The Lord’s Paugaṇḍa-līlā

Translation

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya because simply by offering a flower at His lotus feet even the most ardent materialist becomes a devotee.

Word meanings

ku - manāḥ — a person interested in activities of material sense enjoyment ; su - manastvam — the position of a devotee without material desires ; hi — certainly ; yāti — gets ; yasya — whose ; pada - abjayoḥ — at the lotus feet ; su - manaḥ — a flower ; arpaṇa — offering ; mātreṇa — simply by doing so ; tam — Him ; caitanya - prabhum — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bhaje — I worship .

Translation

All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!

Word meanings

jaya jaya — all glories ; śrī - caitanya — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; jaya — all glories ; nityānanda — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ; jaya - advaitacandra — all glories to Advaita Ācārya ; jaya gaura - bhakta - vṛnda — all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya .

Translation

Let me now enumerate the activities of the Lord between the ages of five and ten. His chief occupation during this period was to engage Himself in study.

Word meanings

paugaṇḍa — of the age from five years to ten years ; līlāra — of the pastimes ; sūtra — synopsis ; kariye — I do ; gaṇana — enumerate ; paugaṇḍa - vayase — in that age between five and ten years ; prabhura — of the Lord ; mukhya — chief ; adhyayana — studying .

Translation

The pastimes of the Lord during His paugaṇḍa age were very extensive. His education was His chief occupation, and after that His very beautiful marriage took place.

Word meanings

paugaṇḍa - līlā — the pastimes of the paugaṇḍa age ; caitanya - kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Caitanya, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself ; ati - suvistṛtā — very much expanded ; vidyā - ārambha — the beginning of education ; mukhā — chief business ; pāṇi - grahaṇa — marriage ; antā — at the end ; manaḥ - harā — very beautiful .

Translation

When the Lord was studying grammar at the place of Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, He would immediately learn grammatical rules and definitions by heart simply by hearing them once.

Word meanings

gaṅgādāsa — Gaṅgādāsa ; paṇḍita - sthāne — at the place of the teacher ; paḍena — studies ; vyākaraṇa — grammar ; śravaṇa - mātre — simply by hearing ; kaṇṭhe — between the neck and the heart ; kaila — did ; sūtra - vṛtti - gaṇa — the aphorisms and their definitions .

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that the Lord was given lessons by a teacher named Viṣṇu and another teacher named Sudarśana. Later on, when He was a little grown up, He was under the care of Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, who taught Him grammar of a higher standard. Anyone serious about studying the Sanskrit language should first learn grammar. It is said that simply to finish studying Sanskrit grammar takes at least twelve years, but once one learns the grammatical rules and regulations very nicely, all other scriptures or subject matters in Sanskrit are extremely easy to understand, for Sanskrit grammar is the gateway to education.

Translation

He soon became so expert in commenting on the Pañjī-ṭīkā that He could win victory over all the other students, although He was a neophyte.

Word meanings

alpa - kāle — within a very short time ; hailā — became ; pañjī - ṭīkāte — in the commentary on grammar named Pañjī-ṭīkā ; pravīṇa — very expert ; cira - kālera — all older ; paḍuyā — students ; jine — conquers ; ha - iyā — being ; navīna — their junior .

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says there was a commentary on grammar named Pañjī-ṭīkā that was later explained very lucidly by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

In his book Caitanya-maṅgala [which later became Caitanya-bhāgavata], Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has very elaborately described the Lord’s pastimes of study.

Word meanings

adhyayana - līlā — pastimes of studying ; prabhura — of the Lord ; dāsa - vṛndāvana — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura ; caitanya - maṅgale — in his book Caitanya-maṅgala ; kaila — has done ; vistāri — elaborately ; varṇana — explanation .

Purport

The Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa, chapters four, six, seven, eight, nine and ten, are a good reference for the studious pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down at the feet of His mother and requested her to give Him one thing in charity.

