The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Youth

Translation

Let me offer my respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose mercy even unclean yavanas become perfectly well bred gentlemen by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Such is the power of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

vande — let me offer my obeisances ; svaira — completely independent ; adbhuta — and uncommon ; īham — whose activities ; tam — unto Him ; caitanyam — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yat — of whom ; prasādataḥ — by the mercy ; yavanāḥ — even the unclean ; sumanāyante — are transformed into gentlemen ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; prajalpakāḥ — taking to the chanting .

Purport

There is a persistent misunderstanding between caste brāhmaṇas and advanced Vaiṣṇavas, or gosvāmīs, because caste brāhmaṇas, or smārtas, are of the opinion that one cannot become a brāhmaṇa unless he changes his body. As we have discussed several times, it is to be understood that by the supremely powerful potency of the Lord, as described by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, everything is possible. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is as fully independent as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore no one can interfere with His activities. If He wants, by His mercy He can convert even a yavana, an unclean follower of non-Vedic principles, into a perfectly well behaved gentleman. This is actually happening in our propagation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The members of the present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement were not born in India, nor do they belong to the Vedic culture, but within the short time of four or five years they have become such wonderful devotees simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra that even in India they are well received as perfectly well behaved Vaiṣṇavas wherever they go.

Although less intelligent men cannot understand it, this is the special power of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Actually, the body of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person changes in many ways. Even in the United States, when our devotees chant on the street, American ladies and gentlemen inquire from them whether they are actually Americans because no one could expect Americans to become such nice devotees all of a sudden. Even Christian priests are greatly surprised that all these boys from Jewish and Christian families have joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement; before joining, they never regarded any principles of religion seriously, but now they have become sincere devotees of the Lord. Everywhere people express this astonishment, and we take great pride in the transcendental behavior of our students. Such wonders are possible, however, only by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They are not ordinary or mundane.

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

Translation

I have already given a synopsis of the kaiśora-līlā of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now let me enumerate His youthful pastimes in chronological order.

Word meanings

kaiśora - līlāra — of the activities before His youth ; sūtra — synopsis ; karila — I have done ; gaṇana — an enumeration ; yauvana - līlāra — of the pastimes of youth ; sūtra — synopsis ; kari — I enumerate ; anukrama — in chronological order .

Translation

Exhibiting His scholarship, beauty and fine dress, Lord Caitanya danced and chanted as He distributed the holy name of the Lord to awaken dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. Thus Lord Śrī Gaurasundara shone in His youthful pastimes.

Word meanings

vidyā — education ; saundarya — beauty ; sat - veśa — nice dress ; sambhoga — enjoyment ; nṛtya — dancing ; kīrtanaiḥ — by chanting ; prema - nāma — the holy name of the Lord, which induces one to become a devotee ; pradānaiḥ — by distributing ; ca — and ; gauraḥ — Lord Śrī Gaurasundara ; dīvyati — illuminated ; yauvane — in His youth .

Translation

As He entered His youth, the Lord decorated Himself with ornaments, dressed Himself in fine cloth, garlanded Himself with flowers and smeared Himself with sandalwood.

Word meanings

yauvana - praveśe — on the entrance of His youth ; aṅgera — of the body ; aṅga — limbs ; vibhūṣaṇa — ornaments ; divya — transcendental ; vastra — garments ; divya — transcendental ; veśa — dress ; mālya — garland ; candana — (smeared with) sandalwood pulp .

Translation

By dint of pride in His education, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not caring for anyone else, defeated all kinds of learned scholars while executing His studies.

Word meanings

vidyāra auddhatye — because of pride in education ; kāhoṅ — anyone ; nā — does not ; kare — do ; gaṇana — care ; sakala — all ; paṇḍita — learned scholars ; jini’ — conquering ; kare — does ; adhyāpana — studies .

Translation

In His youth the Lord exhibited His ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa on the plea of disturbances of the bodily airs. Accompanied by His confidential devotees, He enjoyed various pastimes in this way.

Word meanings

vāyu - vyādhi — disease caused by disturbance of the air in the body ; chale — on the plea of ; kaila — made ; prema — love of Godhead ; parakāśa — manifestation ; bhakta - gaṇa — the devotees ; lañā — taking with Him ; kaila — did ; vividha — varieties of ; vilāsa — pastimes .

Purport

According to Āyur-vedic treatment, the entire physiological system is conducted by three elements, namely vāyu, pitta and kapha (air, bile and mucus). Secretions within the body transform into other secretions like blood, urine and stool, but if there are disturbances in the metabolism, the secretions turn into kapha (mucus) by the influence of the air within the body. According to the Āyur-vedic system, when the secretion of bile and formation of mucus disturb the air circulating within the body, fifty-nine varieties of diseases may occur. One such disease is craziness.

On the plea of disturbance of the bodily air and metabolism, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu acted as if crazy. Thus in His school He began to explain the grammar of verbs through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Explaining everything in grammar in relationship to Kṛṣṇa, the Lord induced His students to refrain from worldly education, for it is better to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and in this way attain the highest perfectional platform of education. On these grounds, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī later compiled the grammar entitled Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa. People in general consider such explanations crazy. Therefore the Lord’s purpose in His attitude of craziness was to explain that there is nothing within our experience but Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for everything may be dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu have been very vividly described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-līlā, chapter one.

Translation

Thereafter the Lord went to Gayā. There He met Śrīla Īśvara Purī.

Word meanings

tabeta — thereafter ; karilā — did ; prabhu — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; gayāte — to Gayā ; gamana — travel ; īśvara - purīra saṅge — with Īśvara Purī ; tathāi — there ; milana — meeting .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Gayā to offer respectful oblations to His forefathers. This process is called piṇḍa-dāna. In Vedic society, after the death of a relative, especially one’s father or mother, one must go to Gayā and there offer oblations to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore hundreds and thousands of men gather in Gayā daily to offer such oblations, or śrāddha. Following this principle, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu also went there to offer piṇḍa to His dead father. Fortunately He met Īśvara Purī there.

Translation

In Gayā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was initiated by Īśvara Purī, and immediately afterwards He exhibited signs of love of Godhead. He again displayed such symptoms after returning home.

Word meanings

dīkṣā — initiation ; anantare — immediately after ; haila — became ; premera — of love of Godhead ; prakāśa — exhibition ; deśe — in His home country ; āgamana — coming back ; punaḥ — again ; premera — of love of God ; vilāsa — enjoyment .

Purport

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Gayā, accompanied by many of His disciples, He became sick on the way. He had such a high fever that He asked His students to bring water that had washed the feet of brāhmaṇas, and when they brought it the Lord drank it and was cured. Therefore everyone should respect the position of a brāhmaṇa, as indicated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Neither the Lord nor His followers displayed any disrespect to brāhmaṇas.

The followers of the Lord must be prepared to offer brāhmaṇas all due respect. But preachers of Lord Caitanya’s cult object if someone presents himself as a brāhmaṇa without having the necessary qualifications. The followers of Lord Caitanya cannot blindly accept that everyone born in a brāhmaṇa family is a brāhmaṇa. Therefore one should not indiscriminately follow the Lord’s example of showing respect to brāhmaṇas by drinking water that has washed their feet. Gradually the brāhmaṇa families have become degraded because of the contamination of Kali-yuga. Thus they misguide people by exploiting their sentiments.

Translation

Thereafter the Lord delivered love of Kṛṣṇa to His mother, Śacīdevī, nullifying her offense at the feet of Advaita Ācārya. Thus there was a meeting with Advaita Ācārya, who later had a vision of the Lord’s universal form.

Word meanings

śacīke — unto mother Śacīdevī ; prema - dāna — giving love of Godhead ; tabe — thereafter ; advaita — with Advaita Ācārya ; milana — meeting ; advaita — Advaita Ācārya ; pāila — received ; viśva - rūpa — of the universal form of the Lord ; daraśana — vision .

Purport

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was sitting on the throne of Viṣṇu in the house of Śrīvāsa Prabhu, and in a mood of His own He said, “My mother has offended the lotus feet of Advaita Ācārya. Unless she nullifies this offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, it will not be possible for her to achieve love of Kṛṣṇa.” Hearing this, all the devotees went to bring Advaita Ācārya there. While coming to see the Lord, Advaita Ācārya was glorifying the characteristics of mother Śacīdevī, and thus upon arriving He fell down on the ground in ecstasy. Then, under the instruction of Lord Caitanya, Śacīdevī took advantage of this situation to touch Advaita Ācārya’s lotus feet. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much pleased by His mother’s action, and He said, “Now My mother’s offense at the lotus feet of Advaita Ācārya has been rectified, and she may have love of Kṛṣṇa without difficulty.” By this example Lord Caitanya taught everyone that although one may be very much advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one offends the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava his advancement will not bear fruit. We should therefore be very cautious not to offend a Vaiṣṇava. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta has described such an offense as follows:

yadi vaiṣṇava-aparādha uṭhe hātī mātā upāḍe vā chiṇḍe, tāra śukhi’ yāya pātā

(Cc. Madhya 19.156)

As a mad elephant may trample all the plants in a garden, so by committing one offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava one may spoil all the devotional service he has accumulated in his life.

After this incident, one day Advaita Ācārya Prabhu requested Caitanya Mahāprabhu to display the universal form He had very kindly shown Arjuna. Lord Caitanya agreed to this proposal, and Advaita Prabhu was fortunate enough to see the universal form of the Lord.

Translation

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura then worshiped Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu by the process of abhiṣeka. Sitting on a cot, the Lord exhibited transcendental opulence.

Word meanings

prabhura — of the Lord ; abhiṣeka — worship ; tabe — after that ; karila — did ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa ; khāṭe — on the cot ; vasi’ — sitting ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kailā — did ; aiśvarya — opulence ; prakāśa — manifestation .

Purport

Abhiṣeka is a special function for the installation of the Deity. In this ceremony the Deity is bathed with milk and water and then worshiped and given a change of dress. This abhiṣeka function was especially observed at the house of Śrīvāsa. All the devotees, according to their means, worshiped the Lord with all kinds of paraphernalia, and the Lord gave benedictions to each devotee according to his desire.

Translation

After this function at the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, Nityānanda Prabhu appeared, and when He met with Lord Caitanya He got the opportunity to see Him in His six-armed form.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; nityānanda - svarūpera — of the Personality of Godhead Nityānanda ; āgamana — appearance ; prabhuke — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; miliyā — meeting ; pāila — obtained ; ṣaṭ - bhuja - darśana — a vision of the six-armed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Purport

The form of Ṣaḍ-bhuja, the six-armed Lord Gaurasundara, is a representation of three incarnations. The form of Śrī Rāmacandra is symbolized by a bow in one hand and an arrow in another, the form of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is symbolized by a stick and a flute like those generally held by a cowherd boy, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is symbolized by a sannyāsa-daṇḍa and a kamaṇḍalu, or waterpot.

Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu was born in the village of Ekacakrā, in the district of Birbhum, as the son of Padmāvatī and Hāḍāi Paṇḍita. In His childhood He played like Balarāma. When He was growing up, a sannyāsī came to the house of Hāḍāi Paṇḍita and begged to have the paṇḍita’s son as his brahmacārī assistant. Hāḍāi Paṇḍita immediately agreed and delivered his son to him, although the separation was greatly shocking, so much so that Hāḍāi lost his life after the separation. Nityānanda Prabhu traveled on many pilgrimages with the sannyāsī. It is said that for many days He lived at Mathurā with him, and at that time He heard about Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes in Navadvīpa. Therefore He came down to Bengal to see the Lord. When Lord Nityānanda came to Navadvīpa, He was a guest at the house of Nandana Ācārya. Understanding that Nityānanda Prabhu had arrived, Lord Caitanya sent His devotees to Him, and thus there was a meeting between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu.

Translation

One day Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu a six-armed form bearing a conchshell, disc, club, lotus flower, bow and flute.

Word meanings

prathame — at first ; ṣaṭ - bhuja — six-armed ; tāṅre — unto Him ; dekhāila — showed ; īśvara — the Lord ; śaṅkha — conchshell ; cakra — disc ; gadā — club ; padma — lotus flower ; śārṅga — bow ; veṇu — flute ; dhara — carrying .

Translation

Thereafter the Lord showed Him His four-armed form, standing in a three-curved posture. With two hands He played upon a flute, and in the other two He carried a conchshell and disc.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; catuḥ - bhuja — four-armed ; hailā — became ; tina — three ; aṅga — body ; vakra — curved ; dui haste — in two hands ; veṇu bājāya — blowing the flute ; duye — in two (hands) ; śaṅkha - cakra — conchshell and disc .

Translation

Finally the Lord showed Nityānanda Prabhu His two-armed form of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, simply playing on His flute, His bluish body dressed in yellow garments.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; ta’ — certainly ; dvi - bhuja — two-handed ; kevala — only ; vaṁśī — flute ; vadana — on the mouth ; śyāma — bluish ; aṅga — body ; pīta - vastra — yellow dress ; vrajendra - nandana — the son of Nanda Mahārāja .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala vividly elaborates upon this description.

Translation

Nityānanda Prabhu then arranged to offer Vyāsa-pūjā, or worship of the spiritual master, to Lord Śrī Gaurasundara. But Lord Caitanya carried the plowlike weapon called muṣala in the ecstasy of being Nityānanda Prabhu.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; nityānanda — Nityānanda ; gosāñira — of the Lord ; vyāsa - pūjana — worshiping Vyāsadeva or the spiritual master ; nityānanda - āveśe — in the ecstasy of becoming Nityānanda ; kaila — did ; muṣala dhāraṇa — carrying a plowlike weapon called a muṣala .

Purport

By the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu arranged for the Vyāsa-pūjā of the Lord on the night of the full moon. He arranged for the Vyāsa-pūjā, or guru-pūjā, through the agency of Vyāsadeva. Since Vyāsadeva is the original guru (spiritual master) of all who follow the Vedic principles, worship of the spiritual master is called Vyāsa-pūjā. Nityānanda Prabhu arranged for the Vyāsa-pūjā, and saṅkīrtana was going on, but when He tried to put a garland on the shoulder of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He saw Himself in Lord Caitanya. There is no difference between the spiritual positions of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu, or Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. All of Them are but different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. During this special ceremony, all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu could understand that there is no difference between Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda Prabhu.

Translation

Thereafter mother Śacīdevī saw the brothers Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in Their manifestation of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda. Then the Lord delivered the two brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; śacī — mother Śacīdevī ; dekhila — saw ; rāma - kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma ; dui bhāi — two brothers ; tabe — thereafter ; nistārila — delivered ; prabhu — the Lord ; jagāi - mādhāi — the two brothers Jagāi and Mādhāi .

Purport

One night Śacīdevī dreamt that the Deities in her house, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, had taken the forms of Caitanya and Nityānanda and were fighting one another, as children do, to eat the naivedya, or offering to the Deities. The next day, by the will of Lord Caitanya, Śacīdevī invited Nityānanda to take prasādam at her house. Thus Viśvambhara (Lord Caitanya) and Nityānanda were eating together, and Śacīdevī realized that They were none other than Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Seeing this, she fainted.

Jagāi and Mādhāi were two brothers born in Navadvīpa in a respectable brāhmaṇa family who later became addicted to all kinds of sinful activities. By the order of Lord Caitanya, both Nityānanda Prabhu and Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to preach the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness door to door. In the course of such preaching they found Jagāi and Mādhāi, two maddened drunken brothers, who, upon seeing them, began to chase them. On the next day, Mādhāi struck Nityānanda Prabhu on the head with a piece of earthen pot, thus drawing blood. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard of this, He immediately came to the spot, ready to punish both brothers, but when the all-merciful Lord Gaurāṅga saw Jagāi’s repentant behavior, He immediately embraced him. By seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and embracing Him, both the sinful brothers were at once cleansed. Thus they received initiation into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra from the Lord and were delivered.

Translation

After this incident, the Lord remained in an ecstatic position for twenty-one hours, and all the devotees saw His specific pastimes.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; sapta - prahara — twenty-one hours ; chilā — remained ; prabhu — the Lord ; bhāva - āveśe — in ecstasy ; yathā — anywhere ; tathā — everywhere ; bhakta - gaṇa — the devotees ; dekhila — saw ; viśeṣe — specifically .

Purport

In the Deity’s room there must be a bed for the Deity behind His throne. (This system should immediately be introduced in all our centers. It does not matter whether the bed is big or small; it should be of a size the Deity room can conveniently accommodate, but there must be at least a small bed.) One day in the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down on the bed of Viṣṇu, and all the devotees worshiped Him with the Vedic mantras of the Puruṣa-sūkta, beginning with sahasra-śīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasra-pāt. This veda-stuti should also be introduced, if possible, for installations of Deities. While bathing the Deity, all the priests and devotees must chant this Puruṣa-sūkta and offer the appropriate paraphernalia for worshiping the Deity, such as flowers, fruits, incense, ārati paraphernalia, naivedya, vastra and ornaments. All the devotees worshiped Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this way, and the Lord remained in ecstasy for seven praharas, or twenty-one hours. He took this opportunity to show the devotees that He is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is the source of all other incarnations, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) : ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. All the different forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or viṣṇu-tattva, emanate from the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu exposed all the private desires of the devotees, and thus all of them became fully confident that Lord Caitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Some devotees call this exhibition of ecstasy by the Lord sāta-prahariyā bhāva, or “the ecstasy of twenty-one hours,” and others call it mahābhāva-prakāśa or mahā-prakāśa. There is a description of this sāta-prahariyā bhāva in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, chapter nine, which mentions that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed a maidservant named Duḥkhī with the name Sukhī. He called for Kholāvecā Śrīdhara and showed him His mahā-prakāśa. Then He called for Murāri Gupta and showed him His feature as Lord Rāmacandra. He offered His blessings to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and at this time He also asked Advaita Prabhu to explain the Bhagavad-gītā as it is ( gītāra satya-pāṭha ) and showed special favor to Mukunda.

Translation

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt the ecstasy of the boar incarnation and got up on the shoulders of Murāri Gupta. Thus they both danced in Murāri Gupta’s courtyard.

Word meanings

varāha - āveśa — the ecstasy of becoming Varāhadeva ; hailā — became ; murāri - bhavane — in the house of Murāri Gupta ; tāṅra skandhe — on the shoulders of Murāri Gupta ; caḍi’ — riding ; prabhu — the Lord ; nācilā — danced ; aṅgane — in the yard .

Purport

One day Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to cry out, “Śūkara! Śūkara!” Thus crying out for the boar incarnation of the Lord, He assumed His form as the boar incarnation and got up on the shoulders of Murāri Gupta. He carried a small gāḍu, a small waterpot with a nozzle, and thus He symbolically picked up the earth from the depths of the ocean, for this is the pastime of Lord Varāha.

Translation

After this incident the Lord ate raw rice given by Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī and explained very elaborately the import of the “harer nāma” śloka mentioned in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; śuklāmbarera — of Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī ; kaila — did ; taṇḍula — raw rice ; bhakṣaṇa — eating ; harer nāma ślokera — of the verse celebrated as such ; kaila — did ; artha — of the meaning ; vivaraṇa — explanation .

Purport

Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī resided in Navadvīpa on the bank of the Ganges. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing in ecstasy, he approached the Lord with a begging bag containing rice. The Lord was so pleased with His devotee that He immediately snatched the bag and began to eat the raw rice. No one forbade Him, and thus He finished the entire supply of rice.

Translation

“ ‘In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.’

Word meanings

hareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord ; hareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord ; hareḥ nāma — the holy name of the Lord ; eva — certainly ; kevalam — only ; kalau — in the Age of Kali ; na asti — there is none ; eva — certainly ; na asti — there is none ; eva — certainly ; na asti — there is none ; eva — certainly ; gatiḥ — destination ; anyathā — otherwise .

Translation

“In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.

Word meanings

kali - kāle — in this Age of Kali ; nāma - rūpe — in the form of the holy name ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; avatāra — incarnation ; nāma — holy name ; haite — from ; haya — becomes ; sarva — all ; jagat — of the world ; nistāra — deliverance .

Translation

“This verse repeats the word ‘eva’ [‘certainly’] three times for emphasis, and it also three times repeats ‘harer nāma’ [‘the holy name of the Lord’], just to make common people understand.

Word meanings

dārḍhya lāgi’ — in the matter of emphasizing ; harer nāma — of the holy name of Lord Hari ; ukti — there is utterance ; tina - vāra — three times ; jaḍa loka — ordinary common people ; bujhāite — just to make them understand ; punaḥ — again ; eva - kāra — the word eva, or “certainly.” .

Purport

To emphasize something to an ordinary person, one may repeat it three times, just as one might say, “You must do this! You must do this! You must do this!” Thus the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa repeatedly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name so that people may take it seriously and thus free themselves from the clutches of māyā. It is our practical experience in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world that many millions of people are factually coming to the spiritual stage of life simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra regularly, according to the prescribed principles. Therefore our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer nāma mahā-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus their success will be assured without a doubt.

Translation

“The use of the word ‘kevala’ [‘only’] prohibits all other processes, such as the cultivation of knowledge, practice of mystic yoga, or performance of austerities and fruitive activities.

Word meanings

‘kevala’ - śabde — by the word kevala, or “only” ; punarapi — again ; niścaya - karaṇa — final decision ; jñāna — cultivation of knowledge ; yoga — practice of the mystic yoga system ; tapa — austerity ; karma — fruitive activities ; ādi — and so on ; nivāraṇa — prohibition .

Purport

Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement stresses the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra only, whereas those who do not know the secret of success for this Age of Kali unnecessarily indulge in the cultivation of knowledge, the practice of mystic yoga or the performance of fruitive activities or useless austerities. They are simply wasting their time and misleading their followers. When we point this out very plainly to an audience, members of opposing groups become angry at us. But according to the injunctions of the śāstras, we cannot make compromises with these so-called jñānīs, yogīs, karmīs and tapasvīs. When they say they are as good as we are, we must say that only we are good and that they are not good. This is not our obstinacy; it is the injunction of the śāstras. We must not deviate from the injunctions of the śāstras. This is confirmed in the next verse of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Translation

“This verse clearly states that anyone who accepts any other path cannot be delivered. This is the reason for the triple repetition ‘nothing else, nothing else, nothing else,’ which emphasizes the real process of self-realization.

Word meanings

anyathā — otherwise ; ye — anyone who ; māne — accepts ; tāra — of him ; nāhika — there is no ; nistāra — deliverance ; nāhi nāhi nāhi — there is nothing else, nothing else, nothing else ; e — in this ; tina — three ; eva - kāra — bearing the meaning of emphasis .

Translation

“To chant the holy name always, one should be humbler than the grass in the street and devoid of all desire for personal honor, but one should offer others all respectful obeisances.

Word meanings

tṛṇa — grass ; haite — than ; nīca — lower ; hañā — becoming ; sadā — always ; labe — chant ; nāma — the holy name ; āpani — personally ; nirabhimānī — without honor ; anye — unto others ; dibe — you should give ; māna — all respect .

Translation

“A devotee engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord should practice forbearance like that of a tree. Even if rebuked or chastised, he should not say anything to others to retaliate.

Word meanings

taru - sama — like a tree ; sahiṣṇutā — forbearance ; vaiṣṇava — devotee ; karibe — should practice ; bhartsana — rebuking ; tāḍane — chastising ; kāke — unto anyone ; kichu — something ; nā — not ; balibe — will utter .

Translation

“For even if one cuts a tree, it never protests, and even if it is drying up and dying, it does not ask anyone for water.

Word meanings

kāṭileha — even being cut ; taru — the tree ; yena — as ; kichu — something ; nā — not ; bolaya — says ; śukāiyā — drying up ; mare — dies ; tabu — still ; jala — water ; nā — does not ; māgaya — ask for .

Purport

This practice of forbearance ( taror iva sahiṣṇunā ) is very difficult, but when one actually engages in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the quality of forbearance automatically develops. A person advanced in spiritual consciousness through the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra need not practice to develop it separately, for a devotee develops all good qualities simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra regularly.

Translation

“Thus a Vaiṣṇava should not ask anything from anyone else. If someone gives him something without being asked, he should accept it, but if nothing comes, a Vaiṣṇava should be satisfied to eat whatever vegetables and fruits are easily available.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; vaiṣṇava — a devotee ; kāre — from anyone ; kichu — anything ; nā — not ; māgiba — shall ask for ; ayācita - vṛtti — the profession of not asking for anything ; kiṁvā — or ; śāka — vegetables ; phala — fruits ; khāiba — shall eat .

Translation

“One should strictly follow the principle of always chanting the holy name, and one should be satisfied with whatever he gets easily. Such devotional behavior solidly maintains one’s devotional service.

Word meanings

sadā — always ; nāma — the holy name ; la - iba — one should chant ; yathā — inasmuch as ; lābhete — gains ; santoṣa — satisfaction ; eita — this ; ācāra — behavior ; kare — does ; bhakti - dharma — of devotional service ; poṣa — maintenance .

Translation

“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

Word meanings

tṛṇāt api — than downtrodden grass ; su - nīcena — being lower ; taroḥ — than a tree ; iva — like ; sahiṣṇunā — with tolerance ; amāninā — without being puffed up by false pride ; māna - dena — giving respect to all ; kīrtanīyaḥ — to be chanted ; sadā — always ; hariḥ — the holy name of the Lord .

Purport

The grass is specifically mentioned in this verse because everyone tramples upon it yet the grass never protests. This example indicates that a spiritual master or leader should not be proud of his position; being always humbler than an ordinary common man, he should go on preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Translation

Raising my hands, I declare, “Everyone please hear me! String this verse on the thread of the holy name and wear it on your neck for continuous remembrance.”

Word meanings

ūrdhva - bāhu — raising my hands ; kari’ — doing so ; kahoṅ — I declare ; śuna — please hear ; sarva - loka — all persons ; nāma — of the holy name ; sūtre — on the thread ; gāṅthi — stringing ; para — get it ; kaṇṭhe — on the neck ; ei — this ; śloka — verse .

Purport

When chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, in the beginning one may commit many offenses, which are called nāmābhāsa and nāma-aparādha. In this stage there is no possibility of achieving perfect love of Kṛṣṇa by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Therefore one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra according to the principles of the above verse, tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā. One should note in this connection that chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The words “Hare Kṛṣṇa” should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously. Therefore the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, advises everyone to keep this verse always strung about his neck.

Translation

One must strictly follow the principles given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this verse. If one simply follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and the Gosvāmīs, certainly he will achieve the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

prabhu — of the Lord ; ājñāya — on the order ; kara — do ; ei śloka — of this verse ; ācaraṇa — practice ; avaśya — certainly ; pāibe — he will get ; tabe — afterwards ; śrī - kṛṣṇa - caraṇa — the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regularly led congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura every night for one full year.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; prabhu — the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; śrīvāsera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; gṛhe — in the home ; nirantara — always ; rātre — at night ; saṅkīrtana — congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ; kaila — performed ; eka saṁvatsara — one full year .

Translation

This ecstatic chanting was performed with the doors closed so that nonbelievers who came to make fun could not gain entrance.

Word meanings

kapāṭa — door ; diyā — closing ; kīrtana — chanting ; kare — performed ; parama — very high ; āveśe — in an ecstatic condition ; pāṣaṇḍī — nonbelievers ; hāsite — to laugh ; āise — come ; nā — does not ; pāya — get ; praveśe — entrance .

