Sri Caitanya Caritamrita

Madhya-lila
Chapter 10: The Lord's Return to Jagannatha Puri

Text* 1: I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, who is compared to a cloud that pours water on fields of grain, which are like devotees suffering due to a shortage of rain. Separation from ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu is like a drought, but when the Lord returns, His presence is like a nectarean rain that falls on all the grains and saves them from perishing.
Text* 2: All glories to Lord Caitanya! All glories to NityÄnanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
Text* 3: When ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu departed for South India, King PratÄparudra called SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya to his palace.
Text* 4: When SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya met with the King, the King offered him a seat with all respects and inquired about news of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu.
Text* 5: The King said to the Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, “I have heard that a great personality has come from Bengal and is staying at your home. I have also heard that He is very, very merciful.
Text* 6: “I have also heard that this great personality has shown you great favor. At any rate, this is what I hear from many different people. Now, being merciful upon me, you should do me the favor of arranging an interview.â€
Text* 7: The Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya replied, “All that you have heard is true, but as far as an interview is concerned, it is very difficult to arrange.
Text* 8: “ŚrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu is in the renounced order and is very much detached from worldly affairs. He stays in solitary places, and even in dreams He does not grant interviews to a king.
Text* 9: “Still, I would have tried to arrange your interview, but He has recently left to tour South India.â€
Text 10: The King asked, “Why has He left JagannÄtha PurÄ«?â€
Text* 11: “Great saints go to holy places of pilgrimage in order to purify them. For that reason Caitanya MahÄprabhu is visiting many tÄ«rthas and delivering many, many conditioned souls.
Text 12: “ ‘Saints of your caliber are themselves places of pilgrimage. Because of their purity, they are constant companions of the Lord, and therefore they can purify even the places of pilgrimage.’
Text 13: “A Vaiṣṇava travels to places of pilgrimage to purify them and reclaim fallen conditioned souls. This is one of the duties of a Vaiṣṇava. Actually, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu is not a living entity but the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Consequently, He is a fully independent controller, yet in His position as a devotee, He carries out the activities of a devotee.â€
Text* 14: Upon hearing this, the King replied, “Why did you allow Him to leave? Why didn’t you fall at His lotus feet and keep Him here?â€
Text* 15: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya replied, “ŚrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and is completely independent. Being Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, He is not dependent on anyone.
Text* 16: “Still, I endeavored very hard to keep Him here, but because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and completely independent, I was not successful.â€
Text 17: The King said, “Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, you are the most learned and experienced person I know. Therefore when you address ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu as Lord Kṛṣṇa, I accept this as the truth.
Text* 18: “When ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu returns, I wish to see Him just once in order to make my eyes perfect.â€
Text* 19: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya replied, “His Holiness Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu will return very soon. I wish to have a nice place ready for Him, a place solitary and peaceful.
Text* 20: “Lord Caitanya’s residence should be very secluded and also near the temple of JagannÄtha. Please consider this proposal and give me a nice place for Him.â€
Text* 21: The King replied, “KÄśī MiÅ›ra’s house is exactly what you require. It is near the temple and is very secluded, calm and quiet.â€
Text* 22: After saying this, the King became very anxious for the Lord to return. SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya then went to KÄśī MiÅ›ra to convey the King’s desire.
Text 23: When KÄśī MiÅ›ra heard the proposal, he said, “I am very fortunate that ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, the Lord of all prabhus, will stay at my home.â€
Text* 24: Thus all the residents of JagannÄtha PurÄ«, which is also known as Puruá¹£ottama, became anxious to meet ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu again.
Text* 25: When all the residents of JagannÄtha PurÄ« became extremely anxious to meet the Lord again, He returned from South India.
Text* 26: Hearing of the Lord’s return, everyone became very happy, and they all went to SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya and spoke to him as follows.
Text* 27: “Please arrange our meeting with ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. It is only by your mercy that we can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.â€
Text* 28: The Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya replied to the people, “Tomorrow the Lord will be at the house of KÄśī MiÅ›ra. I shall arrange for you all to meet Him.â€
Text* 29: The next day ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu arrived and went with SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, with great enthusiasm, to see the temple of Lord JagannÄtha.
Text* 30: All the servants of Lord JagannÄtha delivered remnants of the Lord’s food to ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. In return, Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced them all.
