Chapter Summary
The summary of the eighth chapter is given by ÅšrÄ«la Bhaktivinoda ṬhÄkura in his Amá¹›ta-pravÄha-bhÄá¹£ya. After visiting the temple of Jiyaá¸a-ná¹›siá¹ha, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu went to the banks of the river GodÄvarÄ«, to a place known as VidyÄnagara. When ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya went there to take his bath, they met. After introducing himself, ÅšrÄ« RÄmÄnanda RÄya requested ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu to remain in the village for some days. Honoring his request, Caitanya MahÄprabhu stayed there in the home of some Vedic brÄhmaṇas. In the evening, ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya used to come to see ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. RÄmÄnanda RÄya, who was clothed in ordinary dress, offered the Lord respectful obeisances. ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu questioned him on the object and process of worship and also asked him to recite verses from the Vedic literature.First of all, ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya enunciated the system of the varṇÄÅ›rama institution. He recited various verses about karmÄrpaṇa, stating that everything should be dedicated to the Lord. He then spoke of detached action, knowledge mixed with devotional service, and finally the spontaneous loving service of the Lord. After hearing ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya recite some verses, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu accepted the principle of pure devotional service devoid of all kinds of speculation. After this, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu asked RÄmÄnanda RÄya to explain the higher platform of devotional service. Then ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya explained unalloyed devotional service, love of Godhead, and serving the Lord in the moods of pure servitude, fraternity and parental love. Finally he spoke of serving the Lord in conjugal love. He then spoke of how conjugal love can be developed in various ways. This conjugal love attains its highest perfection in ÅšrÄ«matÄ« RÄdhÄrÄṇī’s love for Kṛṣṇa. He next described the position of ÅšrÄ«matÄ« RÄdhÄrÄṇī and the transcendental mellows of love of God. ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya then recited a verse of his own concerning the platform of ecstatic vision, technically called prema-vilÄsa-vivarta. ÅšrÄ«la RÄmÄnanda RÄya also explained that all stages of conjugal love can be attained through the mercy of the residents of Vá¹›ndÄvana, especially by the mercy of the gopÄ«s. All these subject matters were thus vividly described. Gradually RÄmÄnanda RÄya could understand the position of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu, and when ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu exhibited His real form, RÄmÄnanda RÄya fell unconscious. After some days, ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu asked RÄmÄnanda RÄya to retire from government service and come to JagannÄtha PurÄ«. These descriptions of the meetings between RÄmÄnanda RÄya and ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu are taken from the notebook of SvarÅ«pa DÄmodara GosvÄmÄ«.