Purport

Chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is open to everyone, but sometimes nonbelievers come to disturb the ceremony of chanting. It is indicated herein that under such circumstances the temple doors should be closed. Only bona fide chanters should be admitted; others should not. But when there is large-scale congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, we keep our temples open for everyone to join, and by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu this policy has given good results.

Translation

Thus the nonbelievers almost burned to ashes and died out of envy. To retaliate, they planned various ways to give trouble to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.

Word meanings

kīrtana śuni’ — after hearing the chanting ; bāhire — outside ; tārā — the nonbelievers ; jvali’ — burned ; puḍi’ — to ashes ; mare — die ; śrīvāsere — unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; duḥkha — troubles ; dite — to give ; nānā — various ; yukti — plans ; kare — do .

Translation

One night while kīrtana was going on inside Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s house, a brāhmaṇa named Gopāla Cāpāla, the chief of the nonbelievers, who was talkative and very rough in his speech, placed all the paraphernalia for worshiping the goddess Durgā outside Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s door.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; vipra — one brāhmaṇa ; nāma — named ; gopāla cāpāla — Gopāla Cāpāla ; pāṣaṇdi - pradhāna — the chief of the non-believers ; sei — he ; durmukha — ferocious, using strong words ; vācāla — talkative ; bhavānī - pūjāra — for worshiping the goddess Bhavānī ; saba — all ; sāmagrī — ingredients, paraphernalia ; lañā — taking ; rātre — at night ; śrīvāsera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; dvāre — on the door ; sthāna — the place ; lepāñā — smearing .

Purport

This brāhmaṇa, Gopāla Cāpāla, wanted to defame Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura by proving that he was actually a śākta, or a worshiper of Bhavānī, the goddess Durgā, but was externally posing as a Vaiṣṇava. In Bengal there is perpetual competition between the devotees of goddess Kālī and the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Generally Bengalis, especially those who are meat-eaters and drunkards, are very much attached to worshiping the goddesses Durgā, Kālī, Śītalā and Caṇḍī. Such devotees, who are known as śāktas, or worshipers of the śakti-tattva, are always envious of Vaiṣṇavas. Since Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was a well-known and respected Vaiṣṇava in Navadvīpa, Gopāla Cāpāla wanted to reduce his prestige by bringing him down to the platform of the śāktas. Therefore outside Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s door he placed various paraphernalia for worshiping Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva, such as a red flower, a plantain leaf, a pot of wine, and reddish sandalwood paste. In the morning, when Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura saw all this paraphernalia in front of his door, he called for the respectable gentlemen of the neighborhood and showed them that at night he was worshiping Bhavānī. Very sorry, these gentlemen called for a sweeper to cleanse the place and purify it by sprinkling water and cow dung there. This incident concerning Gopāla Cāpāla is not mentioned in the Caitanya-bhāgavata.

Translation

On the upper portion of a plantain leaf he placed such paraphernalia for worship as oḍa-phula, turmeric, vermilion, red sandalwood and rice.

Word meanings

kalāra pāta — a banana leaf ; upare — upon it ; thuila — placed ; oḍaphula — a particular type of flower ; haridrā — turmeric ; sindūra — vermilion ; āra — and ; rakta - candana — red sandalwood ; taṇḍula — rice .

Translation

He placed a pot of wine beside all this, and in the morning when Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura opened his door he saw this paraphernalia.

Word meanings

madya - bhāṇḍa — a pot of wine ; pāśe — by the side of ; dhari’ — placing ; nija - ghare — to his own home ; gela — went ; prātaḥ - kāle — in the morning ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; tāhā — all those things ; ta’ — certainly ; dekhila — saw .

Translation

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura called for all the respectable gentlemen of the neighborhood and smilingly addressed them as follows.

Word meanings

baḍa baḍa — respectable ; loka — persons ; saba — all ; ānila — brought them ; bolāiyā — causing to be called ; sabāre — to everyone ; kahe — addresses ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; hāsiyā hāsiyā — while smiling .

Translation

“Gentlemen, every night I worship the goddess Bhavānī. Since the paraphernalia for the worship is present here, now all you respectable brāhmaṇas and members of the higher castes can understand my position.”

Word meanings

nitya rātre — every night ; kari — I do ; āmi — I ; bhavānī - pūjana — worship of Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva ; āmāra — my ; mahimā — glories ; dekha — you see ; brāhmaṇa - sat - jana — all respectable brāhmaṇas .

Purport

According to the Vedic system there are four castes — the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras — and below them are the pañcamas (literally, “members of the fifth group”), who are lower than the śūdras. The higher castes — the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas and even the vaiśyas — were known as brāhmaṇa-saj-jana. The brāhmaṇas especially were known as saj-jana, or respectable gentlemen who guided the entire society. If there were disputes in the village, people would approach these respectable brāhmaṇas to settle them. Now it is very difficult to find such brāhmaṇas and saj-janas, and thus every village and town is so disrupted that there is no peace and happiness anywhere. To revive a fully cultured civilization, the scientific division of society into brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras must be introduced all over the world. Unless some people are trained as brāhmaṇas, there cannot be peace in human society.

Translation

Then all the assembled gentlemen exclaimed, “What is this? What is this? Who has performed such mischievous activities? Who is that sinful man?”

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; saba — all ; śiṣṭa - loka — gentlemen ; kare — exclaimed ; hāhā - kāra — alas, alas ; aiche — such ; karma — activities ; hethā — here ; kaila — did ; kon — who ; durācāra — sinful person .

Translation

They called for a sweeper [hāḍi], who threw all the items of worship far away and cleansed the place by mopping it with a mixture of water and cow dung.

Word meanings

hāḍike — a sweeper ; āniyā — calling ; saba — all ; dūra karāila — caused to be thrown far ; jala — water ; gomaya — cow dung ; diyā — mixing ; sei — that ; sthāna — place ; lepāila — caused to be smeared over .

Purport

The men in Vedic society who engage in public sanitary activities like picking up stool and sweeping the street are called hāḍis. Sometimes they are untouchable, especially when engaged in their profession, yet such hāḍis also have the right to become devotees. This is established by Śrī Bhagavad-gītā (9.32), where the Lord declares:

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], and śūdras [workers] — can attain the supreme destination.”

There are many untouchables of the lower caste in India, but according to Vaiṣṇava principles everyone is welcome to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on the spiritual platform of life and thus be freed from trouble. Neither equality nor fraternity is possible on the material platform.

When Lord Caitanya declares tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā, He indicates that one must be above the material conception of life. When one thoroughly understands that he is not the material body but a spiritual soul, he is even humbler than a man of the lower castes, for he is spiritually elevated. Such humility, in which one thinks himself lower than the grass, is called su-nīcatva, and being more tolerant than a tree is called sahiṣṇutva, forbearance. Being situated in devotional service, not caring for the material conception of life, is called amānitva, indifference to material respect; yet a devotee thus situated is called māna-da, for he is prepared to give honor to others without hesitation.

Mahatma Gandhi started the hari-jana movement to purify the untouchables, but he was a failure because he thought that one could become a hari-jana, a personal associate of the Lord, through some kind of material adjustment. That is not possible. Unless one fully realizes that he is not the body but is a spiritual soul, there is no question of his becoming a hari-jana. Those who do not follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His disciplic succession cannot distinguish between matter and spirit, and therefore all their ideas are but a mixed-up hodgepodge of problems. They are virtually lost in the bewildering network of Māyādevī.

Translation

After three days, leprosy attacked Gopāla Cāpāla, and blood oozed from sores all over his body.

Word meanings

tina dina — three days ; rahi’ — remaining in that way ; sei — that ; gopāla - cāpāla — Gopāla Cāpāla ; sarva - aṅge — all over the body ; haila — became visible ; kuṣṭha — leprosy ; vahe — discharging ; raktadhāra — a flow of blood .

Translation

Incessantly covered with germs and insects biting him all over his body, Gopāla Cāpāla felt unbearable pain. His entire body burned in distress.

Word meanings

sarva - aṅga — all over the body ; beḍila — became covered ; kīṭe — by insects ; kāṭe — biting ; nirantara — always ; asahya — unbearable ; vedanā — pain ; duḥkhe — in unhappiness ; jvalaye — burns ; antara — without cessation .

Translation

Since leprosy is an infectious disease, Gopāla Cāpāla left the village to sit down on the bank of the Ganges underneath a tree. One day, however, he saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu passing by and spoke to Him as follows.

Word meanings

gaṅgā - ghāṭe — on the bank of the Ganges ; vṛkṣa - tale — underneath a tree ; rahe — remains ; ta’ — certainly ; vasiyā — sitting ; eka dina — one day ; bale — says ; kichu — something ; prabhuke — the Lord ; dekhiyā — seeing .

Translation

“My dear nephew, I am Your maternal uncle in our village relationship. Please see how greatly this attack of leprosy has afflicted me.

Word meanings

grāma - sambandhe — in a village relationship ; āmi — I (am) ; tomāra — Your ; mātula — maternal uncle ; bhāgina — nephew ; mui — I ; kuṣṭha - vyādhite — by the disease of leprosy ; hañāchi — have become ; vyākula — too much afflicted .

Translation

“As an incarnation of God, You are delivering so many fallen souls. I am also a greatly unhappy fallen soul. Kindly deliver me by Your mercy.”

Word meanings

loka — people ; saba — all ; uddhārite — to deliver ; tomāra — Your ; avatāra — incarnation ; muñi — I (am) ; baḍa — very ; dukhī — unhappy ; more — unto me ; karaha — please do ; uddhāra — deliverance .

Purport

It appears that although Gopāla Cāpāla was sinful, talkative and insulting, he nevertheless had the qualification of simplicity. Thus he believed Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who had come to deliver all fallen souls, and he appealed for his own deliverance, seeking the mercy of the Lord. He did not know, however, that the deliverance of the fallen does not consist of curing their bodily diseases, although it is also a fact that when a man is delivered from the material clutches his material bodily diseases are automatically cured. Gopāla Cāpāla simply wanted to be delivered from the bodily sufferings of leprosy, but Śrī Caitanya, although accepting his sincere appeal, wanted to inform him of the real cause of suffering.

Translation

Hearing this, Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared greatly angry, and in that angry mood He spoke some words chastising him.

Word meanings

eta — thus ; śuni’ — hearing ; mahāprabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; ha - ila — there was ; kruddha — angry ; mana — mind ; krodha - āveśe — out of intense anger ; bale — says ; tāre — unto him ; tarjana — chastising ; vacana — words .

Translation

“O sinful person, envious of pure devotees, I shall not deliver you! Rather, I shall have you bitten by these germs for many millions of years.

Word meanings

āre — O ; pāpi — you sinful person ; bhakta - dveṣi — envious of devotees ; tore — you ; nā uddhārimu — I shall not deliver ; koṭi - janma — for ten million births ; ei mate — in this way ; kīḍāya — by the germs ; khāoyāimu — I shall cause you to be bitten .

Purport

We should note herein that all our sufferings in this material world, especially from disease, are due to our past sinful activities. And of all sinful activities, actions directed against a pure devotee out of sheer envy are considered extremely severe. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted Gopāla Cāpāla to understand the cause of his suffering. Any person who disturbs a pure devotee engaged in broadcasting the holy name of the Lord is certainly punished like Gopāla Cāpāla. This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. As we shall see, one who offends a pure devotee can never satisfy Caitanya Mahāprabhu unless and until he sincerely regrets his offense and thus rectifies it.

Translation

“You have made Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura appear to have been worshiping the goddess Bhavānī. Simply for this offense, you will have to fall down into hellish life for ten million births.

Word meanings

śrīvāse — unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; karāili — you have caused to do ; tui — you ; bhavānī - pūjana — worshiping the goddess Bhavānī ; koṭi janma — for ten million births ; habe — there will be ; tora — your ; raurave — in hell ; patana — fall down .

Purport

There are many tantric followers who, wishing to eat meat and drink wine, practice the black art of worshiping the goddess Bhavānī in a crematorium. Such fools also consider this bhavānī-pūjā to be as good as worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa in devotional service. But such abominable tantric activities performed by so-called svāmīs and yogīs are herein condemned by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He declares that such bhavānī-pūjā for drinking wine and eating meat quickly plunges one into hellish life. The method of worship itself is already hellish, and its results must also be hellish and nothing more.

Many rascals say that whatever way one accepts, one will ultimately reach Brahman. Yet we can see from this verse how such persons reach Brahman. Brahman spreads everywhere, but appreciation of Brahman in different objects leads to different results. In the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) the Lord says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: “I reward everyone according to his surrender unto Me.” Māyāvādīs certainly realize Brahman in certain aspects, but realization of Brahman in the aspects of wine, women and meat is not the same realization of Brahman that devotees achieve by chanting, dancing and eating prasādam. Māyāvādī philosophers, being educated in paltry knowledge, think all sorts of Brahman realization one and the same and do not consider varieties. But although Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, by His inconceivable potency He is simultaneously not everywhere. Thus the Brahman realization of the tantric cult is not the same Brahman realization as that of pure devotees. Unless one reaches the highest point of Brahman realization, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is punishable. All people except Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees are to some proportion pāṣaṇḍīs, or demons, and thus they are punishable by the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, as stated below.

Translation

“I have appeared in this incarnation to kill the demons [pāṣaṇḍīs] and, after killing them, to preach the cult of devotional service.”

Word meanings

pāṣaṇḍī — demons, atheists ; saṁhārite — to kill ; mora — My ; ei — this ; avatāra — incarnation ; pāṣaṇḍī — atheist ; saṁhāri’ — killing ; bhakti — devotional service ; karimu — I shall do ; pracāra — preaching .

Purport

Lord Caitanya’s mission is the same as that of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which He states in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.7-8):

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion — at that time I descend Myself. In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.”

As explained here, the real purpose of an incarnation of Godhead is to kill the atheists and maintain the devotees. He does not say, like so many rascal incarnations, that atheists and devotees are on the same platform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the real Personality of Godhead, does not advocate such an idea.

Atheists are punishable, whereas devotees are to be protected. To maintain this principle is the mission of all avatāras, or incarnations. One must therefore identify an incarnation by His activities, not by popular votes or mental concoctions. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave protection to devotees and killed many demons in the course of His preaching work. He specifically mentioned that the Māyāvādī philosophers are the greatest demons. Therefore He warned all others not to hear the Māyāvāda philosophy: māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Simply by hearing the Māyāvāda interpretation of the śāstras, one is doomed (Cc. Madhya 6.169).

Translation

After saying this, the Lord left to take His bath in the Ganges, and that sinful man did not give up his life but continued to suffer.

Word meanings

eta bali’ — saying this ; gelā — went away ; prabhu — the Lord ; karite — to take ; gaṅgā - snāna — a bath in the Ganges ; sei — that ; pāpī — sinful man ; duḥkha — pains ; bhoge — suffers ; nā — not ; yāya — go away ; parāṇa — the life .

Purport

It appears that an offender to a Vaiṣṇava continues to suffer and does not give up his life. We have actually seen that a great vaiṣṇava-aparādhī continuously suffered so much that it was difficult for him to move, and yet he did not die.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya, after accepting the renounced order of life, went to Jagannātha Purī and then came back to the village of Kuliyā, upon His return that sinful man took shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord, being merciful to him, gave him instructions for his benefit.

Word meanings

sannyāsa kariyā — after accepting the renounced order of life ; yabe — when ; prabhu — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nīlācale — to Jagannātha Purī ; gelā — went ; tathā haite — from there ; yabe — when ; kuliyā — of the name Kuliyā ; grāme — to the village ; āilā — came back ; tabe — at that time ; sei — that ; pāpī — sinful man ; prabhura — of the Lord ; la - ila — took ; śaraṇa — shelter ; hita — beneficial ; upadeśa — advice ; kaila — gave ; ha - iyā — becoming ; karuṇa — merciful .

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, in his Anubhāṣya, has given the following note in connection with the village Kuliyā. The village originally known as Kuliyā has developed into what is now the city of Navadvīpa. In various authorized books like the Bhaktiratnākara, Caitanya-carita-mahākāvya, Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka and Caitanya-bhāgavata it is mentioned that the village of Kuliyā is on the western side of the Ganges. Even now, within the area known as Koladvīpa, there is a place known as kuliāra gañja and a place called kuliāra daha, both within the jurisdiction of the present municipality of Navadvīpa. In the time of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the two villages on the western side of the Ganges named Kuliyā and Pāhāḍapura both belonged to the jurisdiction of Bāhiradvīpa. At that time the place on the eastern side of the Ganges now known as Antardvīpa was known as Navadvīpa. At that time the place on the eastern side of the Ganges now known as Antardvīpa was known as Navadvīpa. At Śrī Māyāpur that place is still known as Dvīpera Māṭha. There is another place of the name Kuliyā near Kāṅcaḍāpāḍā, but it is not the same Kuliyā mentioned here. It cannot be accepted as aparādha-bhañjanera pāṭa, or the place where the offense was excused, for that occurred in the above-mentioned Kuliyā on the western side of the Ganges. For business reasons many envious persons oppose excavation of the real place, and sometimes they advertise unauthorized places as the authorized one.

Translation

“You have committed an offense at the lotus feet of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura,” the Lord said. “First you must go there and beg for his mercy, and then if he gives you his blessings and you do not commit such sins again, you will be freed from these reactions.”

Word meanings

śrīvāsa paṇḍitera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; sthāne — at the lotus feet ; āche — there is ; aparādha — offense ; tathā — there ; yāha — go ; teṅho — he ; yadi — if ; karena — does ; prasāda — blessings ; tabe — then ; tora — your ; habe — there will be ; ei — this ; pāpa - vimocana — immunity from sinful reaction ; yadi — if ; punaḥ — again ; aiche — such ; nāhi kara — you do not commit ; ācaraṇa — behavior .

Translation

Then the brāhmaṇa, Gopāla Cāpāla, went to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and took shelter of his lotus feet, and by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s mercy he was freed from all sinful reactions.

Word meanings

tabe — after that ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa (Gopāla Cāpāla) ; la - ila — took shelter ; āsi — coming ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; śaraṇa — shelter of his lotus feet ; tāṅhāra kṛpāya — by his mercy ; haila — became ; pāpa - vimocana — free from all sinful reaction .

Translation

Another brāhmaṇa came to see the kīrtana performance, but the door was closed, and he could not enter the hall.

Word meanings

āra — another ; eka — one ; vipra — brāhmaṇa ; āila — came ; kīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; dekhite — to see ; dvāre — in the gateway ; kapāṭa — the door (being closed) ; nā pāila — did not get ; bhitare — inside ; yāite — to go .

Translation

He returned home with an unhappy mind, but on the next day he met Lord Caitanya on the bank of the Ganges and spoke to Him.

Word meanings

phiri’ gela — went back ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa ; ghare — to his home ; mane — within his mind ; duḥkha — unhappiness ; pāñā — getting ; āra dina — the next day ; prabhuke — unto the Lord ; kahe — says ; gaṅgāya — on the bank of the Ganges ; lāga — touch ; pāñā — getting .

Translation

That brāhmaṇa was expert in talking harshly and cursing others. Thus he broke his sacred thread and declared, “I shall now curse You, for Your behavior has greatly aggrieved me.”

Word meanings

śapiba — I shall curse ; tomāre — You ; muñi — I ; pāñāchi — I have ; manaḥ - duḥkha — mentally very much aggrieved ; paitā — sacred thread ; chiṇḍiyā — breaking ; śāpe — cursing ; pracaṇḍa — fiercely ; durmukha — one who speaks harshly .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa cursed the Lord, “You shall be bereft of all material happiness!” When the Lord heard this, He felt great jubilation within Himself.

Word meanings

saṁsāra - sukha — material happiness ; tomāra — Your ; ha - uka — may it become ; vināśa — all vanquished ; śāpa śuni’ — hearing this curse ; prabhura — of the Lord ; citte — within His mind ; ha - ila — there was ; ullāsa — jubilation .

Translation

Any faithful person who hears of this brāhmaṇa’s cursing Lord Caitanya is delivered from all brahminical curses.

Word meanings

prabhura — of the Lord ; śāpa - vārtā — the incident of the curse ; yei — anyone who ; śune — hears ; śraddhāvān — with affection ; brahma - śāpa — cursing by a brāhmaṇa ; haite — from ; tāra — his ; haya — becomes ; paritrāṇa — deliverance .

Purport

One should know with firm conviction that the Lord, being transcendental, is never subject to any curse or benediction. Only ordinary living entities are subjected to curses and the punishments of Yamarāja. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is beyond such punishments and benedictions. When one understands this fact with faith and love, he personally becomes free from all curses uttered by brāhmaṇas or anyone else. This incident is not mentioned in the Caitanya-bhāgavata.

Translation

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed Mukunda Datta with punishment and in that way vanquished all his mental depression.

Word meanings

mukunda - dattere — unto Mukunda Datta ; kaila — did ; daṇḍa — punishment ; parasāda — benediction ; khaṇḍila — vanquished ; tāhāra — his ; cittera — of the mind ; saba — all kinds of ; avasāda — depressions .

Purport

Mukunda Datta was once forbidden to enter the association of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu because of his mixing with the Māyāvādī impersonalists. When Lord Caitanya manifested His mahā-prakāśa, He called all the devotees one after another and blessed them, while Mukunda Datta stood outside the door. The devotees informed the Lord that Mukunda Datta was waiting outside, but the Lord replied, “I shall not soon be pleased with Mukunda Datta, for though he explains devotional service among devotees, he then goes to Māyāvādīs to hear from them the Yoga-vāśiṣṭha-rāmāyaṇa, which is full of Māyāvāda philosophy. For this I am greatly displeased with him.” Hearing the Lord speak in that way, Mukunda Datta, standing outside, was exceedingly glad that the Lord would at some time be pleased with him, although He was not pleased at that moment. But when the Lord understood that Mukunda Datta was going to give up the association of the Māyāvādīs for good, He was pleased, and He at once called to see Mukunda. Thus He delivered him from the association of the Māyāvādīs and gave him the association of pure devotees.

Translation

Lord Caitanya respected Advaita Ācārya as His spiritual master, but Advaita Ācārya Prabhu was greatly aggrieved by such behavior.

Word meanings

ācārya - gosāñire — unto Advaita Ācārya ; prabhu — the Lord ; kare — does ; guru - bhakti — offering respects like a spiritual master ; tāhāte — in that way ; ācārya — Advaita Ācārya ; baḍa — very much ; haya — becomes ; duḥkha - mati — aggrieved .

Translation

Thus He whimsically began to explain the path of philosophical speculation, and the Lord, in His anger, seemingly disrespected Him.

Word meanings

bhaṅgī kari’ — doing it in fun ; jñāna - mārga — the path of philosophical speculation ; karila — did ; vyākhyāna — explanation ; krodha - āveśe — in the mood of anger ; prabhu — the Lord ; tāre — to Him ; kaila — did ; avajñāna — disrespect .

Translation

At that time Advaita Ācārya was greatly pleased. The Lord understood this, and He was somewhat ashamed, but He offered Advaita Ācārya His benediction.

Word meanings

tabe — at that time ; ācārya - gosāñira — of Advaita Ācārya ; ānanda — pleasure ; ha - ila — aroused ; lajjita — ashamed ; ha - iyā — becoming ; prabhu — the Lord ; prasāda — benediction ; karila — offered .

Purport

Advaita Ācārya was a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī’s spiritual master. Therefore Īśvara Purī, the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was Advaita Ācārya’s Godbrother. In view of this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu treated Advaita Ācārya as His spiritual master, but Śrī Advaita Ācārya did not like this behavior of Lord Caitanya, for He wanted to be treated as His eternal servant. Advaita Prabhu’s aspiration was to be a servant of the Lord, not His spiritual master. He therefore devised a plan to antagonize the Lord. He began to explain the path of philosophical speculation in the midst of some unfortunate Māyāvādīs, and when Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard about this, He immediately went there and in a very angry mood began to beat Advaita Ācārya. At that time, Advaita Ācārya, greatly pleased, began to dance, saying, “Just see how My desire has now been fulfilled! Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to treat Me honorably for so long, but now He is treating Me neglectfully. This is My reward. His affection for Me is so great that He wanted to save Me from the hands of the Māyāvādīs.” Hearing this statement, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was somewhat ashamed, but He was very pleased with Advaita Ācārya.

Translation

Murāri Gupta was a great devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. When Lord Caitanya heard Lord Rāmacandra’s glories from his mouth, He immediately wrote on his forehead “rāmadāsa” [the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra].

Word meanings

murāri - gupta — of Murāri Gupta ; mukhe — from the mouth ; śuni’ — hearing ; rāma — of Lord Rāmacandra ; guṇa - grāma — glories ; lalāṭe — on the forehead ; likhila — wrote ; tāṅra — of Murāri Gupta ; rāma - dāsa — the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra ; nāma — the name .

Translation

Once Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the house of Śrīdhara after kīrtana and drank water from his damaged iron pot. Then He bestowed His benediction upon all the devotees according to their desires.

Word meanings

śrīdharera — of Śrīdhara ; lauha - pātre — from the iron pot ; kaila — did ; jala - pāna — drinking of water ; samasta — all ; bhaktere — to the devotees ; dila — gave ; iṣṭa — desired ; vara - dāna — benediction .

Purport

After the mass nagara-saṅkīrtana in protest against the magistrate Chand Kazi, the Kazi was converted to a devotee. Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned with His saṅkīrtana party to the house of Śrīdhara, and Chand Kazi followed Him. All the devotees rested there for some time and drank water from Śrīdhara’s damaged iron pot. The Lord accepted the water because the pot belonged to a devotee. Chand Kazi then returned home. The place where they rested is still situated on the northeastern side of Māyāpur, and it is known as kīrtana-viśrāma-sthāna, “the resting place of the kīrtana party.”

Translation

After this incident the Lord blessed Haridāsa Ṭhākura and vanquished the offense of His mother at the home of Advaita Ācārya.

Word meanings

haridāsa ṭhākurere — unto Haridāsa Ṭhākura ; karila — did ; prasāda — benediction ; ācārya - sthāne — in the home of Advaita Ācārya ; mātāra — of Śacīmātā ; khaṇḍāila — vanquished ; aparādha — the offense .

Purport

On the mahā-prakāśa day, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Haridāsa Ṭhākura and informed him that he was none other than an incarnation of Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Viśvarūpa took sannyāsa, Śacīmātā thought that Advaita Ācārya had persuaded Him to do so. Therefore she accused Advaita Ācārya of this, which was an offense at His lotus feet. Later Lord Caitanya induced His mother to take the dust of Advaita Ācārya’s lotus feet, and thus her vaiṣṇava-aparādha was nullified.

Translation

Once when the Lord explained the glories of the holy name to the devotees, some ordinary students who heard Him fashioned their own interpretation.

Word meanings

bhakta - gaṇe — unto the devotees ; prabhu — the Lord ; nāma - mahimā — glories of the holy name ; kahila — explained ; śuniyā — hearing ; paḍuyā — the students ; tāhāṅ — there ; artha - vāda — interpretation ; kaila — did .

Translation

When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student’s face henceforward.

Word meanings

nāme — in the holy name of the Lord ; stuti - vāda — exaggeration ; śuni’ — hearing ; prabhura — of the Lord ; haila — became ; duḥkha — aggrieved ; sabāre — unto everyone ; niṣedhila — warned ; ihāra — of him ; nā — do not ; dekhiha — see ; mukha — face .

