; dekhinu-saw; sei svapna-that dream; parateka-according to; tomā-You; āsi’-coming; pāinu-I have gotten.
TRANSLATION
“Today I have had a dream, and according to that dream I have come here and found You.”
TEXT 88
prabhu tāṅre kṛpā kailā āliṅgana kari
preme matta haila sei nāce, bale ‘hari’
SYNONYMS
prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅre-unto him; kṛpā kailā-bestowed His mercy; āliṅgana kari-embracing; preme-in ecstatic love; matta haila-became mad; sei-that Kṛṣṇadāsa; nāce-dances; bale-chants; hari-the holy name of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then bestowed upon Kṛṣṇadāsa His causeless mercy by embracing him. Kṛṣṇadāsa became mad with ecstatic love and began to dance and chant the holy name of Hari.
TEXT 89
prabhu-saṅge madhyāhne akrūra tīrthe āilā
prabhura avaśiṣṭa-pātra-prasāda pāilā
SYNONYMS
prabhu-saṅge-with the Lord; madhyāhne-in the afternoon; akrūra tīrthe-to Akrūra-tīrtha; āilā-came; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; avaśiṣṭa-pātra-prasāda-remnants of food; pāilā-got.
TRANSLATION
Kṛṣṇadāsa returned to Akrūra-tīrtha with the Lord, and remnants of the Lord’s food were given to him.
TEXT 90
prāte prabhu-saṅge āilā jala-pātra lañā
prabhu-saṅge rahe gṛha-strī-putra chāḍiyā
SYNONYMS
prāte-in the morning; prabhu-saṅge-with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āilā-came; jala-pātra lañā-carrying a waterpot; prabhu-saṅge rahe-remains with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; gṛha-home; strī-wife; putra-children; chāḍiyā-leaving aside.
TRANSLATION
The next morning, Kṛṣṇadāsa went with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Vṛndāvana and carried His waterpot. Kṛṣṇadāsa thus left his wife, home and children in order to remain with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 91
vṛndāvane punaḥ ‘kṛṣṇa’ prakaṭa ha-ila
yāhāṅ tāhāṅ loka saba kahite lāgila
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane-at Vṛndāvana; punaḥ-again; kṛṣṇa-Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; prakaṭa ha-ila-became manifested; yāhāṅ tāhāṅ-everywhere; loka-people; saba-all; kahite lāgila-began to speak.
TRANSLATION
Everywhere the Lord went, all the people said, “Kṛṣṇa has again manifest at Vṛndāvana.”
TEXT 92
eka-dina akrūrete loka prātaḥ-kāle
vṛndāvana haite āise kari’ kolāhale
SYNONYMS
eka-dina-one day; akrūrete-at Akrūra-tīrtha; loka-people; prātaḥ-kāle-in the morning; vṛndāvana haite-from Vṛndāvana; āise-came; kari’-making; kolāhale-tumult.
TRANSLATION
One morning many people came to Akrūra-tīrtha. As they came from Vṛndāvana, they made a tumultuous sound.
TEXT 93
prabhu dekhi’ karila loka caraṇa vandana
prabhu kahe,–kāhāṅ haite karilā āgamana?
SYNONYMS
prabhu dekhi’-seeing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karila-offered; loka-people; caraṇa vandana-respect unto His lotus feet; prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; kāhāṅ haite-from where; karilā āgamana-have you come.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the people offered respects at His lotus feet. The Lord then asked them,”Where are you all coming from?”
TEXT 94
loke kahe,–kṛṣṇa prakaṭa kālīya-dahera jale!
kālīya-śire nṛtya kare, phaṇā-ratna jvale
SYNONYMS
loke kahe-all the people replied; kṛṣṇa prakaṭa-Kṛṣṇa is again manifest; kālīya-dahera jale-in the water of Lake Kālīya; kālīya-śire-on the head of the serpent Kālīya; nṛtya kare-dances; phaṇā-ratna jvale-the jewels on the hoods blaze.
TRANSLATION
The people replied,”Kṛṣṇa has again manifest Himself on the waters of the Kālīya Lake. He dances on the hoods of the serpent Kālīya, and the jewels on those hoods are blazing.
TEXT 95
sākṣāt dekhila loka–nāhika saṁśaya
śuni’ hāsi’ kahe prabhu,–saba ‘satya’ haya
SYNONYMS
sākṣāt-directly; dekhila loka-all the people saw; nāhika saṁśaya-there is no doubt; śuni’-hearing; hāsi’-laughing; kahe prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; saba satya haya-all that you have said is correct.
TRANSLATION
“Everyone has seen Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. There is no doubt about it.” Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to laugh. He then said, “Everything is correct.”
TEXT 96
ei-mata tina-rātri lokera gamana
sabe āsi’ kahe,–kṛṣṇa pāiluṅ daraśana
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; tina-rātri-three nights; lokera gamana-people went; sabe-all; āsi’-coming; kahe-say; kṛṣṇa pāiluṅ daraśana-we have seen Lord Kṛṣṇa directly.
TRANSLATION
For three successive nights people went to Kālīya-daha to see Kṛṣṇa, and everyone returned saying, “Now we have seen Kṛṣṇa Himself.”
TEXT 97
prabhu-āge kahe loka,–śrī-kṛṣṇa dekhila
‘sarasvatī’ ei vākye ‘satya’ kahāila
SYNONYMS
prabhu-āge-in front of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kahe loka-all the people began to say; śrī-kṛṣṇa dekhila-that they have seen Lord Kṛṣṇa; sarasvatī-the goddess of learning; ei vākye-this statement; satya-true; kahāila-caused the people to speak.
TRANSLATION
Everyone came before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and said, “Now we have directly seen Lord Kṛṣṇa.” Thus by the mercy of the goddess of learning they were made to speak the truth.
TEXT 98
mahāprabhu dekhi’ ‘satya’ kṛṣṇa-daraśana
nijājñāne satya chāḍi’ ‘asatye satya-bhrama’
SYNONYMS
mahāprabhu dekhi’-by seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; satya-truly; kṛṣṇa-daraśana-seeing Kṛṣṇa; nija-ajñāne-by their personal lack of knowledge; satya chāḍi’-giving up the real truth; asatye-untruth; satya-bhrama-mistaking for the truth.
TRANSLATION
When the people saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they actually saw Kṛṣṇa, but because they were following their own imperfect knowledge, they accepted the wrong thing as Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 99
bhaṭṭācārya tabe kahe prabhura caraṇe
‘ājñā deha’, yāi’ kari kṛṣṇa daraśane!’
SYNONYMS
bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; tabe-at that time; kahe-says; prabhura caraṇe-at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ājñā deha’-please give permission; yāi’-going; kari kṛṣṇa daraśane-I shall see Lord Kṛṣṇa directly.
TRANSLATION
At that time Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya placed a request at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, “Please give me permission to go see Lord Kṛṣṇa directly.”
PURPORT
The puzzled people who visited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were actually seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa, but they were mistaken in thinking that Lord Kṛṣṇa had come to Kālīya Lake. They all said that they had seen Kṛṣṇa directly performing His pastimes on the hood of the serpent Kālīya and that the jewels on Kālīya’s hoods were blazing brilliantly. Because they were speculating with their imperfect knowledge, they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as an ordinary human being and a boatman’s light in the lake as Kṛṣṇa. One must see things as they are through the mercy of a spiritual master; otherwise if one tries to see Kṛṣṇa directly, he may mistake an ordinary man for Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa for an ordinary man. Everyone has to see Kṛṣṇa according to the verdict of Vedic literatures presented by the self-realized spiritual master. A sincere person is able to see Kṛṣṇa through the transparent via medium of Śrī Gurudeva, the spiritual master. Unless one is enlightened by the knowledge given by the spiritual master, he cannot see things as they are, even though he remains constantly with the spiritual master. This incident at Kālīya-daha is very instructive for those eager to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 100
tabe tāṅre kahe prabhu cāpaḍa māriyā
“mūrkhera vākye ‘mūrkha’ hailā paṇḍita hañā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereafter; tāṅre-unto Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; kahe-says; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; cāpaḍa māriyā-slapping; mūrkhera vākye-by the words of some rascals and fools; mūrkha hailā-you became a fool; paṇḍita hañā-being a learned scholar.
TRANSLATION
When Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya asked to see Kṛṣṇa at Kālīya-daha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu mercifully slapped him, saying, “You are a learned scholar, but you have become a fool influenced by the statements of other fools.
PURPORT
Māyā is so strong that even a person like Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, who was constantly staying with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was influenced by the words of fools. He wanted to see Kṛṣṇa directly by going to Kālīya-daha, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being the original spiritual master, would not allow His servant to fall into such foolishness. He therefore chastised him, slapping him just to bring him to a real sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 101
kṛṣṇa kene daraśana dibe kali-kāle?
nija-bhrame mūrkha-loka kare kolāhale
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; kene-why; daraśana-interview; dibe-would give; kali-kāle-in this Age of Kali; nija-bhrame-by their own mistake; mūrkha-loka-foolish persons; kare kolāhale-make a chaotic tumult.
TRANSLATION
“Why will Kṛṣṇa appear in the Age of Kali? Foolish people who are mistaken are simply causing agitation and making a tumult.
PURPORT
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s first statement (kṛṣṇa kene daraśana dibe kali-kāle) refers to the scriptures. According to scripture, Kṛṣṇa appears in Dvāpara-yuga, but He never appears as Himself in Kali-yuga. Rather, He appears in Kali-yuga in a covered form. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32): kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Kṛṣṇa appears in the Age of Kali in the garb of a devotee, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who always associates with His internal soldiers-Śrī Advaita Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrīvāsa Prabhu and Gadādhara Prabhu. Although Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was personally serving Lord Kṛṣṇa in His role as a devotee (Caitanya Mahāprabhu), he mistook Lord Kṛṣṇa for an ordinary man and an ordinary man for Lord Kṛṣṇa because he did not follow the rules set down by śāstra and guru.
TEXT 102
‘vātula’ nā ha-io, ghare rahata vasiyā
‘kṛṣṇa’ daraśana kariha kāli rātrye yāñā”
SYNONYMS
vātula-mad; nā ha-io-do not become; ghare-at home; rahata-keep; vasiyā-sitting; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; daraśana-seeing; kariha-you may do; kāli-tomorrow; rātrye-at night; yāñā-going.
TRANSLATION
“Do not become mad. Simply sit down here, and tomorrow night you will go see Kṛṣṇa.”
TEXT 103
prātaḥ-kāle bhavya-loka prabhu-sthāne āilā
‘kṛṣṇa dekhi’ āilā?’–prabhu tāṅhāre puchilā
SYNONYMS
prātaḥ-kāle-the next morning; bhavya-loka-respectable gentlemen; prabhu-sthāne-at the place of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āilā-came; kṛṣṇa dekhi’-seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa; āilā-have you come; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅhāre puchilā-inquired from them.
TRANSLATION
The next morning some respectable gentlemen came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord asked them, “Have you seen Kṛṣṇa?”
TEXT 104
loka kahe,–rātrye kaivartya naukāte caḍiyā
kālīya-dahe matsya māre, deuṭī jvāliyā
SYNONYMS
loka kahe-the sensible respectable persons said; rātrye-at night; kaivartya-a fisherman; naukāte-on a boat; caḍiyā-getting up; kālīya-dahe-in the lake of Kālīya; matsya māre-catches fish; deuṭī jvāliyā-lighting a torch.
TRANSLATION
These respectable gentlemen replied, “At night in the Kālīya Lake a fisherman lighting a torch in his boat catches many fish.