Word meanings

eka dina — one day ; mātāra — of the mother ; pade — on the feet ; kariyā — doing ; praṇāma — obeisances ; prabhu — the Lord ; kahe — said ; mātā — My dear mother ; more — unto Me ; deha — give ; eka — one ; dāna — gift .

Translation

His mother replied, “My dear son, I will give You whatever You ask.” Then the Lord said, “My dear mother, please do not eat grains on the Ekādaśī day.”

Word meanings

mātā bale — His mother said ; tāi diba — I shall give that ; yā — whatever ; tumi — You ; māgibe — should ask me ; prabhu kahe — the Lord said ; ekādaśīte — on the Ekādaśī day ; anna — grains ; nā — don’t ; khāibe — eat .

Purport

From the very beginning of His childhood life Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the system of observing a fast on the Ekādaśī day. In the Bhakti-sandarbha, by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, there is a quotation from the Skanda Purāṇa admonishing that a person who eats grains on Ekādaśī becomes a murderer of his mother, father, brother and spiritual master, and even if he is elevated to a Vaikuṇṭha planet, he falls down. On Ekādaśī, everything is cooked for Viṣṇu, including regular grains and dhal, but it is enjoined that a Vaiṣṇava should not even take viṣṇu-prasādam on Ekādaśī. It is said that a Vaiṣṇava does not accept anything eatable that is not offered to Lord Viṣṇu, but on Ekādaśī a Vaiṣṇava should not touch even mahā-prasādam offered to Viṣṇu, although such prasādam may be kept for being eaten the next day. It is strictly forbidden for one to accept any kind of grain on Ekādaśī, even if it is offered to Lord Viṣṇu.

Translation

Mother Śacī said, “You have spoken very nicely. I shall not eat grains on Ekādaśī.” From that day, she began to observe fasting on Ekādaśī.

Word meanings

śacī kahe — mother Śacī said ; nā khāiba — I shall not take ; bhāla - i kahilā — You have said very nicely ; sei haite — from that day ; ekādaśī — Ekādaśī day ; karite lāgilā — began to observe .

Purport

It is a prejudice among smārta-brāhmaṇas that a widow must observe fasting on Ekādaśī but a woman who is sa-dhava — who has her husband — should not. It appears that before Lord Caitanya’s request, Śacīmātā, being sa-dhava, was not observing Ekādaśī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, introduced the system that a woman, even if not a widow, must observe the Ekādaśī day and must not touch any kind of grains, even those offered to the Deity of Viṣṇu.

Translation

Thereafter, seeing that Viśvarūpa was a grown-up youth, Jagannātha Miśra wanted to find a girl and arrange a marriage ceremony for Him.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; miśra — Jagannātha Miśra ; viśvarūpera — of Viśvarūpa, his elder son ; dekhiyā — seeing ; yauvana — youthfulness ; kanyā cāhi’ — wanting to find a girl ; vivāha — marriage ; dite — to give ; karilena — made up ; mana — his mind .

Translation

Hearing of this, Viśvarūpa immediately left home and went away to accept sannyāsa and travel from one place of pilgrimage to another.

Word meanings

viśvarūpa — Viśvarūpa ; śuni’ — hearing this ; ghara — home ; chāḍi — giving up ; palāilā — went away ; sannyāsa — the renounced order ; kariyā — accepting ; tīrtha — the holy places ; karibāre — for touring ; gelā — went away .

Translation

When Śacīmātā and Jagannātha Miśra heard of the departure of their elder son, Viśvarūpa, they were very unhappy, but Lord Caitanya tried to console them.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing this ; śacī — of mother Śacī ; miśrera — and of Jagannātha Miśra ; duḥkhī — very unhappy ; haila — became ; mana — minds ; tabe — at that time ; prabhu — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; mātā - pitāra — of the parents ; kaila — did ; āśvāsana — pacification .