Purport

Once when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the glories of the transcendental potency of the Lord’s holy name, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one unfortunate student said that such glorification of the holy name was an exaggeration in the śāstras to induce people to take to it. In this way the student interpreted the glories of the holy name. This is called artha-vāda, and it is one of the ten offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name of the Lord. There are many kinds of offenses, but the offense known as nāma-aparādha, an offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, is extremely dangerous. The Lord therefore warned everyone not to see the face of the offender. The Lord immediately took a bath in the Ganges with all His clothes on to teach everyone to avoid such a nāma-aparādha. The holy name is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between the person God and His holy name. This is the absolute position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one who distinguishes between the Lord and His name is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or nonbeliever, an atheistic demon. Glorification of the holy name is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should never attempt to distinguish between the Lord and His name or interpret the glories of the holy name as mere exaggerations.

Translation

Without even removing His garments, Lord Caitanya took a bath in the Ganges with His companions. There He explained the glories of devotional service.

Word meanings

sa - gaṇe — with His followers ; sa - cele — without leaving the clothes ; giyā — going ; kaila — did ; gaṅgā - snāna — bathing in the Ganges ; bhaktira — of devotional service ; mahimā — glories ; tāhāṅ — there ; karila — did ; vyākhyāna — explanation .

Translation

“By following the paths of speculative philosophical knowledge, fruitive activity or mystic yoga to control the senses, one cannot satisfy Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. Unalloyed devotional love for Kṛṣṇa is the only cause for the Lord’s satisfaction.

Word meanings

jñāna — the path of speculative knowledge ; karma — fruitive activities ; yoga — the process of controlling the senses ; dharme — in the activities, in such an occupation ; nahe — is not ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; vaśa — pleased ; kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; vaśa — for the pleasure ; hetu — reason ; eka — one ; prema — love ; bhakti — devotional service ; rasa — such a mellow .

Translation

“[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, neither through aṣṭāṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyāsa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.’ ”

Word meanings

na — never ; sādhayati — causes to remain satisfied ; mām — Me ; yogaḥ — the process of control ; na — nor ; sāṅkhyam — the process of gaining philosophical knowledge about the Absolute Truth ; dharmaḥ — such an occupation ; uddhava — My dear Uddhava ; na — nor ; svādhyāyaḥ — study of the Vedas ; tapaḥ — austerities ; tyāgaḥ — renunciation, acceptance of sannyāsa, or charity ; yathā — as much as ; bhaktiḥ — devotional service ; mama — unto Me ; ūrjitā — developed .

Purport

Karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs, tapasvīs and students of Vedic literature who do not have Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply beat around the bush and do not get any final profit because they have no clear knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nor do they have faith in approaching Him by discharging devotional service, although everywhere such service is repeatedly emphasized, as it is in this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20) . The Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) also declares, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: “One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service.” If one wants to understand the Supreme Personality factually, he must take to the path of devotional service and not waste time in profitless philosophical speculation, fruitive activity, mystic yogic practice or severe austerity and penance. Elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.5) the Lord confirms, kleśo ’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām: “For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome.” People who are attached to the impersonal feature of the Lord are obliged to take great trouble, yet nevertheless they cannot understand the Absolute Truth. As explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11) , brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Unless one understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of both Brahman and Paramātmā, one is still in darkness about the Absolute Truth.

Translation

Lord Caitanya then praised Murāri Gupta, saying, “You have satisfied Lord Kṛṣṇa.” Hearing this, Murāri Gupta quoted a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Word meanings

murārike — unto Murāri ; kahe — says ; tumi — you ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; vaśa — satisfied ; kaila — made ; śuniyā — hearing ; murāri — Murāri ; śloka — verse ; kahite — to speak ; lāgila — began .

Translation

“ ‘Since I am but a poor, sinful brahma-bandhu, not brahminically qualified although born in a brāhmaṇa family, and You, Lord Kṛṣṇa, are the shelter of the goddess of fortune, it is simply wonderful, my dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, that You have embraced me with Your arms.’ ”

Word meanings

kva — whereas ; aham — I (am) ; daridraḥ — very poor ; pāpīyān — sinful ; kva — whereas ; kṛṣṇaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; śrīniketanaḥ — the shelter of the goddess of fortune ; brahma - bandhuḥ — a caste brāhmaṇa without brahminical qualifications ; iti — thus ; sma — certainly ; aham — I (am) ; bāhubhyām — by the arms ; parirambhitaḥ — embraced .

Purport

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.81.16) spoken by Sudāmā Vipra in the presence of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This and the previous verse quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam clearly indicate that although Kṛṣṇa is so great that it is not possible for anyone to satisfy Him, He exhibits His greatness by being personally satisfied even with one who is unqualified from so many angles of vision. Sudāmā Vipra was born in a family of brāhmaṇas, and he was a learned scholar and a class friend of Kṛṣṇa’s, yet he considered himself unfit to be strictly called a brāhmaṇa. He called himself a brahma-bandhu, meaning “one born in a brāhmaṇa family but not brahminically qualified.” Because of His great respect for brāhmaṇas, however, Kṛṣṇa embraced Sudāmā Vipra, although he was not a regular brāhmaṇa but a brahma-bandhu, or friend of a brāhmaṇa family. Murāri Gupta could not be called even a brahma-bandhu because he was born of a vaidya family and according to the social structure was therefore considered a śūdra. But Kṛṣṇa bestowed special mercy upon Murāri Gupta because he was a beloved devotee of the Lord, as stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The purport of Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s elaborate discussion of this subject is that no qualification in this material world can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, yet everything becomes successful simply through development of devotional service to the Lord.

The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness cannot even call themselves brahma-bandhus. Therefore our only means for satisfying Kṛṣṇa is to pursue the injunctions of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who says:

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa

“Whomever you meet, instruct him on the teachings of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, on My order, become a spiritual master and deliver the people of this country.” (Cc. Madhya 7.128) Simply trying to follow the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we speak to the people of the world about Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This will make us qualified to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

One day the Lord performed saṅkīrtana with all His devotees, and when they were greatly fatigued they sat down.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; prabhu — the Lord ; saba — all ; bhakta - gaṇa — devotees ; lañā — taking into company ; saṅkīrtana — chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; kari’ — doing so ; vaise — sat ; śrama - yukta — feeling fatigued ; hañā — thus being .

Translation

The Lord then sowed a mango seed in the yard, and immediately the seed fructified into a tree and began to grow.

Word meanings

eka — one ; āmra - bīja — seed of a mango ; prabhu — the Lord ; aṅgane — in the yard ; ropila — sowed ; tat - kṣaṇe — immediately ; janmila — fructified ; vṛkṣa — a tree ; bāḍite — to grow ; lāgila — began .

Translation

As people looked on, the tree became fully grown, with fruits that fully ripened. Thus everyone was struck with wonder.

Word meanings

dekhite dekhite — as people were seeing ; vṛkṣa — the tree ; ha - ila — became ; phalita — fully grown with fruits ; pākila — ripened ; aneka — many ; phala — fruits ; sabei — every one of them ; vismita — struck with wonder .

Translation

The Lord immediately picked about two hundred fruits, and after washing them He offered them to Kṛṣṇa to eat.

Word meanings

śata — hundred ; dui — two ; phala — fruits ; prabhu — the Lord ; śīghra — very soon ; pāḍāila — caused to be picked up ; prakṣālana — washing ; kari’ — doing ; kṛṣṇe — to Lord Kṛṣṇa ; bhoga — offering ; lāgāila — made it so .

Translation

The fruits were all red and yellow, with no seed inside and no skin outside, and eating one fruit would immediately fill a man’s belly.

Word meanings

rakta - pīta - varṇa — the mangoes were red and yellow in color ; nāhi — there was none ; aṣṭhi — seed ; valkala — or skin ; eka — one ; janera — man’s ; peṭa — belly ; bhare — filled up ; khāile — if he would eat ; eka — one ; phala — fruit .

Purport

In India a mango is considered best when it is red and yellow, its seed is very small, its skin is very thin, and it is so palatable that if a person eats one fruit he will be satisfied. The mango is considered the king of all fruits.

Translation

Seeing the quality of the mangoes, the Lord was greatly satisfied, and thus after eating first, He fed all the other devotees.

Word meanings

dekhiyā — seeing this ; santuṣṭa — satisfied ; hailā — became ; śacīra — of mother Śacī ; nandana — son ; sabāke — everyone ; khāoyāla — made to eat ; āge — in the beginning ; kariyā — doing ; bhakṣaṇa — eating Himself .

Translation

The fruits had no seeds or skins. They were full of nectarean juice and were so sweet that a man would be fully satisfied by eating only one.

Word meanings

aṣṭhi — seed ; valkala — skin ; nāhi — there is none ; amṛta — nectar ; rasa - maya — full of juice ; eka — one ; phala — fruit ; khāile — if one eats ; rase — with the juice ; udara — belly ; pūraya — fulfilled .

Translation

In this way, fruits grew on the tree every day throughout the twelve months of the year, and the Vaiṣṇavas used to eat them, to the Lord’s great satisfaction.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; prati - dina — every day ; phale — fruit grew ; bāra — twelve ; māsa — months ; vaiṣṇava — the Vaiṣṇavas ; khāyena — eat ; phala — the fruits ; prabhura — the Lord’s ; ullāsa — satisfaction .

Translation

These are confidential pastimes of the son of Śacī. Other than devotees, no one knows of this incident.

Word meanings

ei saba — all these ; līlā — pastimes ; kare — performed ; śacīra — of mother Śacī ; nandana — son ; anya loka — other people ; nāhi — do not ; jāne — know ; vinā — except ; bhakta - gaṇa — the devotees .

Purport

Nondevotees cannot believe this incident, yet the place where the tree grew still exists in Māyāpur. It is called Āmra-ghaṭṭa or Āma-ghāṭā.

Translation

In this way the Lord performed saṅkīrtana every day, and at the end of saṅkīrtana there was a mango-eating festival every day for twelve months.

Word meanings

ei mata — in this way ; bāra - māsa — for twelve months ; kīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; avasāne — at the end ; āmra - mahā - utsava — festival of eating mangoes ; prabhu — the Lord ; kare — performs ; dine dine — every day .

Purport

On principle, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu would distribute prasādam at the end of kīrtana performances. Similarly, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must distribute some prasādam to the audience after performing kīrtana.

Translation

Once while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was performing kīrtana, clouds assembled in the sky, and the Lord, by His own will, immediately stopped them from pouring rain.

Word meanings

kīrtana — saṅkīrtana ; karite — performing ; prabhu — the Lord ; āila — there was ; megha - gaṇa — bunches of clouds ; āpana - icchāya — by self-will ; kaila — made ; megha — of the clouds ; nivāraṇa — stopping .

Purport

In this connection Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that once when Lord Caitanya was performing saṅkīrtana a short way from the village, some clouds appeared overhead. By the supreme will of the Lord, the clouds were asked to disperse, and they did. Because of this incident, that place is still known as Meghera-cara . Since the course of the Ganges has now changed, the village of the name Belapukhuriyā, which was formerly situated in a different place, called Tāraṇavāsa, has now become known as Meghera-cara . The Madhya-khaṇḍa of Śrīla Locana dāsa Ṭhākura’s Caitanya-maṅgala also relates that once at the end of the day, when evening clouds assembled overhead and thundered threateningly, all the Vaiṣṇavas were very much afraid. But the Lord took His karatālas in His hands and personally began chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, looking up toward the sky as if to direct the demigods in the higher planets. Thus all the assembled clouds dispersed, and as the sky became clear, with the moon rising, the Lord began dancing very happily with His jubilant and satisfied devotees.

Translation

One day the Lord ordered Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura to read the Bṛhat-sahasra-nāma [the thousand names of Lord Viṣṇu], for He wanted to hear them at that time.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; prabhu — the Lord ; śrīvāsere — unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; ājñā — order ; dila — gave ; bṛhat — great ; sahasra - nāma — one thousand names ; paḍa — read ; śunite — to hear ; mana — mind ; haila — wanted .

Translation

As he read the thousand names of the Lord, in due course the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁha appeared. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁha, He became fully absorbed in thought.

Word meanings

paḍite — while reading ; āilā — came ; stave — in the prayer ; nṛsiṁhera — of Lord Nṛsiṁha ; nāma — the holy name ; śuniyā — hearing ; āviṣṭa — absorbed ; hailā — became ; prabhu — Lord ; gaura - dhāma — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Purport

The Caitanya-maṅgala, Madhya-khaṇḍa, describes this incident as follows: Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita was performing the śrāddha ceremony for his father, and as is customary, he was hearing the thousand names of Lord Viṣṇu. At that time Gaurahari (Lord Caitanya) appeared on the scene, and He also began to hear the thousand names of Viṣṇu with full satisfaction. When He thus heard the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁha, Lord Caitanya became absorbed in thought, and He became angry like Nṛsiṁha Prabhu in His angry mood. His eyes became red, His bodily hairs stood on end, all the parts of His body trembled, and He made a thundering sound. All of a sudden He took up a club, and people became greatly afraid, thinking, “We do not know what kind of offense we have now committed!” But then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu adjusted His thoughts and sat down on His seat.

Translation

In the mood of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, Lord Caitanya ran through the city streets, club in hand, ready to kill all the atheists.

Word meanings

nṛsiṁha - āveśe — in the ecstatic mood of Lord Nṛsiṁha ; prabhu — the Lord ; hāte — in His hand ; gadā — club ; lañā — taking ; pāṣaṇḍī — the atheists ; mārite — to kill ; yāya — goes ; nagare — in the city ; dhāiyā — running .

Translation

Seeing Him appearing very fierce in the ecstasy of Lord Nṛsiṁha, people ran from the street and fled here and there, afraid of His anger.

Word meanings

nṛsiṁha - āveśa — the ecstasy of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva ; dekhi’ — seeing ; mahā - tejo - maya — very fierce ; patha chāḍi’ — giving up the road ; bhāge — run away ; loka — all people ; pāñā — getting ; baḍa — very much ; bhaya — afraid .

Translation

Seeing the people so afraid, the Lord came to His external senses and thus returned to the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and threw away the club.

Word meanings

loka - bhaya — the fearful people ; dekhi’ — seeing this ; prabhura — of the Lord ; bāhya — external sense ; ha - ila — appeared ; śrīvāsa - gṛhete — in the house of Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita ; giyā — going there ; gadā — the club ; phelāila — threw away .

Translation

The Lord became morose and said to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, “When I adopted the mood of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, people were greatly afraid. Therefore I stopped, since causing fear among people is an offense.”

Word meanings

śrīvāse — unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; kahena — says ; prabhu — the Lord ; kariyā — becoming ; viṣāda — morose ; loka — people ; bhaya pāya — become afraid ; mora — My ; haya — there is ; aparādha — offense .

Translation

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Anyone who takes Your holy name vanquishes ten million of his offenses immediately.

Word meanings

śrīvāsa balena — Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita said ; ye — anyone who ; tomara — Your ; nāma — holy name ; laya — takes ; tāra — his ; koṭi — ten million ; aparādha — offenses ; saba — all ; haya — become ; kṣaya — vanquished .

Translation

“There was no offense in Your appearing as Nṛsiṁhadeva. Rather, any man who saw You in that mood was immediately liberated from the bondage of material existence.”

Word meanings

aparādha — offense ; nāhi — did not ; kaile — committed ; lokera — of the people ; nistāra — liberation ; ye — anyone who ; tomā’ — You ; dekhila — saw ; tāra — his ; chuṭila — became free ; saṁsāra — material bondage .

Translation

After saying this, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura worshiped the Lord, who was then greatly satisfied and returned to His own home.

Word meanings

eta bali’ — saying this ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; karila — did ; sevana — worship ; tuṣṭa — satisfied ; hañā — becoming ; prabhu — the Lord ; āilā — came back ; āpana - bhavana — to His own home .

Translation

On another day a great devotee of Lord Śiva, chanting of Lord Śiva’s qualities, came to Lord Caitanya’s house, where he began dancing in the courtyard and playing his ḍamaru [a musical instrument].

Word meanings

āra dina — another day ; śiva - bhakta — a devotee of Lord Śiva ; śiva - guṇa — the qualities of Lord Śiva ; gāya — chants ; prabhura — of Lord Caitanya ; aṅgane — in the courtyard ; nāce — dances ; ḍamaru — a kind of musical instrument ; bājāyā — plays on it .

Translation

Then Lord Caitanya, adopting the mood of Lord Śiva, got on the man’s shoulders, and thus they danced together for a long time.

Word meanings

maheśa - āveśa — in the mood of Lord Śiva ; hailā — became ; śacīra — of mother Śacī ; nandana — son ; tāra skandhe — on his shoulder ; caḍi — getting on ; nṛtya — dance ; kaila — did ; bahu - kṣaṇa — for a long time .

Purport

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu adopted the mood of Lord Śiva, for He is Śiva also. According to the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, Lord Śiva is not different from Lord Viṣṇu, but still Lord Śiva is not Lord Viṣṇu, just as yogurt is nothing but milk and yet is not milk nevertheless. One cannot get the benefit of milk by drinking yogurt. Similarly, one cannot get salvation by worshiping Lord Śiva. If one wants salvation, one must worship Lord Viṣṇu. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) : mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. Everything is resting on the Lord, for everything is His energy, yet He is not everywhere. Lord Caitanya’s adopting the mood of Lord Śiva is not extraordinary, but one should not therefore think that by worshiping Lord Śiva one is worshiping Lord Caitanya. That would be a mistake.

Translation

On another day a mendicant came to beg alms from the Lord’s house, but when he saw the Lord dancing, he also began to dance.

Word meanings

āra — another ; dina — day ; eka — one ; bhikṣuka — beggar ; āilā — came ; māgite — to beg ; prabhura — of the Lord ; nṛtya — dancing ; dekhi — seeing ; nṛtya — dancing ; lāgila — began ; karite — to perform .

Translation

He danced with the Lord because he was favored by love of Kṛṣṇa. Thus he flowed in the mellows of love of Godhead.

Word meanings

prabhu - saṅge — along with the Lord ; nṛtya kare — was dancing ; parama — very much ; ullāse — in satisfaction ; prabhu — the Lord ; tāre — him ; prema — love of Godhead ; dila — delivered ; prema - rase — in the mellows of love of God ; bhāse — began to float .

Translation

On another day an astrologer came who was said to know everything — past, present and future. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu received him with all honor and put this question before him.

Word meanings

āra dine — some other day ; jyotiṣa — an astrologer ; sarva - jña — who knows everything ; eka — one ; āila — came there ; tāhāre — unto him ; sammāna kari’ — giving all honor ; prabhu — the Lord ; praśna — question ; kaila — put .

Purport

Brāhmaṇas generally used to become astrologers, Āyur-vedic physicians, teachers and priests. Although highly learned and respectable, such brāhmaṇas went from door to door to distribute their knowledge. A brāhmaṇa would first go to a householder’s home to give information about the functions to be performed on a particular tithi, or date, but if there were sickness in the family, the family members would consult the brāhmaṇa as a physician, and the brāhmaṇa would give instruction and some medicine. Often, since the brāhmaṇas were expert in astrology, people would also be greatly inquisitive about their past, present and future.

Although the brāhmaṇa appeared at Lord Caitanya’s house as a beggar, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu received him with great respect because he was a qualified brāhmaṇa who knew the astrological science perfectly. Although brāhmaṇas would go door to door just like beggars, they were honored as very respectable guests. This was the system in Hindu society five hundred years ago, during the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This system was current even one hundred years ago; even fifty or sixty years ago, when we were children, such brāhmaṇas would visit householders like humble beggars, and people would derive great benefit from the mercy of such brāhmaṇas. The greatest benefit was that a householder could save a great deal of money from being spent on doctor bills because the brāhmaṇas, aside from explaining the past, present and future, could ordinarily cure all kinds of diseases simply by giving instructions and some medicine. Thus no one was bereft of the benefit of a first-class physician, astrologer and priest. The important members of ISKCON should give careful attention to our Dallas school, where children are being taught Sanskrit and English to become perfect brāhmaṇas. If they are actually trained as perfect brāhmaṇas, they can save society from rogues and ruffians; indeed, people can live happily under the protection of qualified brāhmaṇas. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā (4.13) gives special stress to the division of society ( cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karmavibhāgaśaḥ ) . Unfortunately some people are now claiming to be brāhmaṇas simply by birthright, with no qualifications. Therefore the entire society is in chaos.

Translation

“Please tell Me who I was in My previous birth,” the Lord said. “Please tell Me by your astrological computations.” Hearing the words of the Lord, the astrologer immediately began to calculate.

Word meanings

ke āchiluṅ āmi — who I was ; pūrva janme — in My previous birth ; kaha — please say ; gaṇi’ — by your astrological calculation ; gaṇite — to calculate ; lāgilā — began ; sarva - jña — a man who knows past, present and future ; prabhu - vākya — the words of Lord Caitanya ; śuni’ — hearing .

Purport

Through astrology one can know past, present and future. Modern Western astrologers have no knowledge of the past or future, nor can they perfectly say anything about the present. Herein we find, however, that after hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s order, the astrologer immediately began his calculations. This was not a facade: he actually knew how to ascertain one’s past life through astrology. A still-existing treatise called the Bhṛgu-saṁhitā describes a system by which anyone can immediately get information about what he was in the past and what he is going to be in the future. The brāhmaṇas who went door to door as if beggars had perfect command of such vast knowledge. Thus the highest knowledge was easily available even to the poorest man in society. The poorest man could inquire from an astrologer about his past, present and future, with no need for business agreements or exorbitant payments. The brāhmaṇa would give him all the benefit of his knowledge without asking remuneration, and the poor man, in return, would offer a handful of rice, or anything he had in his possession, to satisfy the brāhmaṇa. In a perfect human society, perfect knowledge in any science — medical, astrological, ecclesiastical and so on — is available even to the poorest man, with no anxiety over payment. In the present day, however, no one can get justice, medical treatment, astrological help or ecclesiastical enlightenment without money, and since people are generally poor, they are bereft of the benefits of all these great sciences.

Translation

Through calculation and meditation, the all-knowing astrologer saw the greatly effulgent body of the Lord, which is the resting place of all the unlimited Vaikuṇṭha planets.

Word meanings

gaṇi’ — by calculation ; dhyāne — by meditation ; dekhe — sees ; sarva - jña — knower of everything ; mahā - jyotir - maya — highly effulgent body ; ananta — unlimited ; vaikuṇṭha — spiritual world ; brahmāṇḍa — planets ; sabāra — of all of them ; āśraya — shelter .

Purport

Here we get some information of the Vaikuṇṭha world, or spiritual world. Vaikuṇṭha means “without anxiety.” In the material world, everyone is full of anxiety, but another world, where there is no anxiety, is described in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.20) :

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati

“Yet there is another unmanifest nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.”

As there are many planets within the material world, there are many millions of planets, called Vaikuṇṭhalokas, in the spiritual world. All these Vaikuṇṭhalokas, or superior planets, rest on the effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā ( yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi- ), the Brahman effulgence emanating from the body of the Supreme Lord creates innumerable planets in both the spiritual and material worlds; thus these planets are creations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The astrologer saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be the very same Personality of Godhead. We can just imagine how learned he was, yet he was traveling door to door, just like an ordinary beggar, for the highest benefit of human society.

Translation

Seeing Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be the same Absolute Truth, the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, the astrologer was confused.

Word meanings

parama - tattva — the Supreme Truth ; para - brahma — the Supreme Brahman ; parama - īśvara — the Supreme Lord ; dekhi’ — seeing ; prabhura — of the Lord ; mūrti — form ; sarva - jña — the all-knowing astrologer ; ha - ila — became ; phāṅphara — confused .

Purport

Herein it is clearly indicated that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Brahman, is, in the ultimate issue, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore a person is the beginning of all things. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) , mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate: everything begins from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is the supreme living entity. Therefore whatever exists, whether matter or spirit, is all but an emanation from the Supreme Person, or supreme life. The modern scientists’ theory that life begins from matter is nonsense. Both matter and life begin from life. Unfortunately the scientists do not know this scientific fact; they are drifting in the darkness of their so-called knowledge.

Translation

Struck with wonder, the astrologer remained silent, unable to speak. But when the Lord again put the question before him, he replied as follows.

Word meanings

balite — to say ; nā pāre — is not able ; kichu — anything ; mauna — silent ; ha - ila — became ; prabhu — the Lord ; punaḥ — again ; praśna — question ; kaila — put ; kahite — to speak ; lāgila — began .

Translation

“My dear sir, in Your previous birth You were the shelter of all creation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full of all opulences.

Word meanings

pūrva janme — in the previous birth ; chilā — were ; tumi — You ; jagat — universe ; āśraya — shelter ; paripūrṇa — with full potencies ; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sarva - aiśvarya - maya — full of all opulences .

Translation

“You are now the same Personality of Godhead that You were in Your previous birth. Your identity is inconceivable eternal happiness.”

Word meanings

pūrve — in the past ; yaiche — as much as ; chilā — You were ; tumi — You ; ebeha — now also ; se - rūpa — the same thing ; durvijñeya — inconceivable ; nityānanda — eternal happiness ; tomāra — Your ; svarūpa — identity .

Purport

By the power of astrological science one can even ascertain the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything is to be identified by its symptoms. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is identified by the symptoms mentioned in the śāstras. It is not that anyone and everyone can become God without proof from śāstras.

Translation

When the astrologer was speaking so highly of Him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stopped him and began to smile. “My dear sir,” He said, “I think you do not know very clearly what I was, for I know that in My previous birth I was a cowherd boy.

Word meanings

prabhu — the Lord ; hāsi’ — smiling ; kailā — said ; tumi — you ; kichu — anything ; nā — not ; jānilā — know ; pūrve — in the past ; āmi — I ; āchilāṅ — was ; jātite — by caste ; goyālā — cowherd .

Translation

“In My last birth I was born in the family of cowherd men, and I gave protection to the calves and cows. Because of such pious activities, I have now become the son of a brāhmaṇa.”

Word meanings

gopa - gṛhe — in the house of a cowherd ; janma — birth ; chila — there was ; gābhīra — of the cows ; rākhāla — protector ; sei puṇye — by those pious activities ; hailāṅ — became ; ebe — now ; brāhmaṇa — of a brāhmaṇa ; chāoyāla — son .

Purport

The words of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the greatest authority, herein clearly indicate that one becomes pious simply by keeping cows and protecting them. Unfortunately, people have become such rascals that they do not even care about the words of an authority. People generally consider cowherd men lowly members of society, but herein Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms that they are so pious that in their next lives they are going to be brāhmaṇas. The caste system has a specific purpose. If this scientific system is followed, human society will get the greatest benefit. Heeding this instruction by the Lord, people should serve cows and calves and in return get ample quantities of milk. There is no loss in serving the cows and calves, but modern human society has become so degraded that instead of giving protection to the cows and serving them, people are killing them. How can they expect peace and prosperity in human society while committing such sinful activities? It is impossible.

Translation

The astrologer said, “What I saw in meditation was full of opulence, and therefore I was confused.

Word meanings

sarva - jña — the all-knowing astrologer ; kahe — says ; āmi — I ; tāhā — that ; dhyāne — in meditation ; dekhilāṅ — saw ; tāhāte — there ; aiśvarya — opulence ; dekhi’ — by seeing ; phāṅphara — confused ; ha - ilāṅ — became .

