The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana

Translation

On His way to Vṛndāvana, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed through the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa and made all the tigers, elephants, deer and birds chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and dance. Thus all these animals were overwhelmed by ecstatic love.

Word meanings

gacchan — going ; vṛndāvanam — to Vṛndāvana-dhāma ; gauraḥ — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; vyāghra — tigers ; ibha — elephants ; eṇa — deer ; khagān — and birds ; vane — in the forest ; prema - unmattān — maddened by ecstatic love ; saha — with ; unnṛtyān — dancing ; vidadhe — made ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name ; jalpinaḥ — chanting .

Translation

All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of the Lord!

Word meanings

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

Translation

When autumn arrived, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to go to Vṛndāvana. In a solitary place, He consulted with Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Word meanings

śarat - kāla haila — autumn arrived ; prabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; calite — to travel ; haila — was ; mati — desire ; rāmānanda — Rāmānanda Rāya ; svarūpa — Svarūpa Dāmodara ; saṅge — with ; nibhṛte — solitary ; yukati — consultation .

Translation

The Lord requested Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī to help Him go to Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

mora — of Me ; sahāya — help ; kara — you do ; yadi — if ; tumi — you ; dui jana — two persons ; tabe — then ; āmi — I ; yāñā — going ; dekhi — shall see ; śrī - vṛndāvana — Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I shall leave early in the morning and go incognito, taking the road through the forest. I shall go alone — I shall not take anyone with Me.

Word meanings

rātrye uṭhi’ — rising at night ; vana - pathe — on the road through the forest ; palāñā yāba — I shall go away secretly ; ekākī yāiba — I shall go alone ; kāhoṅ — anyone ; saṅge — with Me ; nā la - iba — I shall not take .

Translation

“If someone wants to follow Me, please stop him. I don’t want anyone to go with Me.

Word meanings

keha — someone ; yadi — if ; saṅga la - ite — to take company ; pāche — behind ; uṭhi’ — getting up ; dhāya — runs ; sabāre — everyone ; rākhibā — please stop ; yena — so that ; keha — anyone ; nāhi yāya — does not go .

Translation

“Please give Me your permission with great pleasure and do not be unhappy. If you are happy, I shall be happy on My way to Vṛndāvana.”

Word meanings

prasanna hañā — being pleased ; ājñā dibā — give permission ; nā — do not ; mānibā duḥkha — become unhappy ; tomā - sabāra — of all of you ; sukhe — by the happiness ; pathe — on the road ; habe — there will be ; mora — My ; sukha — happiness .

Translation

Upon hearing this, Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī replied, “Dear Lord, You are completely independent. Since You are not dependent on anyone, You will do whatever You desire.

Word meanings

dui - jana kahe — the two persons replied ; tumi — You ; īśvara — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sva - tantra — completely independent ; yei icchā — whatever You desire ; sei — that ; karibā — You will do ; naha — You are not ; para - tantra — dependent on anyone .

Translation

“Dear Lord, kindly hear our one petition. You have already said that You will derive happiness from our happiness. This is Your own statement.

Word meanings

kintu — but ; āmā - duṅhāra — of both of us ; śuna — please hear ; eka nivedane — one submission ; tomāra sukhe — by your happiness ; āmāra sukha — My happiness ; kahilā — You have already stated ; āpane — personally .

Translation

“If You will please accept just one request, we shall be very, very happy.

Word meanings

āmā - duṅhāra — of us two ; mane — in the mind ; tabe — therefore ; baḍa — very much ; sukha haya — there is happiness ; eka nivedana — one request ; yadi — if ; dhara — You accept ; dayā - maya — merciful .

Translation

“Our Lord, please take one very nice brāhmaṇa with You. He will collect alms for You, cook for You, give You prasādam and carry Your waterpot while traveling.

Word meanings

uttama brāhmaṇa — a high-class brāhmaṇa ; eka — one ; saṅge — along ; avaśya — certainly ; cāhi — we want ; bhikṣā kari’ — collecting alms ; bhikṣā dibe — will give You food ; yābe — will go ; pātra vahi’ — bearing Your waterpot .

Translation

“When You go through the jungle, there will be no brāhmaṇa available from whom You can accept lunch. Therefore please give permission for at least one pure brāhmaṇa to accompany You.”

Word meanings

vana - pathe — on the forest path ; yāite — going ; nāhi — there is not ; bhojya - anna - brāhmaṇa — a brāhmaṇa whose food can be accepted ; ājñā kara — please give permission ; saṅge — along ; caluka — may go ; vipra — brāhmaṇa ; eka - jana — one person .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I shall not take any of My associates with Me, because if I choose someone, all the others will be unhappy.

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied ; nija - saṅgī — of My associates ; kāṅho — anyone ; nā — not ; la - iba — I shall take ; eka - jane nile — if I take someone ; ānera mane — in the mind of others ; duḥkha ha - iba — there will be unhappiness .

Translation

“Such a person must be a new man, and he must have a peaceful mind. If I can obtain such a man, I shall agree to take him with Me.”

Word meanings

nūtana — new ; saṅgī — associate ; ha - ibeka — must be ; snigdha — very peaceful ; yāṅra — whose ; mana — mind ; aiche — such ; yabe — if ; pāi — I get ; tabe — then ; la - i — I take ; eka jana — one person .

Purport

Formerly, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to South India, a brāhmaṇa named Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa went with Him. Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa fell victim to a woman, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had to take the trouble to free him from the clutches of the gypsies. Therefore the Lord here says that He wants a new man who is peaceful in mind. One whose mind is not peaceful is agitated by certain drives, especially sex desire, even though he be in the company of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Such a man will become a victim of women and will fall down even in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Māyā is so strong that unless one is determined not to fall victim, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot give protection. The Supreme Lord and His representative always want to give protection, but a person must take advantage of their personal contact. If one thinks that the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative is an ordinary man, he will certainly fall down. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not want a person like Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa to accompany Him. He wanted someone who was determined, who had a peaceful mind, and who was not agitated by ulterior motives.

Translation

Svarūpa Dāmodara then said, “Here is Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, who has great love for You. He is an honest, learned scholar, and he is advanced in spiritual consciousness.

Word meanings

svarūpa kahe — Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī said ; ei — this ; balabhadra - bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; tomāte — unto You ; su - snigdha — affectionate ; baḍa — very ; paṇḍita — educated ; sādhu — honest ; ārya — advanced in spiritual consciousness .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted a new man, not a person like Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa who would fall for women. Svarūpa Dāmodara therefore immediately pointed out a new brāhmaṇa named Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya. Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī had studied this person very thoroughly and had seen that he had great love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Not only did he love the Lord, but he was also learned and honest. He was not duplicitous, and he was advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to a Bengali proverb, ati bhakti corera lakṣaṇa: “Too much devotion is a symptom of a thief.” A person who assumes himself to be a great devotee but mentally is thinking of something else is duplicitous. One who is not duplicitous is called sādhu. Svarūpa Dāmodara immediately pointed out that Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was quite fit to accompany the Lord because he was a learned scholar and was simple and had great love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was also advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore he was considered appropriate for accompanying the Lord as a personal servant.

The words snigdha (“very peaceful”) and su-snigdha (“affectionate”) are used in verses fourteen and fifteen respectively, and they are also found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.8) : brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta. “A disciple who has actual love for his spiritual master is endowed, by the blessings of the spiritual master, with all confidential knowledge.” Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented that the word snigdhasya means prema-vataḥ. The word prema-vataḥ indicates that one has great love for his spiritual master.

Translation

“In the beginning, he came with You from Bengal. It is his desire to visit and see all the holy places of pilgrimage.

Word meanings

prathamei — in the beginning ; tomā - saṅge — with You ; āilā — came ; gauḍa haite — from Bengal ; iṅhāra icchā — his desire ; āche — is ; sarva - tīrtha — all places of pilgrimage ; karite — to go see .

Translation

“In addition, You may take another brāhmaṇa who will act as a servant en route and make arrangements for Your food.

Word meanings

iṅhāra saṅge — with him ; āche — is ; vipra — brāhmaṇa ; eka — one ; bhṛtya — servant ; iṅho — this man ; pathe — on the way ; karibena — will do ; sevā — service ; bhikṣā - kṛtya — and arrangements for cooking .

Translation

“If You can also take him with You, we will be very happy. If two people go with You through the jungle, there will certainly be no difficulty or inconvenience.

Word meanings

iṅhāre — him ; saṅge — along ; laha — You accept ; yadi — if ; sabāra haya sukha — everyone will be happy ; vana - pathe — on the path through the jungle ; yāite — going ; tomāra — Your ; nahibe — there will not be ; kona — any ; duḥkha — difficulty .

Translation

“The other brāhmaṇa can carry Your cloth and waterpot, and Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya will collect alms and cook for You.”

Word meanings

sei vipra — the other brāhmaṇa ; vahi’ nibe — will carry ; vastra - ambu - bhājana — the cloth and waterpot ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; bhikṣā dibe — will arrange for cooking ; kari’ — performing ; bhikṣā - aṭana — collecting alms .

