murÄri-caitanya-dÄsera alaukika lÄ«lÄ
vyÄghra-gÄle caá¸a mÄre, sarpa-sane khelÄ

 murÄri - MurÄri; caitanya-dÄsera - of the servant of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu; alaukika - uncommon; lÄ«lÄ - pastimes; vyÄghra - tiger; gÄle - on the cheek; caá¸a mÄre - slaps; sarpa - a snake; sane - with; khelÄ - playing.


Text

There were many extraordinary activities performed by MurÄri, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya MahÄprabhu. Sometimes in his ecstasy he would slap the cheek of a tiger, and sometimes he would play with a venomous snake.

Purport

ÅšrÄ«la BhaktisiddhÄnta SarasvatÄ« ṬhÄkura writes in his AnubhÄá¹£ya, “MurÄri Caitanya dÄsa was born in the village of Sar-vá¹›ndÄvana-pura, which is situated about two miles from the Galaśī station on the Burdwan line. When MurÄri Caitanya dÄsa came to NavadvÄ«pa, he settled in the village of Modadruma, or MÄmagÄchi-grÄma. At that time he became known as ÅšÄrá¹…ga or SÄraá¹…ga MurÄri Caitanya dÄsa. The descendants of his family still reside in Sarer PÄá¹­a. In the Caitanya-bhÄgavata, Antya-khaṇá¸a, chapter five, there is the following statement: ‘MurÄri Caitanya dÄsa had no material bodily features, for he was completely spiritual. Thus he would sometimes chase after tigers in the jungle and treat them just like cats and dogs. He would slap the cheek of a tiger and take a venomous snake on his lap. He had no fear for his external body, of which he was completely forgetful. He could spend all twenty-four hours of the day chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra or speaking about Lord Caitanya and NityÄnanda. Sometimes he would remain submerged in water for two or three days, but he would feel no bodily inconvenience. Thus he behaved almost like stone or wood, but he always used his energy in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahÄ-mantra. No one can describe his specific characteristics, but it is understood that wherever MurÄri Caitanya dÄsa passed, whoever was present would be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by the atmosphere he created.’ â€