Purport

It appears that the astrologer not only was a knower of past, present and future through astrological calculation, but was a great meditator as well. Therefore he was a great devotee and could see Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be the same personality as Kṛṣṇa. He was puzzled, however, about whether Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were actually the same person.

Translation

“I am certain that Your form and the form I saw in my meditation are one and the same. If I see any difference, this is an act of Your illusory energy.”

Word meanings

sei - rūpe — in that form ; ei - rūpe — in this form ; dekhi — I see ; ekaākāra — one form ; kabhu — sometimes ; bheda — difference ; dekhi — I see ; ei — this ; māyāya tomāra — Your māyā .

Purport

Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya: in the vision of a perfect devotee, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. One who sees Lord Caitanya to be different from Kṛṣṇa is under the illusory energy of the Lord. It appears that the astrologer was already an advanced devotee, and when he came into the presence of the Supreme Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he became perfectly self-realized and could see that the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are one and the same Supreme Person.

Translation

The all-knowing astrologer concluded, “Whatever You may be or whoever You may be, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You!” By His causeless mercy, the Lord then gave him love of Godhead, thus rewarding him for his service.

Word meanings

ye hao — whatever You are ; se hao tumi — whatever You may be ; tomāke — unto You ; namaskāra — my obeisances ; prabhu — the Lord ; tāre — unto him ; prema — love of Godhead ; diyā — delivered ; kaila — did ; puraskāra — honor .

Purport

The incident of Lord Caitanya’s meeting the all-knowing astrologer is not mentioned in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, but we cannot therefore say that it did not take place. On the contrary, we must accept the statement of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī that whatever the Caitanya-bhāgavata did not mention he has especially mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Translation

One day the Lord sat down in the corridor of a Viṣṇu temple and began calling very loudly, “Bring some honey! Bring some honey!”

Word meanings

eka dina — one day ; prabhu — the Lord ; viṣṇu - maṇḍape — in the corridor of a Viṣṇu temple ; vasiyā — sitting ; madhu āna — bring honey ; madhu āna — bring honey ; balena — says ; ḍākiyā — calling loudly .

Translation

Nityānanda Prabhu Gosāñi, understanding the ecstatic mood of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, brought a pot of Ganges water as a token and put it before Him.

Word meanings

nityānanda - gosāñi — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ; prabhura — of the Lord ; āveśa — ecstasy ; jānila — could understand ; gaṅgā - jala — Ganges water ; pātra — pot ; āni’ — bringing ; sammukhe — in front ; dharila — placed it .

Translation

After drinking the water, Lord Caitanya became so ecstatic that He began to dance. Thus everyone saw the pastime of attracting the river Yamunā.

Word meanings

jala — water ; pāna kariyā — after drinking ; nāce — dances ; hañā — becoming ; vihvala — ecstatic ; yamunā - ākarṣaṇa — attracting the river Yamunā ; līlā — pastimes ; dekhaye — sees ; sakala — everyone .

Purport

Yamunākarṣaṇa-līlā is the pastime of attracting the Yamunā. One day, Śrī Baladeva wanted the Yamunā River to come before Him, and when the river Yamunā refused, He took His plow, wanting to dig a canal so that the Yamunā would be obliged to come there. Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the original form of Baladeva, in His ecstasy He asked everyone to bring honey. In this way, all the devotees standing there saw the yamunākarṣaṇa-līlā. In this līlā, Baladeva was accompanied by His girlfriends. After drinking a honey beverage called Vāruṇī, He wanted to jump into the Yamunā and swim with the girls. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.65.25-30, 33) that Lord Baladeva asked the Yamunā to come near, and when the river disobeyed the order of the Lord, He became angry and thus wanted to snatch her near to Him with His plow. The Yamunā, however, very much afraid of Lord Balarāma’s anger, immediately came and surrendered unto Him, praying to the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and admitting her fault. She was then excused. This is the sum and substance of the yamunākarṣaṇa-līlā. The incident is also described in the prayer of Jayadeva Gosvāmī concerning the ten incarnations:

vahasi vapuṣi viśade vasanaṁ jaladābhaṁ halahati-bhīti-milita-yamunābham keśava dhṛta-haladhara-rūpa jaya jagad-īśa hare

Translation

When the Lord, in His ecstasy of Baladeva, was moving as if intoxicated by the beverage, Advaita Ācārya, the chief of the ācāryas [ācārya śekhara], saw Him in the form of Balarāma.

Word meanings

mada - matta — being intoxicated by drinking Vāruṇī ; gati — movement ; baladeva — Lord Baladeva ; anukāra — imitating ; ācārya — Advaita Ācārya ; śekhara — at the head ; tāṅre — Him ; dekhe — sees ; rāma - ākāra — in the form of Balarāma .

Translation

Vanamālī Ācārya saw a golden plow in the hand of Balarāma, and the devotees all assembled together and danced, overwhelmed by ecstasy.

Word meanings

vanamālī ācārya — Vanamālī Ācārya ; dekhe — sees ; soṇāra — made of gold ; lāṅgala — plow ; sabe — all ; mili’ — meeting together ; nṛtya — dance ; kare — perform ; āveśe — in ecstasy ; vihvala — overwhelmed .

Translation

In this way they danced continuously for twelve hours, and in the evening they all took a bath in the Ganges and then returned to their homes.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; nṛtya — dancing ; ha - ila — was performed ; cāri — four ; prahara — a period of time lasting three hours ; sandhyāya — in the evening ; gaṅgā - snāna — taking bath in the Ganges ; kari’ — finishing ; sabe — all ; gelā — returned ; ghara — home .

Translation

The Lord ordered all the citizens of Navadvīpa to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and in each and every home they began performing saṅkīrtana regularly.

Word meanings

nagariyā — citizens ; loke — all the people ; prabhu — the Lord ; yabe — when ; ājñā — order ; dilā — gave ; ghare ghare — in each and every home ; saṅkīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; karite — to perform ; lāgilā — began .

Translation

[All the devotees sang this popular song along with the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.] “Haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ/ gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana.”

Word meanings

haraye namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Hari ; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa ; yādavāya — unto the descendant of the Yadu dynasty ; namaḥ — all obeisances ; gopāla — Gopāla ; govinda — Govinda ; rāma — Rāma ; śrī - madhusūdana — Śrī Madhusūdana .

Translation

When the saṅkīrtana movement thus started, no one in Navadvīpa could hear any sound other than the words “Hari! Hari!” and the beating of the mṛdaṅga and clashing of hand bells.

Word meanings

mṛdaṅga — drum ; karatāla — hand bells ; saṅkīrtana — chanting of the holy name of the Lord ; mahā - dhvani — great vibration ; hari — the Lord ; hari — the Lord ; dhvani — sound ; vinā — except ; anya — another ; nāhi — not ; śuni — one can hear .

Purport

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness now has its world center in Navadvīpa, Māyāpur. The managers of this center should see that twenty-four hours a day there is chanting of the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, with the addition of haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ, for this song was a favorite of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s. But all such saṅkīrtana must be preceded by the chanting of the holy names of the five tattvas — śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. We are already accustomed to chant these two mantras — śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda and Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Now, after these, the other two lines — namely haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ/ gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana — should be added, especially in Māyāpur. Chanting of these six lines should go on so perfectly well that no one there hears any vibration other than the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. That will make the center spiritually all-perfect.

Translation

Hearing the resounding vibration of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the local Muslims, greatly angry, submitted a complaint to the Kazi.

Word meanings

śuniyā — by hearing ; ye — that ; kruddha — angry ; haila — became ; sakala — all ; yavana — Muslims ; kājī - pāśe — in the court of the Kazi, or magistrate ; āsi’ — coming ; sabe — all ; kaila — made ; nivedana — petition .

Purport

The phaujadarā, or city magistrate, was called the kājī (Kazi). The jamidāras (zamindars), or landholders ( maṇḍalerās ), levied taxes on the land, but keeping law and order and punishing criminals was the duty entrusted to the Kazi. Both the Kazi and the landholders were under the control of the governor of Bengal, which at that time was known as Subā-bāṅgālā. The districts of Nadia, Islāmpura and Bāgoyāna were all under the zamindar named Hari Hoḍa or his descendant known as Hoḍa Kṛṣṇadāsa. It is said that Chand Kazi was the spiritual master of Nawab Hussain Shah. According to one opinion his name was Maulānā Sirājuddina, and according to another his name was Habibara Rahamāna. Descendants of Chand Kazi are still living in the vicinity of Māyāpur. People still go to see the tomb of Chand Kazi, which is underneath a campaka tree and is known as Chand Kazi’s samādhi.

Translation

Chand Kazi angrily came to one home in the evening, and when he saw kīrtana going on, he broke a mṛdaṅga and spoke as follows.

Word meanings

krodhe — in anger ; sandhyā - kāle — in the evening ; kājī — the Chand Kazi ; eka ghare — in one home ; āila — came ; mṛdaṅga — drum ; bhāṅgiyā — breaking ; loke — unto the people ; kahite — to speak ; lāgila — began .

Translation

“For so long you did not follow the regulative principles of the Hindu religion, but now you are following them with great enthusiasm. May I know by whose strength you are doing so?

Word meanings

eta - kāla — so long ; keha — anyone ; nāhi — not ; kaila — performed ; hinduyāni — regulative principles of the Hindus ; ebe — now ; ye — that ; udyama — endeavor ; cālāo — you propagate ; kāra — whose ; bala — strength ; jāni’ — I want to know .

Purport

It appears that from the aggression of Baktiyār Khiliji in Bengal until the time of Chand Kazi, Hindus, or the followers of the Vedic principles, were greatly suppressed. Like the Hindus in present-day Pakistan, practically no one could execute the Hindu religious principles freely. Chand Kazi referred to this condition of Hindu society. Formerly the Hindus had not been straightforward in executing their Hindu principles, but now they were freely chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Therefore it must have been by the strength of someone else that they were so daring.

Actually, that was the fact. Although the members of the so-called Hindu society had followed the social customs and formulas, they had practically forgotten to execute their religious principles strictly. But with the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu they actually began following the regulative principles according to His order. That order is still existing, and anywhere and everywhere, in all parts of the world, one can execute it. That order is to become a spiritual master under the direction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by following the regulative principles, chanting daily at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and preaching the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. If we adhere to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we shall get spiritual strength without a doubt, and we shall be free to preach this cult of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement and not be hampered by anyone.

Translation

“No one should perform saṅkīrtana on the streets of the city. Today I am excusing the offense and returning home.

Word meanings

keha — anyone ; kīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ; nā — do not ; kariha — perform ; sakala nagare — in the whole town ; āji — today ; āmi — I ; kṣamā kari’ — excusing ; yāitechoṅ — am returning ; ghare — home .

Purport

Such orders stopping saṅkīrtana in the streets of the world’s great cities have been imposed upon members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. We have hundreds of centers all over the world, and we have been specifically persecuted in Australia. In most cities of the Western world we have been arrested many times by the police, but we are nevertheless executing the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting on the streets of all the important cities, such as New York, London, Chicago, Sydney, Melbourne, Paris and Hamburg. We must remember that such incidents took place in the past, five hundred years ago, and the fact that they are still going on indicates that our saṅkīrtana movement is really authorized, for if saṅkīrtana were an insignificant material affair, demons would not object to it. The demons of the time tried to obstruct the saṅkīrtana movement started by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Similar demons are trying to obstruct the saṅkīrtana movement we are executing all over the world, and this proves that our saṅkīrtana movement is still pure and genuine, following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

“The next time I see someone performing such saṅkīrtana, I shall certainly chastise him by not only confiscating all his property but also converting him into a Muslim.”

Word meanings

āra — again ; yadi — if ; kīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ; karite — to do ; lāga — contact ; pāimu — I shall take ; sarva - sva — all possessions ; daṇḍiyā — chastising ; tāra — his ; jāti — caste ; ye — that ; la - imu — I shall take .

Purport

To convert a Hindu into a Muslim was an easy affair in those days. If a Muslim simply sprinkled water on the body of a Hindu, it was supposed that the Hindu had already become a Muslim. During the transition of the British in Bangladesh during the last Hindu-Muslim riots, many Hindus were converted into Muslims by having cows’ flesh forcibly pushed into their mouths. Hindu society was so rigid at the time of Lord Caitanya that if a Hindu were converted into a Muslim, there was no chance of his being reformed. In this way the Muslim population in India increased. None of the Muslims came from outside; social customs somehow or other forced Hindus to become Muslims, with no chance of returning to Hindu society. Emperor Aurangzeb also inaugurated a tax that Hindus had to pay because of their being Hindus. Thus all the poor Hindus of the lower class voluntarily became Muslims to avoid the tax. In this way the Muslim population in India increased. Chand Kazi threatened to convert the people into Muslims by the simple process of sprinkling water on their bodies.

Translation

After saying this, the Kazi returned home, and the devotees, greatly shocked that they were forbidden to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, submitted their grief to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

eta bali’ — thus saying ; kājī — the magistrate ; gela — returned ; nagariyā loka — the citizens in general ; prabhu - sthāne — before the Lord ; nivedila — submitted ; pāñā — getting ; baḍa — very much ; śoka — shock .

Translation

Lord Caitanya ordered, “Go perform saṅkīrtana! Today I shall kill all the Muslims!”

Word meanings

prabhu — the Lord ; ājñā dila — ordered ; yāha — go ; karaha — and perform ; kīrtana — saṅkīrtana, chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ; muñi — I ; saṁhārimu — shall kill ; āji — today ; sakala — all ; yavana — the Muslims .

Purport

Gandhi is known for having started the movement of nonviolent civil disobedience in India, but about five hundred years before him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu started His movement of nonviolent civil disobedience to the order of Chand Kazi. It is not necessary to commit violence to stop the opposition from hindering a movement, for one can kill their demoniac behavior with reason and argument. Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whenever there are obstacles the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement should kill the opposition with reason and argument and thus stop their demoniac behavior. If we became violent in every case, it would be difficult for us to manage our affairs. We should therefore follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who disobeyed the order of Chand Kazi but subdued him with reason and argument.

Translation

Returning home, all the citizens began performing saṅkīrtana, but because of the order of the Kazi, they were not carefree but always full of anxiety.

Word meanings

ghare giyā — returning home ; saba — all ; loka — citizens ; karaye — performed ; kīrtana — saṅkīrtana ; kājīra — of the Kazi ; bhaye — from fear ; svacchanda — carefree ; nahe — not ; camakita — always full of anxieties ; mana — the mind .

Translation

Understanding the anxiety within the people’s minds, the Lord called them together and spoke to them as follows.

Word meanings

tā - sabhāra — of all of them ; antare — in the mind ; bhaya — fear ; prabhu — the Lord ; mane — in the mind ; jāni — understanding ; kahite — to speak ; lāgilā — began ; loke — to the people ; śīghra — very soon ; ḍāki’ — calling ; āni’ — bringing them .

Translation

“In the evening I shall perform saṅkīrtana in each and every town. Therefore you should all decorate the city in the evening.

Word meanings

nagare — from town ; nagare — to town ; āji — today ; karimu — I shall perform ; kīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ; sandhyā - kāle — in the evening ; kara — do ; sabhe — all ; nagara — of the city ; maṇḍana — decoration .

Purport

At that time, Navadvīpa was composed of nine small cities, so the words nagare nagare are significant. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to perform kīrtana in each of these neighboring towns. He ordered the city decorated for the function.

Translation

“In the evening, burn torchlights in every home. I shall give protection to everyone. Let us see what kind of Kazi comes to stop our kīrtana.”

Word meanings

sandhyāte — in the evening ; deuṭi — lamps ; sabe — everyone ; jvāla — light up ; ghare ghare — in each and every home ; dekha — just wait and see ; kona — which kind ; kājī — magistrate ; āsi’ — coming ; more — unto Me ; mānā kare — orders Me to stop .

Translation

In the evening Lord Gaurasundara went out and formed three parties to perform kīrtana.

Word meanings

eta kahi’ — saying this ; sandhyā - kāle — in the evening ; cale — went out ; gaura - rāya — Gaurasundara ; kīrtanera — of performing saṅkīrtana ; kaila — made ; prabhu — the Lord ; tina — three ; sampradāya — parties .

Purport

This is a scheme for performing kīrtana in a procession. During Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s time, one party was composed of twenty-one men: four people playing mṛdaṅgas, one leading the chanting, and sixteen others striking karatālas, responding to the leading chanter. If many men join the saṅkīrtana movement, they may follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and form different parties according to the time and the number of men available.

Translation

In the front party danced Ṭhākura Haridāsa, and in the middle party danced Advaita Ācārya with great jubilation.

Word meanings

āge — in front ; sampradāye — in the party ; nṛtya — dancing ; kare — does ; haridāsa — Ṭhākura Haridāsa ; madhye — in the middle ; nāce — dances ; ācārya - gosāñi — Śrī Advaita Ācārya ; parama — very ; ullāsa — happy .

Translation

Lord Gaurasundara Himself danced in the rear party, and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu moved with Lord Caitanya’s dancing.

Word meanings

pāche — at the rear ; sampradāye — in the party ; nṛtya — dancing ; kare — does ; gauracandra — Lord Gaurāṅga ; tāṅra — His ; saṅge — along with ; nāci’ — dancing ; bule — moves ; prabhu — Lord ; nityānanda — Nityānanda .

Translation

By the grace of the Lord, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has elaborately described this incident in his Caitanya-maṅgala [now Caitanya-bhāgavata].

Word meanings

vṛndāvana - dāsa — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura ; ihā — this ; caitanyamaṅgale — in his book named Caitanya-maṅgala ; vistāri’ — elaborately ; varṇiyāchena — has described ; prabhu — of the Lord ; kṛpā - bale — by the strength of mercy .

Translation

Performing kīrtana in this way, circumambulating through every nook and corner of the city, they finally reached the door of the Kazi.

Word meanings

ei mata — in this way ; kīrtana — congregational chanting ; kari’ — executing ; nagare — in the city ; bhramilā — circumambulated ; bhramite bhramite — while thus moving ; sabhe — all of them ; kājī - dvāre — at the door of the Kazi ; gelā — reached .

Translation

Murmuring in anger and making a roaring sound, the people, under the protection of Lord Caitanya, became mad through such indulgence.

Word meanings

tarja - garja — murmuring in anger ; kare — do ; loka — the people ; kare — do ; kolāhala — roaring ; gauracandra — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bale — by the power ; loka — people ; praśraya - pāgala — became mad by such indulgence .

Purport

The Kazi had issued an order not to perform kīrtana, congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. But when this was brought up to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He ordered civil disobedience to the Kazi’s order. Lord Caitanya and all His devotees, naturally enthusiastic although agitated, must have made a great noise with their loud cries.

Translation

The loud sound of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra certainly made the Kazi very much afraid, and he hid himself within his room. Hearing the people thus protesting, murmuring in great anger, the Kazi would not come out of his home.

Word meanings

kīrtanera — of the saṅkīrtana movement ; dhvanite — by the sound ; kājī — the Chand Kazi ; lukāila — hid himself ; ghare — in the room ; tarjana — murmuring ; garjana — protesting ; śuni’ — hearing ; nā — does not ; haya — come out ; bāhire — outside .

Purport

The Kazi’s order not to perform saṅkīrtana could stand only as long as there was no civil disobedience. Under the leadership of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the chanters, increasing in number, disobeyed the order of the Kazi. Thousands assembled together and formed parties, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and making a tumultuous sound of protest. Thus the Kazi was very much afraid, as naturally one should be under such circumstances.

In the present day also, people all over the world may join together in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and protest against the present degraded governments of the world’s godless societies, which are based on all kinds of sinful activities. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states that in the Age of Kali, thieves, rogues and fourth-class people who have neither education nor culture capture the seats of governments to exploit the citizens. This is a symptom of Kali-yuga that has already appeared. People cannot feel secure about their lives and property, yet the so-called governments continue, and government ministers get fat salaries, although they are unable to do anything good for society. The only remedy for such conditions is to enhance the saṅkīrtana movement under the banner of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and protest against the sinful activities of all the world’s governments.

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious movement; it is a movement for the reformation of all the anomalies of human society. If people take to it seriously, discharging this duty scientifically, as ordered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the world will see peace and prosperity instead of being confused and hopeless under useless governments. There are always rogues and thieves in human society, and as soon as a weak government is unable to execute its duties, these rogues and thieves come out to do their business. Thus the entire society becomes a hell unfit for gentlemen to live in. There is an immediate need for a good government — a government by the people, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless the masses of people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, they cannot be good men. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu started by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra still has its potency. Therefore people should understand it seriously and scientifically and spread it all over the world.

The saṅkīrtana movement started by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, twenty-third chapter, beginning with verse 241, which states, “My dear Lord, let my mind be fixed at Your lotus feet.” Following Lord Caitanya’s chanting, all the devotees reproduced the same sound He chanted. In this way the Lord proceeded, leading the entire party on the strand roads by the bank of the Ganges. When the Lord came to His own ghāṭa, or bathing place, He danced more and more. Then He proceeded to Mādhāi’s ghāṭa. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Lord, who was known as Viśvambhara, danced all over the banks of the Ganges. Then He proceeded to Bārakoṇā-ghāṭa, then Nāgariyā-ghāṭa, and, traveling through Gaṅgānagara, reached Simuliyā, a quarter at one end of the town. All these places surround Śrī Māyāpur. After reaching Simuliyā, the Lord proceeded toward the Kazi’s house, and in this way He reached the door of Chand Kazi.

Translation

Naturally some of the people who were very much agitated began to retaliate the Kazi’s actions by wrecking his house and flower garden. Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has elaborately described this incident.

Word meanings

uddhata — agitated ; loka — persons ; bhāṅge — break ; kājīra — of the Kazi ; ghara — house ; puṣpa - vana — flower garden ; vistāri’ — elaborately ; varṇilā — described ; ihā — this ; dāsa - vṛndāvana — Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura .

Translation

Thereafter, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the Kazi’s house, He sat down by the doorway and sent some respectable persons to call for the Kazi.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tāra dvārete — at the Kazi’s door ; vasilā — sat down ; bhavya - loka — respectable persons ; pāṭhāiyā — sending ; kājīre — unto the Kazi ; bolāilā — had them call .

Translation

When the Kazi came, his head bowed down, the Lord gave him proper respect and a seat.

Word meanings

dūra ha - ite — from a distant place ; āilā — came ; kājī — the Kazi ; māthā — head ; noyāiyā — bowed down ; kājīre — unto the Kazi ; vasāilā — gave a seat ; prabhu — the Lord ; sammāna — respect ; kariyā — offering .

Purport

Some of the men in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s civil disobedience movement were agitated because they could not control their minds. But the Lord was thoroughly peaceful, sober and unagitated. Therefore when the Kazi came down to see Him, the Lord offered him proper respect and a seat because he was a respectable government officer. Thus the Lord taught us by His personal behavior. In pushing on our saṅkīrtana movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we might have to face difficult days, but we should always follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and do the needful according to the time and circumstances.

Translation

In a friendly way, the Lord said, “Sir, I have come to your house as your guest, but upon seeing Me you hid yourself in your room. What kind of etiquette is this?”

Word meanings

prabhu balena — the Lord said ; āmi — I ; tomāra — your ; āilāma — have come ; abhyāgata — guest ; āmi — Me ; dekhi’ — seeing ; lukāilā — you disappeared ; e - dharma kemata — what kind of etiquette is this .

Translation

The Kazi replied, “You have come to my house in a very angry mood. To pacify You, I did not come before You immediately but kept myself hidden.

Word meanings

kājī kahe — the Kazi replied ; tumi — You ; āisa — have come ; kruddha — angry ; ha - iyā — being ; tomā — You ; śānta — pacified ; karāite — to make ; rahinu — I remained ; lukāiyā — hiding out of sight .

Translation

“Now that You have become pacified, I have come to You. It is my good fortune to receive a guest like Your Honor.

Word meanings

ebe — now ; tumi — You ; śānta — pacified ; haile — have become ; āsi’ — coming ; mililāṅ — I have met (You) ; bhāgya mora — it is my great fortune ; toma — You ; hena — like ; atithi — guest ; pāilāṅ — I have received .

Translation

“In our village relationship, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī Ṭhākura was my uncle. Such a relationship is stronger than a bodily relationship.

Word meanings

grāma - sambandhe — in our neighborhood relationship ; cakravartī — Your grandfather Nīlāmbara Cakravartī ; haya — becomes ; mora — my ; cācā — uncle ; deha - sambandhe — in a bodily relationship ; haite — than ; haya — becomes ; grāma - sambandha — neighborhood relationship ; sāṅcā — more powerful .

Purport

In India, even in the interior villages, all the Hindu and Muslim communities used to live very peacefully by establishing a relationship between them. The young men called the elderly members of the village by the name cācā or kākā, “uncle,” and men of the same age called each other dādā, “brother.” The relationship was very friendly. There were even invitations from Muslim houses to Hindu houses and from Hindu houses to Muslim houses. Both the Hindus and the Muslims accepted the invitations to go to one another’s houses to attend ceremonial functions. Even until fifty or sixty years ago, the relationship between Hindus and Muslims was very friendly, and there were no disturbances. We do not find any Hindu-Muslim riots in the history of India, even during the days of the Muslims’ rule over the country. Conflict between Hindus and Muslims was created by polluted politicians, especially foreign rulers, and thus the situation gradually became so degraded that India was divided into Hindustan and Pakistan. Fortunately, the remedy to unite not only the Hindus and Muslims but all communities and all nations can still be implemented by the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement on the strong basic platform of love of Godhead.

Translation

“Nīlāmbara Cakravartī is Your maternal grandfather, and by this relationship You are thus my nephew.

Word meanings

nīlāmbara cakravartī — Nīlāmbara Cakravartī ; haya — becomes ; tomāra — Your ; nānā — maternal grandfather ; se - sambandhe — by such a relationship ; hao — become ; tumi — You ; āmāra — my ; bhāginā — nephew (the son of my sister) .

Translation

“When a nephew is very angry, his maternal uncle is tolerant, and when the maternal uncle commits an offense, the nephew does not take it very seriously.”

Word meanings

bhāgināra — of the nephew ; krodha — anger ; māmā — maternal uncle ; avaśya — certainly ; sahaya — tolerates ; mātulera — of the maternal uncle ; aparādha — offense ; bhāginā — the nephew ; nā — does not ; laya — accept .

Translation

In this way the Kazi and the Lord talked with each other with various indications, but no outsider could understand the inner meaning of their conversation.

Word meanings

ei mata — in this way ; duṅhāra — of both of them ; kathā — conversation ; haya — took place ; ṭhāre - ṭhore — with different indications ; bhitarera — inner ; artha — meaning ; keha — anyone ; bujhite — to understand ; nā pāre — is not able .

Translation

The Lord said, “My dear uncle, I have come to your home just to ask you some questions.”

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — the Lord said ; praśna lāgi’ — just to inquire from you ; āilāma — I have come ; tomāra sthāne — at your place ; kājī kahe — the Kazi replied ; ājñā kara — just order me ; ye — whatever ; tomāra mane — (is) in Your mind .

Purport

“Yes,” the Kazi replied, “You are welcome. Just tell me what is in Your mind.”

Translation

The Lord said, “You drink cows’ milk; therefore the cow is your mother. And the bull produces grains for your maintenance; therefore he is your father.