Text* 31: After seeing Lord JagannÄtha, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu left the temple. The Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya then took Him to the house of KÄśī MiÅ›ra.
Text* 32: When ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu arrived at his house, KÄśī MiÅ›ra immediately fell down at His lotus feet and surrendered himself and all his possessions.
Text* 33: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu then showed KÄśī MiÅ›ra His four-armed form. Then, accepting him for His service, the Lord embraced him.
Text* 34: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu next sat down at the place prepared for Him, and all the devotees, headed by Lord NityÄnanda Prabhu, surrounded Him.
Text* 35: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu was very happy to see His residential quarters, in which all His necessities were taken care of.
Text* 36: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya said, “This place is just befitting You. Please accept it. It is the hope of KÄśī MiÅ›ra that You do.â€
Text* 37: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “My body belongs to all of you. Therefore I agree to whatever you say.â€
Text* 38: After this, SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, sitting at the right hand of the Lord, began to introduce all the inhabitants of Puruá¹£ottama, JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 39: The Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya said, “My dear Lord, all these people who are residents of NÄ«lÄcala, JagannÄtha PurÄ«, have been very anxious to meet You.
Text* 40: “In Your absence all these people have been exactly like thirsty cÄtaka birds crying in disappointment. Kindly accept them.â€
Text 41: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya first introduced JanÄrdana, saying, “Here is JanÄrdana, servant of Lord JagannÄtha. He renders service to the Lord when it is time to renovate His transcendental body.â€
Text 42: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya continued, “This is KṛṣṇadÄsa, who carries a golden cane, and here is Åšikhi MÄhiti, who is in charge of writing.
Text 43: “This is Pradyumna MiÅ›ra, who is chief of all Vaiṣṇavas. He is a great servitor of JagannÄtha, and his name is DÄsa.
Text* 44: “This is MurÄri MÄhiti, the brother of Åšikhi MÄhiti. He has nothing other than Your lotus feet.
Text* 45: “Here are CandaneÅ›vara, Siá¹heÅ›vara, MurÄri BrÄhmaṇa and ViṣṇudÄsa. They are all constantly engaged in meditating on Your lotus feet.
Text 46: “This is ParamÄnanda PrahararÄja, who is also known as MahÄpÄtra. He is very, very intelligent.
Text* 47: “All these pure devotees serve as ornaments to JagannÄtha PurÄ«. They are always undeviatingly meditating upon Your lotus feet.â€
Text* 48: After this introduction, everyone fell to the ground like rods. Being very merciful upon them all, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced each one of them.
Text 49: At this time BhavÄnanda RÄya appeared with four of his sons, and all of them fell down at the lotus feet of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu.
Text* 50: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya continued, “This is BhavÄnanda RÄya, the father of ÅšrÄ« RÄmÄnanda RÄya, who is his first son.â€
Text* 51: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced BhavÄnanda RÄya and with great respect spoke of his son RÄmÄnanda RÄya.
Text* 52: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu honored BhavÄnanda RÄya by saying, “The glories of a person who has a jewel of a son like RÄmÄnanda RÄya cannot be described within this mortal world.
Text* 53: “You are MahÄrÄja PÄṇá¸u himself, and your wife is KuntÄ«devÄ« herself. All your highly intellectual sons are representatives of the five PÄṇá¸avas.â€
Text 54: After hearing ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s praise, BhavÄnanda RÄya submitted, “I am in the fourth class of the social order, and I engage in mundane affairs. Although I am very fallen, You have still touched me. This is proof that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.â€
Text 55: Appreciating ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s favor, BhavÄnanda RÄya also said, “Along with my home, riches, servants and five sons, I surrender myself at Your lotus feet.
Text* 56: “This son VÄṇīnÄtha will remain at Your lotus feet to always immediately attend to Your orders and serve You.
Text* 57: “My dear Lord, please consider me Your relative. Do not hesitate to order whatever You desire at any time You desire it.â€
Text* 58: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu accepted BhavÄnanda RÄya’s offer, saying, “I accept without hesitation because you are not an outsider. Birth after birth you have been My servant, along with your family members.