Translation

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the request of Svarūpa Dāmodara Paṇḍita and agreed to take Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya with Him.

Word meanings

tāṅhāra vacana — his words ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; aṅgīkāra kaila — accepted ; balabhadra - bhaṭṭācārye — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; saṅge kari’ nila — took with Him .

Translation

On the previous night, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had visited Lord Jagannātha and taken His permission. Now, near the end of the night, the Lord got up and started immediately. He was not seen by others.

Word meanings

pūrva - rātrye — on the previous night ; jagannātha dekhi’ — seeing Lord Jagannātha ; ājñā lañā — taking permission ; śeṣa - rātre — near the end of night ; uṭhi’ — rising ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; calilā — started ; lukāñā — without being seen .

Translation

Because the Lord had departed, the devotees, unable to see Him early in the morning, began to search for Him with great anxiety.

Word meanings

prātaḥ - kāle — early in the morning ; bhakta - gaṇa — all the devotees ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nā dekhiyā — not seeing ; anveṣaṇa kari’ — searching ; phire — wander ; vyākula hañā — becoming very anxious .

Translation

While all the devotees were searching for the Lord, Svarūpa Dāmodara restrained them. Then everyone fell silent, knowing the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

svarūpa - gosāñi — Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī ; sabāya — unto everyone ; kaila — did ; nivāraṇa — forbidding ; nivṛtta hañā — being restrained ; rahe — remain ; sabe — all ; jāni’ — knowing ; prabhura mana — the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

The Lord abandoned walking on the well-known public road and went instead along a bypass. He thus kept the city of Kaṭaka on His right as He entered the forest.

Word meanings

prasiddha — well-known ; patha — public way ; chāḍi’ — giving up ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; upapathe — through a bypass ; calilā — began to walk ; kaṭaka — the city of Kaṭaka (Cuttack) ; ḍāhine — on the right side ; kari’ — keeping ; vane — within the forest ; praveśilā — entered .

Translation

When the Lord passed through the solitary forest chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the tigers and elephants, seeing Him, gave way.

Word meanings

nirjana - vane — in a solitary forest ; cale — walks ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kṛṣṇa - nāma lañā — chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; hasti — elephants ; vyāghra — tigers ; patha chāḍe — leave the path ; prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhiyā — seeing .

Translation

When the Lord passed through the jungle in great ecstasy, packs of tigers, elephants, rhinoceros and boars came, and the Lord passed right through them.

Word meanings

pāle - pāle — in flocks ; vyāghra — tigers ; hastī — elephants ; gaṇḍāra — rhinoceros ; śūkara - gaṇa — boars ; tāra madhye — through them ; āveśe — in ecstasy ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; karilā gamana — passed .

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was very much afraid to see them, but by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s influence, all the animals stood to one side.

Word meanings

dekhi’ — seeing ; bhaṭṭācāryera — of Bhaṭṭācārya ; mane — in the mind ; haya — there was ; mahā - bhaya — great fear ; prabhura pratāpe — by the influence of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tārā — they ; eka pāśa haya — stand to one side .

Translation

One day a tiger was lying on the path, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, walking along the path in ecstatic love, touched the tiger with His feet.

Word meanings

eka - dina — one day ; pathe — on the path ; vyāghra — a tiger ; kariyāche śayana — was lying down ; āveśe — in ecstatic love ; tāra gāye — on his body ; prabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; lāgila — touched ; caraṇa — lotus feet .

Translation

The Lord said, “Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa!” The tiger immediately got up and began to dance and to chant “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!”

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said ; kaha kṛṣṇa — please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa ; vyāghra uṭhila — the tiger got up ; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kahi’ — chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; vyāghra — the tiger ; nācite — to dance ; lāgila — began .

Translation

Another day, while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was bathing in a river, a herd of maddened elephants came there to drink water.

Word meanings

āra dine — another day ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kare — does ; nadī snāna — bathing in the river ; matta - hasti - yūtha — a herd of maddened elephants ; āila — came ; karite — to do ; jala - pāna — drinking water .

Translation

While the Lord was bathing and murmuring the Gāyatrī mantra, the elephants came before Him. The Lord immediately splashed some water on the elephants and asked them to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; jala - kṛtya kare — bathed and was chanting the Gāyatrī mantra within the water ; āge — in front ; hastī — the elephants ; āilā — came ; kṛṣṇa kaha — chant Hare Kṛṣṇa ; bali’ — saying ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; jala pheli’ — throwing water ; mārilā — struck .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing the part of a very great, advanced devotee. On the mahā-bhāgavata platform, the devotee makes no distinction between friends and enemies. On that platform he sees everyone as a servant of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.18) :

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater [outcaste].”

A mahā-bhāgavata, being learned and advanced in spiritual consciousness, sees no difference between a tiger, an elephant or a learned scholar. The test of advanced spiritual consciousness is that one becomes fearless. He envies no one, and he is always engaged in the Lord’s service. He sees every living entity as an eternal part and parcel of the Lord, rendering service according to his capacity by the will of the Supreme Lord. As Kṛṣṇa confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) :

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

The mahā-bhāgavata knows that Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart. Kṛṣṇa is dictating, and the living entity is following His dictations. Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of the tiger, elephant and boar. Therefore Kṛṣṇa tells them, “Here is a mahā-bhāgavata. Please do not disturb him.” Why, then, should the animals be envious of such a great personality? Those who are neophytes or even a little progressed in devotional service should not try to imitate the mahā-bhāgavata. Rather, they should only follow in his footsteps. The word anukara means “imitating,” and anusara means “trying to follow in the footsteps.” We should not try to imitate the activities of a mahā-bhāgavata or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our best efforts should be exerted in trying to follow them according to our ability. The mahā-bhāgavata’s heart is completely freed from material contamination, and he can become very dear even to fierce animals like tigers and elephants. Indeed, the mahā-bhāgavata treats them as his very intimate friends. On this platform there is no question of envy. When the Lord was passing through the forest, He was in ecstasy, thinking the forest to be Vṛndāvana. He was simply searching for Kṛṣṇa.

Translation

The elephants whose bodies were touched by the water splashed by the Lord began to chant “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!” and dance and sing in ecstasy.

Word meanings

sei — those ; jala — of water ; bindu — drops ; kaṇā — particles ; lāge — touch ; yāra — whose ; gāya — body ; sei — they ; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa ; kahe — say ; preme — in ecstasy ; nāce — dance ; gāya — sing .

Translation

Some of the elephants fell to the ground, and some screamed in ecstasy. Seeing this, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was completely astonished.

Word meanings

keha — some of them ; bhūme — on the ground ; paḍe — fall down ; keha — some of them ; karaye — perform ; cit - kāra — screaming ; dekhi’ — seeing ; bhaṭṭācāryera — of Bhaṭṭācārya ; mane — in the mind ; haya — there was ; camatkāra — astonishment .

Translation

Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted very loudly while passing through the jungle. Hearing His sweet voice, all the does came near Him.

Word meanings

pathe yāite — while passing on the path ; kare — does ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; ucca — loud ; saṅkīrtana — chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa ; madhura — sweet ; kaṇṭha - dhvani — the voice from His throat ; śuni’ — hearing ; āise — came ; mṛgī - gaṇa — she-deer .

Translation

Hearing the Lord’s great vibration, all the does followed Him left and right. While reciting a verse with great curiosity, the Lord patted them.

Word meanings

ḍāhine - vāme — right and left ; dhvani — vibration ; śuni’ — hearing ; yāya — they follow ; prabhu - saṅge — with the Lord ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tāra — their ; aṅga — bodies ; muche — pats ; śloka — verse ; paḍe — recites ; raṅge — in great curiosity .

Translation

“ ‘Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Mahārāja Nanda’s son, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the does and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection.’ ”

Word meanings

dhanyāḥ — fortunate, blessed ; sma — certainly ; mūḍha - matayaḥ — foolish, without good sense ; api — although ; hariṇyaḥ — she-deer ; etāḥ — these ; yāḥ — who ; nanda - nandanam — the son of Mahārāja Nanda ; upātta - vicitra - veśam — dressed very attractively ; ākarṇya — hearing ; veṇu - raṇitam — the sound of His flute ; saha - kṛṣṇa - sārāḥ — accompanied by the black deer (their husbands) ; pūjām dadhuḥ — they worshiped ; viracitām — performed ; praṇaya - avalokaiḥ — by their affectionate glances .

Purport

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.21.11) spoken by the gopīs of Vṛndāvana.

Translation

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was passing through the jungle, five or seven tigers came. Joining the deer, the tigers began to follow the Lord.

Word meanings

hena - kāle — at this time ; vyāghra — tigers ; tathā — there ; āila — came ; pāṅca - sāta — five to seven ; vyāghra - mṛgī — the tigers and deer ; mili’ — coming together ; cale — go ; mahāprabhura sātha — with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

Seeing the tigers and deer following Him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately remembered the land of Vṛndāvana. He then began to recite a verse describing the transcendental quality of Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

dekhi’ — seeing ; mahāprabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; vṛndāvana — of the holy land of Vṛndāvana ; smṛti haila — there was remembrance ; vṛndāvana — of Śrī Vṛndāvana ; guṇa — of the qualities ; varṇana — description ; śloka — verse ; paḍila — recited .