TEXT 105
dūra haite tāhā dekhi’ lokera haya ‘bhrama’
‘kālīyera śarīre kṛṣṇa kariche nartana’!
SYNONYMS
dūra haite-from a distant place; tāhā dekhi’-seeing that; lokera-of people in general; haya-there is; bhrama-mistake; kālīyera-of the snake Kālīya; śarīre-on the body; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; kariche nartana-is dancing.
TRANSLATION
“From a distance, people mistakenly think that they are seeing Kṛṣṇa dancing on the body of the Kālīya serpent.
TEXT 106
naukāte kālīya-jñāna, dīpe ratna-jñāne!
jāliyāre mūḍha-loka ‘kṛṣṇa’ kari’ māne!
SYNONYMS
naukāte-on the boat; kālīya-jñāna-knowledge as the Kālīya snake; dīpe-on the torch; ratna-jñāne-consideration as jewels; jāliyāre-the fisherman; mūḍha-loka-foolish men; kṛṣṇa kari’ māne-accept as Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
“These fools think that the boat is the Kālīya serpent and the torchlight the jewels on his hoods. People also mistake the fisherman to be Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 107
vṛndāvane ‘kṛṣṇa’ āilā,–sei ‘satya’ haya
kṛṣṇere dekhila loka,–ihā ‘mithyā’ naya
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane-to Vṛndāvana; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; āilā-has come back; sei-that; satya haya-is true; kṛṣṇere-Kṛṣṇa; dekhila-saw; loka-the people; ihā mithyā naya-this is not false.
TRANSLATION
“Actually Lord Kṛṣṇa has again returned to Vṛndāvana. That also is a truth, and people have seen Him.
TEXT 108
kintu kāhoṅ ‘kṛṣṇa’ dekhe, kāhoṅ ‘bhrama’ māne
sthāṇu-puruṣe yaiche viparīta-jñāne
SYNONYMS
kintu-but; kāhoṅ-where; kṛṣṇa-Kṛṣṇa; dekhe-one sees; kāhoṅ-where; bhrama māne-mistakes; sthāṇu-puruṣe-the dry tree and a person; yaiche-as; viparīta-jñāne-by understanding one to be the other.
TRANSLATION
“But where they are seeing Kṛṣṇa is their mistake. It is like considering a dry tree to be a person.”
PURPORT
The word sthāṇu means “a dry tree without leaves.” From a distance one may mistake such a tree for a person. This is called sthāṇu-puruṣa. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was living in Vṛndāvana, the inhabitants considered Him an ordinary human being, and they mistook the fisherman to be Kṛṣṇa. Every human being is prone to make such mistakes. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was mistaken for an ordinary sannyāsī, the fisherman was mistaken for Kṛṣṇa, and the torchlight was mistaken for bright jewels on Kālīya’s hoods.
TEXT 109
prabhu kahe,–‘kāhāṅ pāilā ‘kṛṣṇa daraśana?’
loka kahe,–‘sannyāsī tumi jaṅgama-nārāyaṇa
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further inquired; kāhāṅ pāilā-where have you gotten; kṛṣṇa daraśana-sight of Kṛṣṇa; loka kahe-the respectable persons replied; sannyāsī tumi-You are a sannyāsī; jaṅgama-nārāyaṇa-moving Nārāyaṇa.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then asked them,”Where have you seen Kṛṣṇa directly?” The people replied,”You are a sannyāsī, a renunciant; therefore You are a moving Nārāyaṇa [jaṅgama-nārāyaṇa].”
PURPORT
This is the viewpoint of Māyāvāda philosophy. Māyāvāda philosophy supports the impersonalist view that Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no form. One can imagine impersonal Brahman in any form-as Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, Vivasvān, Gaṇeśa or Devī Durgā. According to the Māyāvāda philosophy, when one becomes a sannyāsi he is to be considered a moving Nārāyaṇa. Māyāvāda philosophy holds that the real Nārāyaṇa does not move because, being impersonal, He has no legs. Thus according to Māyāvāda philosophy, whoever becomes a sannyāsī declares himself Nārāyaṇa. Foolish people accept such ordinary human beings as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called vivarta-vāda.
In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that jaṅgama-nārāyaṇa means that the impersonal Brahman takes a shape and moves here and there in the form of a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. The Māyāvāda philosophy confirms this. Daṇḍa-grahaṇa-mātreṇa naro nārāyaṇo bhavet: “Simply by accepting the daṇḍa of the order of sannyāsa, one is immediately transformed into Nārāyaṇa.” Therefore Māyāvādī sannyāsīs address themselves by saying, oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya. In this way one Nārāyaṇa worships another Nārāyaṇa.
Actually an ordinary human being cannot become Nārāyaṇa. Even the chief Māyāvādī sannyāsī, Śrī Śaṅkarācārya, says, nārāyaṇaḥ paro ‘vyaktāt: “Nārāyaṇa is not a creation of this material world. Nārāyaṇa is above the material creation.” Due to their poor fund of knowledge, Māyāvādī sannyāsīs think that Nārāyaṇa, the Absolute Truth, takes birth as a human being and that when He realizes this, He becomes Nārāyaṇa again. They never consider why Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepts an inferior position as a human being and then again becomes Nārāyaṇa when He is perfect. Why should Nārāyaṇa be imperfect? Why should He appear as a human being? Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very nicely explained these points while at Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 110
vṛndāvane ha-ilā tumi kṛṣṇa-avatāra
tomā dekhi’ sarva-loka ha-ila nistāra
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvane-at Vṛndāvana; ha-ilā-became; tumi-You; kṛṣṇa-avatāra-incarnation of Kṛṣṇa; tomā dekhi’-by seeing You; sarva-loka-all people; ha-ila nistāra-become liberated.
TRANSLATION
The people then said, “You have appeared in Vṛndāvana as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Just by seeing You, everyone is now liberated.”
TEXT 111
prabhu kahe,–‘viṣṇu’ ‘viṣṇu’ ihā nā kahibā!
jīvādhame ‘kṛṣṇa’-jñāna kabhu nā karibā!
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied; viṣṇu viṣṇu-O Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu; ihā-this; nā kahibā-do not speak; jīva-adhame-fallen conditioned souls; kṛṣṇa-jñāna-accepting as Lord Kṛṣṇa; kabhu-ever; nā karibā-do not do.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately exclaimed,”Viṣṇu! Viṣṇu! Do not call Me the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A jīva cannot become Kṛṣṇa at any time. Do not even say such a thing!
PURPORT
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately stated that a living being, however exalted he may be, should never be compared to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s preaching protests the monistic philosophy of the Māyāvāda school. The central point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that the jīva, the living entity, can never be accepted as Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. This viewpoint is elaborated in the following verses.
TEXT 112
sannyāsī–cit-kaṇa jīva, kiraṇa-kaṇa-sama
ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa kṛṣṇa haya sūryopama
SYNONYMS
sannyāsī-a person in the renounced order of life; cit-kaṇa jīva-a small fragmental living being; kiraṇa-of sunshine; kaṇa-small particle; sama-like; ṣaṭ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-full in six opulences; kṛṣṇa-Lord Kṛṣṇa; haya-is; sūrya-upama-compared to the sun.
TRANSLATION
“A sannyāsī in the renounced order is certainly part and parcel of the complete whole, just as a shining molecular particle of sunshine is part and parcel of the sun itself. Kṛṣṇa is like the sun, full of six opulences, but the living entity is only a fragment of the complete whole.
TEXT 113
jīva, īśvara-tattva–kabhu nahe ‘sama’
jvalad-agni-rāśi yaiche sphuliṅgera ‘kaṇa’
SYNONYMS
jīva-a living being; īśvara-tattva-and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kabhu-at any time; nahe-not; sama-equal; jvalat-agni-rāśi-large flame; yaiche-as; sphuliṅgera-of a spark; kaṇa-fragmental portion.
TRANSLATION
“A living entity and the Absolute Personality of Godhead are never to be considered equal, just as a fragmental spark can never be considered the original flame.
PURPORT
Māyāvādī sannyāsīs consider themselves Brahman, and they superficially speak of themselves as Nārāyaṇa. The monistic disciples of the Māyāvāda school (known as smārta-brāhmaṇas) are generally householder brāhmaṇas who accept the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs as Nārāyaṇa incarnate; therefore they offer their obeisances to them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately protested this unauthorized system, specifically mentioning that a sannyāsī (cit-kaṇa jīva) is nothing but a fragmental portion of the Supreme. In other words, he is nothing more than an ordinary living being. He is never Nārāyaṇa, just as a molecular portion of sunshine is never the sun itself. The living entity is nothing but a fragmental part of the Absolute Truth; therefore at no stage of perfection can a living entity become the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Māyāvāda viewpoint is always condemned by the Vaiṣṇava school. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself protested this philosophy. When the Māyāvādīs accept sannyāsa and consider themselves Nārāyaṇa, they become so puffed up that they do not even enter the temple of Nārāyaṇa to offer respects, for they falsely think themselves Nārāyaṇa Himself. Although Māyāvādī sannyāsīs may offer respects to other sannyāsīs and address them as Nārāyaṇa, they do not go to a Nārāyaṇa temple and offer respects. These Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are always condemned and are described as demons. The Vedas clearly state that living entities are subordinate parts and parcels of the supreme. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān: the Supreme Being, Kṛṣṇa, maintains all living entities.
TEXT 114
hlādinyā saṁvid-āśliṣṭaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda īśvaraḥ
svāvidyā-saṁvṛto jīvaḥ
saṅkleśa-nikarākaraḥ
SYNONYMS
hlādinyā-by the hlādinī potency; saṁvit-by the samvit potency; āśliṣṭaḥ-surrounded; sat-cit-ānandaḥ-always transcendentally blissful; īśvaraḥ-the supreme controller; sva-own; avidyā-by ignorance; saṁvṛtaḥ-surrounded; jīvaḥ-the living entity; saṅkleśa-of the threefold miseries; nikara-of the multitude; ākaraḥ-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 embarrassed by the threefold miseries of life. Thus he is a treasure-house of all kinds of tribulations.’
PURPORT
This quotation of Viṣṇusvāmī is cited in Śrīdhara Svāmī’s Bhāvārtha-dīpikā commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.7.6).
TEXT 115
yei mūḍha kahe,–jīva īśvara haya ‘sama’
seita ‘pāṣaṇḍī’ haya, daṇḍe tāre yama
SYNONYMS
yei mūḍha-any foolish person who; kahe-says; jīva-the living entity; īśvara-the supreme controller; haya-are; sama-equal; seita-he; pāṣaṇḍī haya-is a first-class atheist; daṇḍe-punishes; tāre-him; yama-the superintendent of death, Yamarāja.