Text* 59: “ŚrÄ« RÄmÄnanda RÄya is coming within five to seven days. As soon as he arrives, My desires will be fulfilled. I take great pleasure in his company.â€
Text* 60: Saying this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced BhavÄnanda RÄya. The Lord then touched the heads of his sons with His lotus feet.
Text* 61: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu then sent BhavÄnanda RÄya back to his home, and He kept only VÄṇīnÄtha Paá¹­á¹­anÄyaka in His personal service.
Text* 62: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya then asked all the people to leave. Afterward, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu called for KÄlÄ KṛṣṇadÄsa, who had accompanied the Lord during His South Indian tour.
Text* 63: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “My dear Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, just consider the character of this man who went with Me to South India.
Text* 64: “He left My company to associate with the Bhaá¹­á¹­athÄris, but I rescued him from their company and brought him here.
Text 65: “Now that I have brought him here, I am asking him to leave. Now he can go wherever he likes, for I am no longer responsible for him.â€
Text* 66: Hearing the Lord reject him, KÄlÄ KṛṣṇadÄsa began to cry. However, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, not caring for him, immediately left to take His noon lunch.
Text 67: After this, the other devotees — headed by NityÄnanda Prabhu, JagadÄnanda, Mukunda and DÄmodara — began to consider a certain plan.
Text* 68: The Lord’s four devotees considered, “We want a person to go to Bengal just to inform ÅšacÄ«mÄtÄ about ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s arrival at JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 69: “After hearing news of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s arrival, devotees like Advaita and ÅšrÄ«vÄsa will certainly come to see Him.
Text 70: “Let us therefore send KṛṣṇadÄsa to Bengal.†Saying this, they kept KṛṣṇadÄsa engaged in the service of the Lord and gave him assurance.
Text* 71: The next day, all the devotees asked ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, “Please give permission for a person to go to Bengal.
Text* 72: “Mother Śacī and all the devotees headed by Advaita Prabhu are all very unhappy due to not receiving news about Your return from Your South Indian tour.
Text 73: “One person should go to Bengal and inform them about the auspicious news of Your return to JagannÄtha PurÄ«.â€
Text* 74: In this way KÄlÄ KṛṣṇadÄsa was sent to Bengal, and he was given sufficient quantities of Lord JagannÄtha’s food remnants to distribute there.
Text* 75: Thus KÄlÄ KṛṣṇadÄsa went to Bengal, and he first went to NavadvÄ«pa to see mother ÅšacÄ«.
Text* 76: Upon reaching mother ÅšacÄ«, KÄlÄ KṛṣṇadÄsa first offered his obeisances and delivered the food remnants [mahÄ-prasÄdam]. He then informed her of the good news that ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu had returned from His South Indian tour.
Text* 77: This good news gave much pleasure to mother ÅšacÄ«, as well as to all the devotees of NavadvÄ«pa, headed by ÅšrÄ«vÄsa ṬhÄkura.
Text* 78: Hearing of Lord Caitanya’s return to PurÄ«, everyone became very glad. KṛṣṇadÄsa next went to the house of Advaita Ä€cÄrya.
Text* 79: After paying Him respectful obeisances, KṛṣṇadÄsa offered mahÄ-prasÄdam to Advaita Ä€cÄrya. He then informed Him of the news of Lord Caitanya in complete detail.
Text* 80: When Advaita Ä€cÄrya GosvÄmÄ« heard of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s return, He became very pleased. In His great ecstasy of love, He made a rumbling sound and danced and chanted for a long time.
Text* 81: Also hearing this auspicious news, HaridÄsa ṬhÄkura became very pleased. So also did VÄsudeva Datta, MurÄri Gupta and ÅšivÄnanda Sena.
Text* 82: Ä€cÄryaratna, VakreÅ›vara Paṇá¸ita, Ä€cÄryanidhi and GadÄdhara Paṇá¸ita were all very pleased to hear this news.
Text* 83: ÅšrÄ«rÄma Paṇá¸ita, DÄmodara Paṇá¸ita, ÅšrÄ«mÄn Paṇá¸ita, Vijaya and ÅšrÄ«dhara were also very pleased to hear it.
Text* 84: RÄghava Paṇá¸ita, Nandana Ä€cÄrya and all the devotees became very satisfied. How many can I describe?
Text* 85: Everyone was very pleased, and they all gathered together at the house of Advaita Ä€cÄrya.