Translation

“ ‘Vṛndāvana is the transcendental abode of the Lord. There is no hunger, anger or thirst there. Though naturally inimical, human beings and fierce animals live together there in transcendental friendship.’ ”

Word meanings

yatra — where ; naisarga — by nature ; durvairāḥ — living in enmity ; saha āsan — live together ; nṛ — human beings ; mṛga - ādayaḥ — and animals ; mitrāṇi — friends ; iva — like ; ajita — of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; āvāsa — residence ; druta — gone away ; ruṭ — anger ; tarṣaṇa - ādikam — thirst and so on .

Purport

This is a statement from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.13.60) . After stealing the cowherd boys and calves of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Brahmā kept them asleep and hid them. After a moment, Brahmā returned to see Kṛṣṇa’s condition. When he saw that Kṛṣṇa was still busy with His cowherd boyfriends and animals and was not disturbed, Lord Brahmā appreciated the transcendental opulence of Vṛndāvana.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said “Chant ‘Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!’ ” the tigers and deer began to chant “Kṛṣṇa!” and dance.

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kaha — chant “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa” ; kari’ — in this way ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yabe — when ; balila — uttered ; kṛṣṇa kahi’ — chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; vyāghra - mṛga — the tigers and deer ; nācite lāgila — began to dance .

Translation

When all the tigers and does danced and jumped, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya saw them and was struck with wonder.

Word meanings

nāce — dance ; kunde — jump ; vyāghra - gaṇa — the tigers ; mṛgī - gaṇa - saṅge — with the does ; balabhadra - bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; dekhe — sees ; apūrva - raṅge — with great wonder .

Translation

Indeed, the tigers and deer began to embrace one another, and touching mouths, they began to kiss.

Word meanings

vyāghra - mṛga — the tigers and deer ; anyonye — one another ; kare — do ; āliṅgana — embracing ; mukhe mukha diyā — touching one another’s mouths ; kare — do ; anyonye cumbana — kissing one another .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw all this fun, He began to smile. Finally He left the animals and continued on His way.

Word meanings

kautuka dekhiyā — seeing this fun ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; hāsite lāgilā — began to smile ; tā - sabāke — all of them ; tāhāṅ chāḍi’ — leaving there ; āge — forward ; cali’ gelā — advanced .

Translation

Various birds, including the peacock, saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to follow Him, chanting and dancing. They were all maddened by the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

mayūra - ādi — beginning with peacocks ; pakṣi - gaṇa — different types of birds ; prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhiyā — seeing ; saṅge cale — go with Him ; kṛṣṇa bali’ — chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; nāce — dance ; matta hañā — becoming mad .

Translation

When the Lord loudly chanted “Haribol!” the trees and creepers became jubilant to hear Him.

Word meanings

hari - bola — the vibration of “Haribol” ; bali’ — chanting ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kare — makes ; ucca - dhvani — a loud sound ; vṛkṣa - latā — the trees and creepers ; praphullita — very jubilant ; sei — that ; dhvani — sound ; śuni’ — hearing .

Purport

The loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so powerful that it can even penetrate the ears of trees and creepers, what to speak of those of animals and human beings. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu once asked Haridāsa Ṭhākura how trees and plants could be delivered, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied that the loud chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would benefit not only trees and plants but insects and all other living beings. One should therefore not be disturbed by the loud chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, for it is beneficial not only to the chanter but to everyone who gets an opportunity to hear.

Translation

Thus all living entities in the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa — some moving and some standing still — became maddened by hearing the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

jhārikhaṇḍe — in the place known as Jhārikhaṇḍa ; sthāvara - jaṅgama — moving and not moving ; āche — there are ; yata — all ; kṛṣṇa - nāma diyā — giving them the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kaila — made ; premete — in ecstasy ; unmatta — mad .

Purport

The great forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa is a great tract of land including Āṭagaḍa, Ḍheṅkānala, Āṅgula, Lāhārā, Kiyañjhaḍa, Bāmaḍā, Bonāi, Gāṅgapura, Choṭa Nāgapura, Yaśapura and Saragujā. All these places, which are covered with mountains and jungles, are known as Jhārikhaṇḍa.

Translation

In all the villages through which the Lord passed and in all the places He rested on His journey, everyone was purified and awakened to ecstatic love of God.

Word meanings

yei grāma — which villages ; diyā yāna — the Lord goes through ; yāhāṅ — where ; karena — takes ; sthiti — rest ; se - saba — all those ; grāmera — of the villages ; lokera — of the people ; haya — there is awakening of ; prema - bhakti — ecstatic love of God .

Translation

When someone heard the chanting of the holy name from the mouth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and someone else heard this chanting from that second person, and someone again heard this chanting from the third person, everyone in all countries became a Vaiṣṇava through such disciplic succession. Thus everyone chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Hari, and they danced, cried and smiled.

Word meanings

keha — someone ; yadi — when ; tāṅra mukhe — from His mouth ; śune — hears ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ; tāṅra mukhe — from the mouth of such chanters ; āna śune — someone else hears ; tāṅra mukhe — and from his mouth ; āna — someone else ; sabe — all of them ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy name ; hari — another holy name of the Lord ; bali’ — chanting ; nāce — dance ; kānde — cry ; hāse — smile ; paramparāya — by disciplic succession ; vaiṣṇava — devotees ; ha - ila — became ; sarva deśe — in all countries .

Purport

The transcendental potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is herein explained. First, the holy name is vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When someone hears from Him directly, he is purified. When another person hears from that person, he also is purified. In this way the purification process is advanced among pure devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can claim His potency. Nonetheless, if one is a pure devotee, hundreds and thousands of men can be purified by his vibration. This potency is within every living being, provided he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly and without material motives. When a pure devotee chants offenselessly, another person will become a Vaiṣṇava, and from him another Vaiṣṇava will emerge. This is the paramparā system.

Translation

The Lord did not always manifest His ecstasy. Being afraid of a great assembly of people, the Lord kept His ecstasy concealed.

Word meanings

yadyapi — although ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; loka - saṅghaṭṭera — of crowds of people ; trāse — being afraid ; prema — ecstasy ; gupta karena — keeps hidden ; bāhire — externally ; nā — does not ; prakāśe — manifest .

Translation

Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not manifest His natural ecstatic love, everyone became a pure devotee simply by seeing and hearing Him.

Word meanings

tathāpi — still ; tāṅra — His ; darśana — of seeing ; śravaṇa — of hearing ; prabhāve — by the potency ; sakala — all ; deśera — of countries ; loka — people ; ha - ila — became ; vaiṣṇave — pure devotees of the Lord .

Purport

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as mahā-vadānya-avatāra, the most munificent incarnation. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not physically present now, simply by chanting His holy name ( śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda ) people throughout the world are becoming devotees. This is due to the ecstatic chanting of the holy name of the Lord. It is said that a pure devotee can see the Lord at every moment, and because of this he is empowered by the Lord. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38) : premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared five hundred years ago, but it cannot be said that now the potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is less than it was in His presence. By hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the paramparā system, one can be purified. Therefore in this verse it is said, tathāpi tāṅra darśana-śravaṇa-prabhāve. It is not that everyone is able to see Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu physically, but if one hears about Him through books like Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta and through the paramparā system of pure Vaiṣṇavas, there is no difficulty in becoming a pure Vaiṣṇava, free from mundane desires and personal motivations.

Translation

In this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally toured Bengal, East Bengal, Orissa and the southern countries, and He delivered all kinds of people by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Word meanings

gauḍa — Bengal ; baṅga — East Bengal ; utkala — Orissa ; dakṣiṇa - deśe — southern India ; giyā — going ; lokera — of all the people ; nistāra — liberation ; kaila — did ; āpane — personally ; bhramiyā — touring .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to Jhārikhaṇḍa on His way to Mathurā, He found that the people there were almost uncivilized and were devoid of God consciousness.

Word meanings

mathurā — to Mathurā ; yāibāra — of going ; chale — on the pretext ; āsena — came ; jhārikhaṇḍa — to Jhārikhaṇḍa ; bhilla - prāya — like the Bheels, a kind of low people ; loka — people ; tāhāṅ — there ; parama - pāṣaṇḍa — without God consciousness .

Purport

The word bhilla refers to a class of men belonging to the Bheels. The Bheels are like Black Africans, and they are lower than śūdras. Such people generally live in the jungle, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had to meet them.

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave even the Bheels an opportunity to chant the holy name and come to the platform of ecstatic love. Thus He delivered all of them. Who has the power to understand the transcendental pastimes of the Lord?

Word meanings

nāma - prema diyā — bestowing upon them ecstatic love and the holy name ; kaila — did ; sabāra nistāra — liberation of all of them ; caitanyera — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; gūḍha - līlā — confidential pastimes ; bujhite — to understand ; śakti — the power ; kāra — who has .