TRANSLATION
“A foolish person who says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the same as the living entity is an atheist, and he becomes subject to punishment by the superintendent of death, Yamarāja.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that the word pāṣaṇḍī refers to one who considers the living entity under the control of the illusory energy to be equal with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to all material qualities. Another kind of pāṣaṇḍī is one who does not believe in the spirit soul, the superior potency of the Lord, and therefore does not distinguish between spirit and matter. While describing one of the offenses against chanting the holy names, an offense called śruti-śāstra-nindana (blaspheming the Vedic literature), Jīva Gosvāmī states in his Bhakti-sandarbha: yathā pāṣaṇḍa-mārgeṇa dattātreyarṣabha-devopāsakānāṁ pāṣaṇḍīnām. Worshipers of impersonalists like Dattātreya are also pāṣaṇḍīs. Concerning the offense of ahaṁ-mama-buddhi, or dehātma-buddhi (considering the body to be the self), Jīva Gosvāmī states: deva-draviṇādi-nimittaka-‘pāṣaṇḍa’-śabdena ca daśāparādhā eva lakṣyante, pāṣaṇḍamayatvāt teṣām. “Those who are overly absorbed in the conception of the body and the bodily necessities are also called pāṣaṇḍīs.” Elsewhere in Bhakti-sandarbha it is stated:
uddiśya devatā eva
juhoti ca dadāti ca
sa pāṣaṇḍīti vijñeyaḥ
svatantro vāpi karmasu
“A pāṣaṇḍī is one who considers the demigods and the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be one; therefore a pāṣaṇḍī worships any kind of demigod as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” One who disobeys the orders of the spiritual master is also considered a pāṣaṇḍī. The word pāṣaṇḍī has been described in many places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, including 4.2.28, 30, 32; 5.6.9 and 12.2.13, 43.
On the whole, a pāṣaṇḍī is a nondevotee who does not accept the Vedic conclusions. In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (1.117) there is a verse quoted from Padma Purāṇa describing the pāṣaṇḍī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu quotes this verse as the following text.
TEXT 116
yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ
brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ
samatvenaiva vīkṣeta
sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam
SYNONYMS
yaḥ-any person who; tu-however; nārāyaṇam-the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of such demigods as Brahmā and Śiva; devam-the Lord; brahma-Lord Brahmā; rudra-Lord Śiva; ādi-and others; daivataiḥ-with such demigods; samatvena-on an equal level; eva-certainly; vīkṣeta-observes; saḥ-such a person; pāṣaṇḍī-pāṣaṇḍī; bhavet-must be; dhruvam-certainly.
TRANSLATION
” ‘A person who considers demigods like Brahmā and Śiva to be on an equal level with Nārāyaṇa is to be considered an offender and a pāṣaṇḍī.’ “
TEXT 117
loka kahe,–tomāte kabhu nahe jīva’-mati
kṛṣṇera sadṛśa tomāra ākṛti-prakṛti
SYNONYMS
loka kahe-the people said; tomāte-unto You; kabhu-at any time; nahe-there is not; jīva-mati-considering an ordinary living being; kṛṣṇera sadṛśa-like Lord Kṛṣṇa; tomāra-Your; ākṛti-bodily features; prakṛti-characteristics.
TRANSLATION
After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the difference between an ordinary living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the people said, “No one considers You an ordinary human being. You are like Kṛṣṇa in every respect, in both bodily features and characteristics.
TEXT 118
‘ākṛtye’ tomāre dekhi ‘vrajendra-nandana’
deha-kānti pītāmbara kaila ācchādana
SYNONYMS
ākṛtye-by bodily features; tomāre-You; dekhi-we see; vrajendra-nandana-directly the son of Mahārāja Nanda; deha-kānti-the luster of the body; pīta-ambara-golden covering; kaila ācchādana-covered.
TRANSLATION
“By Your bodily features we can see that You are none other than the son of Nanda Mahārāja, although the golden luster of Your body has covered Your original complexion.
TEXT 119
mṛga-mada vastre bāndhe, tabu nā lukāya
‘īśvara-svabhāva’ tomāra ṭākā nāhi yāya
SYNONYMS
mṛga-mada-deer musk; vastre-in cloth; bāndhe-wraps; tabu-still; nā-not; lukāya-is concealed; īśvara-svabhāva-characteristics as the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tomāra-of You; ṭākā nāhi yāya-are not concealed.
TRANSLATION
“As the aroma of deer musk cannot be concealed by wrapping it in a cloth, Your characteristics as the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be concealed by any means.
TEXT 120
alaukika ‘prakṛti’ tomāra–buddhi-agocara
tomā dekhi’ kṛṣṇa-preme jagat pāgala
SYNONYMS
alaukika-uncommon; prakṛti-characteristics; tomāra-Your; buddhi-agocara-beyond our imagination; tomā dekhi’-by seeing You; kṛṣṇa-preme-in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa; jagat-the whole world; pāgala-mad.
TRANSLATION
“Indeed, Your characteristics are uncommon and beyond the imagination of an ordinary living being. Simply by seeing You, the entire universe becomes mad with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.
TEXTS 121-122
strī-bāla-vṛddha, āra ‘caṇḍāla, ‘yavana’
yei tomāra eka-bāra pāya daraśana
kṛṣṇa-nāma laya, nāce hañā unmatta
ācārya ha-ila sei, tārila jagata
SYNONYMS
strī-women; bāla-children; vṛddha-old men; āra-and; caṇḍāla-the lowest of men; yavana-persons who eat meat; yei-anyone who; tomāra-Your; eka-bāra-once; pāya daraśana-gets the sight; kṛṣṇa-nāma-the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; laya-chants; nāce-dances; hañā unmatta-like a madman; ācārya ha-ila-becomes a spiritual master; sei-that man; tārila jagata-delivers the whole world.
TRANSLATION
“If even women, children, old men, meat-eaters or members of the lowest caste can see You even once, they immediately chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, dance like madmen and become spiritual masters capable of delivering the whole world.
TEXT 123
darśanera kārya āchuka, ye tomāra ‘nāma’ śune
sei kṛṣṇa-preme matta, tāre tribhuvane
SYNONYMS
darśanera kārya āchuka-aside from seeing You; ye-anyone who; tomāra-Your; nāma-holy name; śune-hears; sei-that man; kṛṣṇa-preme-in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa; matta-maddened; tāre-delivers; tri-bhuvane-the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
“Apart from seeing You, whoever listens to Your holy name is made mad with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa and is able to deliver the three worlds.
TEXT 124
tomāra nāma śuni’ haya śvapaca ‘pāvana’
alaukika śakti tomāra nā yāya kathana
SYNONYMS
tomāra-Your; nāma-holy name; śuni’-hearing; haya-become; śvapaca-dog-eaters, the lowest of men; pāvana-saintly persons; alaukika-uncommon; śakti-potency; tomāra-Your; nā-not; yāya kathana-can be described.
TRANSLATION
“Simply by hearing Your holy name, dog-eaters become holy saints. Your uncommon potencies cannot be described in words.
TEXT 125
yan-nāmadheya-śravaṇānukīrtanād
yat-prahvaṇād yat-smaraṇād api kvacit
śvādo ‘pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate
kutaḥ punas te bhagavan nu darśanāt
SYNONYMS
yat-of whom; nāmadheya-of the name; śravaṇa-from hearing; anukīrtanāt-and thereafter from chanting; yat-to whom; prahvaṇāt-from offering respects; yat-of whom; smaraṇāt-from simply remembering; api-also; kvacit-sometimes; śva-adaḥ-a dog-eater; api-even; sadyaḥ-immediately; savanāya-for performing Vedic sacrifices; kalpate-becomes eligible; kutaḥ-what to speak; punaḥ-again; te-of You; bhagavan-O Supreme Personality of Godhead; nu-certainly; darśanāt-from seeing.
TRANSLATION
” ‘To say nothing of the spiritual advancement of persons who see the Supreme Person face to face, even a person born in a family of dog-eaters becomes immediately eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or chants about Him, hears about His pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.33.6). According to this verse, it doesn’t matter what position a person holds. One may be the lowest of the low-a caṇḍāla, or dog-eater-but if he takes to chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, he is immediately eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices. This is especially true in this Age of Kali.
harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa 38.126)
A person born in a brāhmaṇa family cannot perform Vedic sacrifices until he is properly purified and has attained his sacred thread. However, according to this verse, it is understood that even a lowborn person can immediately perform sacrifices if he sincerely chants and hears the holy name of the Lord. Sometimes envious people ask how Europeans and Americans in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can become brāhmaṇas and perform sacrifices. They do not know that the Europeans and Americans have already been purified by chanting the holy name of the Lord-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare HareHare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is the proof. Śvādo ‘pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate. One may be born in a family of dog-eaters, but he can perform sacrifices simply by chanting the mahā-mantra.
Those who find fault in the Western Vaiṣṇavas should consider this statement from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the commentary on this verse by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. In this regard, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has stated that to become a brāhmaṇa, one has to wait for purification and undergo the sacred thread ceremony, but a chanter of the holy name does not have to wait for the sacred thread ceremony. We do not allow devotees to perform sacrifices until they are properly initiated in the sacred thread ceremony. Yet according to this verse, an offenseless chanter of the holy name is already fit to perform a fire ceremony, even though he is not doubly initiated by the sacred thread ceremony. This is the verdict given by Lord Kapiladeva in His instructions to His mother, Devahūti. It was Lord Kapiladeva who instructed Devahūti in pure Sāṅkhya philosophy.
TEXT 126
eita’ mahimā–tomāra ‘taṭastha’-lakṣaṇa
‘svarūpa’-lakṣaṇe tumi–‘vrajendra-nandana’
SYNONYMS
eita’-all these; mahimā-glories; tomāra-Your; taṭastha-lakṣaṇa-marginal characteristics; sva-rūpa-original; lakṣaṇe-by characteristics; tumi-You; vrajendra-nandana-the son of Mahārāja Nanda.
TRANSLATION
“These glories of Yours are only marginal. Originally You are the son of Mahārāja Nanda.”
PURPORT
The original characteristics of a substance are called svarūpa, and the subsequent corollaries are called taṭastha-lakṣaṇa, or marginal characteristics. The glories of the Lord’s marginal characteristics prove Him to be the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. As soon as one understands this, one accepts Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 127
sei saba loke prabhu prasāda karila
kṛṣṇa-preme matta loka nija-ghare gela
SYNONYMS
sei saba loke-unto all those persons; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prasāda karila-bestowed His causeless mercy; kṛṣṇa-preme-in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa; matta-maddened; loka-persons; nija-ghare gela-returned to their own homes.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then bestowed His causeless mercy upon all the people there, and everyone became ecstatic with love of God. Finally they all returned to their homes.
TEXT 128
ei-mata kata-dina ‘akrūre’ rahilā
kṛṣṇa-nāma-prema diyā loka nistārilā
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; kata-dina-for some days; akrūre rahilā-stayed at Akrūra-tīrtha; kṛṣṇa-nāma-the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; prema-ecstatic love; diyā-distributing; loka-everyone; nistārilā-delivered.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained for some days in Akrūra-tīrtha. He delivered everyone there simply by distributing the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love for the Lord.
TEXT 129
mādhava-purīra śiṣya seita brāhmaṇa
mathurāra ghare-ghare karā’na nimantraṇa
SYNONYMS
mādhava-purīra-of Mādhavendra Purī; śiṣya-disciple; seita-that; brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇa; mathurāra-of Mathurā City; ghare-ghare-home to home; karā’na-causes to make; nimantraṇa-invitation.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇa disciple of Mādhavendra Purī went from house to house in Mathurā and inspired other brāhmaṇas to invite Caitanya Mahāprabhu to their homes.
TEXT 130
mathurāra yata loka brāhmaṇa sajjana
bhaṭṭācārya-sthāne āsi’ kare nimantraṇa
SYNONYMS
mathurāra-of Mathurā; yata-all; loka-people; brāhmaṇa sat-jana-gentlemen and brāhmaṇas; bhaṭṭācārya-sthāne-unto Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; āsi’-coming; kare nimantraṇa-offer invitations.
TRANSLATION
Thus all the respectable people of Mathurā, headed by the brāhmaṇas, came to Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and extended invitations to the Lord.