Translation

“My dear mother and father,” the Lord said, “it is very good that Viśvarūpa has accepted the sannyāsa order, for thus He has delivered both His father’s family and His mother’s family.”

Word meanings

bhāla haila — it is very good ; viśvarūpa — Viśvarūpa ; sannyāsa — the renounced order of life ; karila — has accepted ; pitṛ - kula — father’s family ; mātṛ - kula — mother’s family ; dui — both of them ; uddhārila — delivered .

Purport

It is sometimes said that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu disapproved of the acceptance of the sannyāsa order in this Kali-yuga because in the śāstra it is said:

aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet

“In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.” ( Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Kṛṣṇa-janma-khaṇḍa 185.180)

Nevertheless, we see that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself accepted sannyāsa and approved of the sannyāsa of His elder brother, Viśvarūpa. It is clearly said here, bhāla haila, — viśvarūpa sannyāsa karila/ pitṛ-kula, mātṛ-kula, — dui uddhārila. Therefore, should it be thought that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made statements that are contradictory? No, actually He did not. It is recommended that one accept sannyāsa to dedicate his life for the service of the Lord, and everyone must take that kind of sannyāsa, for by accepting such sannyāsa one renders the best service to both his paternal and maternal families. But one should not accept the sannyāsa order of the Māyāvāda school, which has practically no meaning. We find many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs simply loitering in the street thinking themselves Brahman or Nārāyaṇa and spending all day and night begging so they can fill their hungry bellies. Māyāvādī sannyāsīs have become so degraded that there is a section of them who eat everything, just like hogs and dogs. It is such degraded sannyāsa that is prohibited in this age. Actually, Śrīla Śaṅkarācārya’s principles for the acceptance of sannyāsa were very strict, but later the so-called Māyāvādī sannyāsīs became degraded because of their false philosophy, which propounds that by accepting sannyāsa one becomes Nārāyaṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected that kind of sannyāsa. But the acceptance of sannyāsa is one of the items of the varṇāśrama-dharma. How then can it be rejected?

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu assured His parents that He would serve them, and thus the minds of His father and mother were satisfied.

Word meanings

āmi ta’ — I ; kariba — shall do ; tomā — for you ; duṅhāra — both ; sevana — service ; śuniyā — after hearing ; santuṣṭa — pleased ; haila — became ; pitā - mātāra mana — the parents’ minds .

Translation

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate betel nuts offered to the Deity, but they acted as an intoxicant, and He fell down on the ground unconscious.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; naivedya — food offered to the Deity ; tāmbūla — betel nut ; khāiyā — after eating ; bhūmite — on the ground ; paḍilā — fell ; prabhu — the Lord ; acetana — unconscious ; hañā — becoming .

Purport

Betel nuts are an intoxicant, and therefore the regulative principles prohibit eating them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastime of fainting after eating betel nuts is a solid instruction to all of us that one should not touch betel nuts, even those offered to Viṣṇu, just as one should not touch grains on the Ekādaśī day. Of course, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s fainting had a particular purpose. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can do whatever He likes and eat whatever He wants, but we should not imitate His pastimes.

Translation

After His father and mother sprinkled water on His mouth with great haste, the Lord revived and said something wonderful they had never heard before.

Word meanings

āste - vyaste — with great haste ; pitā - mātā — both the parents ; mukhe — on the mouth ; dila — gave ; pāni — water ; sustha hañā — being revived ; kahe — says ; prabhu — the Lord ; apūrva — something astonishing ; kāhinī — narration .

Translation

The Lord said, “Viśvarūpa took Me away from here, and He requested Me to accept the sannyāsa order.

Word meanings

ethā — here ; haite — from ; viśvarūpa — Viśvarūpa ; more — Me ; lañā — taking with Him ; gelā — went ; sannyāsa — the renounced order of life ; karaha — accept ; tumi — You also ; amāre — unto Me ; kahilā — He said .