Purport

As evidence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy, we are experiencing that the people of Africa are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting and dancing and taking prasādam like other Vaiṣṇavas. This is all due to the power of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Who can understand how His potency is working all over the world?

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed through the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest, He took it for granted that it was Vṛndāvana. When He passed over the hills, He took it for granted that they were Govardhana.

Word meanings

vana dekhi’ — seeing the forest ; bhrama haya — there is illusion ; ei — this ; vṛndāvana — Vṛndāvana forest ; śaila dekhi’ — seeing a hill ; mane haya — considers ; ei govardhana — this is Govardhana Hill .

Translation

Similarly, whenever Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw a river, He immediately accepted it as the river Yamunā. Thus while in the forest He was filled with great ecstatic love, and He danced and fell down crying.

Word meanings

yāhāṅ — wherever ; nadī — river ; dekhe — sees ; tāhāṅ — there ; mānaye — considers ; kālindī — the river Yamunā ; mahā - prema - āveśe — in great ecstatic love ; nāce — dances ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; paḍe — falls down ; kāndi’ — crying .

Translation

Along the way, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya collected all kinds of spinach, roots and fruit whenever possible.

Word meanings

pathe yāite — while passing on the way ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; śāka — spinach ; mūla — roots ; phala — fruits ; yāhāṅ — wherever ; yei — whatever ; pāyena — he gets ; tāhāṅ — there ; layena — he takes ; sakala — all .

Translation

Whenever Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited a village, a few brāhmaṇas — five or seven — would come and extend invitations to the Lord.

Word meanings

ye - grāme — in whatever village ; rahena — stays ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tathāya — there ; brāhmaṇa — brāhmaṇas ; pāṅca - sāta jana — five or seven persons ; āsi’ — coming ; kare — do ; nimantraṇa — invitation .

Translation

Some people would bring grain and deliver it to Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya. Others would bring milk and yogurt, and still others would bring ghee and sugar.

Word meanings

keha — someone ; anna — grain ; āni’ — bringing ; deya — delivers ; bhaṭṭācārya - sthāne — before Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; keha — someone ; dugdha — milk ; dadhi — yogurt ; keha — someone ; ghṛta — ghee ; khaṇḍa — sugar ; āne — brings .

Translation

In some villages there were no brāhmaṇas; nonetheless, devotees born in non-brāhmaṇa families came and extended invitations to Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya.

Word meanings

yāhāṅ — wherever ; vipra — brāhmaṇa ; nāhi — there is not ; tāhāṅ — there ; śūdra - mahā - jana — devotees born in families other than brāhmaṇa ; āsi’ — coming ; sabe — all of them ; bhaṭṭācārye — to Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; kare nimantraṇa — make invitation .

Purport

Actually a sannyāsī or a brāhmaṇa will not accept an invitation extended by a person born in a lower family. However, there are many devotees who are raised to the platform of brāhmaṇa by their initiation. These people are called śūdra-mahājana. This indicates that one who is born in a non- brāhmaṇa family has accepted the brāhmaṇa status by initiation. Such devotees extended invitations to Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya. A Māyāvādī sannyāsī will accept an invitation only from a brāhmaṇa family, but a Vaiṣṇava does not accept an invitation from a brāhmaṇa if he does not belong to the Vaiṣṇava sect. However, a Vaiṣṇava will accept an invitation from a brāhmaṇa or śūdra-mahājana if that person is an initiated Vaiṣṇava. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself accepted invitations from śūdra-mahājanas, and this confirms the fact that anyone initiated by a Vaiṣṇava mantra can be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. One can accept an invitation from such a person.

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya used to cook all kinds of vegetables gathered from the forest, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to accept these preparations.

Word meanings

bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; pāka kare — cooks ; vanya - vyañjana — all varieties of forest vegetables ; vanya - vyañjane — by such forest vegetables ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; ānandita mana — the mind is very happy .

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya used to keep a stock of food grain that would last from two to four days. Where there were no people, he would cook the grain and prepare vegetables, spinach, roots and fruits collected from the forest.

Word meanings

dui - cāri — two to four ; dinera — of days ; anna — food grain ; rākhena — keeps ; saṁhati — in stock ; yāhāṅ — wherever ; śūnya vana — the solitary forest ; lokera — of people ; nāhika — there is not ; vasati — habitation ; tāhāṅ — there ; sei — that ; anna — food grain ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; kare pāka — cooks ; phala - mūle — with roots and fruits ; vyañjana kare — he prepares vegetables ; vanya — from the forest ; nānā śāka — many kinds of spinach .

Translation

The Lord was always very happy to eat these forest vegetables, and He was even happier when He had an opportunity to stay in a solitary place.

Word meanings

parama — very much ; santoṣa — satisfaction ; prabhura — of the Lord ; vanya - bhojane — in eating vegetables collected from the forest ; mahā - sukha pāna — gets great happiness ; ye dina — on which day ; rahena — stays ; nirjane — in a solitary place .

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was so affectionate to the Lord that he was rendering service just like a menial servant. His assistant brāhmaṇa carried the waterpot and garments.

Word meanings

bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; sevā kare — renders service ; snehe — in great affection ; yaiche — exactly like ; dāsa — a servant ; tāṅra vipra — his brāhmaṇa assistant ; vahe — carries ; jala - pātra — the waterpot ; bahirvāsa — and garments .

Translation

The Lord used to bathe three times a day in the warm water of the waterfalls. He also used to heat Himself morning and evening with a fire made with the limitless wood.

Word meanings

nirjharete — in the waterfalls ; uṣṇa - udake — in warm water ; snāna — bath ; tina - bāra — thrice ; dui - sandhyā — morning and evening ; agni - tāpa — heating by a fire ; kāṣṭhera — of wood ; apāra — without limit .

Translation

While traveling in this secluded forest and feeling very happy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made the following statement.

Word meanings

nirantara — always ; prema - āveśe — in ecstatic love ; nirjane — in a solitary place ; gamana — going ; sukha anubhavi’ — feeling happiness ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kahena — says ; vacana — statement .

Translation

“My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, I have traveled very far through the forest, and I have not even slightly received any trouble.

Word meanings

śuna — please hear ; bhaṭṭācārya — My dear Bhaṭṭācārya ; āmi — I ; gelāṅa — traveled ; bahu - deśa — many countries ; vana - pathe — through the forest path ; duḥkhera — of unhappiness ; kāhāṅ — anywhere ; nāhi pāi — I do not get ; leśa — even a trace .

Translation

“Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, especially to Me. He has shown His mercy by bringing Me on this path through the forest. Thus He has given Me great pleasure.

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kṛpālu — very kind ; āmāya — upon Me ; bahuta — greatly ; kṛpā — mercy ; kailā — showed ; vana - pathe — on the path in the forest ; āni’ — bringing ; āmāya — unto Me ; baḍa — very much ; sukha — happiness ; dilā — gave .

Translation

“Before this, I decided to go to Vṛndāvana and on the way see My mother, the river Ganges and other devotees once again.

Word meanings

pūrve — formerly ; vṛndāvana — to the holy place of Vṛndāvana ; yāite — to go ; karilāṅa — I did ; vicāra — consideration ; mātā — mother ; gaṅgā — the Ganges ; bhakta - gaṇe — and devotees ; dekhiba — I shall see ; eka - bāra — once .

Translation

“I thought that once again I would see and meet all the devotees and take them with Me to Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

bhakta - gaṇa - saṅge — with all My devotees ; avaśya — certainly ; kariba — shall do ; milana — meeting ; bhakta - gaṇe — all the devotees ; saṅge — along with Me ; lañā — taking ; yāba — I shall go ; vṛndāvana — to Vṛndāvana-dhāma .

Translation

“Thus I went to Bengal, and I was very happy to see My mother, the river Ganges and the devotees.

Word meanings

eta bhāvi’ — thinking like this ; gauḍa - deśe — to Bengal ; kariluṅ gamana — I went ; mātā — My mother ; gaṅgā — the Ganges ; bhakte — devotees ; dekhi’ — seeing ; sukhī — happy ; haila — became ; mana — My mind .

Translation

“However, when I started for Vṛndāvana, many thousands and millions of people gathered and began to go with Me.

Word meanings

bhakta - gaṇe — all the devotees ; lañā — taking ; tabe — then ; calilāṅa raṅge — I started with great pleasure ; lakṣa - koṭi — many thousands and millions ; loka — people ; tāhāṅ — there ; haila — became ; āmā - saṅge — My companions .

Translation

“In this way I was going to Vṛndāvana with a big crowd, but through the mouth of Sanātana, Kṛṣṇa taught Me a lesson. Thus by making some impediment, He has brought Me to Vṛndāvana on the path through the forest.

Word meanings

sanātana - mukhe — from the mouth of Sanātana ; kṛṣṇa — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; āmā — unto Me ; śikhāilā — gave instructions ; tāhā — that ; vighna kari’ — making a hindrance ; vana - pathe — on the path through the forest ; lañā — taking ; āilā — came .