TEXT 131
eka-dina ‘daśa’ ‘biśa’ āise nimantraṇa
bhaṭṭācārya ekera mātra karena grahaṇa
SYNONYMS
eka-dina-in one day; daśa biśa-ten to twenty; āise-come; nimantraṇa-the invitations; bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; ekera-of one of them; mātra-only; karena grahaṇa-accepts.
TRANSLATION
In one day, ten to twenty invitations were received, but Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya would accept only one of them.
TEXT 132
avasara nā pāya loka nimantraṇa dite
sei vipre sādhe loka nimantraṇa nite
SYNONYMS
avasara nā pāya-do not get the opportunity; loka-people; nimantraṇa dite-to offer invitations; sei vipre-unto that brāhmaṇa; sādhe-request; loka-people; nimantraṇa nite-to accept the invitation.
TRANSLATION
Since everyone did not get an opportunity to offer invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally, they requested the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa to ask the Lord to accept their invitations.
TEXT 133
kānyakubja-dākṣiṇātyera vaidika brāhmaṇa
dainya kari, kare mahāprabhura nimantraṇa
SYNONYMS
kānyakubja-brāhmaṇas from Kānyakubja; dākṣiṇātyera-certain brāhmaṇas from South India; vaidika-followers of the Vedic religion; brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇas; dainya kari-with great humility; kare-do; mahāprabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nimantraṇa-invitation.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇas from different places, such as Kānyakubja and South India, who were all strict followers of the Vedic religion, offered invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great humility.
TEXT 134
prātaḥ-kāle akrūre āsi’ randhana kariyā
prabhure bhikṣā dena śālagrāme samarpiyā
SYNONYMS
prātaḥ-kāle-in the morning; akrūre-to Akrūra-tīrtha; āsi’-coming; randhana kariyā-cooking; prabhure-unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhikṣā dena-offer lunch; śālagrāme samarpiyā-after offering to the śālagrāma-śilā.
TRANSLATION
In the morning they would come to Akrūra-tīrtha and cook food. After offering it to the śālagrāma-śilā, they offered it to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
PURPORT
There are brāhmaṇas known as pañca-gauḍa-brāhmaṇas who come from five places in northern India, and there are brāhmaṇas known as pañca-dākṣiṇātya-brāhmaṇas who come from five places in southern India. In northern India the places are Kānyakubja, Sārasvata, Gauḍa, Maithila and Utkala. In southern India the places are Āndhra, Karṇāta, Gurjara, Drāviḍa and Mahārāṣṭra. The brāhmaṇas from these places are considered to be very strict followers of the Vedic principles, and they are accepted as pure brāhmaṇas. They strictly observe Vedic principles and are not polluted by tantric misdeeds. All of these brāhmaṇas respectfully invited Caitanya Mahāprabhu for lunch.
TEXT 135
eka-dina sei akrūra-ghāṭera upare
vasi’ mahāprabhu kichu karena vicāre
SYNONYMS
eka-dina-once upon a time; sei-that; akrūra-ghāṭera-of the Akrūra bathing ghat; upare-on the bank; vasi’-sitting; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kichu-some; karena-does; vicāre-consideration.
TRANSLATION
One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat at the bathing ghat of Akrūra-tīrtha and thought the following thoughts.
Akrūra-tīrtha is located on the road between Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were being taken to Mathurā by Akrūra, the Lord rested at this place and took His bath in the Yamunā. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma took Their baths, Akrūra saw the entire world of Vaikuṇṭha within the water. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana also saw the Vaikuṇṭha planets within the water.
TEXT 136
ei ghāṭe akrūra vaikuṇṭha dekhila
vrajavāsī loka ‘goloka’ darśana kaila
SYNONYMS
ei ghāṭe-in this bathing place; akrūra-Akrūra; vaikuṇṭha dekhila-saw the spiritual world; vrajavāsī loka-the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana; goloka darśana kaila-saw Goloka.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “At this bathing place, Akrūra saw Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world, and all the inhabitants of Vraja saw Goloka Vṛndāvana.”
TEXT 137
eta bali’ jhāṅpa dilā jalera upare
ḍubiyā rahilā prabhu jalera bhitare
SYNONYMS
eta bali’-saying this; jhāṅpa dilā-jumped; jalera upare-above the water; ḍubiyā-sinking; rahilā-remained; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; jalera bhitare-within the water.
TRANSLATION
While considering how Akrūra remained within the water, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately jumped in and stayed under water for some time.
TEXT 138
dekhi’ kṛṣṇadāsa kāndi’ phukāra karila
bhaṭṭācārya śīghra āsi’ prabhure uṭhāila
SYNONYMS
dekhi’-seeing; kṛṣṇadāsa-Kṛṣṇadāsa; kāndi’-crying; phu-kāra karila-called loudly; bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; śīghra-hastily; āsi’-coming; prabhure uṭhāila-raised Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
When Kṛṣṇadāsa saw that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was drowning, he cried and shouted very loudly. Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya immediately came and pulled the Lord out.
TEXT 139
tabe bhaṭṭācārya sei brāhmaṇe lañā
yukti karilā kichu nibhṛte vasiyā
SYNONYMS
tabe-thereafter; bhaṭṭācārya-Bhaṭṭācārya; sei brāhmaṇe-the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa; lañā-taking; yukti karilā-consulted; kichu-something; nibhṛte vasiyā-sitting in a solitary place.
TRANSLATION
After this, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya took the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa to a secluded place and consulted with him.
TEXT 140
āji āmi āchilāṅa uṭhāiluṅ prabhure
vṛndāvane ḍubena yadi, ke uṭhābe tāṅre?
SYNONYMS
āji-today; āmi-I; āchilāṅa-was present; uṭhāiluṅ-raised; prabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vṛndāvane-in Vṛndāvana; ḍubena yadi-if He drowns; ke uṭhābe tāṅre-who will raise Him.
TRANSLATION
Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Since I was present today, it was possible for me to pull the Lord up. However, if He starts to drown at Vṛndāvana, who will help Him?
TEXT 141
lokera saṅghaṭṭa, āra nimantraṇera jañjāla
nirantara āveśa prabhura nā dekhiye bhāla
SYNONYMS
lokera saṅghaṭṭa-crowds of people; āra-and; nimantraṇera jañjāla-the disturbance of invitations; nirantara-always; āveśa-ecstatic love; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nā dekhiye bhāla-I do not see any good in this.
TRANSLATION
“Now there is a crowd of people here, and these invitations are causing much disturbance. In addition, the Lord is always ecstatic and emotional. I do not find the situation here very good.
TEXT 142
vṛndāvana haite yadi prabhure kāḍiye
tabe maṅgala haya,–ei bhāla yukti haye
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana haite-from Vṛndāvana; yadi-if; prabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kāḍiye-I take away; tabe-then; maṅgala haya-there is auspiciousness; ei-this; bhāla-good; yukti-plan; haye-is.
TRANSLATION
“It would be good if we could get Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu out of Vṛndāvana. That is my final conclusion.”
TEXT 143
vipra kahe,–prayāge prabhu lañā yāi
gaṅgā-tīra-pathe yāi, tabe sukha pāi
SYNONYMS
vipra kahe-the brāhmaṇa said; prayāge-to Prayāga; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; lañā-taking; yāi-let us go; gaṅgā-tīra-pathe-on the bank of the Ganges; yāi-let us go; tabe-then; sukha pāi-we shall get pleasure.
TRANSLATION
The Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa said, “Let us take Him to Prayāga and go along the banks of the Ganges. It will be very pleasurable to go that way.
TEXT 144
‘soro-kṣetre, āge yāñā kari’ gaṅgā-snāna
sei pathe prabhu lañā kariye payāna
SYNONYMS
soro-kṣetre-to the holy place named Soro-kṣetra; āge-first, beyond; yāñā-going; kari’ gaṅgā-snāna-having taken bath in the Ganges; sei pathe-that way; prabhu lañā-taking Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kariye payāna-let us go.
TRANSLATION
“After going to the holy place named Soro-kṣetra, and taking bath in the Ganges, let us take Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that way and go.
TEXT 145
māgha-māsa lāgila, ebe yadi yāiye
makare prayāga-snāna kata dina pāiye
SYNONYMS
māgha-māsa lāgila-the month of Māgha has begun; ebe-now; yadi-if; yāiye-we go; makare-during the Makara-saṅkrānti; prayāga-snāna-bathing at Prayāga; kata dina-for a few days; pāiye-we shall get.
TRANSLATION
“It is now the beginning of the month of Māgha. If we go to Prayāga at this time, we shall have an opportunity to bathe for a few days during Makara-saṅkrānti.”
PURPORT
Bathing during the month of Māgha at Māgha-melā still takes place. This has been a very old melā (assembly) from time immemorial. It is said that the Lord in the form of Mohinī took a bucket of nectar and kept it at Prayāga. Consequently Māgha-melā has been observed, and there is an assembly of holy men there every year. Every twelfth year there is a Kumbha-melā, a great festival, and all the holy men from all over India assemble there. The brāhmaṇa wanted to take advantage of the Māgha-melā and bathe there.
Bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā near the fort at Allahabad, Prayāga, is mentioned in revealed scriptures:
māghe māsi gamiṣyanti
gaṅgā-yāmuna-saṅgamam
gavāṁ śata-sahasrasya
samyag dattaṁ ca yat-phalam
prayāge māgha-māse vai
tryahaṁ snātasya tat-phalam
“If one goes to Prayāga and bathes at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā in the month of Māgha, he attains the result of giving hundreds and thousands of cows in charity. Simply by bathing for three days there, he attains the results of such a pious activity.” Because of this, the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa was very eager to go to Prayāga and bathe. Generally karmīs (fruitive laborers) take advantage of bathing there during the month of Māgha, thinking that they will be rewarded in the future. Those who are situated in devotional service do not very strictly follow this karma-kāṇḍīya process.
TEXT 146
āpanāra duḥkha kichu kari’ nivedana
‘makara-paṅcasi prayāge’ kariha sūcana
SYNONYMS
āpanāra-personal; duḥkha-unhappiness; kichu-some; kari’-doing; nivedana-submission; makara-paṅcasi-the full-moon day in the month of Māgha; prayāge-to Prayāga; kariha sūcana-kindly inform.
TRANSLATION
The Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa continued, “Kindly submit to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu the unhappiness you are feeling within yourself. Then propose that we all go to Prayāga on the full-moon day of the month of Māgha.
TEXT 147
gaṅgā-tīra-pathe sukha jānāiha tāṅre
bhaṭṭācārya āsi’ tabe kahila prabhure
SYNONYMS
gaṅgā-tīra-on the bank of the Ganges; pathe-on the path; sukha-happiness; jānāiha-kindly let know; tāṅre-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; āsi’-coming; tabe-thereafter; kahila prabhure-informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
“Tell the Lord of the happiness you will feel in traveling via the banks of the Ganges.” Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya therefore submitted this prayer to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 148
“sahite nā pāri āmi lokera gaḍabaḍi
nimantraṇa lāgi’ loka kare huḍāhuḍi
SYNONYMS
sahite nā pāri-cannot tolerate; āmi-I; lokera-of people; gaḍabaḍi-disturbance; nimantraṇa-invitations; lāgi’-for; loka-people; kare-do; huḍāhuḍi-hurrying.
TRANSLATION
Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya told the Lord, “I can no longer tolerate the disturbance of the crowd. People are coming one after another to offer invitations.