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — the Lord said ; go - dugdha khāo — you drink cows’ milk ; gābhī — the cow (is) ; tomāra — your ; mātā — mother ; vṛṣa — the bull ; anna — grains ; upajaya — produces ; tāte — therefore ; teṅho — he ; pitā — (is) your father .

Translation

“Since the bull and cow are your father and mother, how can you kill and eat them? What kind of religious principle is this? On what strength are you so daring that you commit such sinful activities?”

Word meanings

pitā - mātā — father and mother ; māri’ — killing ; khāo — you eat ; ebā — this ; kon — what kind of ; dharma — religion ; kon bale — on what strength ; kara — do ; tumi — you ; e - mata — such ; vikarma — sinful activities .

Purport

Everyone can understand that we drink the milk of cows and take the help of bulls in producing agricultural products. Therefore, since our real father gives us food grains and our mother gives us milk with which to live, the cow and bull are considered our father and mother. According to Vedic civilization, there are seven mothers, of which the cow is one. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu challenged the Muslim Kazi, “What kind of religious principle do you follow by killing your father and mother to eat them?” In any civilized human society, no one would dare kill his father and mother for the purpose of eating them. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu challenged the system of Muslim religion as patricide and matricide. In the Christian religion also, a principal commandment is “Thou shalt not kill.” Nevertheless, Christians violate this rule; they are very expert in killing and in opening slaughterhouses. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our first provision is that no one should be allowed to eat any kind of flesh. It does not matter whether it is cows’ flesh or goats’ flesh, but we especially stress the prohibition against cows’ flesh because according to śāstra the cow is our mother. Thus the Muslims’ cow-killing was challenged by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

The Kazi replied, “As You have Your scriptures called the Vedas and Purāṇas, we have our scripture, known as the holy Koran.

Word meanings

kājī kahe — the Kazi replied ; tomāra — Your ; yaiche — as much as ; veda - purāṇa — the Vedas and Purāṇas ; taiche — similarly ; āmāra — our ; śāstra — scripture ; ketāva — the holy book ; korāṇa — the Koran .

Purport

Chand Kazi agreed to talk with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the strength of the scriptures. According to the Vedic scripture, if one can support his position by quoting from the Vedas, his argument is perfect. Similarly, when the Muslims support their position with quotations from the Koran, their arguments are also authorized. When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu raised the question of the Muslims’ cow-killing and bull-killing, Chand Kazi came to the standard of understanding from his scriptures.

Translation

“According to the Koran, there are two ways of advancement — through increasing the propensity to enjoy, and through decreasing the propensity to enjoy. On the path of decreasing attachment [nivṛtti-mārga], the killing of animals is prohibited.

Word meanings

sei śāstre — in the scripture (the Koran) ; kahe — it is ordered ; pravṛtti — of attachment ; nivṛtti — of detachment ; mārga — ways ; bheda — difference ; nivṛtti — of detachment ; mārge — on the path ; jīva - mātra — of any living entity ; vadhera — of killing ; niṣedha — prohibition .

Translation

“On the path of material activities, there is regulation for killing cows. If such killing is done under the guidance of scripture, there is no sin.”

Word meanings

pravṛtti - mārge — on the path of attachment ; go - vadha — the killing of cows ; karite — to execute ; vidhi — regulative principles ; haya — there are ; śāstra - ājñāya — on the order of the scripture ; vadha — killing ; kaile — if one commits ; nāhi — there is no ; pāpa - bhaya — fear of sinful activities .

Purport

The word śāstra is derived from the dhātu, or verbal root, śas. Śas-dhātu pertains to controlling or ruling. A government’s ruling through force or weapons is called śastra. Thus whenever there is ruling, either by weapons or by injunctions, the śas-dhātu is the basic principle. Between śastra (ruling through weapons) and śāstra (ruling through the injunctions of the scriptures), the better is śāstra. Our Vedic scriptures are not ordinary lawbooks of human common sense; they are the statements of factually liberated persons unaffected by the imperfectness of the senses.

Śāstra must be correct always, not sometimes correct and sometimes incorrect. In the Vedic scriptures, the cow is described as a mother. Therefore she is a mother for all time; it is not, as some rascals say, that in the Vedic age she was a mother but she is not in this age. If śāstra is an authority, the cow is a mother always; she was a mother in the Vedic age, and she is a mother in this age also.

If one acts according to the injunctions of śāstra, he is freed from the reactions of sinful activity. For example, the propensities for eating flesh, drinking wine and enjoying sex are all natural to the conditioned soul. The path of such enjoyment is called pravṛtti-marga. The śāstra says, pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā: one should not be carried away by the propensities of defective conditioned life; one should be guided by the principles of the śāstras. A child’s propensity is to play all day long, but it is the injunction of the śāstras that the parents should take care to educate him. The śāstras are there just to guide the activities of human society. But because people do not refer to the instructions of śāstras, which are free from defects and imperfections, they are therefore misguided by so-called educated teachers and leaders who are full of the deficiencies of conditioned life.

Translation

As a learned scholar, the Kazi challenged Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “In Your Vedic scriptures there is an injunction for killing a cow. On the strength of this injunction, great sages performed sacrifices involving cow-killing.”

Word meanings

tomāra vedete — in Your Vedic literatures ; āche — there is ; go - vadhera — for cow-killing ; vāṇī — injunction ; ataeva — therefore ; go - vadha — cow-killing ; kare — does ; baḍa baḍa — very, very great ; muni — sages .

Translation

Refuting the Kazi’s statement, the Lord immediately replied, “The Vedas clearly enjoin that cows should not be killed. Therefore every Hindu, whoever he may be, avoids indulging in cow-killing.

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — the Lord replied ; vede — in the Vedas ; kahe — is enjoined ; go - vadha — cow-killing ; niṣedha — prohibition ; ataeva — therefore ; hindu — Hindu ; mātra — any ; nā — does not ; kare — execute ; go - vadha — cow-killing .

Purport

In the Vedic scriptures there are concessions for meat-eaters. It is said that if one wants to eat meat, he should kill a goat before the goddess Kālī and then eat its meat. Meat-eaters are not allowed to purchase meat or flesh from a market or slaughterhouse. There are no sanctions for maintaining regular slaughterhouses to satisfy the tongues of meat-eaters. As far as cow-killing is concerned, it is completely forbidden. Since the cow is considered a mother, how could the Vedas allow cow-killing? Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu pointed out that the Kazi’s statement was faulty. In the Bhagavad-gītā (18.44) there is a clear injunction that cows should be protected: kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. “The duty of vaiśyas is to produce agricultural products, trade and give protection to cows.” Therefore it is a false statement that the Vedic scriptures contain injunctions permitting cow-killing.

Translation

“In the Vedas and Purāṇas there are injunctions declaring that if one can revive a living being, one can kill it for experimental purposes.

Word meanings

jiyāite — to rejuvenate ; pāre — one is able ; yadi — if ; tabe — then ; māre — can kill ; prāṇī — living being ; veda - purāṇe — in the Vedas and Purāṇas ; āche — there are ; hena — such ; ājñā - vāṇī — orders and injunctions .

Translation

“Therefore the great sages sometimes killed old cows, and by chanting Vedic hymns they brought them back to life for perfection.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; jarad - gava — old cows ; māre — killed ; muni - gaṇa — sages ; veda - mantre — by the power of Vedic hymns ; siddha — rejuvenated ; kare — makes ; tāhāra — his ; jīvana — life .

Translation

“The killing and rejuvenation of such old and invalid cows was not truly killing but an act of great benefit.

Word meanings

jarad - gava — old, invalid cows ; hañā — becoming ; yuvā — young ; haya — become ; āra - vāra — again ; tāte — in that action ; tāra — his ; vadha — killing ; nahe — is not ; haya — there is ; upakāra — benefit .

Translation

“Formerly there were powerful brāhmaṇas who could make such experiments using Vedic hymns, but now, because of the Kali-yuga, brāhmaṇas are not so powerful. Therefore the killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.

Word meanings

kali - kāle — in the Age of Kali ; taiche — such ; śakti — power ; nāhika — there is none ; brāhmaṇe — in the brāhmaṇas ; ataeva — therefore ; go - vadha — killing of cows ; keha — anyone ; nā — does not ; kare — execute ; ekhane — at the present .

Translation

“ ‘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.’

Word meanings

aśva - medham — a sacrifice offering a horse ; gava - ālambham — a sacrifice of cows ; sannyāsam — the renounced order of life ; pala - paitṛkam — an offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers ; devareṇa — by a husband’s brother ; suta - utpattim — begetting children ; kalau — in the Age of Kali ; pañca — five ; vivarjayet — one must give up .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa ( Kṛṣṇa-janma-khaṇḍa 185.180) .

Translation

“Since you Muslims cannot bring killed cows back to life, you are responsible for killing them. Therefore you are going to hell; there is no way for your deliverance.

Word meanings

tomarā — you Muslims ; jīyāite — bring to life ; nāra — cannot ; vadha - mātra — killing only ; sāra — the essence ; naraka ha - ite — from hell ; tomāra — your ; nāhika — there is not ; nistāra — deliverance .

Translation

“Cow-killers are condemned to rot in hellish life for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of the cow.

Word meanings

go - aṅge — on the body of the cow ; yata — as many ; loma — hairs ; tata — so many ; sahasra — a thousand ; vatsara — years ; go - vadhī — the killer of a cow ; raurava - madhye — in a hellish condition of life ; pace — decomposes ; nirantara — always .

Translation

“There are many mistakes and illusions in your scriptures. Their compilers, not knowing the essence of knowledge, gave orders that were against reason and argument.”

Word meanings

tomā - sabāra — of all of you ; śāstra - kartā — compilers of scripture ; seha — they also ; bhrānta — mistaken ; haila — became ; nā jāni’ — without knowing ; śāstrera marma — the essence of scriptures ; aiche — such ; ājñā — order ; dila — gave .

Translation

After hearing these statements by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Kazi, his arguments stunned, could not put forward any more words. Thus, after due consideration, the Kazi accepted defeat and spoke as follows.

Word meanings

śuni’ — by hearing ; stabdha — stunned ; haila — became ; kājī — the Kazi ; nāhi — does not ; sphure — utter ; vāṇī — words ; vicāriyā — after due consideration ; kahe — said ; kājī — the Kazi ; parābhava — defeat ; māni’ — accepting .

Purport

In our practical preaching work we meet many Christians who talk about statements of the Bible. When we question whether God is limited or unlimited, Christian priests say that God is unlimited. But when we question why the unlimited God should have only one son and not unlimited sons, they are unable to answer. Similarly, from a scientific point of view, the answers of the Old Testament, New Testament and Koran to many questions have changed. But a śāstra cannot change at a person’s whim. All śāstras must be free from the four defects of human nature. The statements of śāstras must be correct for all time.

Translation

“My dear Nimāi Paṇḍita, what You have said is all true. Our scriptures have developed only recently, and they are certainly not logical and philosophical.

Word meanings

tumi — You ; ye — whatever ; kahile — have said ; paṇḍita — O Nimāi Paṇḍita ; sei — that ; satya — truth ; haya — is certainly ; ādhunika — of modern days ; āmāra — our ; śāstra — scripture ; vicāra — logic ; saha — with ; naya — they are not .

Purport

The śāstras of the yavanas, or meat-eaters, are not eternal scriptures. They have been fashioned recently, and sometimes they contradict one another. The scriptures of the yavanas are three: the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran. Their compilation has a history; they are not eternal like the Vedic knowledge. Therefore although they have their arguments and reasonings, they are not very sound and transcendental. As such, modern people advanced in science and philosophy deem these scriptures unacceptable.

Sometimes Christian priests come to us inquiring, “Why are our followers neglecting our scriptures and accepting yours?” But when we ask them, “Your Bible says, ‘Do not kill.’ Why then are you killing so many animals daily?” they cannot answer. Some of them imperfectly answer that the animals have no souls. But then we ask them, “How do you know that animals have no souls? Animals and children are of the same nature. Does this mean that the children of human society also have no souls?” According to the Vedic scriptures, within the body is the owner of the body, the soul. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.13) it is said:

dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.”

Because the soul is within the body, the body changes through so many forms. There is a soul within the body of every living creature, whether animal, tree, bird or human being, and the soul is transmigrating from one type of body to another. When the scriptures of the yavanas — namely the Old Testament, New Testament and Koran — cannot properly answer inquisitive followers, naturally those advanced in scientific knowledge and philosophy lose faith in such scriptures. The Kazi admitted this while talking with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Kazi was a very intelligent person. He had full knowledge of his position, as stated in the following verse.

Translation

“I know that our scriptures are full of imagination and mistaken ideas, yet because I am a Muslim I accept them for the sake of my community, despite their insufficient support.

Word meanings

kalpita — imagined ; āmāra — our ; śāstra — scripture ; āmi — I ; saba — everything ; jāni — know ; jāti — by community ; anurodhe — being obliged ; tabu — still ; sei — that ; śāstra — scripture ; māni — I accept .

Translation

“The reasoning and arguments in the scriptures of the meat-eaters are not very sound,” the Kazi concluded. Upon hearing this statement, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and inquired from him as follows.

Word meanings

sahaje — naturally ; yavana - śāstre — in the scriptures of the meat-eaters ; adṛḍha — unsound ; vicāra — judgment ; hāsi’ — smiling ; tāhe — from him ; mahāprabhu — Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; puchena — inquired ; āra - vāra — again .

Translation

“My dear maternal uncle, I wish to ask you another question. Please tell Me the truth. Do not try to cheat Me with tricks.

Word meanings

āra eka — one more ; praśna — inquiry ; kari — am putting ; śuna — hear ; tumi — you ; māmā — maternal uncle ; yathā - artha — as it is true ; kahibe — you should speak ; chale — by tricks ; na vañchibe — you should not cheat ; āmā’ — Me .

Translation

“In your city there is always congregational chanting of the holy name. A tumultuous uproar of music, singing and dancing is always going on.

Word meanings

tomāra nagare — in your city ; haya — there is ; sadā — always ; saṅkīrtana — chanting of the holy name of the Lord ; vādya — musical sounds ; gīta — song ; kolāhala — tumultuous roaring ; saṅgīta — singing ; nartana — dancing .

Translation

“As a Muslim magistrate, you have the right to oppose the performance of Hindu ceremonies, but now you do not forbid them. I cannot understand the reason why.”

Word meanings

tumi — you ; kājī — the magistrate ; hindu - dharma — the religious principles of the Hindus ; virodhe — in opposing ; adhikārī — have the right ; ebe — now ; ye — that ; nā kara mānā — you do not forbid ; bujhite — to understand ; nā pāri — I am not able .

Translation

The Kazi said, “Everyone calls You Gaurahari. Please let me address You by that name.

Word meanings

kājī bale — the Kazi said ; sabhe — all ; tomāya — You ; bale — address ; gaurahari — by the name Gaurahari ; sei nāme — by that name ; āmi — I ; tomāya — You ; sambodhana — address ; kari — do .

Translation

“Kindly listen, O Gaurahari! If You come to a private place, I shall then explain the reason.”

Word meanings

śuna — kindly hear ; gaurahari — O Gaurahari ; ei praśnera — of this question ; kāraṇa — reason ; nibhṛta — solitary ; hao — You become ; yadi — if ; tabe — then ; kari — I shall make ; nivedana — submission .

Translation

The Lord replied, “All these men are My confidential associates. You may speak frankly. There is no reason to be afraid of them.”

Word meanings

prabhu bale — the Lord said ; e loka — all these men ; āmāra — My ; antaraṅga — confidential associates ; haya — are ; sphuṭa kari’ — making it clear ; kaha — speak ; tumi — you ; nā — do not ; kariha bhaya — be afraid .

Translation

The Kazi said, “When I went to the Hindu’s house, broke the drum and forbade the performance of congregational chanting, in my dreams that very night I saw a greatly fearful lion, roaring very loudly, His body like a human being’s and His face like a lion’s.

Word meanings

kājī kahe — the Kazi replied ; yabe — when ; āmi — I ; hindura — of a Hindu ; ghare — in the house ; giyā — going there ; kīrtana — chanting of the holy name ; kariluṅ — made ; mānā — prohibition ; mṛdaṅga — the drum ; bhāṅgiyā — breaking ; sei rātre — on that night ; eka — one ; siṁha — lion ; mahā - bhayaṅ - kara — very fearful ; nara - deha — having a body like a human being’s ; siṁha - mukha — having a face like a lion’s ; garjaye — was roaring ; vistara — very loudly .

Translation

“While I was asleep, the lion jumped on my chest, laughing fiercely and gnashing His teeth.

Word meanings

śayane — in a sleeping condition ; āmāra — me ; upara — upon ; lāpha diyā — jumping ; caḍi’ — mounting ; aṭṭa aṭṭa — rough and hard ; hāse — laughs ; kare — does ; danta — teeth ; kaḍamaḍi — gnashing .

Translation

“Placing its nails on my chest, the lion said in a grave voice, ‘I shall immediately bifurcate your chest as you broke the mṛdaṅga drum!

Word meanings

mora — my ; buke — on the chest ; nakha — nails ; diyā — placing ; ghora — roaring ; svare — in a voice ; bale — says ; phāḍimu — I shall bifurcate ; tomāra — your ; buka — chest ; mṛdaṅga — for the drum ; badale — in exchange .

Translation

“ ‘You have forbidden the performance of My congregational chanting. Therefore I must destroy you!’ Being very much afraid of Him, I closed my eyes and trembled.

Word meanings

mora — My ; kīrtana — congregational chanting ; mānā karis — you are forbidding ; karimu — I shall do ; tora — your ; kṣaya — destruction ; āṅkhi — eyes ; mudi’ — closing ; kāṅpi — I was trembling ; āmi — I ; pāñā — getting ; baḍa — very great ; bhaya — fear .

Translation

“Seeing me so afraid, the lion said, ‘I have defeated you just to teach you a lesson, but I must be merciful to you.

Word meanings

bhīta dekhi’ — seeing me so afraid ; siṁha — the lion ; bale — says ; ha - iyā — becoming ; sa - daya — merciful ; tore — unto you ; śikṣā — lesson ; dite — to give ; kailu — I have done ; tora — your ; parājaya — defeat .

Translation

“ ‘On that day you did not create a very great disturbance. Therefore I have excused you and not taken your life.

Word meanings

se dina — on that day ; bahuta — very much ; nāhi — not ; kaili — you did ; utpāta — disturbance ; teñi — therefore ; kṣamā kari’ — forgiving ; nā karinu — I did not execute ; prāṇa - āghāta — the taking of your life .

Translation

“ ‘But if you perform such activities again, I shall not be tolerant. At that time I shall kill you, your entire family and all the meat-eaters.’

Word meanings

aiche — similarly ; yadi — if ; punaḥ — again ; kara — you do ; tabe — then ; nā sahimu — I shall not tolerate ; sa - vaṁśe — along with your family ; tomāre — you ; māri — killing ; yavana — the meat-eaters ; nāśimu — I shall vanquish .

Translation

“After saying this, the lion left, but I was very much afraid of Him. Just see the marks of His nails on my heart!”

Word meanings

eta — thus ; kahi’ — saying ; siṁha — the lion ; gela — returned ; āmāra — my ; haila — there was ; bhaya — fear ; ei dekha — just see this ; nakha - cihna — the nail marks ; amora hṛdaya — on my heart .

Translation

After this description, the Kazi showed his chest. Having heard him and seen the marks, all the people there accepted the wonderful incident.

Word meanings

eta bali’ — saying this ; kājī — the Kazi ; nija - buka — his chest ; dekhāila — showed ; śuni’ — hearing ; dekhi’ — seeing ; sarva - loka — everyone ; āścarya — wonderful incident ; mānila — accepted .

Translation

The Kazi continued, “I did not speak to anyone about this incident, but on that very day one of my orderlies came to see me.

Word meanings

kājī kahe — the Kazi said ; ihā — this ; āmi — I ; kāre — to others ; nā kahila — did not tell ; sei dina — on that day ; āmāra — my ; eka — one ; piyādā — orderly ; āila — came to see me .

Translation

“After coming to me, the orderly said, ‘When I went to stop the congregational chanting, suddenly flames struck my face.

Word meanings

āsi’ — coming to me ; kahe — he said ; geluṅ — went ; muñi — I ; kīrtana — congregational chanting ; niṣedhite — to stop ; agni ulkā — flames of fire ; mora — my ; mukhe — in the face ; lāge — come in contact ; ācambite — all of a sudden .

Translation

“ ‘My beard was burned, and there were blisters on my cheeks.’ Every orderly who went gave the same description.

Word meanings

puḍila — burned ; sakala — all ; dāḍi — beard ; mukhe — on the face ; haila — there was ; vraṇa — blisters ; yei — any ; peyādā — orderly ; yāya — goes ; tāra — his ; ei — this ; vivaraṇa — description .

Translation

“After seeing this, I was very much afraid. I asked them not to stop the congregational chanting but to go sit down at home.

Word meanings

tāhā dekhi’ — seeing that ; rahinu — remained ; muñi — I ; mahā - bhaya — great fear ; pāñā — getting ; kīrtana — the congregational chanting ; nā — not ; varjiha — stop ; ghare — at home ; rahoṅ — remain ; ta’ — certainly ; vasiyā — sitting .

Translation

“Then all the meat-eaters, hearing that there would be unrestricted congregational chanting in the city, came to submit a petition.

Word meanings

tabe ta’ — thereafter ; nagare — in the city ; ha - ibe — there would be ; svacchande — without disturbance or anxiety ; kīrtana — congregational chanting ; śuni’, — hearing this ; saba — all ; mleccha — meat-eaters ; āsi’ — coming ; kaila — submitted ; nivedana — petition .

Translation

“ ‘The religion of the Hindus has increased unlimitedly. There are always vibrations of “Hari! Hari!” We do not hear anything but this.’

Word meanings

nagare — in the city ; hindura — of the Hindus ; dharma — religion ; bāḍila — has increased ; apāra — unlimitedly ; hari hari — of the Lord’s name, Hari, Hari ; dhvani — the vibration ; ba - i — except ; nāhi — do not ; śuni — we hear ; āra — anything else .

Translation

“One meat-eater said, ‘The Hindus say, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa,” and they laugh, cry, dance, chant and fall on the ground, smearing their bodies with dirt.

Word meanings

āra — another ; mleccha — meat-eater ; kahe — said ; hindu — Hindus ; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa bali’ — saying “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa” ; hāse — laugh ; kānde — cry ; nāce — dance ; gāya — chant ; gaḍi yāya dhūli — roll in the dust .

Translation

“ ‘Vibrating “Hari, Hari,” the Hindus make a tumultuous sound. If the king [pātasāha] hears it, certainly he will punish you.’

Word meanings

hari hari kari’ — saying “Hari, Hari” ; hindu — the Hindus ; kare — make ; kolāhala — tumultuous sound ; pātasāha — the king ; śunile — if hearing ; tomāra — your ; karibeka — will do ; phala — punishment .

Purport

Pātasāha refers to the king. Nawab Hussain Shah, whose full name was Ālā Uddīn Saiyad Husen Sā, was at that time (A.D. 1498-1521) the independent King of Bengal. Formerly he was the servant of the cruel Nawab of the Hābsī dynasty named Mujaḥphara Khān, but somehow or other he assassinated his master and became the King. After gaining the throne of Bengal (technically called Masnada), he declared himself Saiyad Husen Ālā Uddīn Seriph Mukkā. There is a book called Riyāja Us-salātina, whose author, Golām Husen, says that Nawab Hussain Shah belonged to the family of Mukkā Seriph. To keep his family’s glory, he took the name Seriph Mukkā. Generally, however, he is known as Nawab Hussain Shah. After his death, his eldest son, Nasaratsā, became King of Bengal (A.D. 1521-1533). This King also was very cruel. He committed many atrocities against the Vaiṣṇavas. As a result of his sinful activities, one of his servants from the Khojā group killed him while he was praying in the mosque.

Translation

“I then inquired from these yavanas, ‘I know that these Hindus by nature chant “Hari, Hari.”

Word meanings

tabe — then ; sei — that ; yavanere — from the meat-eaters ; āmi — I ; ta’ — certainly ; puchila — inquired ; hindu — the Hindu ; hari bale — says Hari ; tara — his ; svabhāva — nature ; jānila — I know .

Translation

“ ‘The Hindus chant the name Hari because that is the name of their God. But you are Muslim meat-eaters. Why do you chant the name of the Hindus’ God?’

Word meanings

tumita — but you ; yavana — meat-eaters ; hañā — being ; kene — why ; anukṣaṇa — always ; hindura — of the Hindus ; devatāra — of the God ; nāma — the name ; laha — you take ; ki — what ; kāraṇa — the reason .

Translation

“The meat-eater replied, ‘Sometimes I joke with the Hindus. Some of them are called Kṛṣṇadāsa, and some are called Rāmadāsa.

Word meanings

mleccha — the meat-eater ; kahe — says ; hindure — unto a Hindu ; āmi — I ; kari — do ; parihāsa — joking ; keha keha — some of them ; kṛṣṇadāsa — Kṛṣṇadāsa ; keha — some of them ; rāmadāsa — Rāmadāsa .

Translation

“ ‘Some of them are called Haridāsa. They always chant “Hari, Hari,” and thus I thought they would steal the riches from someone’s house.

Word meanings

keha — some of them ; haridāsa — Haridāsa ; sadā — always ; bale — says ; hari hari — the name of the Lord, “Hari, Hari” ; jāni — I understand ; kāra — someone’s ; ghare — at home ; dhana — wealth ; karibeka — will do ; curi — theft .

Purport

Another meaning of “Hari, Hari” is “I am stealing. I am stealing.”

Translation

“ ‘Since that time, my tongue also always vibrates the sound “Hari, Hari.” I have no desire to say it, but still my tongue says it. I do not know what to do.’

Word meanings

sei haite — from that time ; jihvā — tongue ; mora — my ; bale — says ; hari hari — the vibration “Hari, Hari” ; icchā — desire ; nāhi — there is none ; tabu — still ; bale — says ; ki — what ; upāya — means ; kari — I may do .

Purport

Sometimes demoniac nonbelievers, not understanding the potency of the holy name, make fun of the Vaiṣṇavas when the Vaiṣṇavas chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. This joking is also beneficial for such persons. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, second chapter, verse 14, indicates that the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, even in joking, in the course of ordinary discussion, in indicating something extraneous, or in negligence, is called nāmābhāsa, which is chanting that is almost on the transcendental stage. This nāmābhāsa stage is better than nāmāparādha. Nāmābhāsa awakens the supreme remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. When one remembers Lord Viṣṇu, he becomes free from material enjoyment. Thus he gradually comes forward toward the transcendental service of the Lord and becomes eligible to chant the holy name of the Lord in the transcendental position.

Translation

“Another meat-eater said, ‘Sir, please hear me. Since the day I joked with some Hindus in this way, my tongue chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa hymn and cannot give it up. I do not know what mystic hymns and herbal potions these Hindus know.’

Word meanings

āra — another ; mleccha — meat-eater ; kahe — said ; śuna — please hear ; āmi — I ; ta’ — certainly ; ei - mate — in this way ; hinduke — to a Hindu ; parihāsa — joking ; kainu — did ; se — that ; dina — day ; ha - ite — from ; jihvā — the tongue ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kare — chants ; nā — does not ; māne — accept ; varjana — renunciation ; nā — not ; jāni — I know ; ki — what ; mantra - auṣadhi — hymns and herbs ; jāne — know ; hindu - gaṇa — the Hindus .