Text* 86: All the devotees offered respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of Advaita Ä€cÄrya, and in return Advaita Ä€cÄrya embraced them all.
Text* 87: Advaita Ä€cÄrya then held a festival that lasted two or three days. Thereafter, they all made a firm decision to go to JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 88: All the devotees met together at NavadvÄ«pa and, with mother Åšacī’s permission, departed for NÄ«lÄdri, JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 89: The inhabitants of KulÄ«na-grÄma — SatyarÄja, RÄmÄnanda and all the other devotees there — came and joined Advaita Ä€cÄrya.
Text* 90: Mukunda, Narahari, Raghunandana and all the others came from Khaṇá¸a to Advaita Ä€cÄrya’s home to accompany Him to JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 91: At that time ParamÄnanda PurÄ« came from South India. Traveling along the banks of the Ganges, he ultimately reached the town of Nadia.
Text* 92: At NavadvÄ«pa, ParamÄnanda PurÄ« took his board and lodging at the house of ÅšacÄ«mÄtÄ. She provided him with everything very respectfully.
Text* 93: While residing at the house of ÅšacÄ«mÄtÄ, ParamÄnanda PurÄ« heard the news of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s return to JagannÄtha PurÄ«. He therefore decided to go there as soon as possible.
Text* 94: There was a devotee of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s named Dvija KamalÄkÄnta, whom ParamÄnanda PurÄ« took with him to JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 95: ParamÄnanda PurÄ« very soon arrived at ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s place. The Lord was very happy to see him.
Text* 96: In the great ecstasy of love, the Lord worshiped the lotus feet of ParamÄnanda PurÄ«, and in turn ParamÄnanda PurÄ« embraced the Lord in great ecstasy.
Text* 97: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “Please stay with Me and thus show Me favor, accepting the shelter of JagannÄtha PurÄ«.â€
Text* 98: ParamÄnanda PurÄ« replied, “I also wish to stay with You. Therefore I have come from Bengal, Gauá¸a, to JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text* 99: “At Navadvīpa, mother Śacī and all the other devotees were very glad to hear about Your return from South India.
Text* 100: “They are all coming here to see You, but seeing that they were delayed, I came alone very quickly.â€
Text* 101: There was a solitary room at KÄśī MiÅ›ra’s house, and ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu gave it to ParamÄnanda PurÄ«. He also gave him a servant.
Text 102: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara also arrived the next day. He was a very intimate friend of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s, and he was an ocean of transcendental mellows.
Text* 103: When SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was residing at NavadvÄ«pa under the shelter of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, his name was Puruá¹£ottama Ä€cÄrya.
Text* 104: After seeing that ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu accepted the renounced order, Puruá¹£ottama Ä€cÄrya became like a madman and immediately went to VÄrÄṇasÄ« to take sannyÄsa.
Text* 105: At the conclusion of his sannyÄsa, his spiritual master, CaitanyÄnanda BhÄratÄ«, ordered him, “Read the VedÄnta-sÅ«tra and teach it to all others.â€
Text* 106: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was a great renunciant as well as a great learned scholar. With heart and soul he took shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa.
Text* 107: He was very enthusiastic to worship ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa without disturbance, and therefore, almost in madness, he accepted the sannyÄsa order.
Text 108: Upon accepting sannyÄsa, Puruá¹£ottama Ä€cÄrya followed the regulative principles by giving up his tuft of hair and sacred thread, but he did not accept the saffron-colored dress. Also, he did not accept a sannyÄsÄ« title but remained as a naiṣṭhika-brahmacÄrÄ«.
Text* 109: After taking permission from his sannyÄsa-guru, SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara went to NÄ«lÄcala and accepted the shelter of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. Then all day and night, in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, he enjoyed transcendental mellows in the loving service of the Lord.
Text* 110: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was the limit of all learned scholarship, but he did not exchange words with anyone. He simply remained in a solitary place, and no one could understand where he was.
Text* 111: ÅšrÄ« SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was the personification of ecstatic love, fully cognizant of the transcendental mellows in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He directly represented ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu as His second expansion.
Text* 112: If someone wrote a book or composed verses and songs and wanted to recite them before ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara would first examine them and then correctly present them. Only then would ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu agree to listen.