TEXT 149
prātaḥ-kāle āise loka, tomāre nā pāya
tomāre nā pāñā loka mora māthā khāya
SYNONYMS
prātaḥ-kāle-in the morning; āise-come; loka-people; tomāre-You; nā pāya-cannot see; tomāre nā pāñā-not getting You; loka-people; mora māthā khāya-tax my brain.
TRANSLATION
“Early in the morning people come here, and not seeing You present, they simply tax my brain.
TEXT 150
tabe sukha haya yabe gaṅgā-pathe yāiye
ebe yadi yāi, ‘makare’ gaṅgā-snāna pāiye
SYNONYMS
tabe-then; sukha haya-it will be great happiness for me; yabe-when; gaṅgā-pathe-on the path of the Ganges; yāiye-we go; ebe yadi yāi-if we go just now; makare-during Makara-saṅkrānti; gaṅgā-snāna pāiye-we can take bath in the Ganges.
TRANSLATION
“I will be very happy if we all leave and take the path by the banks of the Ganges. Then we can have the opportunity to bathe in the Ganges in Prayāga during Makara-saṅkrānti.
PURPORT
There are two great occasions for bathing in the Ganges during Māgha-melā. One is on the day of the dark moon, and the other is on the day of the full moon during the month of Māgha.
TEXT 151
udvigna ha-ila prāṇa, sahite nā pāri
prabhura ye ājñā haya, sei śire dhari”
SYNONYMS
udvigna-agitated; ha-ila-has become; prāṇa-my mind; sahite-to bear; nā pāri-I am unable; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ye-what; ājñā-order; haya-there is; sei śire dhari-I accept that.
TRANSLATION
“My mind has become very agitated, and I cannot bear this anxiety. May everything rest on the permission of Your Lordship. I will accept whatever You want to do.”
TEXT 152
yadyapi vṛndāvana-tyāge nāhi prabhura mana
bhakta-icchā pūrite kahe madhura vacana
SYNONYMS
yadyapi-although; vṛndāvana-tyāge-to leave Vṛndāvana; nāhi prabhura mana-was not the desire of the Lord; bhakta-of the devotee; icchā-desire; pūrite-to fulfill; kahe-says; madhura vacana-sweet words.
TRANSLATION
Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had no desire to leave Vṛndāvana, He began to speak sweet words just to fulfill the desire of His devotee.
TEXT 153
“tumi āmāya āni’ dekhāilā vṛndāvana
ei ‘ṛṇa’ āmi nāriba karite śodhana
SYNONYMS
tumi-you; āmāya-Me; āni’-bringing; dekhāilā-showed; vṛndāvana-the holy place named Vṛndāvana; ei ṛṇa-this debt; āmi nāriba-I shall not be able; karite śodhana-to repay.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You have brought Me here to show Me Vṛndāvana. I am very much indebted to you, and I shall not be able to repay this debt.
TEXT 154
ye tomāra icchā, āmi seita kariba
yāhāṅ lañā yāha tumi, tāhāṅi yāiba”
SYNONYMS
ye tomāra icchā-whatever You like; āmi-I; seita kariba-must act accordingly; yāhāṅ-wherever; lañā yāha-take; tumi-you; tāhāṅi yāiba-I shall go there.
TRANSLATION
“Whatever you desire, I must do. Wherever you take Me, I shall go.”
TEXT 155
prātaḥ-kāle mahāprabhu prātaḥ-snāna kaila
‘vṛndāvana chāḍiba’ jāni’ premāveśa haila
SYNONYMS
prātaḥ-kāle-in the morning; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prātaḥ-snāna kaila-took His morning bath; vṛndāvana chāḍiba-I shall have to leave Vṛndāvana; jāni’-knowing; prema-āveśa haila-became ecstatic in love.
TRANSLATION
The next morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up early. After taking His bath, He became ecstatic with love, knowing that He now had to leave Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 156
bāhya vikāra nāhi, premāviṣṭa mana
bhaṭṭācārya kahe,–cala, yāi mahāvana
SYNONYMS
bāhya-external; vikāra-symptoms; nāhi-there were not; prema-āviṣṭa mana-the mind was full of ecstatic love; bhaṭṭācārya kahe-Bhaṭṭācārya said; cala-let us go; yāi mahāvana-let us go to Mahāvana.
TRANSLATION
Although the Lord did not exhibit any external symptoms, His mind was filled with ecstatic love. At that time, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Let us go to Mahāvana [Gokula].”
TEXT 157
eta bali’ mahāprabhure naukāya vasāñā
pāra kari’ bhaṭṭācārya calilā lañā
SYNONYMS
eta bali’-saying this; mahāprabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; naukāya-on a boat; vasāñā-making sit down; pāra kari’-crossing the river; bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; calilā-went; lañā-taking.
TRANSLATION
Saying this, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya made Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sit aboard a boat. After they crossed the river, he took the Lord with him.
TEXT 158
premī kṛṣṇadāsa, āra seita brāhmaṇa
gaṅgā-tīra-pathe yāibāra vijña dui-jana
SYNONYMS
premī kṛṣṇadāsa-the devotee Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa; āra-and; seita brāhmaṇa-that Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa; gaṅgā-tīra-pathe-on the path by the bank of the Ganges; yāibāra-to go; vijña-experienced; dui-jana-two persons.
TRANSLATION
Both Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa and the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa knew the path along the Ganges bank very well.
TEXT 159
yāite eka vṛkṣa-tale prabhu sabā lañā
vasilā, sabāra patha-śrānti dekhiyā
SYNONYMS
yāite-while passing; eka-one; vṛkṣa-tale-underneath a tree; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sabā lañā-taking all of them; vasilā-sat down; sabāra-of all of them; patha-śrānti-fatigue because of walking; dekhiyā-understanding.
TRANSLATION
While walking, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, understanding that the others were fatigued, took them all beneath a tree and sat down.
TEXT 160
sei vṛkṣa-nikaṭe care bahu gābhī-gaṇa
tāhā dekhi’ mahāprabhura ullasita mana
SYNONYMS
sei-that; vṛkṣa-nikaṭe-near the tree; care-were grazing; bahu-many; gābhī-gaṇa-cows; tāhā-that; dekhi’-seeing; mahāprabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ullasita mana-the mind became very pleased.
TRANSLATION
There were many cows grazing near that tree, and the Lord was very pleased to see them.
TEXT 161
ācambite eka gopa vaṁśī bājāila
śuni’ mahāprabhura mahā-premāveśa haila
SYNONYMS
ācambite-suddenly; eka gopa-one cowherd boy; vaṁśī-flute; bājāila-blew; śuni’-hearing; mahāprabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mahā-prema-āveśa-absorption in great ecstatic love; haila-there was.
TRANSLATION
Suddenly a cowherd boy blew on his flute, and immediately the Lord was struck with ecstatic love.
TEXT 162
acetana hañā prabhu bhūmite paḍilā
mukhe phenā paḍe, nāsāya śvāsa ruddha hailā
SYNONYMS
acetana-unconscious; hañā-becoming; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhūmite paḍilā-fell on the ground; mukhe-at the mouth; phenā paḍe-there was foam; nāsāya-in the nostrils; śvāsa-breath; ruddha hailā-stopped.
TRANSLATION
Filled with ecstatic love, the Lord fell unconscious to the ground. He foamed about the mouth, and His breathing stopped.
TEXT 163
hena-kāle tāhāṅ āśoyāra daśa āilā
mleccha-pāṭhāna ghoḍā haite uttarilā
SYNONYMS
hena-kāle-just at this time; tāhāṅ-there; āśoyāra-soldiers; daśa-ten; āilā-came; mleccha-Mohammedans; pāṭhāna-the race of Pāṭhānas; ghoḍā-horses; haite-from; uttarilā-got down.
TRANSLATION
While the Lord was unconscious, ten cavalry soldiers belonging to the Mohammedan Pāṭhāna military order rode up and dismounted.
TEXT 164
prabhure dekhiyā mleccha karaye vicāra
ei yati-pāśa chila suvarṇa apāra
SYNONYMS
prabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dekhiyā-seeing; mleccha-the Mohammedans; karaye vicāra-considered; ei yati-pāśa-within the possession of this sannyāsī; chila-there was; suvarṇa apāra-a large quantity of gold.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the Lord unconscious, the soldiers thought, “This sannyāsī must have possessed a large quantity of gold.
TEXT 165
ei cāri bāṭoyāra dhuturā khāoyāñā
māri’ ḍāriyāche, yatira saba dhana lañā
SYNONYMS
ei-these; cāri-four; bāṭoyāra-rogues; dhuturā-dhuturā; khāoyāñā-making Him eat; māri’ ḍāriyāche-killed; yatira-of the sannyāsī; saba-all; dhana-wealth; lañā-taking away.
TRANSLATION
“These four rogues here must have taken away that sannyāsī’s riches after killing Him by making Him take the poison dhuturā.”
TEXT 166
tabe sei pāṭhāna cāri-janere bāṅdhila
kāṭite cāhe, gauḍiyā saba kāṅpite lāgila
SYNONYMS
tabe-then; sei pāṭhāna-the Pāṭhāna soldiers; cāri-janere-the four persons; bāṅdhila-arrested; kāṭite cāhe-wanted to kill them; gauḍiyā-the Bengalis; saba-all; kāṅpite lāgila-began to tremble.
TRANSLATION
Thinking this, the Pāṭhāna soldiers arrested the four persons and decided to kill them. Because of this, the two Bengalis began to tremble.
PURPORT
The four persons were Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, his assistant brāhmaṇa, Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa and the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa devotee of Mādhavendra Purī.
TEXT 167
kṛṣṇadāsa–rājaputa, nirbhaya se baḍa
sei vipra–nirbhaya, se–mukhe baḍa daḍa
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇadāsa-Kṛṣṇadāsa; rājaputa-belonging to the Rājaputa race; nirbhaya-fearless; se-he; baḍa-very; sei vipra-the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa; nirbhaya-also fearless; se-he; mukhe-in the mouth; baḍa daḍa-very brave.
TRANSLATION
The devotee Kṛṣṇadāsa, who belonged to the Rājaputa race, was very fearless. The Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa was also fearless, and he spoke very bravely.
TEXT 168
vipra kahe,–pāṭhāna, tomāra pātsāra dohāi
cala tumi āmi sikdāra-pāśa yāi
SYNONYMS
vipra kahe-the brāhmaṇa said; pāṭhāna-you Pāṭhāna soldiers; tomāra-your; pātsāra-king; dohāi-under the protection of; cala-let us go; tumi-you; āmi-we; sikdāra-pāśa-to the commander; yāi-let us go.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇa said, “You Pāṭhāna soldiers are all under the protection of your king. Let us go to your commander and get his decision.
TEXT 169
ei yati–āmāra guru, āmi–māthura brāhmaṇa
pātsāra āge āche mora ‘śata jana’
SYNONYMS
ei yati-this sannyāsī; āmāra guru-my spiritual master; āmi-I; māthura brāhmaṇa-a brāhmaṇa from Mathurā; pātsāra āge-in the service of the Mohammedan king; āche-there are; mora-my; śata jana-one hundred persons.
TRANSLATION
“This sannyāsī is my spiritual master, and I am from Mathurā. I am a brāhmaṇa, and I know many people who are in the service of the Mohammedan king.
TEXT 170
ei yati vyādhite kabhu hayena mūrcchita
abaṅhi cetana pāibe, ha-ibe samvita
SYNONYMS
ei yati-this sannyāsī; vyādhite-under the influence of disease; kabhu-sometimes; hayena mūrcchita-becomes unconscious; abaṅhi-very soon; cetana-consciousness; pāibe-will get back; ha-ibe samvita-will come to His proper senses.