Translation

“Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of mercy. He is especially merciful to the poor and fallen. Without His mercy, there is no possibility of happiness.”

Word meanings

kṛpāra samudra — ocean of mercy ; dīna - hīne — unto the poor and fallen ; dayā - maya — very merciful ; kṛṣṇa - kṛpā — the mercy of Kṛṣṇa ; vinā — without ; kona — any ; sukha — happiness ; nāhi haya — there is not .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then embraced Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and told him, “It is only by your kindness that I am now so happy.”

Word meanings

bhaṭṭācārye — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; āliṅgiyā — embracing ; tāṅhāre — unto him ; kahila — said ; tomāra prasāde — by your kindness ; āmi — I ; eta — so much ; sukha — happiness ; pāila — got .

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “My dear Lord, You are Kṛṣṇa Himself, and therefore You are merciful. I am a fallen living entity, but You have bestowed a great favor upon me.

Word meanings

teṅho kahena — the Bhaṭṭācārya said ; tumi kṛṣṇa — You are Kṛṣṇa Himself ; tumi — You ; dayā - maya — merciful ; adhama — the lowest of the low ; jīva — living entity ; muñi — I ; more — unto me ; ha - ilā — You have been ; sa - daya — favorable .

Translation

“Sir, I am most fallen, yet You have brought me with You. Showing great mercy, You have accepted food prepared by me.

Word meanings

muñi — I ; chāra — most fallen ; more — me ; tumi — You ; saṅge — with ; lañā — taking ; āilā — have come ; kṛpā kari’ — showing great mercy ; mora hāte — from my hand ; prabhu — my Lord ; bhikṣā kailā — You accepted food .

Translation

“You have made me Your carrier Garuḍa, although I am no better than a condemned crow. Thus You are the independent Personality of Godhead, the original Lord.

Word meanings

adhama - kākere — the most condemned crow ; kailā — You have made ; garuḍa - samāna — like Garuḍa ; svatantra — independent ; īśvara — Supreme Personality of Godhead ; tumi — You ; svayam bhagavān — the original Personality of Godhead .

Translation

“ ‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead has the form of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha — transcendental bliss, knowledge and eternity. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him, who turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains. Such is the mercy of the Lord.’ ”

Word meanings

mūkam — a person who cannot speak ; karoti — makes ; vācālam — an eloquent speaker ; paṅgum — a person who cannot even walk ; laṅghayate — causes to cross over ; girim — the mountain ; yat - kṛpā — whose mercy ; tam — unto Him ; aham — I ; vande — offer obeisances ; parama - ānanda — the transcendentally blissful ; mādhavam — Supreme Personality of Godhead .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.1) .

Translation

In this way Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya offered his prayers to the Lord. By rendering service unto Him in ecstatic love, he pacified the Lord’s mind.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; balabhadra — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; karena — offers ; stavana — prayers ; prema - sevā kari’ — rendering service in love ; tuṣṭa — pacified ; kaila — made ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; mana — the mind .

Translation

Finally the Lord arrived with great happiness at the holy place called Kāśī. There He took His bath in the bathing ghat known as Maṇikarṇikā.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; nānā - sukhe — in great happiness ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; āilā — came ; kāśī — to the holy place named Kāśī ; madhyāhna - snāna — afternoon bath ; kaila — took ; maṇikarṇikāya — to the bathing place known as Maṇikarṇikā ; āsi’ — coming .

Purport

Kāśī is another name for Vārāṇasī (Benares). It has been a place of pilgrimage since time immemorial. Two rivers named Asiḥ and Varuṇā merge there. Maṇikarṇikā is famous because, according to the opinion of great personalities, a bejeweled earring fell there from the ear of Lord Viṣṇu. According to some, it fell from the ear of Lord Śiva. The word maṇi means “jewel,” and karṇikā means “from the ear.” According to some, Lord Viśvanātha is the great physician who cures the disease of material existence by delivering a person through the ear, which receives the vibration of the holy name of Lord Rāma. Because of this, this holy place is called Maṇikarṇikā. It is said that there is no better place than where the river Ganges flows, and the bathing ghat known as Maṇikarṇikā is especially sanctified because it is very dear to Lord Viśvanātha. In the Kāśī-khaṇḍa it is said:

saṁsāri-cintāmaṇir atra yasmāt tārakaṁ saj-jana-karṇikāyām śivo ’bhidhatte saha-sānta-kāle tad gīyate ’sau maṇi-karṇiketi

mukti-lakṣmī mahā-pīṭha- maṇis tac-caraṇābjayoḥ karṇikeyaṁ tataḥ prāhur yāṁ janā maṇi-karṇikām

According to this passage from the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, one who gives up his body at Maṇikarṇikā is liberated simply by remembering Lord Śiva’s name.

Translation

At that time, Tapana Miśra was taking his bath in the Ganges, and he was astonished to see the Lord there.

Word meanings

sei - kāle — at that time ; tapana - miśra — a brāhmaṇa named Tapana Miśra ; kare gaṅgā - snāna — was taking his bath in the Ganges ; prabhu dekhi’ — seeing the Lord ; haila — there was ; tāṅra — his ; kichu — some ; vismaya jñāna — astonishment .

Translation

Tapana Miśra then began to think, “I have heard that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted the renounced order.” Thinking this, Tapana Miśra became very jubilant within his heart.

Word meanings

pūrve — formerly ; śuniyāchi — I have heard ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; karyāchena sannyāsa — has accepted the renounced order of life ; niścaya kariyā — ascertaining that ; haila — there was ; hṛdaye — within the heart ; ullāsa — great jubilation .

Translation

He then clasped the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to cry. The Lord raised him up and embraced him.

Word meanings

prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; caraṇa — lotus feet ; dhari’ — touching ; karena — does ; rodana — crying ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tāre — him ; uṭhāñā — raising ; kaila — did ; āliṅgana — embracing .

Translation

Tapana Miśra then took Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to visit the temple of Viśveśvara. Coming from there, they saw the lotus feet of Lord Bindu Mādhava.

Word meanings

prabhu lañā — taking the Lord ; gelā — he went ; viśveśvara - daraśane — to visit the temple of Viśveśvara ; tabe — thereafter ; āsi’ — coming ; dekhe — see ; bindu - mādhava - caraṇe — the lotus feet of Bindu Mādhava .

Purport

The Bindu Mādhava temple is the oldest Viṣṇu temple in Vārāṇasī. At present this temple is known as Veṇī Mādhava, and it is situated on the banks of the Ganges. Formerly five rivers converged there, and they were named Dhūtapāpā, Kiraṇā, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā and Yamunā. Now only the river Ganges is visible. The old temple of Bindu Mādhava, which was visited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was later dismantled by Aurangzeb, the great Hindu-hating emperor of the Mogul dynasty. In the place of this temple, he constructed a big masjīd, or mosque. Later, another temple was constructed by the side of the mosque, and this temple is still existing. In the temple of Bindu Mādhava there are Deities of four-handed Nārāyaṇa and the goddess Lakṣmī. In front of these Deities is a column of Śrī Garuḍa, and along the side are deities of Lord Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa and Śrī Hanumānjī.

In the province of Maharashtra is a state known as Sātārā. During the time of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the native prince belonged to the Vaiṣṇava cult. Being a brāhmaṇa, he took charge of worshiping the Deity. He was known as Śrīmanta Bālāsāheb Pantha Mahārāja. The state still bears the expenditure for temple maintenance. The first king in this dynasty to take charge of worship in the temple, two hundred years ago, was Mahārāja Jagatjīvana Rāo Sāheb.

Translation

With great pleasure Tapana Miśra brought Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home and rendered service unto Him. Indeed, he began to dance, waving his cloth.

Word meanings

ghare lañā — taking to his home ; āilā — came ; prabhuke — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; ānandita hañā — in great happiness ; sevā kari’ — rendering service ; nṛtya kare — began to dance ; vastra uḍāñā — waving his cloth .

Translation

He washed the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and afterwards he and his whole family drank the wash water. He also worshiped Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and showed him respect.

Word meanings

prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; caraṇa - udaka — the water used to wash the lotus feet ; sa - vaṁśe — with his whole family ; kaila pāna — drank ; bhaṭṭācāryera — of Bhaṭṭācārya ; pūjā — worship ; kaila — performed ; kariyā — showing ; sammāna — respect .

Translation

Tapana Miśra invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take lunch at his home, and he had Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya cook.

Word meanings

prabhure nimantraṇa kari’ — inviting the Lord ; ghare — at home ; bhikṣā dila — gave lunch ; balabhadra - bhaṭṭācārye — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; pāka karāila — he had cook .

Purport

While at Vārāṇasī (Benares), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Miśra. Near Tapana Miśra’s house was a bathing ghat known as Pañcanadī-ghāṭa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take His bath daily at this ghat, and He used to see the temple of Bindu Mādhava. Then He would take His lunch at Tapana Miśra’s house. Near the Bindu Mādhava temple is a big banyan tree, and it is said that after eating, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to rest beneath the tree. That banyan tree is still known today as Caitanya-vaṭa. Gradually, due to changes in language, the name became Yatana-vaṭa. The local people still call that place Yatana-vaṭa.