Translation

“I replied to Viśvarūpa, ‘I have My helpless father and mother, and also I am but a child. What do I know about the sannyāsa order of life?

Word meanings

āmi kahi — I said ; āmāra — My ; anātha — helpless ; pitā - mātā — father and mother ; āmi — I am ; bālaka — only a child ; sannyāsera — of the renounced order of life ; kibā — what ; jāni — I know ; kathā — words .

Translation

“ ‘Later I shall become a householder and thus serve My parents, for this action will very much satisfy Lord Nārāyaṇa and His wife, the goddess of fortune.’

Word meanings

gṛhastha — a householder ; ha - iyā — becoming ; kariba — I shall do ; pitā - mātāra — of the parents ; sevana — service ; ihāte - i — in this ; tuṣṭa — satisfied ; habena — will become ; lakṣmī - nārāyaṇa — the goddess of fortune and Nārāyaṇa .

Translation

“Then Viśvarūpa returned Me home and requested, ‘Offer thousands and thousands of obeisances unto My mother, Śacīdevī.’ ”

Word meanings

tabe — then ; viśvarūpa — Viśvarūpa ; ihāṅ — here ; pāṭhāila — sent ; more — Me ; mātāke kahio — speak to My mother ; koṭi koṭi — hundreds and thousands ; namaskāre — obeisances .

Translation

In this way Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed various pastimes, but why He did so I cannot understand.

Word meanings

ei mata — in this way ; nānā — various ; līlā — pastimes ; kare — does ; gaurahari — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; ki kāraṇe — what is the reason ; līlā — pastimes ; ihā — this ; bujhite — to understand ; nā — not ; pāri — I am able .

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees who come to this world are executing a mission, and therefore sometimes they act in a way that is very difficult to understand. It is said, therefore, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: even if one is a very learned and intelligent scholar, he cannot understand the activities of a Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava accepts anything favorable for executing his mission. But foolish persons, not knowing the purpose of such exalted Vaiṣṇavas, indulge in criticizing them. That is forbidden. Since no one can understand what a Vaiṣṇava does for the purpose of executing his mission, to criticize such a Vaiṣṇava is the offense called sādhu-nindā.

Translation

After some days, Jagannātha Miśra passed away from this world to the transcendental world, and both mother and son were very much aggrieved in their hearts.

Word meanings

kata dina — some days ; rahi’ — remaining ; miśra — Jagannātha Miśra ; gelā — passed away ; para - loka — for the transcendental world ; mātā — mother ; putra — son ; duṅhāra — of both of them ; bāḍila — increased ; hṛdi — in the hearts ; śoka — lamentation .

Translation

Friends and relatives came there to pacify Lord Caitanya and His mother. Then Lord Caitanya, even though He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, executed the rituals for His dead father according to the Vedic system.

Word meanings

bandhu — friends ; bāndhava — relatives ; āsi’ — coming there ; duṅhā — both of them ; prabodhila — pacified ; pitṛ - kriyā — rituals performed after the death of the father ; vidhi - mate — according to the Vedic system ; īśvara — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; karila — executed .

Translation

After some days the Lord thought, “I did not take sannyāsa, and since I am remaining at home it is My duty to act as a gṛhastha.

Word meanings

kata dine — after some days ; prabhu — the Lord ; citte — within His mind ; karilā — made ; cintana — consideration ; gṛhastha ha - ilāma — I remained in householder life ; ebe — now ; cāhi — I want ; gṛha - dharma — activities of family life .

Translation

“Without a wife,” Lord Caitanya considered, “there is no meaning to householder life.” Thus the Lord decided to marry.

Word meanings

gṛhiṇī — wife ; vinā — without ; gṛha - dharma — duties of family life ; nā — not ; haya — become ; śobhana — beautiful ; eta cinti’ — thinking thus ; vivāha — marriage ; karite — to execute ; haila — became ; mana — mind .