Text 113: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu was never pleased to hear books or verses opposed to the conclusive statements of devotional service. The Lord did not like hearing rasÄbhÄsa, the overlapping of transcendental mellows.
Text 114: It was the practice of SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara GosvÄmÄ« to examine all literatures to find out whether their conclusions were correct. Only then would he allow them to be heard by ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu.
Text* 115: ÅšrÄ« SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara used to read the poems of VidyÄpati and Caṇá¸Ä«dÄsa and Jayadeva GosvÄmī’s ÅšrÄ« GÄ«ta-govinda. He used to make ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu very happy by singing these songs.
Text 116: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was as expert a musician as the Gandharvas, and in scriptural discussion he was just like Bá¹›haspati, the priest of the heavenly gods. Therefore it is to be concluded that there was no great personality quite like SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara.
Text* 117: ÅšrÄ« SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara was very dear to Advaita Ä€cÄrya and NityÄnanda Prabhu, and he was the life and soul of all the devotees, headed by ÅšrÄ«vÄsa ṬhÄkura.
Text* 118: When SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara came to JagannÄtha PurÄ«, he fell flat before the lotus feet of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, offering Him obeisances and reciting a verse.
Text 119: “O ocean of mercy, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu! Let there be an awakening of Your auspicious mercy, which easily drives away all kinds of material lamentation by making everything pure and blissful. Indeed, Your mercy awakens transcendental bliss and covers all material pleasures. By Your auspicious mercy, quarrels and disagreements arising among different scriptures are vanquished. Your auspicious mercy pours forth transcendental mellows and thus causes the heart to jubilate. Your mercy, which is full of joy, always stimulates devotional service and glorifies conjugal love of God. May transcendental bliss be awakened within my heart by Your causeless mercy.â€
Text* 120: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu raised SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara to his feet and embraced him. They both became ecstatic in love and fell unconscious.
Text* 121: After they had regained their patience, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu began to speak.
Text* 122: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “I saw in a dream that you were coming, and so this is very auspicious. I have been like a blind man, but your coming here restores My vision.â€
Text* 123: Svarūpa said, “My dear Lord, please excuse my offense. I gave up Your company to go elsewhere, and that was my great mistake.
Text* 124: “My dear Lord, I do not possess even a trace of love for Your lotus feet. If I did, how could I have gone to another country? I am therefore a most sinful man.
Text* 125: “I gave up Your company, but You did not give me up. By Your rope of mercy You have bound me by the neck and brought me back again to Your lotus feet.â€
Text* 126: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara then worshiped the lotus feet of NityÄnanda Prabhu, and NityÄnanda Prabhu in turn embraced him in the ecstasy of love.
Text* 127: After worshiping NityÄnanda Prabhu, SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara met JagadÄnanda, Mukunda, Åšaá¹…kara and SÄrvabhauma, as was befitting.
Text* 128: SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara also offered his worshipful prayers at the lotus feet of ParamÄnanda PurÄ«, who, in return, embraced him in ecstatic love.
Text* 129: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu then gave SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara residence in a solitary place and ordered a servant to serve him with a supply of water and other necessities.
Text* 130: The next day ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu sat with all the devotees, headed by SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, and they discussed the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa.
Text* 131: At that time Govinda appeared on the scene, offered his respectful obeisances and spoke submissively.
Text* 132: “I am the servant of Īśvara Purī. My name is Govinda, and following the orders of my spiritual master, I have come here.
Text* 133: “Just before his departure from this mortal world to attain the highest perfection, Īśvara PurÄ« told me that I should go to ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu and render service unto Him.
Text* 134: “KÄśīśvara will also come here after visiting all the holy places. However, following the orders of my spiritual master, I have hastily come to be present at Your lotus feet.â€
Text* 135: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu replied, “My spiritual master, Īśvara PurÄ«, always favors Me with paternal affection. Therefore, out of his causeless mercy, he has sent you here.â€
Text 136: After hearing this, SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya asked ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, “Why did Īśvara PurÄ« keep a servant who comes from a śūdra family?â€
Text* 137: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and My spiritual master, Īśvara PurÄ«, are completely independent. Therefore neither the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead nor that of Īśvara PurÄ« is subject to any Vedic rules and regulations.