At present, beside a lane there is a tomb of Vallabhācārya, but there is no sign that Caitanya Mahāprabhu ever lived there. Vallabhācārya was also known as Mahāprabhu among his disciples. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu probably lived at Yatana-vaṭa, but there is no sign of Candraśekhara’s or Tapana Miśra’s house, nor is there any sign of the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, with whom Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed the Vedānta-sūtra. A little distance from Yatana-vaṭa is a temple of Gaura-Nityānanda established by Śaśibhūṣaṇa Niyogī Mahāśaya of Calcutta. During the time of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, this temple was managed by the mother-in-law of Śaśibhūṣaṇa and his brother-in-law Nārāyaṇa-candra Ghoṣa.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His rest after lunch, the son of Tapana Miśra, named Raghu, used to massage His legs.

Word meanings

bhikṣā kari’ — after finishing His lunch ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; karilā śayana — took rest ; miśra - putra — the son of Tapana Miśra ; raghu — Raghu ; kare — does ; pāda - samvāhana — massaging the legs .

Translation

The remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were taken by the whole family of Tapana Miśra. When news spread that the Lord had come, Candraśekhara came to see Him.

Word meanings

prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; śeṣa - anna — remnants of food ; miśra — Tapana Miśra ; sa - vaṁśe — along with his family ; khāila — ate ; prabhu āilā — the Lord has arrived ; śuni’ — hearing ; candraśekhara āila — Candraśekhara came .

Translation

Candraśekhara happened to be a friend of Tapana Miśra’s, and he was long known to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as His servant. He was a physician by caste, and by profession he was a clerk. At the time he was living in Vārāṇasī.

Word meanings

miśrera sakhā — friend of Tapana Miśra ; teṅho — he ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; pūrva dāsa — former servant ; vaidya - jāti — by caste a physician ; likhana - vṛtti — by profession a clerk ; vārāṇasī - vāsa — resident of Vārāṇasī .

Translation

When Candreśekhara came there, he fell down before the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to cry. The Lord, standing up, embraced him out of His causeless mercy.

Word meanings

āsi’ — coming ; prabhu - pade — at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; paḍi’ — falling down ; karena — does ; rodana — crying ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; uṭhi’ — standing ; tāṅre — unto him ; kṛpāya — out of mercy ; kaila — did ; āliṅgana — embracing .

Translation

Candraśekhara said, “My dear Lord, You have bestowed Your causeless mercy upon me because I am Your old servant. Indeed, You have come here personally to give me Your audience.

Word meanings

candraśekhara kahe — Candraśekhara said ; prabhu — my dear Lord ; baḍa kṛpā kailā — You have shown Your causeless mercy ; āpane — personally ; āsiyā — coming ; bhṛtye — unto Your servant ; daraśana dilā — gave Your audience .

Translation

“Due to my past deeds, I am residing at Vārāṇasī, but here I do not hear anything but the words ‘māyā’ and ‘Brahman.’ ”

Word meanings

āpana - prārabdhe — because of my past deeds ; vasi’ — staying ; vārāṇasī - sthāne — in the place known as Vārāṇasī ; māyā — māyā ; brahma — and brahma ; śabda — the words ; vinā — except ; nāhi śuni — I do not hear ; kāṇe — in the ear .

Purport

The word prārabdhe (“past deeds”) is important in this verse. Since Candraśekhara was a devotee, he was always eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental pastimes. Most of the inhabitants of Benares were and are impersonalists, worshipers of Lord Śiva and followers of the pañcopāsanā method. The impersonalists imagine some form of the impersonal Brahman, and to facilitate meditation they concentrate upon the forms of Viṣṇu, Śiva, Gaṇeśa, Sūrya and goddess Durgā. Actually these pañcopāsakas are not devotees of anyone. As it is said, to be a servant of everyone is to be a servant of no one. Vārāṇasī, or Kāśī, is the chief holy place of pilgrimage for impersonalists, and it is not at all suitable for devotees. A Vaiṣṇava likes to live in a viṣṇu-tīrtha, a place where Lord Viṣṇu’s temples are present. In Vārāṇasī there are many hundreds and thousands of Lord Śiva’s temples, or pañcopāsaka temples. Consequently Candraśekhara expressed great unhappiness as he informed Lord Caitanya that he was obliged to live at Benares due to his past misdeeds. As said in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, durjāty-ārambhakaṁ pāpaṁ yat syāt prārabdham eva tat: “According to one’s past misdeeds, one takes birth on a lower platform.” But in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.54) it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām: “There is no karma attached to the past deeds or misdeeds of one in devotional service.” A devotee is not subjected to karma-phala, the effect of fruitive activity. Karma-phala is applicable to karmīs, not bhaktas.

There are three kinds of devotees: those who are eternally on the transcendental platform ( nitya-siddha ), those who have been elevated to the transcendental platform by the execution of devotional service ( sādhana-siddha ), and those who are neophytes advancing toward the perfectional platform ( sādhaka ) . The sādhakas are gradually becoming free from fruitive reaction. The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.17) describes the symptoms of bhakti-yoga thus:

kleśa-ghnī śubha-dā mokṣa- laghutā-kṛt su-durlabhā sāndrānanda-viśeṣātmā śrī-kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī ca sā

Devotional service is kleśa-ghnī even for beginners. This means that it reduces or nullifies all kinds of suffering. The word śubha-dā indicates that devotional service bestows all good fortune, and the word kṛṣṇa-ākarṣiṇī indicates that devotional service gradually attracts Kṛṣṇa toward the devotee. Consequently a devotee is not subject to any sinful reaction. In the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) Kṛṣṇa says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Thus a fully surrendered, sincere devotee immediately receives relief from all kinds of sinful reactions. There are three stages of fructification for sinful activity. At one stage, one commits the sinful act, before that the seed of this act exists, and before that there is ignorance whereby one commits the sin. Suffering is involved in all three stages. However, Kṛṣṇa is merciful to His devotee, and consequently He immediately nullifies all three stages — the sin, the seed of sin and the ignorance that leads one to sin. The Padma Purāṇa confirms this:

aprārabdha-phalaṁ pāpaṁ kūṭaṁ bījaṁ phalonmukham krameṇaiva pralīyeta viṣṇu-bhakti-ratātmanām

For a further explanation of this topic, The Nectar of Devotion should be consulted.

Translation

Candraśekhara continued, “There is no talk at Vārāṇasī other than discussions on the six philosophical theses. Nonetheless, Tapana Miśra has been very kind to me, for he speaks about topics relating to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

ṣaṭ - darśana — of the six philosophical theses ; vyākhyā — explanation ; vinā — except ; kathā — talk ; nāhi — not ; ethā — here ; miśra — Tapana Miśra ; kṛpā kari’ — being very merciful ; more — unto me ; śunāna — explains ; kṛṣṇa - kathā — topics of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa .

Purport

The six philosophical theses are (1) Vaiśeṣika, propounded by Kaṇāda Ṛṣi, (2) Nyāya, propounded by Gautama Ṛṣi, (3) Yoga, or mysticism, propounded by Patañjali Ṛṣi, (4) the philosophy of Sāṅkhya, propounded by Kapila Ṛṣi, (5) the philosophy of Karma-mīmāṁsā, propounded by Jaimini Ṛṣi, and (6) the philosophy of Brahma-mīmāṁsā, or Vedānta, the ultimate conclusion of the Absolute Truth ( janmādy asya yataḥ ), propounded by Vedavyāsa. Actually Vedānta philosophy is meant for the devotees because in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham: “I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas. ” Vyāsadeva is an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, and consequently Kṛṣṇa is the compiler of Vedānta philosophy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa clearly knows the purport of Vedānta philosophy. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, whoever hears Vedānta philosophy from Kṛṣṇa is actually aware of the real meaning of Vedānta. The Māyāvādīs call themselves Vedāntists but do not at all understand the purport of Vedānta philosophy. Not being properly educated, people in general think that Vedānta means the Śaṅkarite interpretation.

Translation

“My dear Lord, we two think of Your lotus feet incessantly. Although You are the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, You have granted us Your audience.

Word meanings

nirantara — incessantly ; duṅhe — we two ; cinti — think of ; tomāra caraṇa — Your lotus feet ; sarva - jña — omniscient ; īśvara — Supreme Personality of Godhead ; tumi — You ; dilā daraśana — gave Your audience .

Translation

“My Lord, I have heard that You are going to Vṛndāvana. Please stay here at Vārāṇasī for some days and deliver us, for we are Your two servants.”

Word meanings

śuni — I hear ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yābena — will go ; śrī - vṛndāvane — to Vṛndāvana ; dina kata — for some days ; rahi’ — staying ; tāra’ — please deliver ; bhṛtya — servants ; dui - jane — two persons .

Purport

Although Candraśekhara is an eternal servant of the Lord, he humbly presented himself as fallen, and therefore he requested the Lord to deliver him and Tapana Miśra, His two servants.