TRANSLATION
“This sannyāsī sometimes falls unconscious due to the influence of a disease. Please sit down here, and you will see that He will very soon regain consciousness and His normal condition.
TEXT 171
kṣaṇeka ihāṅ vaisa, bāndhi’ rākhaha sabāre
iṅhāke puchiyā, tabe māriha sabāre
SYNONYMS
kṣaṇeka-for some time; ihāṅ vaisa-sit down here; bāndhi’-arresting; rākhaha-keep; sabāre-all of us; iṅhāke puchiyā-after questioning Him; tabe-then; māriha sabāre-you can kill all of us.
TRANSLATION
“Sit down here for a while and keep us all under arrest. When the sannyāsī regains his senses, you can question Him. Then, if you like, you can kill us all.”
TEXT 172
pāṭhāna kahe,–tumi paścimā māthura dui-jana
‘gauḍiyā’ ṭhak ei kāṅpe dui-jana
SYNONYMS
pāṭhāna kahe-the soldiers said; tumi-you; paścimā-western Indians; māthura-belonging to the district of Mathurā; dui-jana-two of you; gauḍiyā-Bengalis; ṭhak-rogues; ei-these; kāṅpe-are trembling; dui-jana-two persons.
TRANSLATION
The Pāṭhāna soldiers said, “You are all rogues. Two of you belong to the district of Mathurā, and the other two, who are trembling, belong to Bengal.”
TEXT 173
kṛṣṇadāsa kahe,–āmāra ghara ei grāme
dui-śata turkī āche, śateka kāmāne
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇadāsa kahe-Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa said; āmāra ghara-my home; ei grāme-in this village; dui-śata turkī-two hundred Turks; āche-I have; śateka kāmāne-one hundred cannons.
TRANSLATION
Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa said, “I have my home here, and I also have about two hundred Turkish soldiers and about one hundred cannons.
TEXT 174
ekhani āsibe saba, āmi yadi phukāri
ghoḍā-piḍā luṭi’ labe tomā-sabā māri’
SYNONYMS
ekhani-immediately; āsibe saba-all of them will come; āmi-I; yadi-if; phu-kāri-call loudly; ghoḍā-piḍā-horses and their saddles; luṭi’-plundering; labe-will take; tomā-sabā māri’-after killing all of you.
TRANSLATION
“If I call loudly, they will come immediately to kill you and plunder your horses and saddles.
TEXT 175
gauḍiyā–‘bāṭapāḍa’ nahe, tumi–‘bāṭapāḍa’
tīrtha-vāsī luṭha’, āra cāha’ māribāra
SYNONYMS
gauḍiyā-the Bengalis; bāṭapāḍa nahe-are not rogues; tumi-you; bāṭapāḍa-rogues; tīrtha-vāsī-persons visiting places of pilgrimage; luṭha’-you plunder; āra-and; cāha’-you want; māribāra-to kill.
TRANSLATION
“The Bengali pilgrims are not rogues. You are rogues, for you want to kill the pilgrims and plunder them.”
TEXT 176
śuniyā pāṭhāna mane saṅkoca ha-ila
hena-kāle mahāprabhu ‘caitanya’ pāila
SYNONYMS
śuniyā-hearing; pāṭhāna-the Mohammedan soldiers; mane-in the mind; saṅkoca ha-ila-there was a little hesitation; hena-kāle-at this time; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; caitanya pāila-came to his senses.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing this challenge, the Pāṭhāna soldiers became hesitant. Then suddenly Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regained consciousness.
TEXT 177
huṅkāra kariyā uṭhe, bale ‘hari’ ‘hari’
premāveśe nṛtya kare ūrdhva-bāhu kari’
SYNONYMS
huṅ-kāra kariyā-resounded very loudly; uṭhe-stands up; bale hari hari-chants Hari, Hari; prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; nṛtya kare-dances; ūrdhva-bāhu kari’-raising his arms upward.
TRANSLATION
Coming to His senses, the Lord very loudly began chanting the holy name, “Hari! Hari!” The Lord raised His arms upward and began to dance in ecstatic love.
TEXT 178
premāveśe prabhu yabe karena citkāra
mlecchera hṛdaye yena lāge śeladhāra
SYNONYMS
prema-āveśe-in ecstatic love; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; yabe-when; karena citkāra-loudly shouts; mlecchera hṛdaye-in the hearts of the Mohammedan soldiers; yena-as if; lāge-strikes; śela-dhāra-a thunderbolt.
TRANSLATION
When the Lord shouted very loudly in ecstatic love, it appeared to the Mohammedan soldiers that their hearts were struck by thunderbolts.
TEXT 179
bhaya pāñā mleccha chāḍi’ dila cāri-jana
prabhu nā dekhila nija-gaṇera bandhana
SYNONYMS
bhaya pāñā-being afraid; mleccha-the Mohammedans; chāḍi’ dila-released; cāri-jana-the four persons; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nā dekhila-did not see; nija-gaṇera-of His personal associates; bandhana-the arrest.
TRANSLATION
Seized by fear, all the Pāṭhāna soldiers immediately released the four persons. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not see His personal associates arrested.
TEXT 180
bhaṭṭācārya āsi’ prabhure dhari’ vasāila
mleccha-gaṇa dekhi’ mahāprabhura ‘bāhya’ haila
SYNONYMS
bhaṭṭācārya-Bhaṭṭācārya; āsi’-immediately coming near; prabhure-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dhari’-taking; vasāila-made to sit; mleccha-gaṇa dekhi’-seeing the Mohammedan soldiers; mahāprabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bāhya-external consciousness; haila-there was.
TRANSLATION
At that time, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and made Him sit down. Seeing the Mohammedan soldiers, the Lord regained His normal senses.
TEXT 181
mleccha-gaṇa āsi’ prabhura vandila caraṇa
prabhu-āge kahe,–ei ṭhak cāri-jana
SYNONYMS
mleccha-gaṇa-the Mohammedan soldiers; āsi’-after coming there; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vandila caraṇa-worshiped the lotus feet; prabhu-āge kahe-said before the Lord; ei ṭhak cāri-jana-these four persons are rogues.
TRANSLATION
All the Mohammedan soldiers then came before the Lord, worshiped His lotus feet and said, “Here are four rogues.
TEXT 182
ei cāri mili’ tomāya dhuturā khāoyāñā
tomāra dhana laila tomāya pāgala kariyā
SYNONYMS
ei cāri mili’-four rogues together; tomāya-You; dhuturā khāoyāñā-making to drink poison; tomāra-Your; dhana-wealth; laila-took away; tomāya-You; pāgala-intoxicated; kariyā-making.
TRANSLATION
“These rogues have made You take dhuturā. Having made You mad, they have taken all Your possessions.”
TEXT 183
prabhu kahena,–ṭhak nahe, mora ‘saṅgī’ jana
bhikṣuka sannyāsī, mora nāhi kichu dhana
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahena-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied; ṭhak nahe-they are not rogues; mora saṅgī jana-My associates; bhikṣuka-beggar; sannyāsī-sannyāsī; mora-My; nāhi-are not; kichu-any; dhana-riches.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “These are not rogues. They are My associates. Being a sannyāsī beggar, I do not possess anything.
TEXT 184
mṛgī-vyādhite āmi kabhu ha-i acetana
ei cāri dayā kari’ karena pālana
SYNONYMS
mṛgī-vyādhite-due to epilepsy; āmi-I; kabhu-sometimes; ha-i-become; acetana-unconscious; ei cāri-these four men; dayā kari’-being merciful; karena pālana-maintain Me.
TRANSLATION
“Due to epilepsy, I sometimes fall unconscious. Out of their mercy, these four men maintain Me.”
TEXT 185
sei mleccha-madhye eka parama gambhīra
kāla vastra pare sei,–loke kahe ‘pīra’
SYNONYMS
sei mleccha-madhye-among those Mohammedans; eka-one; parama gambhīra-very grave; kāla vastra-black garments; pare sei-he wears; loke-people; kahe-call; pīra-a saintly person.
TRANSLATION
Among the Mohammedans was a grave person who was wearing a black dress. People called him a saintly person.
TEXT 186
citta ārdra haila tāṅra prabhure dekhiyā
‘nirviśeṣa-brahma’ sthāpe svaśāstra uṭhāñā
SYNONYMS
citta-heart; ārdra-softened; haila-became; tāṅra-his; prabhure dekhiyā-seeing Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; nirviśeṣa-brahma-impersonal Brahman; sthāpe-wanted to establish; sva-śāstra uṭhāñā-raising his scripture.
TRANSLATION
The heart of that saintly person softened upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He wanted to talk to Him and establish impersonal Brahman on the basis of his own scripture, the Koran.
TEXT 187
‘advaita-brahma-vāda’ sei karila sthāpana
tāra śāstra-yuktye tāre prabhu kailā khaṇḍana
SYNONYMS
advaita-brahma-vāda-the impersonal Brahman conception; sei-that saintly person; karila sthāpana-established; tāra śāstra-yuktye-on the logic of his scripture; tāre-unto him; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kailā-did; khaṇḍana-refutation.
TRANSLATION
When that person established the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth on the basis of the Koran, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu refuted his argument.
TEXT 188
yei yei kahila, prabhu sakali khaṇḍila
uttara nā āise mukhe, mahā-stabdha haila
SYNONYMS
yei yei kahila-whatever he spoke; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; sakali khaṇḍila-refuted everything; uttara-answer; nā āise-could not come; mukhe-in his mouth; mahā-stabdha haila-he became greatly stunned.
TRANSLATION
Whatever arguments he put forward, the Lord refuted them all. Finally the person became stunned and could not speak.
TEXT 189
prabhu kahe,–tomāra śāstra sthāpe ‘nirviśeṣe’
tāhā khaṇḍi’ ‘saviśeṣa’ sthāpiyāche śeṣe
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued to speak; tomāra śāstra-your scripture (the Koran); sthāpe-establishes; nirviśeṣe-impersonalism; tāhā khaṇḍi’-refuting that; sa-viśeṣa-personal God; sthāpiyāche-established; śeṣe-at the end.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “The Koran has certainly established impersonalism, but at the end it refutes that impersonalism and establishes the personal God.
TEXT 190
tomāra śāstre kahe śeṣe ‘eka-i īśvara’
‘sarvaiśvarya-pūrṇa teṅho–śyāma-kalevara
SYNONYMS
tomāra śāstre-in your scripture; kahe-it says; śeṣe-at the end; eka-i īśvara-there is one God; sarva-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-full of all opulence; teṅho-He; śyāma-kalevara-bodily complexion is blackish.
TRANSLATION
“The Koran accepts the fact that ultimately there is only one God. He is full of opulence, and His bodily complexion is blackish.
PURPORT
The revealed scripture of the Mohammedans is the Koran. There is one Mohammedan sampradāya known as the Sufis. The Sufis accept impersonalism, believing in the oneness of the living entity with the Absolute Truth. Their supreme slogan is “analahak.” The Sufi sampradāya was certainly derived from Śaṅkarācārya’s impersonalists.
TEXT 191
sac-cid-ānanda-deha, pūrṇa-brahma-svarūpa
‘sarvātmā’, ‘sarvajña’, nitya sarvādi-svarūpa
SYNONYMS
sat-cit-ānanda-deha-transcendental, blissful, spiritual body; pūrṇa-brahma-svarūpa-the identification of the Absolute Truth; sarva-ātmā-all-pervading; sarva-jña-omniscient; nitya-eternal; sarva-ādi-the origin of everything; svarūpa-the real form of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
“According to the Koran, the Lord has a supreme, blissful, transcendental body. He is the Absolute Truth, the all-pervading, omniscient and eternal being. He is the origin of everything.