Translation

“After hearing all this, I sent all the mlecchas back to their homes. Five or seven nonbelieving Hindus then approached me.

Word meanings

eta śuni’ — after hearing all this ; tā’ - sabhāre — all of them ; ghare — back home ; pāṭhāila — sent ; hena - kāle — at that time ; pāsaṇḍī — nonbeliever ; hindu — Hindus ; pāṅca - sāta — five or seven ; āila — came .

Purport

The word pāṣaṇḍī refers to nonbelievers engaged in fruitive activities and to idolatrous worshipers of many demigods. Pāṣaṇḍīs do not believe in one God, the Supreme Personality, Lord Viṣṇu; they think that all the demigods have the same potency as He. The definition of a pāṣaṇḍī is given in the tantra-śāstra:

yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ samatvenaiva vīkṣeta sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam

“A pāṣaṇḍī is one who considers the great demigods such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa.” ( Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, 1.17)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is asamaurdhva; in other words, no one can be equal to or greater than Him. But pāṣaṇḍīs do not believe this. They worship any kind of demigod, thinking it all right to accept whomever they please as the Supreme Lord. The pāṣaṇḍīs were against the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and now we see practically that they also do not like our humble attempts to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. On the contrary, these pāṣaṇḍīs say that we are spoiling the Hindu religion because people all over the world are accepting Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the version of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. The pāṣaṇḍīs condemn this movement, and sometimes they accuse Vaiṣṇavas from foreign countries of being not bona fide. Even so-called Vaiṣṇavas — pseudo followers of the Vaiṣṇava cult — do not agree with our activities in making Vaiṣṇavas in the Western countries. Such pāṣaṇḍīs existed even during the time of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they continue to exist. Despite all the activities of these pāṣaṇḍīs, however, the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu will triumph: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma/ sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma. “In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.” No one can check the spread of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because upon this movement is the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

“Coming to me, the Hindus complained, ‘Nimāi Paṇḍita has broken the Hindu religious principles. He has introduced the saṅkīrtana system, which we never heard from any scripture.

Word meanings

āsi’ — coming there ; kahe — they said ; hindura — of the Hindus ; dharma — religious principles ; bhāṅgila — has broken ; nimāi — Nimāi Paṇḍita ; ye — that ; kīrtana — congregational chanting ; pravartāila — has introduced ; kabhu — at any time ; śuni — we heard ; nāi — never .

Translation

“ ‘When we keep a night-long vigil to observe religious performances for the worship of Maṅgalacaṇḍī and Viṣahari, playing on musical instruments, dancing and chanting are certainly fitting customs.

Word meanings

maṅgala - caṇḍī — of the religious performance for worship of Maṅgalacaṇḍī ; viṣahari — of the religious performance for worship of Viṣahari ; kari’ — observing ; jāgaraṇa — night vigil ; tā’te — in that ceremony ; vādya — musical performance ; nṛtya — dancing ; gīta — chanting ; yogya — suitable ; ācaraṇa — custom .

Translation

“ ‘Nimāi Paṇḍita was previously a very good boy, but since He has returned from Gayā He conducts Himself differently.

Word meanings

pūrve — before this ; bhāla — very good ; chila — was ; ei — this ; nimāi paṇḍita — Nimāi Paṇḍita ; gayā — Gayā (a place of pilgrimage) ; haite — from ; āsiyā — coming ; cālāya — conducts ; viparīta — just the opposite .

Translation

“ ‘Now He loudly sings all kinds of songs, claps, and plays drums and hand cymbals, making a tumultuous sound that deafens our ears.

Word meanings

ucca — loud ; kari’ — making ; gāya — sings ; gīta — songs ; deya — practices ; karatāli — clapping ; mṛdaṅga — mṛdaṅga drum ; karatāla — hand cymbals ; śabde — by sounds ; karṇe — in the ear ; lāge — there is ; tāli — blocking .

Translation

“ ‘We do not know what He eats that makes Him become mad, dancing, singing, sometimes laughing, crying, falling down, jumping up and rolling on the ground.

Word meanings

nā jāni — we do not know ; ki — what ; khāñā — eating ; matta — mad ; hañā — becoming ; nāce — He dances ; gāya — chants ; hāse — laughs ; kānde — cries ; paḍe — falls down ; uṭhe — gets up ; gaḍāgaḍi yāya — goes rolling on the ground .

Translation

“ ‘He has made all the people practically mad by always performing congregational chanting. At night we cannot get any sleep; we are always kept awake.

Word meanings

nagariyāke — all the citizens ; pāgala — mad ; kaila — He has made ; sadā — always ; saṅkīrtana — congregational chanting ; rātre — at night ; nidrā — sleep ; nāhi yāi — we do not get ; kari — observe ; jāgaraṇa — wakefulness .

Translation

“ ‘Now He has given up His own name Nimāi and introduced Himself by the name Gaurahari. He has spoiled the Hindu religious principles and introduced the irreligion of non-believers.

Word meanings

nimāñi — Nimāi ; nāma — the name ; chāḍi’ — giving up ; ebe — now ; bolāya — calls ; gaurahari — Gaurahari ; hindura — of the Hindus ; dharma — the religious principles ; naṣṭa kaila — spoiled ; pāṣaṇḍa — irreligion ; sañcāri’ — introducing .

Translation

“ ‘Now the lower classes are chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra again and again. For this sinful activity, the entire city of Navadvīpa will become deserted.

Word meanings

kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kīrtana — chanting ; kare — does ; nīca — lower class ; bāḍa bāḍa — again and again ; ei pāpe — by this sin ; navadvīpa — the whole city of Navadvīpa ; ha - ibe — will become ; ujāḍa — deserted .

Translation

“ ‘According to Hindu scripture, God’s name is the most powerful hymn. If everyone hears the chanting of the name, the potency of the hymn will be lost.

Word meanings

hindu - śāstre — in the scriptures of the Hindus ; īśvara — God ; nāma — the holy name ; mahā - mantra — topmost hymn ; jāni — we know ; sarva - loka — everyone ; śunile — if they hear ; mantrera — of the mantra ; vīrya — potency ; haya — becomes ; hāni — finished .

Purport

In the list of offenses in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, it is said, dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ: to consider the chanting of the holy name of the Lord equal to the execution of some auspicious religious ceremony is an offense. According to the materialistic point of view, observing a religious ceremony invokes an auspicious atmosphere for the material benefit of the entire world. Materialists therefore manufacture religious principles to live comfortably and without disturbance in executing their material activities. Since they do not believe in the existence of God, they have manufactured the idea that God is impersonal and that to have some conception of God one may imagine any form. Thus they respect the many forms of the demigods as different representations or manifestations of the Lord. They are called bahv-īśvara-vādīs, or followers of thousands and thousands of gods. They consider the chanting of the names of the demigods an auspicious activity. Great so-called svāmīs have written books saying that one may chant any name — Durgā, Kālī, Śiva, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, and so on — because any name is all right for invoking an auspicious atmosphere in society. Thus they are called pāṣaṇḍīs — unbelievers or faithless demons.

Such pāṣaṇḍīs do not know the actual value of the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Foolishly proud of their material birth as brāhmaṇas and their consequently higher position in the social order, they think of the other classes — namely the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras — as lower classes. According to them, no one but the brāhmaṇas can chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, for if others chanted the holy name, its potency would be reduced. They are unaware of the potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name. The Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa recommends:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

“For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali, there is no alternative, no alternative, no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.” The pāṣaṇḍīs do not accept that the potency of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so great that one can be delivered simply by chanting the holy name, although this is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.51) : kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. Any man from any part of the world who practices chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa can be liberated and after death go back home, back to Godhead. The rascal pāṣaṇḍīs think that if anyone but a brāhmaṇa chants the holy name, the potency of the holy name is vanquished. According to their judgment, instead of delivering the fallen souls, the potency of the holy name is reduced. Believing in the existence of many gods and considering the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa no better than other hymns, these pāṣaṇḍīs do not believe in the words of the śāstra ( harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam ) . But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: one must chant the holy name of the Lord always, twenty-four hours a day. The pāṣaṇḍīs, however, are so fallen and falsely proud of having taken birth in brāhmaṇa families that they think that instead of delivering all the fallen souls, the holy name becomes impotent when constantly chanted by lower-class men.

Significant in verse 211 are the words kṛṣṇera kīrtana kare nīca bāḍa bāḍa, indicating that anyone can join in the saṅkīrtana movement. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18) : kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. This is a list of the names of caṇḍālas . The pāṣaṇḍīs say that when these lower-class men are allowed to chant, their influence is enhanced. They do not like the idea that others should also develop spiritual qualities, because this would curb their false pride in having taken birth in families of the elevated brāhmaṇa caste, with a monopoly on spiritual activities. But despite all protests from so-called Hindus and members of the brāhmaṇa caste, we are propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world, according to the injunctions of the śāstras and the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus we are sure that we are delivering many fallen souls, making them bona fide candidates for going back home, back to Godhead.

Translation

“ ‘Sir, you are the ruler of this town. Whether Hindu or Muslim, everyone is under your protection. Therefore please call Nimāi Paṇḍita and make Him leave the town.’

Word meanings

grāmera — of this town ; ṭhākura — the ruler ; tumi — you ; saba — all ; tomāra — your ; jana — people ; nimāi — Nimāi Paṇḍita ; bolāiyā — calling ; tāre — unto Him ; karaha — do ; varjana — the punishment of making Him leave the town .

Purport

The word ṭhākura has two meanings. One meaning is “God” or “a godly person,” and another meaning is kṣatriya. Here the pāṣaṇḍī brāhmaṇas address the Kazi as ṭhākura, considering him the ruler of the town. There are different names by which to address the members of different castes. The brāhmaṇas are addressed as mahārāja, the kṣatriyas as ṭhākura, the vaiśyas as śetha or mahājana, and the śūdras as caudhurī. This etiquette is still followed in northern India, where the kṣatriyas are addressed as Ṭhākura Sāhab. The pāsaṇḍīs went so far as to request the magistrate, or Kazi, to have Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expelled from the town because of His introducing hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. Fortunately our Hare Kṛṣṇa movement all over the world, especially in the civilized world of Europe and America, has become very popular. Generally no one complains against us to have us removed from a city. Although such an attempt was indeed made in Melbourne, Australia, the attempt failed. Thus we are now introducing this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in great cities of the world like New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, and by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu everything is going on nicely. People are happy to accept the principle of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and the result is most satisfactory.

Translation

“After hearing their complaints, in sweet words I told them, ‘Please go back home. I shall certainly prohibit Nimāi Paṇḍita from continuing His Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.’

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; āmi — I ; prīti - vākya — sweet words ; kahila — said ; sabāre — unto all of them ; sabe — all of you ; ghare — back home ; yāha — go ; āmi — I ; niṣedhiba — shall prohibit ; tāre — Him (Nimāi Paṇḍita) .

Translation

“I know that Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme God of the Hindus, and I think that You are the same Nārāyaṇa. This I feel within my mind.”

Word meanings

hindura — of the Hindus ; īśvara — God ; baḍa — the topmost ; yei — who ; nārāyaṇa — Lord Nārāyaṇa ; sei — He ; tumi — You ; hao — are ; hena — such ; laya — takes ; mora — my ; mana — mind .

Translation

After hearing the Kazi speak so nicely, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu touched him and smilingly spoke as follows.

Word meanings

eta — this ; śuni’ — hearing ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; hāsiyā hāsiya — smiling ; kahite — to speak ; lāgilā — began ; kichu — something ; kājire — unto the Kazi ; chuṅiyā — touching .

Translation

“The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa from your mouth has performed a wonder — it has nullified the reactions of all your sinful activities. Now you have become supremely pure.

Word meanings

tomāra mukhe — in your mouth ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; e — this ; baḍa — very ; vicitra — wonderful ; pāpakṣaya — nullifying of sinful activities ; gela — has become a fact ; hailā — have become ; parama — topmost ; pavitra — purified .

Purport

Confirming the potency of the saṅkīrtana movement, these words from the very mouth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu express how people can be purified simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Kazi was a Muslim mleccha, or meat-eater, but because he several times uttered the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, automatically the reactions of his sinful life were vanquished and he was fully purified of all material contamination. We do not know why the pāṣaṇḍīs of the present day protest that we are deteriorating the Hindu religion by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world and claiming all classes of men to the highest standard of Vaiṣṇavism. But these rascals disagree with us so vehemently that some of them do not allow European and American Vaiṣṇavas to enter the temples of Viṣṇu. Thinking religion to be meant for material benefit, these so-called Hindus have actually become vicious by worshiping the numerous forms of the demigods. In the next verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms the Kazi’s purification.

Translation

“Because you have chanted three holy names of the Lord — Hari, Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa — you are undoubtedly the most fortunate and pious.”

Word meanings

hari kṛṣṇa nārāyaṇa — the holy names of Lord Hari, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Nārāyaṇa ; laile — you have taken ; tina — three ; nāma — holy names ; baḍa — very ; bhāgyavān — fortunate ; tumi — you are ; baḍa — very ; puṇyavān — pious .

Purport

Here the Supreme Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, con-firms that anyone who chants the holy names Hari, Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa without offense is certainly extremely fortunate, and whether Indian or non-Indian, Hindu or non-Hindu, he immediately comes to the level of the most pious personality. We therefore do not care about the statements of pāṣaṇḍīs who protest against our movement’s making the members of other cities or countries into Vaiṣṇavas. We have to follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, executing our mission peacefully, or, if necessary, kicking the heads of such protesters.

Translation

After the Kazi heard this, tears flowed down from his eyes. He immediately touched the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke the following sweet words.

Word meanings

eta — this ; śuni’ — hearing ; kājīra — of the Kazi ; dui — two ; cakṣe — in the eyes ; paḍe — flow down ; pāni — tears ; prabhura — of the Lord ; caraṇa — lotus feet ; chuṅi’ — touching ; bale — says ; priya - vāṇī — pleasing words .

Translation

“Only by Your mercy have my bad intentions vanished. Kindly favor me so that my devotion may always be fixed upon You.”

Word meanings

tomāra prasāde — by Your mercy ; mora — my ; ghucila — have gone away ; kumati — bad intentions ; ei — this ; kṛpā — mercy ; kara — please do unto me ; yena — so that ; tomāte — in You ; rahu — may stay ; bhakti — devotion .

Translation

The Lord said, “I wish to beg you for one favor in charity. You must pledge that this saṅkīrtana movement will not be checked, at least in the district of Nadia.”

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — the Lord said ; eka — one ; dāna — charity ; māgiye — I beg ; tomāya — from you ; saṅkīrtana — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; vāda — opposition ; yaiche — as it may be ; nahe — not be ; nadīyāya — in the district of Nadia .

Translation

The Kazi said, “To as many descendants as take birth in my dynasty in the future, I give this grave admonition: No one should check the saṅkīrtana movement.”

Word meanings

kājī kahe — the Kazi said ; mora — my ; vaṁśe — in the dynasty ; yata — all (descendants) ; upajibe — who will take birth ; tāhāke — unto them ; tālāka — grave admonition ; diba — I shall give ; kīrtana — the saṅkīrtana movement ; nā — never ; bādhibe — they will oppose .

Purport

As a result of this grave injunction by the Kazi, even at present the descendants of the Kazi’s family do not oppose the saṅkīrtana movement under any circumstances. Even during the great Hindu-Muslim riots in neighboring places, the descendants of the Kazi honestly preserved the assurance given by their forefather.

Translation

Hearing this, the Lord got up, chanting “Hari! Hari!” Following Him, all the other Vaiṣṇavas also got up, chanting the vibration of the holy name.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing ; prabhu — the Lord ; hari — the holy name of the Lord ; bali’ — chanting ; uṭhilā — got up ; āpani — personally ; uṭhila — got up ; vaiṣṇava — other devotees ; saba — all ; kari’ — making ; hari - dhvani — vibration of the holy name, “Hari Hari.” .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went back to perform kīrtana, and the Kazi, his mind jubilant, went with Him.

Word meanings

kīrtana — chanting ; karite — to perform ; prabhu — the Lord ; karilā — made ; gamana — departure ; saṅge — accompanying Him ; cali’ — walking ; āise — comes ; kājī — the Kazi ; ullasita — jubilant ; mana — mind .

Translation

The Lord asked the Kazi to go back home. Then the son of mother Śacī came back to His own home, dancing and dancing.

Word meanings

kājīre — unto the Kazi ; vidāya — farewell ; dila — gave ; śacīra — of mother Śacī ; nandana — the son ; nācite nācite — dancing and dancing ; āilā — came back ; āpana — own ; bhavana — house .

Translation

This is the incident concerning the Kazi and the Lord’s mercy upon him. Anyone who hears this is also freed from all offenses.

Word meanings

ei mate — in this way ; kājīre — unto the Kazi ; prabhu — the Lord ; karilā — did ; prasāda — mercy ; ihā — this ; yei — anyone who ; śune — hears ; tāra — his ; khaṇḍe — vanquishes ; aparādha — offenses .

Translation

One day the two brothers Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were dancing in the holy house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.

Word meanings

eka dina — one day ; śrīvāsera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; mandire — in the house ; gosāñi — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nityānanda — Lord Nityānanda ; saṅge — accompanied by ; nṛtya — dancing ; kare — performed ; dui — two ; bhāi — brothers .

Translation

At that time a calamity took place — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s son died. Yet Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was not at all sorry.

Word meanings

śrīvāsa — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; putrera — of the son ; tāhāṅ — there ; haila — took place ; paraloka — death ; tabu — still ; śrīvāsera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; citte — in the mind ; nā — not ; janmila — there was ; śoka — lamentation .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu caused the dead son to speak about knowledge, and then the two brothers personally became the sons of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura.

Word meanings

mṛta - putra — of the dead son ; mukhe — in the mouth ; kaila — did ; jñānera — of knowledge ; kathana — conversation ; āpane — personally ; dui — the two ; bhāi — brothers ; hailā — became ; śrīvāsa - nandana — sons of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura .

Purport

This incident is described as follows by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. One night while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing with His devotees at the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, one of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s sons, who was suffering from some disease, died. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was so patient, however, that he did not allow anyone to express sorrow by crying, for he did not want the kīrtana going on at his house to be disturbed. Thus kīrtana continued without a sound of lamentation. But when the kīrtana was over, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who could understand the incident, declared, “There must have been some calamity in this house.” When He was then informed about the death of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s son, He expressed His regret, saying, “Why was this news not given to Me before?” He went to the place where the son was lying dead and asked him, “My dear boy, why are you leaving the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura?” The dead son immediately replied, “I was living in this house as long as I was destined to live here. Now that the time is over, I am going elsewhere, according to Your direction. I am Your eternal servant, a dependent living being. I must act only according to Your desire. Beyond Your desire, I cannot do anything. I have no such power.” Hearing these words of the dead son, all the members of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura’s family received transcendental knowledge. Thus there was no cause for lamentation. This transcendental knowledge is described in the Bhagavad-gītā (2.13) : tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. When someone dies, he accepts another body; therefore sober persons do not lament. After the discourse between the dead boy and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, funeral ceremonies were performed, and Lord Caitanya assured Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, “You have lost one son, but Nityānanda Prabhu and I are your eternal sons. We shall never be able to give up your company.” This is an instance of a transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa. We have eternal transcendental relationships with Kṛṣṇa as His servants, friends, fathers, sons or conjugal lovers. When the same relationships are pervertedly reflected in this material world, we have relationships as the sons, fathers, friends, lovers, masters or servants of others, but all these relationships are subject to termination within a definite period. If we revive our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, however, by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu our eternal relationship will never break to cause our lamentation.

Translation

Thereafter the Lord charitably bestowed His benediction upon all His devotees. He gave the remnants of His food to Nārāyaṇī, showing her special respect.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; ta’ — certainly ; karilā — did ; saba bhakte — unto all devotees ; vara — benediction ; dāna — charity ; ucchiṣṭa — food remnants ; diyā — giving ; nārāyaṇīra — of Nārāyaṇī ; karila — did ; sammāna — respect .

Purport

Nārāyaṇī was a niece of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, and later she became the mother of Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. In this connection the sahajiyās cite a malicious story that after eating the remnants of Lord Caitanya’s food Nārāyaṇī became pregnant and gave birth to Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. The rascal sahajiyās may manufacture such false statements, but no one should believe them because they are motivated by enmity against the Vaiṣṇavas.

Translation

There was a tailor who was a meat-eater but was sewing garments for Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. The Lord, being merciful to him, showed him His own form.

Word meanings

śrīvāsera — of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; vastra — cloth ; siṅye — sewing ; darajī — tailor ; yavana — meat-eater ; prabhu — the Lord ; tāre — unto him ; nija - rūpa — His own form ; karāila — caused ; darśana — vision .

Translation

Saying “I have seen! I have seen!” and dancing in ecstatic love as though mad, he became a first-class Vaiṣṇava.

Word meanings

dekhinu — I have seen ; dekhinu — I have seen ; bali’ — saying ; ha - ila — became ; pāgala — mad ; preme — in the ecstasy of love ; nṛtya — dancing ; kare — does ; haila — became ; vaiṣṇava — devotee ; āgala — first class .

Purport

There was a Muslim tailor near the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura who used to sew the garments of the family. One day he was very pleased with the dancing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; indeed, he was enchanted. The Lord, understanding his attitude, showed him His original form as Kṛṣṇa. The tailor then began to dance, saying, “I have seen! I have seen!” He became absorbed in ecstatic love and began to dance with Lord Caitanya. Thus he became one of the foremost Vaiṣṇava adherents of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Translation

In ecstasy the Lord asked Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura to deliver His flute, but Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura replied, “Your flute has been stolen away by the gopīs.”

Word meanings

āveśete — in ecstasy ; śrīvāse — unto Śrīvāsa ; prabhu — the Lord ; vaṁśī — a flute ; ta’ — certainly ; māgila — asked ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; kahe — replied ; vaṁśī — flute ; tomāra — Your ; gopī — the gopīs ; hari — stealing ; nila — took away .

Translation

Hearing this reply, the Lord said in ecstasy, “Go on talking! Go on talking!” Thus Śrīvāsa described the transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Śrī Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing ; prabhu — the Lord ; bala bala — go on speaking, go on speaking ; balena — He says ; āveśe — in ecstasy ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; varṇena — describes ; vṛndāvana — of Vṛndāvana ; līlā - rase — the transcendental mellows of the pastimes .

Translation

In the beginning Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura described the transcendental sweetness of Vṛndāvana’s pastimes. Hearing this, the Lord felt great and increasing jubilation in His heart.

Word meanings

prathamete — in the beginning ; vṛndāvana - mādhurya — sweet pastimes of Vṛndāvana ; varṇila — described ; śuniyā — hearing ; prabhura — of the Lord ; citte — in the heart ; ānanda — jubilation ; bāḍila — increased .

Translation

Thereafter the Lord again and again asked him, “Speak on! Speak on!” Thus Śrīvāsa again and again described the pastimes of Vṛndāvana, vividly expanding them.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; bala bala — go on speaking, go on speaking ; prabhu — the Lord ; bale — says ; vāra - vāra — again, again ; punaḥ punaḥ — again, again ; kahe — speaks ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; kariyā — making ; vistāra — expansion .

Translation

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura extensively explained how the gopīs were attracted to the forests of Vṛndāvana by the vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute and how they wandered together in the forest.

Word meanings

vaṁśī - vādye — on hearing the sound of the flute ; gopī - gaṇera — of all the gopīs ; vane — in the forest ; ākarṣaṇa — the attraction ; tāṅ - sabāra — of all of them ; saṅge — in the company ; yaiche — in what way ; vana — in the forest ; viharaṇa — wandering .

Translation

Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita narrated all the pastimes enacted during the six changing seasons. He described the drinking of honey, the celebration of the rāsa dance, the swimming in the Yamunā and other such incidents.

Word meanings

tāhi madhye — during that ; chaya - ṛtu — the six seasons ; līlāra — of the pastimes ; varṇana — description ; madhu - pāna — drinking of the honey ; rāsa - utsava — dancing the rāsa-līlā ; jala - keli — swimming in the Yamunā ; kathana — narrations .

Translation

When the Lord, hearing with great pleasure, said, “Go on speaking! Go on speaking!” Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura described the rāsa-līlā dance, which is filled with transcendental mellows.

Word meanings

bala bala — go on speaking, go on speaking ; bale — says ; prabhu — the Lord ; śunite — hearing ; ullāsa — very jubilantly ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; kahena — says ; tabe — then ; rāsa — rāsa dance ; rasera — filled with transcendental humors ; vilāsa — pastimes .

Translation

As the Lord thus requested and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura spoke, the morning appeared, and the Lord embraced Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and satisfied him.

Word meanings

kahite — speaking ; śunite — hearing ; aiche — in that way ; prātaḥ - kāla — morning ; haila — appeared ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; śrīvāsere — unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; toṣi’ — satisfying ; āliṅgana — embracing ; kaila — did .

Translation

Thereafter a dramatization of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes was performed in the house of Śrī Candraśekhara Ācārya. The Lord personally took the part of Rukmiṇī, the foremost of Kṛṣṇa’s queens.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; ācāryera — of Śrī Candraśekhara Ācārya ; ghare — in the house ; kaila — performed ; kṛṣṇa - līlā — pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; rukmiṇī — of Rukmiṇī ; svarūpa — form ; prabhu — the Lord ; āpane — personally ; ha - ilā — became .

Translation

The Lord sometimes took the part of Goddess Durgā, Lakṣmī [the goddess of fortune] or the chief potency, Yogamāyā. Sitting on a cot, He delivered love of Godhead to all the devotees present.

Word meanings

kabhu — sometimes ; durgā — the part of Goddess Durgā ; lakṣmī — the goddess of fortune ; haya — is ; kabhu — sometimes ; vā — or ; cit - śakti — the spiritual potency ; khāṭe — on a cot ; vasi’ — sitting ; bhakta - gaṇe — unto the devotees ; dilā — gave ; prema - bhakti — love of Godhead .

Translation

One day when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had finished His dancing, a woman, the wife of a brāhmaṇa, came there and caught hold of His lotus feet.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; mahāprabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nṛtya - avasāne — at the end of the dancing ; eka — one ; brāhmaṇī — wife of a brāhmaṇa ; āsi’ — coming ; dharila — caught hold ; caraṇe — of His lotus feet .

Translation

As she took the dust of His lotus feet again and again, the Lord became unlimitedly unhappy.

Word meanings

caraṇera — of His lotus feet ; dhūli — the dust ; sei — that woman ; laya — takes ; vāra vāra — again and again ; dekhiyā — seeing this ; prabhura — of the Lord ; duḥkha — unhappiness ; ha - ila — there was ; apāra — unlimited .

Purport

This holding of a great personality’s lotus feet is certainly very good for the person who takes the dust, but this example of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s unhappiness indicates that a Vaiṣṇava should not allow anyone to take dust from his feet.

One who takes the dust of a great personality’s lotus feet transfers his sinful activities to that great personality. Unless the person whose dust is taken is very strong, he must suffer the sinful activities of the person who takes the dust. Therefore ordinarily it should not be allowed. Sometimes in big meetings people come to take the same advantage by touching our feet. On account of this, sometimes we have to suffer from some disease. As far as possible, no outsider should be allowed to touch one’s feet to take dust from them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally showed this by His example, as explained in the next verse.