Translation

Tapana Miśra then said, “My dear Lord, as long as You stay at Vārāṇasī, please do not accept any invitation other than mine.”

Word meanings

miśra kahe — Tapana Miśra said ; prabhu — my Lord ; yāvat — as long as ; kāśīte rahibā — You will stay at Kāśī, Vārāṇasī ; mora nimantraṇa — my invitation ; vinā — besides ; anya — others ; nā mānibā — do not accept .

Translation

Even though He had not made such a plan, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained for ten days at Vārāṇasī, being obligated by the requests of His two servants.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dui — two ; bhṛtyera — by servants ; vaśe — being obliged ; icchā nāhi — there was no such desire ; tabu — still ; tathā — there ; rahilā — remained ; dina - daśe — for ten days .

Translation

At Vārāṇasī there was a Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa who used to come daily to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This brāhmaṇa was simply astonished to see the Lord’s personal beauty and ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

mahārāṣṭrīya — belonging to the Maharashtra state ; vipra — one brāhmaṇa ; āise — comes ; prabhu dekhibāre — to see Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; rūpa - prema — beauty and ecstatic love ; dekhi’ — seeing ; haya camatkāre — becomes astonished .

Translation

When the brāhmaṇas of Vārāṇasī would invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to lunch, the Lord would not accept their invitations. He would reply, “I have already been invited somewhere else.”

Word meanings

vipra — the brāhmaṇas ; saba — all ; nimantraya — invite ; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nāhi māne — does not accept ; prabhu kahe — the Lord replies ; āji — today ; mora — My ; hañāche — has been ; nimantraṇe — invitation .

Translation

Every day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu refused their invitations because He feared associating with Māyāvādī sannyāsīs.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; prati - dina — daily ; karena vañcana — denies other inviters ; sannyāsīra — of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs ; saṅga - bhaye — from fear of the association ; nā mānena — does not accept ; nimantraṇa — invitation .

Purport

A Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī never accepts an invitation from a party who considers Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs to be one and the same. In other words, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs do not at all like to associate with Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, to say nothing of eating with them. This principle must be followed by the sannyāsīs of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, given by His personal behavior.

Translation

There was a great Māyāvādī sannyāsī named Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, who used to teach Vedānta philosophy to a great assembly of followers.

Word meanings

prakāśānanda — Prakāśānanda ; śrīpāda — a great sannyāsī ; sabhāte — in the assembly ; vasiyā — sitting down ; vedānta — Vedānta philosophy ; paḍāna — instructs ; bahu — many ; śiṣya - gaṇa — disciples ; lañā — taking .

Purport

Śrīpāda Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was a Māyāvādī sannyāsī, and his characteristics have been described in Caitanya-bhāgavata ( Madhya-khaṇḍa, chapter three):

‘hasta’, ‘pada’, ‘mukha’ mora nāhika ‘locana’ veda more ei-mata kare viḍambana

kāśīte paḍāya veṭā ‘prakāśa-ānanda’ sei veṭā kare mora aṅga khaṇḍa-khaṇḍa

vākhānaye veda, mora vigraha nā māne sarvāṅge ha-ila kuṣṭha, tabu nāhi jāne

sarva-yajñamaya mora ye-aṅga — pavitra ‘aja’, ‘bhava’ ādi gāya yāṅhāra caritra

‘puṇya’ pavitratā pāya ye-aṅga-paraśe tāhā ‘mithyā’ bale veṭā kemana sāhase

In the Madhya-khaṇḍa, chapter twenty, it is said:

sannyāsī ‘prakāśānanda’ vasaye kāśīte more khaṇḍa-khaṇḍa veṭā kare bhāla-mate

paḍāya ‘vedānta’, mora ‘vigraha’ nā māne kuṣṭha karāiluṅ aṅge, tabu nāhi jāne

‘satya’ mora ‘līlā-karma’, ‘satya’ mora ‘sthāna’ ihā ‘mithyā’ bale, more kare khān-khān

Being an impersonalist, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī used to explain the Absolute Truth as being without hands, legs, mouths or eyes. In this way he used to cheat the people by denying the personal form of the Lord. Such a foolish person was Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, whose only business was to sever the limbs of the Lord by proving the Lord impersonal. Although the Lord has form, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī attempted to cut off the hands and legs of the Lord. This is the business of demons. The Vedas state that people who do not accept the Lord’s form are rascals. The form of the Lord is factual, for Kṛṣṇa states in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. When Kṛṣṇa says aham, He says “I am,” which means “I,” the person. He adds the word eva, which is used for conclusive verification. Thus by studying Vedānta philosophy one must come to know the Supreme Person. Whoever describes Vedic knowledge as impersonal is a demon. One becomes successful in life by worshiping the form of the Lord. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs deny the form of the Lord, which delivers all fallen souls. Indeed, the Māyāvādī demons try to cut this form to pieces.

The Personality of Godhead is worshiped by exalted demigods like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. The original Māyāvādī sannyāsī, Śaṅkarācārya, also accepted the fact that the Lord’s form is transcendental: nārāyaṇaḥ paro ’vyaktāt. “Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond the avyakta, the unmanifested material energy.” Avyaktād aṇḍa-sambhavaḥ: “This material world is a creation of that unmanifested material energy.” However, Nārāyaṇa has His own eternal form, which is not created by the material energy. Simply by worshiping the form of the Lord, one is purified. However, Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are impersonalist philosophers, and they describe the form of the Lord as māyā, or false. How can one be purified by worshiping something false? Māyāvādī philosophers have no sufficient reason for being impersonalists. They blindly follow a principle that cannot be supported by reason or argument. This was the situation with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, the chief Māyāvādī sannyāsī of Benares. He was supposed to teach Vedānta philosophy, but he would not accept the form of the Lord; therefore he was attacked with leprosy. Nonetheless, he continued to commit sins by describing the Absolute Truth as impersonal. The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, always displays pastimes and activities, but Māyāvādī sannyāsīs claim that these activities are false.

Some people falsely claim that Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī later became known as Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, but this is not a fact. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī was the uncle and spiritual master of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. In his gṛhastha life, Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī was a resident of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra, and he belonged to the Vaiṣṇava Rāmānuja-sampradāya. It is a mistake to consider Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī the same man.

Translation

A brāhmaṇa who saw the wonderful behavior of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and described the Lord’s characteristics.

Word meanings

eka vipra — a brāhmaṇa ; dekhi’ — seeing ; āilā — came ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; vyavahāra — activities ; prakāśānanda - āge — before the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda ; kahe — says ; caritra tāṅhāra — His characteristics .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa told Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, “There is a sannyāsī who has come from Jagannātha Purī, and I cannot describe His wonderful influence and glories.

Word meanings

eka — a ; sannyāsī — person in the renounced order of life ; āilā — has come ; jagannātha haite — from Jagannātha Purī ; tāṅhāra — His ; mahimā — glories ; pratāpa — influence ; nā pāri varṇite — I cannot describe .

Translation

“Everything is wonderful about that sannyāsī. He has a very well built and luxuriant body, and His complexion is like purified gold.

Word meanings

sakala dekhiye — I see everything ; tāṅte — in Him ; adbhuta - kathana — wonderful description ; prakāṇḍa - śarīra — very large body ; śuddha — pure ; kāñcana — gold ; varaṇa — complexion .

Translation

“He has arms that extend to His knees, and His eyes are like the petals of a lotus. In His person are all the transcendental symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Word meanings

ājānu - lambita — reaching down to the knees ; bhuja — arms ; kamala - nayana — eyes like the petals of a lotus flower ; yata — as many as ; kichu — any ; īśvarera — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sarva — all ; sat - lakṣaṇa — transcendental symptoms .

Translation

“When one sees all these features, one takes Him to be Nārāyaṇa Himself. Whoever sees Him immediately begins to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

tāhā dekhi’ — seeing that ; jñāna haya — one comes to the conclusion ; ei nārāyaṇa — He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa Himself ; yei — anyone who ; tāṅre — Him ; dekhe — sees ; kare — performs ; kṛṣṇa - saṅkīrtana — chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa .

Translation

“We have heard about the symptoms of a first-class devotee in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and all those symptoms are manifest in the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

mahā - bhāgavata — of a first-class devotee ; lakṣaṇa — symptoms ; śuni — we hear ; bhāgavate — in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ; se - saba lakṣaṇa — all those symptoms ; prakaṭa — manifest ; dekhiye — I see ; tāṅhāte — in Him .

Translation

“His tongue is always chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, and from His eyes tears incessantly fall like the flowing Ganges.

Word meanings

nirantara — incessantly ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of the Lord ; jihvā — tongue ; tāṅra — His ; gāya — chants ; dui - netre — in the two eyes ; aśru — tears ; vahe — flow ; gaṅgā - dhārā - prāya — like the flow of the Ganges .

Translation

“Sometimes He dances, laughs, sings and cries, and sometimes He roars like a lion.