TEXT 192
sṛṣṭi, sthiti, pralaya tāṅhā haite haya
sthūla-sūkṣma-jagatera teṅho samāśraya
SYNONYMS
sṛṣṭi-creation; sthiti-maintenance; pralaya-dissolution; tāṅhā-Him; haite-from; haya-becomes possible; sthūla-gross; sūkṣma-subtle; jagatera-of the cosmic manifestation; teṅho-He; samāśraya-the only shelter.
TRANSLATION
“Creation, maintenance and dissolution come from Him. He is the original shelter of all gross and subtle cosmic manifestations.
TEXT 193
sarva-śreṣṭha, sarvārādhya, kāraṇera kāraṇa
tāṅra bhaktye haya jīvera saṁsāra-tāraṇa
SYNONYMS
sarva-śreṣṭha-the Supreme Truth; sarva-ārādhya-worshipable by everyone; kāraṇera kāraṇa-the cause of all causes; tāṅra-His; bhaktye-by devotional service; haya-becomes; jīvera-of the living entity; saṁsāra-tāraṇa-deliverance from material existence.
TRANSLATION
“The Lord is the Supreme Truth worshipable by everyone. He is the cause of all causes. By engaging in His devotional service, the living entity is relieved from material existence.
TEXT 194
tāṅra sevā vinā jīvera nā yāya ‘saṁsāra’
tāṅhāra caraṇe prīti–‘puruṣārtha-sāra’
SYNONYMS
tāṅra-His; sevā-service; vinā-without; jīvera-of the conditioned soul; nā-not; yāya-finishes; saṁsāra-material bondage; tāṅhāra-His; caraṇe-at the lotus feet; prīti-love; puruṣārtha-sāra-the ultimate goal of life.
TRANSLATION
“No conditioned soul can get out of material bondage without serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Love at His lotus feet is the ultimate goal of life.
PURPORT
According to the Mohammedan scripture, without evādat, offering prayers at a mosque or elsewhere five times daily (namāja), one cannot be successful in life. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu pointed out that in the revealed scripture of the Mohammedans, love of Godhead is the ultimate goal. Karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga are certainly described in the Koran, but ultimately the Koran states that the ultimate goal is the offering of prayers to the Supreme Person (evādat).
TEXT 195
mokṣādi ānanda yāra nahe eka ‘kaṇa’
pūrṇānanda-prāpti tāṅra caraṇa-sevana
SYNONYMS
mokṣa-ādi-liberation and so on; ānanda-transcendental bliss; yāra-whose; nahe-not; eka-even; kaṇa-a fragment; pūrṇa-ānanda-prāpti-attainment of completely blissful life; tāṅra caraṇa-sevana-service to His lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
“The happiness of liberation, whereby one merges into the Lord’s existence, cannot even be compared to a fragment of the transcendental bliss obtained by service unto the Lord’s lotus feet.
TEXT 196
‘karma’, jñāna’, ‘yoga’ āge kariyā sthāpana
saba khaṇḍi’ sthāpe ‘īśvara’, ‘tāṅhāra sevana’
SYNONYMS
karma-fruitive activities; jñāna-speculative knowledge; yoga-mystic power; āge-in the beginning; kariyā sthāpana-establishing; saba khaṇḍi’-refuting everything; sthāpe-establishes; īśvara-the Personality of Godhead; tāṅhāra sevana-His service.
TRANSLATION
“In the Koran there are descriptions of fruitive activity, speculative knowledge, mystic power and union with the Supreme, but ultimately everything is refuted as the Lord’s personal feature and His devotional service is established.
TEXT 197
tomāra paṇḍita-sabāra nāhi śāstra-jñāna
pūrvāpara-vidhi-madhye ‘para’–balavān
SYNONYMS
tomāra paṇḍita-sabāra-of the learned scholars of your community; nāhi-there is not; śāstra-jñāna-knowledge of revealed scripture; pūrva-āpara-former and latter; vidhi-regulative principles; madhye-among; para-the conclusion at the end; balavān-most powerful.
TRANSLATION
“The scholars of the Koran are not very advanced in knowledge. Although there are many methods prescribed, they do not know that the ultimate conclusion should be considered the most powerful.
TEXT 198
nija-śāstra dekhi’ tumi vicāra kariyā
ki likhiyāche śeṣe kaha nirṇaya kariyā
SYNONYMS
nija-śāstra-your own scripture; dekhi’-seeing; tumi-you; vicāra kariyā-deliberating; ki likhiyāche-what was written; śeṣe-at the end; kaha-say; nirṇaya kariyā-ascertaining.
TRANSLATION
“Seeing your own Koran and deliberating over what is written there, what is your conclusion?”
TEXT 199
mleccha kahe,–yei kaha, sei ‘satya’ haya
śāstre likhiyāche, keha la-ite nā pāraya
SYNONYMS
mleccha kahe-the Mohammedan replied; yei kaha-what You say; sei-that; satya haya-is true; śāstre-in the Koran; likhiyāche-it has been written; keha-anyone; la-ite-to take; nā pāraya-is not able.
TRANSLATION
The saintly Mohammedan replied, “All that You have said is true. This has certainly been written in the Koran, but our scholars can neither understand nor accept it.
TEXT 200
‘nirviśeṣa-gosāñi’ lañā karena vyākhyāna
‘sākāra-gosāñi’–sevya, kāro nāhi jñāna
SYNONYMS
nirviśeṣa-gosāñi-the Supreme Personality of Godhead as impersonal; lañā-taking; karena vyākhyāna-they describe; sa-ākāra-gosāñi-the personal feature of the Lord; sevya-worshipable; kāro nāhi jñāna-no one has this knowledge.
TRANSLATION
“Usually they describe the Lord’s impersonal aspect, but they hardly know that the Lord’s personal feature is worshipable. They are undoubtedly lacking this knowledge.
PURPORT
The saintly Mohammedan admitted that those who were supposedly conversant in the teachings of the Koran could not ultimately understand the essence of the Koran. Because of this, they accepted only the Lord’s impersonal feature. Generally they recite and explain this portion only. Although the transcendental body of the Lord is worshipable, most of them are unaware of this.
TEXT 201
seita ‘gosāñi’ tumi–sākṣāt ‘īśvara’
more kṛpā kara, muñi–ayogya pāmara
SYNONYMS
seita-that; gosāñi-Personality of Godhead; tumi-You; sākṣāt-directly; īśvara-the Personality of Godhead; more-upon me; kṛpā kara-kindly be merciful; muñi-I; ayogya pāmara-very fallen and unfit.
TRANSLATION
“Since You are that very same Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, please be merciful upon me. I am fallen and unfit.
TEXT 202
aneka dekhinu muñi mleccha-śāstra haite
‘sādhya-sādhana-vastu’ nāri nirdhārite
SYNONYMS
aneka-many; dekhinu-have studied; muñi-I; mleccha-śāstra-Mohammedan scripture; haite-from; sādhya-the ultimate goal of life; sādhana-how to approach it; vastu-matter; nāri nirdhārite-I cannot decide conclusively.
TRANSLATION
“I have studied the Mohammedan scripture very extensively, but from it I cannot conclusively decide what the ultimate goal of life is or how I can approach it.
TEXT 203
tomā dekhi’ jihvā mora bale ‘kṛṣṇa-nāma’
‘āmi–baḍa jñānī’–ei gela ābhimāna
SYNONYMS
tomā dekhi’-by seeing You; jihvā-tongue; mora-my; bale kṛṣṇa-nāma-chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra; āmi-I; baḍa jñānī-very learned scholar; ei-this; gela ābhimāna-false prestige has gone away.
TRANSLATION
“Now that I have seen You, my tongue is chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā mantra. The false prestige I felt from being a learned scholar is now gone.”
TEXT 204
kṛpā kari’ bala more ‘sādhya-sādhane’
eta bali’ paḍe mahāprabhura caraṇe
SYNONYMS
kṛpā kari’-by Your causeless mercy; bala-speak; more-to me; sādhya-sādhane-the ultimate object of life and the process to achieve it; eta bali’-saying this; paḍe-falls down; mahāprabhura caraṇe-at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Saying this, the saintly Mohammedan fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and requested Him to speak of life’s ultimate goal and the process by which it could be obtained.
TEXT 205
prabhu kahe,–uṭha, kṛṣṇa-nāma tumi la-ilā
koṭi-janmera pāpa gela, ‘pavitra’ ha-ilā
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; uṭha-please get up; kṛṣṇa-nāma-the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; tumi-you; la-ilā-have taken; koṭi-janmera-of many millions of births; pāpa gela-your sinful reactions have gone; pavitra ha-ilā-you have become pure.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Please get up. You have chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; therefore the sinful reactions you have accrued for many millions of lives are now gone. You are now pure.”
TEXT 206
‘kṛṣṇa’ kaha, ‘kṛṣṇa’ kaha,–kailā upadeśa
sabe’kṛṣṇa’ kahe, sabāra haila premāveśa
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa kaha-just chant “Kṛṣṇa”; kṛṣṇa kaha-just chant “Kṛṣṇa”; kailā upadeśa-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed; sabe-all; kṛṣṇa kahe-chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; sabāra-of all of them; haila-there was; prema-āveśa-ecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told all the Mohammedans there, “Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa! Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa!” As they all began to chant, they were overwhelmed by ecstatic love.
TEXT 207
‘rāmadāsa’ bali’ prabhu tāṅra kaila nāma
āra eka pāṭhāna, tāṅra nāma–‘vijulī-khāṅna’
SYNONYMS
rāmadāsa bali’-of the name Rāmadāsa; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; tāṅra-his; kaila-made; nāma-name; āra eka pāṭhāna-another Mohammedan; tāṅra nāma-his name; vijulī-khāṅna-Vijulī Khān.
TRANSLATION
In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu indirectly initiated the saintly Mohammedan by advising him to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. The Mohammedan’s name was changed to Rāmadāsa. There was also another Pāṭhāna Moslem present whose name was Vijulī Khān.
PURPORT
After being initiated, the devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement change their names. Whenever a person in the Western world becomes interested in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is initiated by this process. In India we are falsely accused of converting mlecchas and yavanas into the Hindu religion. In India there are many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs known as jagad-guru, although they have hardly visited the whole world. Some are not even sufficiently educated, yet they make accusations against our movement and accuse us of destroying the principles of the Hindu religion by accepting Mohammedans and yavanas as Vaiṣṇavas. Such people are simply envious. We are not spoiling the Hindu system of religion but are simply following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by traveling all over the world and accepting those who are interested in understanding Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇadāsa or Rāmadāsa. By the process of a bona fide initiation, their names are changed.
TEXT 208
alpa vayasa tāṅra, rājāra kumāra
‘rāmadāsa’ ādi pāṭhāna–cākara tāṅhāra
SYNONYMS
alpa vayasa tāṅra-his age is very young; rājāra kumāra-son of the king; rāmadāsa-Rāmadāsa; ādi-heading the list; pāṭhāna-the Mohammedans; cākara tāṅhāra-servants of him.
TRANSLATION
Vijulī Khān was very young, and he was the son of the king. All the other Mohammedans, Pāṭhānas, headed by Rāmadāsa, were his servants.