Translation

“Merely a house is not a home, for it is a wife who gives a home its meaning. If one lives at home with his wife, together they can fulfill all the interests of human life.”

Word meanings

na — not ; gṛham — the home ; gṛham — the house ; iti — thus ; āhuḥ — said ; gṛhiṇī — the wife ; gṛham — home ; ucyate — it is said ; tayā — with her ; hi — certainly ; sahitaḥ — together ; sarvān — all ; puruṣa - arthān — goals of human life ; samaśnute — perfects .

Translation

One day when the Lord was coming back from school He accidentally saw the daughter of Vallabhācārya on the way to the Ganges.

Word meanings

daive — accidentally ; eka dina — one day ; prabhu — the Lord ; paḍiyā — after studying ; āsite — while He was coming back ; vallabhācāryera — of Vallabhācārya ; kanyā — daughter ; dekhe — sees ; gaṅgā - pathe — on the way to the Ganges .

Translation

When the Lord and Lakṣmīdevī met, their relationship awakened, having already been settled, and coincidentally the marriage-maker Vanamālī came to see Śacīmātā.

Word meanings

pūrva - siddha — as it is already settled ; bhāva — ecstasy ; duṅhāra — of both of them ; udaya — awakened ; karila — was made ; daive — also accidentally ; vanamālī — Vanamālī ; ghaṭaka — the marriage-maker ; śacī - sthāne — at the place of Śacīmātā ; āila — came .

Purport

Vanamālī Ghaṭaka, a resident of Navadvīpa and a brāhmaṇa by caste, arranged the marriage of the Lord to Lakṣmīdevī. He was formerly Viśvāmitra, who negotiated the marriage of Lord Rāmacandra, and later he was the brāhmaṇa who negotiated the marriage of Lord Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī. That same brāhmaṇa acted as the marriage-maker of the Lord in caitanya-līlā.

Translation

Following the indications of Śacīdevī, Vanamālī Ghaṭaka arranged the marriage, and thus in due course the Lord married Lakṣmīdevī.

Word meanings

śacīra iṅgite — by the indication of mother Śacī ; sambandha — the relationship ; karila — made ; ghaṭana — possible ; lakṣmīke — unto Lakṣmīdevī ; vivāha — marriage ; kaila — executed ; śacīra nandana — the son of mother Śacī .

Translation

Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has elaborately described all these pastimes of the Lord’s early age. What I have given is but a condensed presentation of the same pastimes.

Word meanings

vistāriyā — having elaborated ; varṇilā — has described ; tāhā — that ; vṛndāvana - dāsa — Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa ; ei ta’ — this is ; paugaṇḍa - līlāra — of the pastimes of His early age ; sūtra - prakāśa — manifestation of the synopsis .

Translation

The Lord performed many varieties of pastimes in His early age, and Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has described them elaborately.

Word meanings

paugaṇḍa vayase — in His early age ; līlā — pastimes ; bahuta prakāra — of various kinds ; vṛndāvana - dāsa — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura ; ihā — this ; kariyāchena — has done ; vistāra — the elaborate explanation .

Translation

I have given but a single hint of these pastimes, for Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, in his book Caitanya-maṅgala [now Caitanya-bhāgavata], has described them all vividly.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; diṅ - mātra — only in the matter of indication ; ihāṅ — here ; dekhāila — I have exhibited ; caitanya - maṅgale — in the book of the name Caitanya-maṅgala ; sarva - loke — all over the world ; khyāta — famous ; haila — became .

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.

Word meanings

śrī - rūpa — Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī ; raghunātha — Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī ; pade — at the lotus feet ; yāra — whose ; āśa — expectation ; caitanya - caritāmṛta — the book named Caitanya-caritāmṛta ; kahe — describes ; kṛṣṇadāsa — Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī .

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, fifteenth chapter, describing the Lord’s paugaṇḍa-līlā.