Text* 138: “The mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not restricted to the jurisdiction of caste and creed. Vidura was a śūdra, yet Kṛṣṇa accepted lunch at his home.
Text 139: “Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is dependent only on affection. Being obliged only by affection, Lord Kṛṣṇa acts very independently.
Text* 140: “In conclusion, dealings in affection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead bring happiness many millions of times greater than dealings with Him in awe and veneration. Simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord, the devotee is merged in transcendental bliss.â€
Text* 141: After saying this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced Govinda, and Govinda in turn offered his respectful obeisances unto ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s lotus feet.
Text* 142: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu then continued speaking to SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya: “Consider this point. The servant of the spiritual master is always respectable for Me.
Text 143: “As such, it is not befitting that the guru’s servant should engage in My personal service. Yet My spiritual master has given this order. What shall I do?â€
Text* 144: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya said, “The order of the spiritual master is very strong and cannot be disobeyed. That is the injunction of the Å›Ästras, the revealed scriptures.
Text 145: “ ‘Being ordered by his father, ParaÅ›urÄma killed his mother, ReṇukÄ, just as if she were an enemy. When Laká¹£maṇa, the younger brother of Lord RÄmacandra, heard of this, He immediately engaged Himself in the service of His elder brother and accepted His orders. The order of the spiritual master must be obeyed without consideration.’
Text* 146: “ ‘The order of a great personality like a father must be executed without consideration because there is good fortune in such an order for both of us. In particular, there is good fortune for Me.’ â€
Text* 147: After SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya said this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu embraced Govinda and engaged him in the service of His personal body.
Text* 148: Everyone respected Govinda as the dearest servant of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, and Govinda served all the Vaiṣṇavas and saw to their needs.
Text* 149: Both HaridÄsa senior and HaridÄsa junior, who were musicians, as well as RÄmÄi and NandÄi, used to stay with Govinda.
Text* 150: They all remained with Govinda to serve ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu; therefore no one could estimate the good fortune of Govinda.
Text* 151: The next day Mukunda Datta informed ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, “BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« has come to see You.â€
Text 152: Mukunda Datta then asked the Lord, “Shall I bring him here?â€
Text* 153: After saying this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu and His devotees came into the presence of BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ«.
Text 154: When ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu and His devotees approached him, they saw that he was covered with a deerskin. Seeing this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu became very unhappy.
Text* 155: Seeing BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« wearing the deerskin, Caitanya MahÄprabhu pretended not to see him. Instead, He asked Mukunda Datta, “Where is BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ«, My spiritual master?â€
Text 156: Mukunda Datta replied, “Here is BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ«, in Your presence.â€
Text* 157: “You must be talking of someone else, for this is surely not BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ«. You simply have no knowledge. Why should BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« wear a deerskin?â€
Text* 158: When BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« heard this, he thought, “My deerskin is not approved by ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu.â€
Text* 159: Thus admitting his mistake, BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« thought, “He spoke well. I put on this deerskin only for prestige. I cannot cross over the ocean of nescience simply by wearing a deerskin.
Text* 160: “From today on I shall not wear this deerskin.†As soon as BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« decided this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, understanding his mind, immediately sent for the robes of a sannyÄsÄ«.
Text* 161: As soon as BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« gave up his deerskin and covered himself with sannyÄsÄ« robes, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu came and offered His respects at his lotus feet.
Text* 162: BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« said, “You instruct the general populace by Your behavior. I will not do anything against Your wishes; otherwise You will not offer me respects but will neglect me. I am afraid of this.
Text* 163: “At the present moment I see two Brahmans. One Brahman is Lord JagannÄtha, who does not move, and the other Brahman, who is moving, is You. Lord JagannÄtha is the arcÄ-vigraha, the worshipable Deity, and it is He who is the nonmoving Brahman. But You are Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, and You are moving here and there. The two of You are the same Brahman, master of the material nature, but You are playing two parts — one moving and one not moving. In this way two Brahmans are now residing at JagannÄtha PurÄ«, Puruá¹£ottama.
Text* 164: “Of the two Brahmans, You are fair-complexioned, and the other, Lord JagannÄtha, is blackish. Both of You are delivering the whole world.â€
Text* 165: Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu replied, “Actually, to tell you the truth, due to your presence there are now two Brahmans at JagannÄtha PurÄ«.