TEXT 209
‘kṛṣṇa’ bali’ paḍe sei mahāprabhura pāya
prabhu śrī-caraṇa dila tāṅhāra māthāya
SYNONYMS
kṛṣṇa bali’-chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; paḍe-falls down; sei-that Vijulī Khān; mahāprabhura pāya-at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; śrī-caraṇa dila-placed His foot; tāṅhāra māthāya-on his head.
TRANSLATION
Vijulī Khān also fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord placed His foot on his head.
TEXT 210
tāṅ-sabāre kṛpā kari’ prabhu ta’ calilā
seita pāṭhāna saba ‘vairāgī’ ha-ilā
SYNONYMS
tāṅ-sabāre-to all of them; kṛpā kari’-bestowing mercy; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ta’-indeed; calilā-departed; seita-they; pāṭhāna-the Mohammedans of the Pāṭhāna community; saba-all; vairāgī ha-ilā-became mendicants.
TRANSLATION
Bestowing His mercy upon them in this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left. All the Pāṭhāna Mohammedans then became mendicants.
TEXT 211
pāṭhāna-vaiṣṇava bali’ haila tāṅra khyāti
sarvatra gāhiyā bule mahāprabhura kīrti
SYNONYMS
pāṭhāna-vaiṣṇava bali’-known as Pāṭhāna Vaiṣṇavas; haila-became; tāṅra-their; khyāti-reputation; sarvatra-everywhere; gāhiyā bule-travel while chanting; mahāprabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kīrti-glorious activities.
TRANSLATION
Later these very Pāṭhānas became celebrated as the Pāṭhāna Vaiṣṇavas. They toured all over the country and chanted the glorious activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 212
sei vijulī-khāṅna haila ‘mahā-bhāgavata’
sarva-tīrthe haila tāṅra parama-mahattva
SYNONYMS
sei-that; vijulī-khāṅna-Vijulī Khān; haila-became; mahā-bhāgavata-most advanced devotee; sarva-tīrthe-in all places of pilgrimage; haila-became; tāṅra-his; parama-great; mahattva-importance.
TRANSLATION
Vijulī Khān became a greatly advanced devotee, and his importance was celebrated at every holy place of pilgrimage.
TEXT 213
aiche līlā kare prabhu śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
‘paścime’ āsiyā kaila yavanādi dhanya
SYNONYMS
aiche-in that way; līlā-pastimes; kare-performed; prabhu-the Lord; śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; paścime-to the western part of India; āsiyā-coming; kaila-made; yavana-ādi-meat-eaters and others; dhanya-fortunate.
TRANSLATION
In this way Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed His pastimes. Coming to the western part of India, He bestowed good fortune upon the yavanas and mlecchas.
PURPORT
The word yavana means “meat-eater.” Anyone from a meat-eating community is called a yavana. One who does not strictly observe the Vedic regulative principles is called a mleccha. These words do not refer to any particular man. Even if a person is born in a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra family, he is a mleccha or yavana if he does not strictly follow the regulative principles or if he eats meat.
TEXT 214
soro-kṣetre āsi’ prabhu kailā gaṅgā-snāna
gaṅgā-tīra-pathe kailā prayāge prayāṇa
SYNONYMS
soro-kṣetre-to Soro-kṣetra; āsi’-coming; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kailā-did; gaṅgā-snāna-bathing in the Ganges; gaṅgā-tīra-pathe-on the path on the bank of the Ganges; kailā-did; prayāge prayāṇa-departure for Prayāga.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next went to a holy place of pilgrimage called Soro-kṣetra. He took His bath in the Ganges there and started for Prayāga on the path along the banks of the Ganges.
TEXT 215
sei vipre, kṛṣṇadāse, prabhu vidāya dilā
yoḍa-hāte dui-jana kahite lāgilā
SYNONYMS
sei vipre-to the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa; kṛṣṇadāse-and the Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; vidāya dilā-asked to go back; yoḍa-hāte-with folded hands; dui-jana-two persons; kahite lāgilā-began to say.
TRANSLATION
At Soro-kṣetra, the Lord requested the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa and Rājaputa Kṛṣṇadāsa to return home, but with folded hands they began to speak as follows.
TEXT 216
prayāga-paryanta duṅhe tomā-saṅge yāba
tomāra caraṇa-saṅga punaḥ kāhāṅ pāba?
SYNONYMS
prayāga-paryanta-up to Prayāga; duṅhe-both of us; tomā-saṅge-with You; yāba-shall go; tomāra-Your; caraṇa-saṅga-association of the lotus feet; punaḥ-again; kāhāṅ-where; pāba-shall we get.
TRANSLATION
They prayed, “Let us go to Prayāga with You. If we do not go, when shall we again get the association of Your lotus feet?
TEXT 217
mleccha-deśa, keha kāhāṅ karaye utpāta
bhaṭṭācārya–paṇḍita, kahite nā jānena vāt
SYNONYMS
mleccha-deśa-this is a country occupied by the Mohammedans; keha-anyone; kāhāṅ-anywhere; karaye utpāta-can create a disturbance; bhaṭṭācārya-Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya; paṇḍita-learned scholar; kahite-to speak; nā jānena-does not know; vāt-language.
TRANSLATION
“This country is mainly occupied by Mohammedans. At any place someone can create a disturbance, and although Your companion Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya is a learned scholar, he does not know how to speak the local language.”
TEXT 218
śuni’ mahāprabhu īṣat hāsite lāgilā
sei dui-jana prabhura saṅge cali’ āilā
SYNONYMS
śuni’-hearing; mahāprabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; īṣat-mildly; hāsite lāgilā-began to smile; sei-those; dui-jana-two persons; prabhura saṅge-with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; cali’ āilā-came.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted their proposal by smiling mildly. Thus those two persons continued to accompany Him.
TEXT 219
yei yei jana prabhura pāila daraśana
sei preme matta haya, kare kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana
SYNONYMS
yei yei-anyone who; jana-person; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; pāila daraśana-got the sight; sei-that person; preme-with ecstatic love; matta haya-becomes overwhelmed; kare-performs; kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana-chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
Whoever got to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would feel himself overwhelmed with ecstatic love and would begin to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
TEXT 220
tāṅra saṅge anyonye, tāṅra saṅge āna
ei-mata ‘vaiṣṇava’ kailā saba deśa-grāma
SYNONYMS
tāṅra saṅge-with Him; anyonye-other; tāṅra saṅge-and with him; āna-another; ei-mata-in this way; vaiṣṇava-Vaiṣṇava; kailā-made; saba-all; deśa-grāma-villages and towns.
TRANSLATION
Whoever met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became a Vaiṣṇava, and whoever met that Vaiṣṇava also became a Vaiṣṇava. In this way, all the towns and villages one after the other became Vaiṣṇava.
TEXT 221
dakṣiṇa yāite yaiche śakti prakāśilā
sei-mata paścima deśa, preme bhāsāilā
SYNONYMS
dakṣiṇa yāite-while touring in the southern part of India; yaiche-as; śakti prakāśilā-manifested His spiritual energy; sei-mata-in that way; paścima deśa-the western part of India; preme bhāsāilā-inundated with love of Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
Just as the Lord inundated South India on His tour there, He also inundated the western part of the country with love of Godhead.
PURPORT
According to some opinions, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited Kurukṣetra while going to Prayāga from Vṛndāvana. There is a temple of Bhadra-kālī in Kurukṣetra, and near that temple there is a temple containing the Deity of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
TEXT 222
ei-mata cali’ prabhu ‘prayāga’ āilā
daśa-dina triveṇīte makara-snāna kailā
SYNONYMS
ei-mata-in this way; cali’-walking; prabhu-Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; prayāga-the holy place named Prayāga; āilā-reached; daśa-dina-ten days; triveṇīte-at the confluence of the Rivers Ganges and Yamunā; makara-snāna kailā-bathed during the festival of Makara, or Māgha-melā.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finally arrived at Prayāga and for ten successive days bathed in the confluence of the Rivers Yamunā and Ganges during the festival of Makara-saṅkrānti [Māgha-melā].
PURPORT
Actually the word triveṇī indicates the confluence of three rivers-namely the Ganges, Yamunā and Sarasvatī. Presently the Sarasvatī River is not visible, but the River Ganges and the River Yamunā merge at Allahabad.
TEXT 223
vṛndāvana-gamana, prabhu-caritra ananta
‘sahasra-vadana’ yāṅra nāhi pā’na anta
SYNONYMS
vṛndāvana-gamana-going to Vṛndāvana; prabhu-caritra-pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ananta-unlimited; sahasra-vadana-Lord Śeṣa, who has thousands of hoods; yāṅra-whose; nāhi-does not; pā’na-get; anta-limit.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s visit to Vṛndāvana and His activities there are unlimited. Even Lord Śeṣa, who has thousands of hoods, cannot reach the end of His activities.
TEXT 224
tāhā ke kahite pāre kṣudra jīva hañā
dig-daraśana kailuṅ muñi sūtra kariyā
SYNONYMS
tāhā-that; ke kahite pāre-who can describe; kṣudra-very little; jīva hañā-being a conditioned soul; dik-daraśana kailuṅ-have simply made an indication; muñi-I; sūtra kariyā-in codes.
TRANSLATION
What ordinary living being can describe the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? I have only indicated the general direction in the form of codes.
TEXT 225
alaukika-līlā prabhura alaukika-rīti
śunileo bhāgya-hīnera nā haya pratīti
SYNONYMS
alaukika-līlā-uncommon pastimes; prabhura-of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; alaukika-rīti-uncommon method; śunileo-even though one hears; bhāgya-hīnera-of one who is unfortunate; nā haya pratīti-there is no belief.
TRANSLATION
The pastimes and methods of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are uncommon. Unfortunate is he who cannot believe even after hearing all these things.
TEXT 226
ādyopānta caitanya-līlā–‘alaukika’ jāna’
śraddhā kari’ śuna ihā, ‘satya’ kari’ māna’
SYNONYMS
ādya-upānta-from beginning to end; caitanya-līlā-the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; alaukika jāna’-everyone should know as uncommon; śraddhā kari’-with faith; śuna ihā-hear this; satya kari’ māna’-accepting it as true and correct.
TRANSLATION
From beginning to end the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are uncommon. Just hear them with faith and accept them as true and correct.
TEXT 227
yei tarka kare ihāṅ, sei–‘mūrkha-rāja’
āpanāra muṇḍe se āpani pāḍe vāja
SYNONYMS
yei tarka kare-one who simply argues; ihāṅ-in this matter; sei-that person; mūrkha-rāja-a great fool; āpanāra muṇḍe-on his own head; se-that person; āpani-himself; pāḍe vāja-strikes with a thunderbolt.
TRANSLATION
Whoever argues about this is a great fool. He intentionally and personally brings a thunderbolt down upon his head.
TEXT 228
caitanya-caritra ei–‘amṛtera sindhu’
jagat ānande bhāsāya yāra eka-bindu
SYNONYMS
caitanya-caritra-pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; ei-these; amṛtera sindhu-ocean of nectar; jagat-the whole world; ānande-with bliss; bhāsāya-inundates; yāra-of which; eka-bindu-one drop.
TRANSLATION
The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are an ocean of nectar. Even a drop of this ocean can inundate the whole world with transcendental bliss.
TEXT 229
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
SYNONYMS
śrī-rūpa-Śrī 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, Madhya-līlā, Eighteenth Chapter, describing the Lord’s visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana and His conversion of the Mohammedan soldiers on the way to Prayāga.