Translation

Immediately He ran to the river Ganges and jumped in to counteract the sinful activities of that woman. Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Ṭhākura caught Him and raised Him from the river.

Word meanings

sei - kṣaṇe — immediately ; dhāñā — running ; prabhu — the Lord ; gaṅgāte — in the water of the Ganges ; paḍila — plunged ; nityānanda — Lord Nityānanda ; haridāsa — Haridāsa Ṭhākura ; dhari’ — catching Him ; uṭhāila — raised Him .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is God Himself, but He was playing the part of a preacher. Every preacher should know that being allowed to touch a Vaiṣṇava’s feet and take dust may be good for the person who takes it, but it is not good for the person who allows it to be taken. As far as possible, this practice should ordinarily be avoided. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to take this advantage, not others. Those who are full of sinful activities should generally be avoided.

Translation

That night the Lord stayed at the house of Vijaya Ācārya. In the morning the Lord took all His devotees and returned home.

Word meanings

vijaya — named Vijaya ; ācāryera — of the teacher ; ghare — at the home ; se — that ; rātre — on the night ; rahilā — remained ; prātaḥ - kāle — in the morning ; bhakta — the devotees ; sabe — all ; ghare — home ; lañā — taking them ; gelā — went .

Translation

One day the Lord, in the ecstasy of the gopīs, was sitting in His house. Very morose in separation, He was calling, “Gopī! Gopī!”

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; gopī - bhāve — in the ecstasy of the gopīs ; gṛhete — at home ; vasiyā — sitting ; gopī gopī — gopī gopī ; nāma — the name ; laya — chants ; viṣaṇṇa — morose ; hañā — becoming .

Translation

A student who came to see the Lord was astonished that the Lord was chanting “Gopī! Gopī!” Thus he spoke as follows.

Word meanings

eka paḍuyā — one student ; āila — came there ; prabhuke — the Lord ; dekhite — to see ; gopī gopī — gopī gopī ; nāma — the name ; śuni’ — hearing ; lāgila — began ; balite — to say .

Translation

“Why are You chanting the names ‘gopī gopī’ instead of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which is so glorious? What pious result will You achieve by such chanting?”

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; nā — not ; lao — You take ; kene — why ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; dhanya — glorious ; gopī gopī — the names gopī gopī ; balile — on saying ; vā — or ; kibā — what ; haya — there is ; puṇya — piety .

Purport

It is said, vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya: no one can understand the activities of a pure devotee. A student or neophyte devotee could not possibly understand why Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was chanting the name of the gopīs, nor should the student have asked the Lord about the potency of chanting gopī gopī. The neophyte student was certainly convinced of the piety in the chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, but this sort of attitude is also offensive. Dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ: to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in exchange for the achievement of piety is an offense. This, of course, was unknown to the student. Thus he innocently asked, “What piety is there in the chanting of the name gopī ?” He did not know that there is no question of piety or impiety. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa or the holy name gopī is on the transcendental platform of loving affairs. Since he was not expert in understanding such transcendental activities, his question was merely impudent. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, apparently greatly angry at him, reacted as follows.

Translation

Hearing the foolish student, the Lord became greatly angry and rebuked Lord Kṛṣṇa in various ways. Taking up a stick, He rose to strike the student.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing ; prabhu — the Lord ; krodhe — in anger ; kaila — did ; kṛṣṇe — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa ; doṣa - udgāra — many accusations ; ṭheṅgā — stick ; lañā — taking ; uṭhilā — got up ; prabhu — the Lord ; paḍuyā — the student ; māribāra — to strike .

Purport

It is mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that when Uddhava came from Lord Kṛṣṇa with a message for the gopīs, all the gopīs, especially Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, denounced Kṛṣṇa in various ways. Such denunciations, however, reflect an exuberant loving attitude that an ordinary man cannot understand. When the foolish student questioned Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Caitanya similarly rebuked Lord Kṛṣṇa in loving exuberance. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in the mood of the gopīs and the student advocated the cause of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya was greatly angry. Seeing His anger, the foolish student, who was an ordinary atheistic smārta-brāhmaṇa, foolishly misjudged Him. Thus he and a party of students were ready to strike the Lord in retaliation. After this incident, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to take sannyāsa so that people would not commit offenses against Him, considering Him an ordinary householder, for in India even now a sannyāsī is naturally offered respect.

Translation

The student ran away in fear, and the Lord followed him. But somehow or other the devotees checked the Lord.

Word meanings

bhaye — out of fear ; palāya — runs away ; paḍuyā — the student ; prabhu — the Lord ; pāche pāche — after him ; dhāya — runs ; āste vyaste — somehow or other ; bhakta - gaṇa — all the devotees ; prabhure — the Lord ; rahāya — checked .

Translation

The devotees pacified the Lord and brought Him home, and the student ran away to an assembly of other students.

Word meanings

prabhure — the Lord ; śānta kari’ — pacifying ; ānila — brought ; nija — His own ; ghare — to the house ; paḍuyā — the student ; palāyā — running away ; gela — went ; paḍuyā — of students ; sabhāre — to the assembly .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa student ran to a place where a thousand students were studying together. There he described the incident to them.

Word meanings

paḍuyā — students ; sahasra — a thousand ; yāhāṅ — where ; paḍe — they study ; eka - thāñi — in one place ; prabhura — of the Lord ; vṛttānta — incident ; dvija — the brāhmaṇa ; kahe — says ; tāhāṅ — there ; yāi — he goes .

Purport

In this verse we find the word dvija, indicating that the student was a brāhmaṇa. Actually, in those days, only members of the brāhmaṇa class became students of Vedic literature. Schooling is meant especially for brāhmaṇas; previously there was no question of schooling for kṣatriyas, vaiśyas or śūdras. Kṣatriyas used to learn the technology of warfare, and vaiśyas learned business from their fathers or other businessmen; they were not meant to study the Vedas. At present, however, everyone goes to school, and everyone is given the same type of education, although no one knows what the result will be. The result, however, is most unsatisfactory, as we have seen in the Western countries especially. The United States has vast educational institutions where everyone is allowed to receive an education, but the result is that most students become like hippies.

Higher education is not meant for everyone. Only selected individuals trained in brahminical culture should be allowed to pursue a higher education. Educational institutions should not aim to teach technology, for a technologist cannot properly be called educated. A technologist is a śūdra; only one who studies the Vedas may properly be called a learned man ( paṇḍita ) . The duty of a brāhmaṇa is to become learned in the Vedic literature and teach the Vedic knowledge to other brāhmaṇas. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are simply teaching our students to become fit brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. In our school at Dallas, the students are learning English and Sanskrit, and through these two languages they are studying all our books, such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and The Nectar of Devotion. It is a mistake to educate every student as a technologist. There must be a group of students who become brāhmaṇas. Without brāhmaṇas who study the Vedic literature, human society will be entirely chaotic.

Translation

Hearing of the incident, all the students became greatly angry and joined together in criticizing the Lord.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing ; krodha — angry ; kaila — became ; saba — all ; paḍuyāra — of students ; gaṇa — the groups ; sabe — all ; meli’ — joining together ; kare — do ; tabe — then ; prabhura — of the Lord ; nindana — accusation .

Translation

“Nimāi Paṇḍita alone has spoiled the entire country,” they accused. “He wants to strike a caste brāhmaṇa. He has no fear of religious principles.

Word meanings

saba — all ; deśa — countries ; bhraṣṭa — spoiled ; kaila — has ; ekalā — alone ; nimāñi — Nimāi Paṇḍita ; brāhmaṇa — a caste brāhmaṇa ; mārite — to strike ; cāhe — He wants ; dharma — of religious principles ; bhaya — fear ; nāi — there is not .

Purport

In those days also, the caste brāhmaṇas were very proud. They were not prepared to accept chastisement even from a teacher or spiritual master.

Translation

“If He again performs such an atrocious act, certainly we shall retaliate and strike Him in turn. What kind of important person is He, that He can check us in this way?”

Word meanings

punaḥ — again ; yadi — if ; aiche — like that ; kare — He does ; māriba — we shall strike ; tāhare — Him ; kon — who ; vā — or ; mānuṣa — the man ; haya — is ; ki — what ; karite — to do ; pāre — He is able .

Translation

When all the students thus resolved, criticizing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, their intelligence was spoiled. Thus although they were learned scholars, because of this offense the essence of knowledge was not manifested in them.

Word meanings

prabhura — of the Lord ; nindāya — in accusation ; sabāra — of everyone ; buddhi — the intelligence ; haila — became ; nāśa — spoiled ; su - paṭhita — well-studied ; vidyā — knowledge ; kārao — everyone’s ; nā — does not ; haya — become ; prakāśa — manifest .

Purport

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ: when one becomes inimical to the Supreme Personnality of Godhead, adopting an atheistic attitude ( āsuraṁ bhāvam ), even if one is a learned scholar the essence of knowledge does not become manifested in him; in other words, the essence of his knowledge is stolen by the illusory energy of the Lord. In this connection Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes a mantra from the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23):

yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

The purport of this verse is that one who is unflinchingly devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, and similarly devoted to the spiritual master, with no ulterior motive, becomes a master of all knowledge. In the heart of such a devotee, the real essence of the Vedic knowledge becomes manifested. This essence is nothing but surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ ) . Only unto one who fully surrenders to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord does the essence of Vedic knowledge become manifested, not to anyone else. This same principle is emphasized by Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.24):

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā kriyate bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam

“A person who directly applies these nine principles [hearing, chanting, remembering, etc.] in the service of the Lord is to be understood as a greatly learned man who has assimilated the Vedic literatures very well, for the goal of studying the Vedic literature is to understand the supremacy of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” Śrīdhara Svāmī confirms in his commentary that first one must surrender to the spiritual master; then the process of devotional service will develop. It is not a fact that only one who diligently pursues an academic career can become a devotee. Even with no academic career, if one has full faith in the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he develops in spiritual life and real knowledge of the Vedas. The example of Mahārāja Khaṭvāṅga confirms this. One who surrenders is understood to have learned the subject matter of the Vedas very nicely. One who adopts this Vedic process of surrender learns devotional service and is certainly successful. One who is very proud, however, is unable to surrender either to the spiritual master or to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he cannot understand the essence of any Vedic literature. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ( Bhāg. 11.11.18 ) declares:

śabda-brahmaṇi niṣṇāto na niṣṇāyāt pare yadi śramas tasya śrama-phalo hy adhenum iva rakṣataḥ

“If one is learned in the Vedic literature but is not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, his work is a useless waste of labor, just like the keeping of a cow that does not give milk.”

Anyone who does not follow the surrendering process but is simply interested in an academic career cannot make any advancement. His profit is only his labor for nothing. If one is expert in the study of the Vedas but does not surrender to a spiritual master or Viṣṇu, all his cultivation of knowledge is but a waste of time and labor.

Translation

But the proud student community did not become submissive. On the contrary, the students spoke of the incident anywhere and everywhere. In a laughing manner they criticized the Lord.

Word meanings

tathāpi — still ; dāmbhika — proud ; paḍuyā — students ; namra — submissive ; nāhi — not ; haya — become ; yāhāṅ — any where ; tāhāṅ — everywhere ; prabhura — of the Lord ; nindā — accusation ; hāsi’ — laughing ; se — they ; karaya — do .

Translation

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being omniscient, could understand the degradation of these students. Thus He sat at home, contemplating how to rescue them.

Word meanings

sarva - jña — all-knowing ; gosāñi — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; jāni’ — knowing ; sabāra — of all of them ; durgati — degradation ; ghare — at home ; vasi’ — sitting ; cinte — contemplates ; tā’ — of them ; sabāra — of all ; avyāhati — the rescue .

Translation

“All the so-called professors and scientists and their students generally follow the regulative principles of religion, fruitive activities and austerities,” the Lord thought, “yet at the same time they are blasphemers and rogues.

Word meanings

yata — all ; adhyāpaka — professors ; āra — and ; tāṅra — their ; śiṣya - gaṇa — students ; dharmī — followers of religious ritualistic ceremonies ; karmī — performers of fruitive activities ; tapaḥ - niṣṭha — performers of austerities ; nindaka — blasphemers ; durjana — rogues .

Purport

Here is a depiction of materialists who have no knowledge of devotional service. They may be very religious and may work very systematically or perform austerities and penances, but if they blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead they are nothing but rogues. This is confirmed in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (3.11):

bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ aprāṇasyaiva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam

If they are without knowledge of devotional service to the Lord, then great nationalism, fruitive, political or social work, science or philosophy are all simply like costly garments decorating a dead body. The only offense of persons adhering to these principles is that they are not devotees; they are always blasphemous toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees.

Translation

“If I do not induce them to take to devotional service, because of committing the offense of blasphemy none of these people will be able to take to it.

Word meanings

ei saba — all of them ; mora — of Me ; nindā — blasphemy ; aparādha — offense ; haite — from ; āmi — I ; nā — not ; laoyāile — if causing them to take ; bhakti — devotional service ; nā — not ; pāre — able ; la - ite — to take .

Translation

“I have come to deliver all the fallen souls, but now just the opposite has happened. How can these rogues be delivered? How may they be benefited?

Word meanings

nistārite — to deliver ; āilāma — have come ; āmi — I ; haila — it has become ; viparīta — just the opposite ; e - saba — all these ; durjanera — of the rogues ; kaiche — how ; ha - ibeka — it will be ; hita — the benefit .

Translation

“If these rogues offer Me obeisances, the reactions of their sinful activities will be nullified. Then, if I induce them, they will take to devotional service.

Word meanings

āmāke — unto Me ; praṇati — obeisances ; kare — they offer ; haya — becomes ; pāpa - kṣaya — destruction of sinful reactions ; tabe — then ; se — they ; ihāre — unto them ; bhakti — devotional service ; laoyāile — if causing to take ; laya — will take .

Translation

“I must certainly deliver all these fallen souls who blaspheme Me and do not offer Me obeisances.

Word meanings

more — Me ; nindā kare — blasphemes ; ye — anyone who ; nā — does not ; kare — offer ; namaskāra — obeisances ; e - saba — all these ; jīvere — living entities ; avaśya — certainly ; kariba — I shall do ; uddhāra — deliverance .

Translation

“I shall accept the sannyāsa order of life, for thus people will offer Me their obeisances, thinking of Me as a member of the renounced order.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; avaśya — certainly ; āmi — I ; sannyāsa — the renounced order of life ; kariba — shall accept ; sannyāsi - buddhye — by thinking of Me as a sannyāsī ; more — unto Me ; praṇata — bow down ; ha - iba — they shall do .

Purport

Among the members of the varṇāśrama institution’s social orders ( brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra ), the brāhmaṇa is considered the foremost, for he is the teacher and spiritual master of all the other varṇas. Similarly, among the spiritual orders ( brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa ), the sannyāsa order is the most elevated. Therefore a sannyāsī is the spiritual master of all the varṇas and āśramas, and a brāhmaṇa is also expected to offer obeisances to a sannyāsī. Unfortunately, however, caste brāhmaṇas do not offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. They are so proud that they do not offer obeisances even to Indian sannyāsīs, what to speak of European and American sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, expected that even the caste brāhmaṇas would offer respectful obeisances to a sannyāsī because five hundred years ago the social custom was to offer obeisances immediately to any sannyāsī, known or unknown.

The sannyāsīs of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are bona fide. All the students of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have undergone the regular process of initiation. As enjoined in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa by Sanātana Gosvāmī, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām: by the regular process of initiation, any man can become a brāhmaṇa. Thus in the beginning the students of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities — illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication — they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life. When one is found to be regularly following these principles, he is given the first initiation ( hari-nāma ), and he regularly chants at least sixteen rounds a day. Then, after six months or a year, he is initiated for the second time and given the sacred thread with the regular sacrifice and rituals. After some time, when he advances still further and is willing to give up this material world, he is given the sannyāsa order. At that time he receives the title svāmī or gosvāmī, both of which mean “master of the senses.” Unfortunately, debauched so-called brāhmaṇas in India neither offer them respect nor accept them as bona fide sannyāsīs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expected the so-called brāhmaṇas to offer respect to such Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs. Nevertheless, it does not matter whether they offer respect, nor whether they accept these sannyāsīs as bona fide, for the śāstra describes punishment for such disobedient so-called brāhmaṇas. The śāstric injunction declares:

devatā-pratimāṁ dṛṣṭvā yatiṁ caiva tridaṇḍinam namaskāraṁ na kuryād yaḥ prāyaścittīyate naraḥ

“One who does not offer respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His Deity in the temple or to a tridaṇḍī sannyāsī must undergo prāyaścitta [atonement].” If one does not offer obeisances to such a sannyāsī, the prescribed prāyaścitta is to fast for one day.

Translation

“Offering obeisances will relieve them of all the reactions to their offenses. Then, by My grace, devotional service [bhakti] will awaken in their pure hearts.

Word meanings

praṇatite — by offering obeisances ; ha’be — there will be ; ihāra — of such offenders ; aparādha — the offenses ; kṣaya — destruction ; nirmala — pure ; hṛdaye — in the heart ; bhakti — devotional service ; karāiba — I shall cause ; udaya — the rising .

Purport

According to the Vedic injunctions, only a brāhmaṇa may be offered sannyāsa. The Śaṅkara-sampradāya ( ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa-sampradāya ) awards the sannyāsa order only to caste brāhmaṇas, or born brāhmaṇas, but in the Vaiṣṇava system even one not born in a brāhmaṇa family may be made a brāhmaṇa according to the direction of the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa ( tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām ) . Any person from any part of the world may be made a brāhmaṇa by the regular process of initiation, and when he follows brahminical behavior, observing the principle of abstaining from intoxication, illicit sex, meat-eating and gambling, he may be offered sannyāsa. All the sannyāsīs in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, who are preaching all over the world, are regular brāhmaṇa-sannyāsīs. Thus the so-called caste brāhmaṇas should not object to offering them respectful obeisances. By offering such obeisances, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will diminish their offenses and automatically awaken to their natural position of devotional service. As it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya: kṛṣṇa-prema can be awakened in a purified heart. The more we offer obeisances to sannyāsīs, especially Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the more we diminish our offenses and purify our hearts. Only in a purified heart can kṛṣṇa-prema awaken. This is the process of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Translation

“All the unfaithful rogues of this world can be delivered by this process. There is no alternative. This is the essence of the argument.”

Word meanings

e - saba — all these ; pāṣaṇḍīra — of the demons ; tabe — then ; ha - ibe — there will be ; nistāra — deliverance ; āra — alternative ; kona — some ; upāya — means ; nāhi — there is not ; ei — this ; yukti — of the argument ; sāra — essence .

Translation

After coming to this firm conclusion, the Lord continued to stay at home. In the meantime Keśava Bhāratī came to the town of Nadia.

Word meanings

ei — this ; dṛḍha — firm ; yukti — consideration ; kari’ — making ; prabhu — the Lord ; āche — was ; ghare — in His home ; keśava bhāratī — Keśava Bhāratī ; āilā — came ; nadīyā - nagare — to the town of Nadia .

Translation

The Lord offered him respectful obeisances and invited him to His house. After feeding him sumptuously, He submitted to him His petition.

Word meanings

prabhu — the Lord ; tāṅre — to him ; namaskari’ — offering obeisances ; kaila — did ; nimantraṇa — invitation ; bhikṣā — alms ; karāiyā — giving ; tāṅre — to him ; kaila — submitted ; nivedana — His prayer .

Purport

According to the system of Vedic society, whenever an unknown sannyāsī comes to a village or town, someone must invite him to take prasādam in his home. Sannyāsīs generally take prasādam in the house of a brāhmaṇa because the brāhmaṇa worships the Lord Nārāyaṇa śilā, or śālagrāma-śilā, and therefore there is prasādam that the sannyāsī may take. Keśava Bhāratī accepted the invitation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus the Lord had a good opportunity to explain His desire to take sannyāsa from him.

Translation

“Sir, you are directly Nārāyaṇa. Therefore please be merciful unto Me. Deliver Me from this material bondage.”

Word meanings

tumi — you ; ta’ — certainly ; īśvara — the Lord ; baṭa — are ; sākṣāt — directly ; nārāyaṇa — the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa ; kṛpā kari’ — showing mercy ; kara — please do ; mora — My ; saṁsāra — material life ; mocana — deliverance .

Translation

Keśava Bhāratī replied to the Lord, “You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul. I must do whatever You cause me to do. I am not independent of You.”

Word meanings

bhāratī kahena — Keśava Bhāratī replied ; tumi — You ; īśvara — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; antaryāmī — You know everything from within ; ye — whatever ; karāha — You cause to do ; se — that ; kariba — I must do ; svatantra — independent ; nahi — not ; āmi — I .

Translation

After saying this, Keśava Bhāratī, the spiritual master, went back to his village, Katwa. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu went there and accepted the renounced order of life [sannyāsa].

Word meanings

eta bali’ — saying this ; bhāratī — Keśava Bhāratī ; gosāñi — the spiritual master ; kāṭoyāte — to Katwa ; gelā — went ; mahāprabhu — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tahā — there ; yai’ — going ; sannyāsa — the renounced order of life ; karilā — accepted .

Purport

At the end of His twenty-fourth year, at the end of the fortnight of the waxing moon, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left Navadvīpa and crossed the river Ganges at a place known as Nidayāra-ghāṭa. Then He reached Kaṇṭaka-nagara, or Kāṭoyā (Katwa), where He accepted ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa according to the Śaṅkarite system. Since Keśava Bhāratī belonged to the Śaṅkarite sect, he could not initiate Caitanya Mahāprabhu into the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa order, whose members carry the tridaṇḍa.

Candraśekhara Ācārya assisted in the routine ceremonial work of the Lord’s acceptance of sannyāsa. By the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, kīrtana was performed for the entire day, and at the end of the day the Lord shaved off His hair. On the next day He became a regular sannyāsī, with one rod ( ekadaṇḍa ) . From that day on, His name was Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Before that, He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the sannyāsa order, traveled all over Rāḍhadeśa, the region where the Ganges River cannot be seen. Keśava Bhāratī accompanied Him for some distance.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa, three personalities were with Him to perform all the necessary activities. They were Nityānanda Prabhu, Candraśekhara Ācārya and Mukunda Datta.

Word meanings

saṅge — in His company ; nityānanda — Nityānanda Prabhu ; candraśekhara ācārya — Candraśekhara Ācārya ; mukunda - datta — Mukunda Datta ; ei tina — these three ; kaila — performed ; sarva — all ; kārya — necessary activities .

Translation

Thus I have summarized the incidents of the ādi-līlā. Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has described them elaborately [in his Caitanya-bhāgavata].

Word meanings

ei — this ; ādi - līlāra — of the ādi-līlā (the first portion of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes) ; kaila — made ; sūtra — synopsis ; gaṇana — enumeration ; vistāri — elaborately ; varṇilā — described ; ihā — this ; dāsa vṛndāvana — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura .

Translation

The same Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared as the son of mother Yaśodā has now appeared as the son of mother Śacī, relishing four kinds of devotional activities.

Word meanings

yaśodā - nandana — the son of mother Yaśodā ; hailā — became ; śacīra — of mother Śacī ; nandana — the son ; catuḥ - vidha — four kinds of ; bhakta - bhāva — devotional humors ; kare — does ; āsvādana — tasting .

Purport

Servitude, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the basis of the four kinds of devotional activities. In śānta, the marginal stage of devotional service, there is no activity. But above the śānta humor are servitude, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love, which represent the gradual growth of devotional service to higher and higher platforms.

Translation

To taste the mellows of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s loving affairs in Her relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and to understand the reservoir of pleasure in Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Himself, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accepted the mood of Rādhārāṇī.

Word meanings

sva - mādhurya — His own conjugal love ; rādhā - prema - rasa — the mellow of the loving affairs between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa ; āsvādite — to taste ; rādhā - bhāva — the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; aṅgī kariyāche — He accepted ; bhāla - mate — very well .

Purport

In this connection Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya, “Śrī Gaurasundara is Kṛṣṇa Himself with the attitude of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never gave up the attitude of the gopīs. He remained everlastingly predominated by Kṛṣṇa and never accepted the part of the predominator by imitating conjugal love with an ordinary woman, as sahajiyās generally do. He never placed Himself in the position of a debauchee. Lusty materialists like the members of the sahajiyā-sampradāya hanker after women, even others’ wives. But when they try to ascribe the responsibility for their lusty activities to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they become offenders to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. In Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa, chapter fifteen, it is said:

sabe para-strīra prati nāhi parihāsa strī dekhi’ dūre prabhu hayena eka-pāśa

‘Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never even joked with others’ wives. As soon as He saw a woman coming, He would immediately give her ample room to pass without talking.’ He was extremely strict regarding the association of women. The sahajiyās, however, pose as followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu although they indulge in lusty affairs with women. In His youth Lord Caitanya was very humorous with everyone, but He never joked with any woman, nor in this incarnation did He talk about women. The gaurāṅga-nāgarī party is not approved by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. Even though one may offer all kinds of prayers to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one should strictly avoid worshiping Him as the Gaurāṅga Nāgara. The personal behavior of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the verses written by Śrī Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura have completely repudiated the lusty desires of the gaurāṅga-nāgarīs. ”

Translation

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the mood of the gopīs, who accept Vrajendranandana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as their lover.

Word meanings

gopī - bhāva — the mood of the gopīs ; yāte — in which ; prabhu — the Lord ; dhariyāche — accepted ; ekānta — positively ; vrajendra - nandane — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; māne — they accept ; āpanāra — own ; kānta — lover .

Translation

It is firmly concluded that the ecstatic mood of the gopīs is possible only before Kṛṣṇa, and no one else.

Word meanings

gopikā - bhāvera — of the ecstasy of the gopīs ; ei — this ; sudṛḍha — firm ; niścaya — confirmation ; vrajendra - nandana — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; vinā — without ; anyatra — anyone else ; nā — not ; haya — is possible .

Translation

He has a bluish complexion, a peacock feather on His head, a guñjā garland and the decorations of a cowherd boy. His body is curved in three places, and He holds a flute to His mouth.

Word meanings

śyāma - sundara — Lord Kṛṣṇa, who has a bluish color ; śikhi - piccha — with a peacock feather on the head ; guñjā — a garland of guñjā (small berries or conchshells) ; vibhūṣaṇa — decorations ; gopa - veśa — with the dress of a cowherd boy ; tri - bhaṅgima — curved in three places ; muralīvadana — holding a flute to His mouth .

Translation

If Lord Kṛṣṇa gives up this original form and assumes another Viṣṇu form, nearness to Him cannot invoke the ecstatic mood of the gopīs.

Word meanings

ihā — this ; chāḍi’ — giving up ; kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa ; yadi — if ; haya — takes ; anya - ākāra — another form ; gopikāra — of the gopīs ; bhāva — the ecstasy ; nāhi — does not ; yāya — arise ; nikaṭa — near ; tāhāra — that (form) .

Translation

“Once Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa playfully manifested Himself as Nārāyaṇa, with four victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopīs saw this exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. Even a learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopīs’ ecstatic feelings, which are firmly fixed upon the original form of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the son of Nanda Mahārāja. The wonderful feelings of the gopīs in ecstatic parama-rasa with Kṛṣṇa constitute the greatest mystery in spiritual life.”