Text 166: “Both BrahmÄnanda and Gaurahari are moving, whereas the blackish Lord JagannÄtha is sitting tight and immobile.â€
Text* 167: BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« said, “My dear SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, please become the mediator in this logical argument between ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu and me.â€
Text 168: BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« continued, “The living entity is localized, whereas the Supreme Brahman is all-pervading. That is the verdict of the revealed scriptures.
Text 169: “ŚrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu purified me by taking away my deerskin. This is proof that He is all-pervasive and all-powerful and that I am subordinate to Him.
Text 170: “ ‘His bodily hue is golden, and His whole body is like molten gold. Every part of His body is very beautifully constructed and smeared with sandalwood pulp. Accepting the renounced order, the Lord is always equipoised. He is firmly fixed in His mission of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and He is firmly situated in His dualistic conclusion and in His peace.’
Text* 171: “All the symptoms mentioned in the verse from the Viṣṇu-sahasra-nÄma-stotra are visible in the body of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. His arms are decorated with sandalwood pulp and the thread received from the ÅšrÄ« JagannÄtha Deity, and these are His ornamental bangles.â€
Text 172: After hearing this, SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya rendered his judgment, saying, “BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ«, I see that you are victorious.â€
Text 173: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu thus posed Himself as a disciple and accepted BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« as His spiritual master. He then said, “The disciple is certainly defeated in an argument with the spiritual master.â€
Text* 174: “It is Your natural characteristic to accept defeat at the hands of Your devotee. There is also another glory of Yours, which I ask You to hear attentively.
Text 175: “I have been meditating on the impersonal Brahman since my birth, but since I have seen You, I have fully experienced Kṛṣṇa.â€
Text* 176: BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« continued, “Since I have seen You, I have been feeling Lord Kṛṣṇa’s presence in my mind and have been seeing Him before my eyes. I now want to chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Over and above this, within my heart I consider You to be Kṛṣṇa, and I am therefore very eager to serve You.
Text 177: “Bilvamaá¹…gala ṬhÄkura abandoned his impersonal realization for the realization of the Personality of Godhead. I now see that my condition is similar to his, for it has already changed.â€
Text 178: BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« concluded, “ ‘Although I was worshiped by those on the path of monism and initiated into self-realization through the yoga system, I have nonetheless been forcibly turned into a maidservant by some cunning boy who is always joking with the gopÄ«s.’ â€
Text* 179: Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu replied, “You have a deep ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa; therefore wherever you turn your eyes, you simply heighten your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.â€
Text* 180: SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya said, “The statements of both of you are correct. Kṛṣṇa gives direct audience through His mercy.
Text 181: “Without having ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, one cannot see Him directly. Therefore through the mercy of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« has acquired direct vision of the Lord.â€
Text 182: ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu said, “SÄrvabhauma Bhaá¹­á¹­ÄcÄrya, what are you saying? Lord Viṣṇu, save Me! Such glorification is simply another form of blasphemy.â€
Text* 183: After saying this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu took BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« with Him to His residence. From that time on, BrahmÄnanda BhÄratÄ« remained with ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu.
Text* 184: Later, RÄmabhadra Ä€cÄrya and BhagavÄn Ä€cÄrya joined them and, giving up all other responsibilities, remained under ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s shelter.
Text* 185: The next day, KÄśīśvara GosÄñi also came and remained with ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, who received him with great respect.
Text* 186: KÄśīśvara used to usher ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu into the JagannÄtha temple. He would precede the Lord into the crowd and keep the people from touching Him.
Text* 187: As all the rivers flow into the sea, all the devotees throughout the country finally came to ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s shelter.
Text* 188: Since all the devotees came to Him for shelter, Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu showed them all mercy and kept them under His protection.
Text* 189: Thus I have described the meeting of all the Vaiṣṇavas with ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. Whoever hears this description ultimately attains shelter at His lotus feet.
Text 190: Praying at the lotus feet of ÅšrÄ« RÅ«pa and ÅšrÄ« RaghunÄtha, always desiring their mercy, I, KṛṣṇadÄsa, narrate ÅšrÄ« Caitanya-caritÄmá¹›ta, following in their footsteps.
Text 0: Chapter Summary