Word meanings

gopīnām — of the gopīs ; paśupa - indra - nandana - juṣaḥ — of the service of the son of Vraja’s King, Mahārāja Nanda ; bhāvasya — ecstatic ; kaḥ — what ; tām — that ; kṛtī — learned man ; vijñātum — to understand ; kṣamate — is able ; durūha — very difficult to understand ; padavī — the position ; sañcāriṇaḥ — which provokes ; prakriyām — activity ; āviṣkurvati — He manifests ; vaiṣṇavīm — of Viṣṇu ; api — certainly ; tanum — the body ; tasmin — in that ; bhujaiḥ — with arms ; jiṣṇubhiḥ — very beautiful ; yāsām — of whom (the gopīs ) ; hanta — alas ; caturbhiḥ — four ; adbhuta — wonderfully ; rucim — beautiful ; rāga - udayaḥ — the evoking of ecstatic feelings ; kuñcati — cripples .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Lalita-mādhava (6.54), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Translation

During the season of springtime, when the rāsa dance was going on, suddenly Kṛṣṇa disappeared from the scene, indicating that He wanted to be alone with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Word meanings

vasanta - kāle — during the season of spring ; rāsa - līlā — the rāsa dance ; kare — does ; govardhane — near the Govardhana Hill ; antardhāna — disappearance ; kailā — did ; saṅketa — indication ; kari’ — making ; rādhā - sane — with Rādhārāṇī .

Translation

Kṛṣṇa was sitting in a solitary bush, waiting for Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to pass by. But while He was searching, the gopīs arrived there, like a phalanx of soldiers.

Word meanings

nibhṛta — solitary ; nikuñje — in a bush ; vasi’ — sitting ; dekhe — waiting to see ; rādhāra — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; bāṭa — the passing ; anveṣite — while searching ; āilā — came ; tāhāṅ — there ; gopikāra — of the gopīs ; ṭhāṭa — the phalanx .

Translation

“Just see!” the gopīs said, seeing Kṛṣṇa from a distant place. “Here within a bush is Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja.”

Word meanings

dūra haite — from a distance ; kṛṣṇe — unto Kṛṣṇa ; dekhi’ — seeing ; bale — said ; gopī - gaṇa — all the gopīs ; ei dekha — just see here ; kuñjera — the bush ; bhitara — within ; vrajendra - nandana — the son of Nanda Mahārāja .

Translation

As soon as Kṛṣṇa saw all the gopīs, He was struck with emotion. Thus He could not hide Himself, and out of fear He became motionless.

Word meanings

gopī - gaṇa — all the gopīs combined together ; dekhi’ — seeing ; kṛṣṇera — of Kṛṣṇa ; ha - ila — there were ; sādhvasa — some emotional feelings ; lukāite — to hide ; nārila — was unable ; bhaye — out of fear ; hailā — became ; vibaśa — motionless .

Translation

Kṛṣṇa assumed His four-armed Nārāyaṇa form and sat there. When all the gopīs came, they looked at Him and spoke as follows.

Word meanings

catur - bhuja — four-armed ; mūrti — form ; dhari’ — accepting ; āchena — was ; vasiyā — sitting ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; dekhi’ — seeing ; gopī — the gopīs ; kahe — say ; nikaṭe — nearby ; āsiyā — coming there .

Translation

“He is not Kṛṣṇa! He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa.” After saying this, they offered obeisances and the following respectful prayers.

Word meanings

ihoṅ — this ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; nahe — is not ; ihoṅ — this is ; nārāyaṇa — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; mūrti — the form ; eta bali’ — saying this ; tāṅre — unto Him ; sabhe — all the gopīs ; kare — make ; nati - stuti — obeisances and prayers .

Translation

“O Lord Nārāyaṇa, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Kindly be merciful to us. Give us the association of Kṛṣṇa and thus vanquish our lamentation.”

Word meanings

namaḥ nārāyaṇa — all respects to Nārāyaṇa ; deva — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; karaha — kindly give ; prasāda — Your mercy ; kṛṣṇa - saṅga — association with Kṛṣṇa ; deha’ — giving ; mora — our ; ghucāha — please diminish ; viṣāda — lamentation .

Purport

The gopīs were not made happy even by seeing the four-armed form of Nārāyaṇa. Yet they offered their respects to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and begged from Him the benediction of achieving the association of Kṛṣṇa. Such is the ecstatic feeling of the gopīs.

Translation

After saying this and offering obeisances, all the gopīs dispersed. Then Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī came and appeared before Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

eta bali — saying this ; namaskari’ — offering obeisances ; gelā — went away ; gopī - gaṇa — all the gopīs ; hena - kāle — at this time ; rādhā — Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; āsi’ — coming there ; dilā — gave ; daraśana — audience .

Translation

When Lord Kṛṣṇa saw Rādhārāṇī, He wanted to maintain the four-armed form to joke with Her.

Word meanings

rādhā — Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; dekhi’ — seeing ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; tāṅre — unto Her ; hāsya — joking ; karite — to do ; sei — that ; catur - bhuja — four-armed ; mūrti — form ; cāhena — wanted ; rākhite — to keep .

Translation

In front of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Śrī Kṛṣṇa had to hide the two extra arms. He tried His best to keep four arms before Her, but He was completely unable to do so.

Word meanings

lukāilā — He hid ; dui — two ; bhuja — arms ; rādhāra — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; agrete — in front ; bahu — much ; yatna — endeavor ; kailā — did ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; nārila — was unable ; rākhite — to keep .

Translation

The influence of Rādhārāṇī’s pure ecstasy is so inconceivably great that it forced Kṛṣṇa to come to His original two-armed form.

Word meanings

rādhāra — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; viśuddha — purified ; bhāvera — of the ecstasy ; acintya — inconceivable ; prabhāva — influence ; ye — which ; kṛṣṇere — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa ; karāilā — forced ; dvi - bhuja — two-armed ; svabhāva — original form .

Translation

“Prior to the rāsa dance, Lord Kṛṣṇa hid Himself in a grove just to have fun. When the gopīs came, their eyes resembling those of deer, by His sharp intelligence He exhibited His beautiful four-armed form to hide Himself. But when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī came there, Kṛṣṇa could not maintain His four arms in Her presence. This is the wonderful glory of Her love.”

Word meanings

rāsa - ārambha - vidhau — in the matter of beginning the rāsa dance ; nilīya — having hidden ; vasatā — sitting ; kuñje — in a grove ; mṛga - akṣī - gaṇaiḥ — by the gopīs, who had eyes resembling those of deer ; dṛṣṭam — being seen ; gopayitum — to hide ; svam — Himself ; uddhura - dhiyā — by first-class intelligence ; yā — which ; suṣṭhu — perfectly ; sandarśitā — exhibited ; rādhāyāḥ — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇīī ; praṇayasya — of the love ; hanta — just see ; mahimā — the glory ; yasya — of which ; śriyā — the opulence ; rakṣitum — to protect that ; sā — that ; śakyā — able ; prabhaviṣṇunā — by Kṛṣṇa ; api — even ; hariṇā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; na — not ; āsīt — was ; catuḥ - bāhutā — four-armed form .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (Nāyikābheda 7), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Translation

Father Nanda, the King of Vrajabhūmi, is now Jagannātha Miśra, the father of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And mother Yaśodā, the Queen of Vrajabhūmi, is now Śacīdevī, Lord Caitanya’s mother.

Word meanings

sei — that ; vrajeśvara — the King of Vraja ; ihaṅ — now ; jagannātha — Jagannātha Miśra ; pitā — the father of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; sei — that ; vrajeśvarī — Queen of Vraja ; ihaṅ — now ; śacīdevī — Śacīdevī ; mātā — the mother of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

The former son of Nanda Mahārāja is now Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the former Baladeva, Kṛṣṇa’s brother, is now Nityānanda Prabhu, the brother of Lord Caitanya.

Word meanings

sei nanda - suta — the same son of Nanda Mahārāja ; ihaṅ — now ; caitanya - gosāñi — Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; sei baladeva — the selfsame Baladeva ; ihaṅ — now ; nityānanda bhāi — Nityānanda Prabhu, the brother of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu always feels the ecstatic emotions of paternity, servitude and friendship. He always assists Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in that way.

Word meanings

vātsalya — paternity ; dāsya — servitude ; sakhya — fraternity ; tina — three ; bhāva - maya — emotional ecstasies ; sei — that ; nityānanda — Nityānanda Prabhu ; kṛṣṇa - caitanya — of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; sahāya — the assistant .

Translation

Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu overflooded the entire world by distributing transcendental loving service. No one can understand His character and activities.

Word meanings

prema - bhakti — devotional service ; diyā — giving ; teṅho — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ; bhāsā’la — overflooded ; jagate — in the world ; tāṅra — His ; caritra — character ; loke — people ; nā — not ; pāre — able ; bujhite — to understand .

Translation

Śrīla Advaita Ācārya Prabhu appeared as an incarnation of a devotee. He is in the category of Kṛṣṇa, but He descended to this earth to propagate devotional service.

Word meanings

advaita - ācārya — Śrī Advaita Prabhu ; gosāñi — spiritual master ; bhaktaavatāra — the incarnation of a devotee ; kṛṣṇa — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; avatāriyā — descending ; kailā — did ; bhaktira — of devotional service ; pracāra — propagation .

Translation

His natural emotions were always on the platform of fraternity and servitude, but the Lord sometimes treated Him as His spiritual master.

Word meanings

sakhya — fraternity ; dāsya — servitude ; dui — two ; bhāva — ecstasies ; sahaja — natural ; tāṅhāra — His ; kabhu — sometimes ; prabhu — Lord Caitanya ; karena — does ; tāṅre — to Him ; guru — of spiritual master ; vyavahāra — treatment .

Translation

All the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, have their own emotional humors in which they render service unto Him.

Word meanings

śrīvāsa - ādi — headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; yata — all ; mahāprabhura — of Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bhakta - gaṇa — devotees ; nija nija — in their own respective ; bhāve — emotions ; karena — do ; caitanya - sevana — service to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

Personal associates like Gadādhara, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rāmānanda Rāya, and the six Gosvāmīs (headed by Rūpa Gosvāmī) are all situated in their respective transcendental humors. Thus the Lord submits to various positions in various transcendental mellows.

Word meanings

paṇḍita - gosāñi — Gadādhara Paṇḍita ; ādi — headed by ; yāṅra — whose ; yei — whatever ; rasa — transcendental mellow ; sei sei — that respective ; rase — by the mellow ; prabhu — the Lord ; hana — is ; tāṅra — his ; vaśa — under control .

Purport

In verses 296 through 301 the emotional devoted service of Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita Prabhu and others has been fully described. Describing such individual service, the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (11-16) declares that although Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared as a devotee, He is none other than the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Similarly, although Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu appeared as Lord Caitanya’s assistant, He is none other than Baladeva, the carrier of the plow . Advaita Ācārya is the incarnation of Sadāśiva from the spiritual world. All the devotees headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura are His marginal energy, whereas the devotees headed by Gadādhara Paṇḍita are manifestations of His internal potency.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu all belong to the viṣṇu-tattva category. Because Lord Caitanya is an ocean of mercy, He is addressed as mahāprabhu, whereas Nityānanda and Advaita, being two great personalities who assist Lord Caitanya, are addressed as prabhu. Thus there are two prabhus and one mahāprabhu. Gadādhara Gosvāmī is a representative of a perfect brāhmaṇa spiritual master. Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura represents a perfect brāhmaṇa devotee. These five are known as the Pañca-tattva.

Translation

In kṛṣṇa-līlā the Lord’s complexion is blackish. Holding a flute to His mouth, He enjoys as a cowherd boy. Now the selfsame person has appeared with a fair complexion, sometimes acting as a brāhmaṇa and sometimes accepting the renounced order of life.

Word meanings

tihaṅ — in kṛṣṇa-līlā ; śyāma — blackish color ; vaṁśī - mukha — a flute in the mouth ; gopa - vilāsī — an enjoyer as a cowherd boy ; ihaṅ — now ; gaura — fair complexion ; kabhu — sometimes ; dvija — brāhmaṇa ; kabhu — sometimes ; ta’ — certainly ; sannyāsī — in the renounced order of life .

Translation

Therefore the Lord Himself, accepting the emotional ecstasy of the gopīs, now addresses the son of Nanda Mahārāja, “O master of My life! O My dear husband!”

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; āpane — personally ; prabhu — the Lord ; gopī - bhāva — the ecstasy of the gopīs ; dhari’ — accepting ; vrajendra - nandane — the son of Nanda Mahārāja ; kahe — addresses ; prāṇa - nātha — O Lord of My life (husband) ; kari’ — accepting .

Translation

He is Kṛṣṇa, yet He has accepted the mood of the gopīs. How is it so? It is the inconceivable character of the Lord, which is very difficult to understand.

Word meanings

sei kṛṣṇa — that Kṛṣṇa ; sei gopī — that gopī ; parama virodha — very contradictory ; acintya — inconceivable ; caritra — character ; prabhura — of the Lord ; ati — very ; sudurbodha — difficult to understand .

Purport

Kṛṣṇa’s accepting the part of the gopīs is certainly contradictory according to any mundane calculations, but the Lord, by His inconceivable character, may act like the gopīs and feel separation from Kṛṣṇa, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Such a contradiction can be reconciled only in the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He has energy that is inconceivable ( acintya ), which can make possible that which is impossible to do ( aghaṭa-ghaṭana-patīyasī ) . Such contradictions are very difficult to understand unless a devotee strictly follows the Vaiṣṇava philosophy under the direction of the Gosvāmīs. Therefore Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī ends every chapter with this verse:

śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa

“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.”

In a song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura it is stated:

rūpa-raghunātha-pade ha-ibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala-pīriti

The conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, which is called yugala-pīriti, is not understandable by mundane scholars, artists or poets. It is simply to be understood by devotees who strictly follow in the footsteps of the six Gosvāmīs. Sometimes so-called artists and poets try to understand the love affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and they publish cheap books of poetry and pictures on the subject. Unfortunately, however, they do not understand the transcendental affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa even to the smallest degree. They are simply meddling in a matter in which they are not fit even to enter.

Translation

One cannot understand the contradictions in Lord Caitanya’s character by putting forward mundane logic and arguments. Consequently one should not maintain doubts in this connection. One should simply try to understand the inconceivable energy of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise one cannot understand how such contradictions are possible.

Word meanings

ithe — in this matter ; tarka kari’ — making arguments ; keha — someone ; nā — do not ; kara — make ; saṁśaya — doubts ; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; acintya - śakti — inconceivable potency ; ei — this ; mata — the verdict ; haya — is .

Translation

The pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu are inconceivable and wonderful. His ecstasy is wonderful, His qualities are wonderful, and His behavior is wonderful.

Word meanings

acintya — inconceivable ; adbhuta — wonderful ; kṛṣṇa - caitanya — of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; vihāra — pastimes ; citra — wonderful ; bhāva — ecstasy ; citra — wonderful ; guṇa — qualities ; citra — wonderful ; vyavahāra — behavior .

Translation

If one simply adheres to mundane arguments and therefore does not accept this, he will boil in the hell of Kumbhīpāka. For him there is no deliverance.

Word meanings

tarke — by arguments ; ihā — this ; nāhi — not ; māne — accepts ; yei — anyone who ; durācāra — debauchee ; kumbhī - pāke — in the boiling oil of hell ; pace — boils ; tāra — his ; nāhika — there is not ; nistāra — deliverance .

Purport

Kumbhīpāka, a type of hellish condition, is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.26.13) , wherein it is said that a person who cooks living birds and beasts to satisfy his tongue is brought before Yamarāja after death and punished in the Kumbhīpāka hell. There he is put into boiling oil called kumbhī-pāka, from which there is no deliverance. Kumbhīpāka is meant for persons who are unnecessarily envious. Those who are envious of the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are punished in that hellish condition.

Translation

“Anything transcendental to material nature is called inconceivable, whereas arguments are all mundane. Since mundane arguments cannot touch transcendental subject matters, one should not try to understand transcendental subjects through mundane arguments.”

Word meanings

acintyāḥ — inconceivable ; khalu — certainly ; ye — those ; bhāvāḥ — subject matters ; na — not ; tān — them ; tarkeṇa — by argument ; yojayet — one may understand ; prakṛtibhyaḥ — to material nature ; param — transcendental ; yat — that which ; ca — and ; tat — that ; acintyasya — of the inconceivable ; lakṣaṇam — a symptom .

Purport

This verse from the Mahābhārata ( Bhīṣma-parva 5.22) is also quoted in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.5.93), by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Translation

Only a person who has firm faith in the wonderful pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu can approach His lotus feet.

Word meanings

adbhuta — wonderful ; caitanya - līlāya — in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yāhāra — anyone whose ; viśvāsa — faith ; sei — that ; jana — person ; yāya — makes progress ; caitanyera — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; pada — the lotus feet ; pāśa — near .

Translation

In this discourse I have explained the essence of the devotional conclusion. Anyone who hears this develops unalloyed devotional service to the Lord.

Word meanings

prasaṅge — in the course of discussion ; kahila — it was said ; ei — this ; siddhāntera — of the conclusion ; sāra — the essence ; ihā — this ; yei — anyone who ; śune — hears ; śuddha - bhakti — unalloyed devotional service ; haya — becomes ; tāra — his .

Translation

If I repeat what is already written, I may thus relish the purport of this scripture.

Word meanings

likhita — written ; granthera — of the scripture ; yadi — if ; kari — I do ; anuvāda — repetition ; tabe — then ; se granthera — of that scripture ; artha — the meaning ; pāiye — I can get ; āsvāda — taste .

Translation

We can see in the scripture Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the conduct of its author, Śrī Vyāsadeva. After speaking the narration, he repeats it again and again.

Word meanings

dekhi — I see ; granthe — in the scripture ; bhāgavate — in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ; vyāsera — of Śrīla Vyāsadeva ; ācāra — behavior ; kathā — narration ; kahi’ — describing ; anuvāda — repetition ; kare — he does ; vāra vāra — again and again .

Purport

At the end of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Twelfth Canto, the twelfth chapter contains forty-three verses in which Śrī Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa recapitulates Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam’s entire subject matter. Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī wants to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Vyāsadeva by recapitulating the seventeen chapters of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta’s Ādi-līlā.

Translation

Therefore I shall enumerate the chapters of the Ādi-līlā. In the first chapter I offer obeisances to the spiritual master, for this is the beginning of auspicious writing.

Word meanings

tāte — therefore ; ādi - līlāra — of the First Canto, known as Ādi-līlā ; kari — I do ; pariccheda — chapter ; gaṇana — enumeration ; prathama paricchede — in the first chapter ; kailuṅ — I have done ; maṅgalaācaraṇa — invocation of auspiciousness .

Translation

The second chapter explains the truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda.

Word meanings

dvitīya paricchede — in the second chapter ; caitanya - tattva - nirūpaṇa — description of the truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; svayam — personally ; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; yei — who ; vrajendra - nandana — the son of Nanda Mahārāja .

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Kṛṣṇa Himself, has now appeared as the son of mother Śacī. The third chapter describes the general cause of His appearance.

Word meanings

teṅho — He ; ta’ — certainly ; caitanya - kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa with the name of Śrī Caitanya ; śacīra nandana — the son of Śacīmātā ; tṛtīya paricchede — in the third chapter ; janmera — of His birth ; sāmānya — general ; kāraṇa — reason .

Translation

The third chapter specifically describes the distribution of love of Godhead. It also describes the religion of the age, which is simply to distribute the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa and propagate the process of loving Him.

Word meanings

tahiṅ madhye — in that chapter ; prema - dāna — distribution of love of Godhead ; viśeṣa — specific ; kāraṇa — reason ; yuga - dharma — the religion of the millennium ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; prema — love of Godhead ; pracāraṇa — propagating .

Translation

The fourth chapter describes the main reason for His appearance, which is to taste the mellows of His own transcendental loving service and His own sweetness.

Word meanings

caturthe — in the fourth chapter ; kahiluṅ — I have described ; janmera — of His birth ; mūla — the real ; prayojana — necessity ; svamādhurya — His own transcendental sweetness ; prema - ānanda — of ecstatic joy from love ; rasa — the mellows ; āsvādana — tasting .

Translation

The fifth chapter describes the truth of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, who is none other than Balarāma, the son of Rohiṇī.

Word meanings

pañcame — in the fifth chapter ; śrī - nityānanda — of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ; tattva — the truth ; nirūpaṇa — description ; nityānanda — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu ; hailā — was ; rāma — Balarāma ; rohiṇī - nandana — the son of Rohiṇī .

Translation

The sixth chapter considers the truth of Advaita Ācārya. He is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu.

Word meanings

ṣaṣṭha paricchede — in the sixth chapter ; advaita — of Advaita Ācārya ; tattvera — of the truth ; vicāra — consideration ; advaita - ācārya — Advaita Prabhu ; mahā - viṣṇu - avatāra — incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu .

Translation

The seventh chapter describes the Pañca-tattva — Śrī Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa. They all combined together to distribute love of Godhead everywhere.

Word meanings

saptama paricchede — in the seventh chapter ; pañca - tattvera — of the five tattvas (truths) ; ākhyāna — the elaboration ; pañca - tattva — the five tattvas ; mili’ — combining together ; yaiche — in what way ; kailā — did ; prema - dāna — distribution of love of Godhead .

Translation

The eighth chapter gives the reason for describing Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. It also describes the greatness of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy name.

Word meanings

aṣṭame — in the eighth chapter ; caitanya - līlā - varṇana - kāraṇa — the reason for describing Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes ; eka — one ; kṛṣṇa - nāmera — of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; mahā - mahimākathana — description of great glories .

Translation

The ninth chapter describes the desire tree of devotional service. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself is the gardener who planted it.

Word meanings

navamete — in the ninth chapter ; bhakti - kalpa - vṛkṣera — of the desire tree of devotional service ; varṇana — the description ; śrī - caitanya - mālī — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the gardener ; kailā — did ; vṛkṣa — the tree ; āropaṇa — implantation .

Translation

The tenth chapter describes the branches and subbranches of the main trunk and the distribution of their fruits.

Word meanings

daśamete — in the tenth chapter ; mūla - skandhera — of the main trunk ; śākhā - ādi — of the branches, etc. ; gaṇana — enumeration ; sarva - śākhā - gaṇera — of all branches ; yaiche — in what way ; phala - vitaraṇa — distribution of the fruits .

Translation

The eleventh chapter describes the branch called Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu. The twelfth chapter describes the branch called Śrī Advaita Prabhu.

Word meanings

ekādaśe — in the eleventh chapter ; nityānanda - śākhā — of the branches of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu ; vivaraṇa — description ; dvādaśe — in the twelfth chapter ; advaita - skandha — the trunk known as Advaita Prabhu ; śākhāra — of the branch ; varṇana — description .

Translation

The thirteenth chapter describes the birth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, which took place with the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

trayodaśe — in the thirteenth chapter ; mahāprabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; janma — of the birth ; vivaraṇa — the description ; kṛṣṇa - nāma - saha — along with the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; yaiche — in what way ; prabhura — of the Lord ; janama — the birth .

Translation

The fourteenth chapter gives some description of the Lord’s childhood pastimes. The fifteenth briefly describes the Lord’s boyhood pastimes.

Word meanings

caturdaśe — in the fourteenth chapter ; bālya - līlā’ra — of the Lord’s childhood pastimes ; kichu — some ; vivaraṇa — description ; pañcadaśe — in the fifteenth chapter ; paugaṇḍa - līlā’ra — of the pastimes of the paugaṇḍa (boyhood) age ; saṅkṣepe — in brief ; kathana — the telling .

Translation

In the sixteenth chapter I have indicated the pastimes of the kaiśora age [the age prior to youth]. In the seventeenth chapter I have specifically described His youthful pastimes.

Word meanings

ṣoḍaśa — sixteenth ; paricchede — in the chapter ; kaiśora - līlāra — of pastimes prior to youth ; uddeśa — indication ; saptadaśe — in the seventeenth chapter ; yauvana - līlā — the pastimes of youth ; kahiluṅ — I have stated ; viśeṣa — specifically .

Translation

Thus there are seventeen varieties of subjects in the first canto, which is known as the Ādi-līlā. Twelve of these constitute the preface of this scripture.

Word meanings

ei saptadaśa — these seventeen ; prakāra — varieties ; ādi - līlāra — of the Ādi-līlā (first canto) ; prabandha — subject matter ; dvādaśa — twelve ; prabandha — subject matters ; tāte — among those ; grantha — of the book ; mukha - bandha — prefaces .

Translation

After the chapters of the preface, I have described five transcendental mellows in five chapters. I have described them very briefly rather than expansively.

Word meanings

pañca - prabandhe — in five chapters ; pañca - rasera — of five transcendental mellows ; carita — the character ; saṅkṣepe — in brief ; kahiluṅ — I stated ; ati — greatly ; nā kailuṅ — I did not make ; vistṛta — expanded .

Translation

By the order and strength of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has elaborately described in his Caitanya-maṅgala all that I have not.

Word meanings

vṛndāvana - dāsa — Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa ; ihā — this ; caitanya - maṅgale — in his book Caitanya-maṅgala ; vistāri’ — expanding ; varṇilā — described ; nityānanda — of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu ; ājñā — of the order ; bale — on the strength .

Translation

The pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are wonderful and unlimited. Even personalities like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Śeṣa Nāga cannot find their end.

Word meanings

śrī - kṛṣṇa - caitanya - līlā — the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; adbhuta — wonderful ; ananta — unlimited ; brahmā — Lord Brahmā ; śiva — Lord Śiva ; śeṣa — Lord Śeṣa Nāga ; yāṅra — of which ; nāhi — not ; pāya — get ; anta — end .

Translation

Anyone who describes or hears any part of this elaborate subject will very soon receive the causeless mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

ye yei aṁśa — any part of this ; kahe — anyone who describes ; śune — anyone who hears ; sei — that person ; dhanya — glorious ; acire — very soon ; milibe — will meet ; tāre — Him ; śrī - kṛṣṇa - caitanya — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

[Herein the author again describes the Pañca-tattva.] Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.

Word meanings

śrī - kṛṣṇa - caitanya — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; advaita — Advaita Ācārya Prabhu ; nityānanda — Nityānanda Prabhu ; śrīvāsa — Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura ; gadādhara - ādi — and others like Gadādhara ; yata — all ; bhakta - vṛnda — all devotees .

Translation

I offer my respectful obeisances to all the residents of Vṛndāvana. I wish to place their lotus feet on my head in great humbleness.

Word meanings

yata yata — each and every one ; bhakta - gaṇa — devotees ; vaise — reside ; vṛndāvane — at Vṛndāvana ; namra hañā — becoming humble ; śire — on my head ; dharoṅ — I place ; sabāra — of all ; caraṇe — the lotus feet .

Translation

I wish to place the lotus feet of the Gosvāmīs on my head. Their names are Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Placing their lotus feet on my head, always hoping to serve them, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.

Word meanings

śrī - svarūpa — Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara ; śrī - rūpa — Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī ; śrī - sanātana — Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī ; śrī - raghunātha - dāsa — Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī ; āra — and ; śrī - jīva - caraṇa — the lotus feet of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī ; śire — on the head ; dhari — placing ; vandoṅ — I worship ; nitya — always ; karoṅ — I do ; tāṅra — their ; āśa — hope to serve ; caitanya - caritāmṛta — the book named Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta ; kahe — describes ; kṛṣṇadāsa — Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī .

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, seventeenth chapter, describing the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His youth .

END OF THE ĀDI-LĪLĀ