Word meanings

kṣaṇe — sometimes ; nāce — dances ; hāse — laughs ; gāya — sings ; karaye krandana — cries ; kṣaṇe — sometimes ; huhuṅ - kāra — loud vibrations ; kare — makes ; siṁhera garjana — the roaring of a lion .

Translation

“His name, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, is all-auspicious for the world. Everything about Him — His name, form and qualities — is unparalleled.

Word meanings

jagat - maṅgala — all-auspicious to the whole world ; tāṅra — His ; kṛṣṇa - caitanya — Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya ; nāma — name ; nāma — name ; rūpa — form ; guṇa — the quality ; tāṅra — His ; saba — all ; anupama — unparalleled .

Translation

“Simply by seeing Him, one understands that He possesses all the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such characteristics are certainly uncommon. Who will believe it?”

Word meanings

dekhile — simply by seeing ; se — Him ; jāni — I understand ; tāṅra — His ; īśvarera rīti — characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; alaukika — uncommon ; kathā — story ; śuni’ — hearing ; ke — who ; kare pratīti — will believe .

Translation

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī laughed very much to hear this description. Joking and laughing at the brāhmaṇa, he began to speak as follows.

Word meanings

śuniyā — hearing ; prakāśānanda — Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī ; bahuta hāsilā — laughed very much ; vipre — at the brāhmaṇa ; upahāsa kari’ — jokingly laughing ; kahite lāgilā — began to speak .

Translation

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī said, “Yes, I have heard about Him. He is a sannyāsī from Bengal, and He is very sentimental. I have also heard that He belongs to the Bhāratī-sampradāya, for He is a disciple of Keśava Bhāratī. However, He is only a pretender.”

Word meanings

śuniyāchi — I have heard ; gauḍa - deśera sannyāsī — the sannyāsī from Bengal ; bhāvuka — sentimental ; keśava - bhāratī - śiṣya — disciple of Keśava Bhāratī ; loka - pratāraka — a first-class pretender .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was considered bhāvuka (sentimental) because He was always seen in the bhāva stage. That is, He always exhibited ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. However, foolish people considered Him sentimental. In the material world, so-called devotees sometimes exhibit emotional symptoms. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love cannot be compared to the imitative emotional exhibitions of pretenders. Such exhibitions do not continue for very long. They are temporary. We actually see that some emotional imitators exhibit certain symptoms, but immediately after their exhibition, they are attracted to smoking and other things. In the beginning, when Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī heard of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s activities, he considered them to be those of a pretender. Consequently he called Him a loka-pratāraka, a pretender. Māyāvādīs cannot understand the transcendental symptoms exhibited by a devotee; therefore when such symptoms are manifest, the Māyāvādīs equate them with temporary emotional feelings. However, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī’s statement is offensive, and consequently he should be considered an atheist ( pāṣaṇḍī ) . According to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, since Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was not engaged in the Lord’s devotional service, his sannyāsa is to be considered phalgu-vairāgya. This means that since he did not know how to use things for the Lord’s service, his renunciation of the world was artificial.

Translation

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī continued, “I know that His name is Caitanya and that He is accompanied by many sentimentalists. His followers dance with Him, and He tours from country to country and village to village.

Word meanings

caitanya — Caitanya ; nāma tāṅra — His name ; bhāvuka - gaṇa lañā — accompanied by some sentimentalists ; deśe deśe — from country to country ; grāme grāme — from village to village ; bule — travels ; nācāñā — causing to dance .

Translation

“Whoever sees Him accepts Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since He has some mystic power by which He hypnotizes people, everyone who sees Him becomes illusioned.

Word meanings

yei — anyone who ; tāṅre — Him ; dekhe — sees ; sei — that person ; īśvara kari’ — as the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; kahe — says ; aiche — such ; mohana - vidyā — hypnotism ; ye dekhe — anyone who sees ; se mohe — he becomes illusioned .

Translation

“Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was a very learned scholar, but I have heard that he also has become a madman due to his association with this Caitanya.

Word meanings

sārvabhauma bhaṭṭācārya — Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya ; paṇḍita prabala — a learned scholar ; śuni’ — I have heard ; caitanyera saṅge — in the association of Caitanya ; ha - ila pāgala — has become a madman .

Translation

“This Caitanya is a sannyāsī in name only. Actually He is a first-class magician. In any case, His sentimentalism cannot be very much in demand here in Kāśī.

Word meanings

sannyāsī — in the renounced order of life ; nāma - mātra — in name only ; mahā - indrajālī — first-class magician ; kāśīpure — in Kāśī ; nā vikābe — will not sell ; tāṅra — His ; bhāvakāli — sentimental activities .

Translation

“Do not go to see Caitanya. Just continue hearing Vedānta. If you associate with upstarts, you will be lost in this world and in the next.”

Word meanings

vedānta — the philosophy of Vedānta ; śravaṇa kara — go on hearing ; nā — do not ; yāiha — go ; tāṅra pāśa — near Him ; ucchṛṅkhala — upstart ; loka — people ; saṅge — in the association of ; dui - loka - nāśa — destruction in this world and the next .

Purport

The word ucchṛṅkhala, meaning “whimsical,” is significant in this verse. In the Bhagavad-gītā (16.23) , Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself says:

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

“If one acts whimsically and does not follow the śāstric principles, he will never attain perfection, happiness or the spiritual world.”

Translation

When the brāhmaṇa heard Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī speak like this about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he became very much grief-stricken. Chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, he immediately left.

Word meanings

eta śuni’ — hearing this ; sei vipra — that brāhmaṇa ; mahā - duḥkha pāilā — became very much aggrieved ; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kahi’ — uttering the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; tathā haite — from there ; uṭhi’ gelā — got up and went away .

Translation

The mind of the brāhmaṇa was already purified by his seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He therefore went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and described what had taken place before the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda.

Word meanings

prabhura daraśane — by seeing personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; śuddha — purified ; hañāche — was ; tāṅra mana — his mind ; prabhu - āge — before the Lord ; duḥkhī hañā — being very unhappy ; kahe vivaraṇa — described the incidents .

Translation

Hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu mildly smiled. The brāhmaṇa then spoke again to the Lord.

Word meanings

śuni’ — hearing ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tabe — then ; īṣat — mildly ; hāsilā — smiled ; punarapi — again indeed ; sei — that ; vipra — brāhmaṇa ; prabhure puchilā — inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa said, “As soon as I uttered Your name before him, he immediately confirmed the fact that he knew Your name.

Word meanings

tāra āge — before him ; yabe — when ; āmi — I ; tomāra — Your ; nāma — name ; la - ila — uttered ; seha — he ; tomāra — Your ; nāma — name ; jāne — knows ; āpane kahila — he said himself .

Translation

“While finding fault with You, he uttered Your name three times, saying ‘Caitanya, Caitanya, Caitanya.’

Word meanings

tomāra doṣa — Your fault ; kahite — describing ; kare — does ; nāmera — of the name ; uccāra — utterances ; caitanya caitanya — Caitanya, Caitanya ; kari’ — in that way ; kahe tina - bāra — he uttered three times .

Translation

“Although he spoke Your name three times, he did not utter the name ‘Kṛṣṇa.’ Because he uttered Your name in contempt, I was very much aggrieved.

Word meanings

tina - bāre — three times ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; nā āila — did not come ; tāra mukhe — in his mouth ; avajñāte — in contempt ; nāma laya — takes Your name ; śuni’ — hearing ; pāi duḥkhe — I was very much aggrieved .

Purport

Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī vilified and blasphemed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Words like brahma, caitanya, ātmā, paramātmā, jagadīśa, īśvara, virāṭ, vibhu, bhūmā, viśvarūpa and vyāpaka all indirectly indicate Kṛṣṇa. However, the chanter of these names is not actually attracted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental pastimes. One may get a little light from these names, but one cannot understand that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord. One considers the Lord’s names material due to a poor fund of knowledge. Māyāvādī philosophers and the pañcopāsakas cannot in the least understand the existence of the spiritual world and the blissful variegatedness there. They cannot understand the Absolute Truth and its spiritual varieties — name, form, qualities and pastimes. Consequently they conclude that Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental activities are māyā. To avoid this misconception one has to directly cultivate knowledge about the holy name of the Lord. Māyāvādī philosophers do not know this fact, and therefore they commit great offenses. One should not hear anything about Kṛṣṇa or devotional service from the mouths of Māyāvādī impersonalists.

Translation

“Why could Prakāśānanda not utter the names ‘Kṛṣṇa’ and ‘Hari’? He chanted the name ‘Caitanya’ thrice. As far as I am concerned, simply by seeing You I am moved to chant the holy names ‘Kṛṣṇa’ and ‘Hari.’ ”

Word meanings

ihāra — of this ; kāraṇa — cause ; more — unto me ; kaha — please speak ; kṛpā kari’ — by Your causeless mercy ; tomā dekhi’ — seeing You ; mukha — mouth ; mora — my ; bale — says ; kṛṣṇa hari — the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Hari .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “The Māyāvādī impersonalists are great offenders unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; therefore they simply utter the words ‘Brahman,’ ‘ātmā’ and ‘caitanya.’

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said ; māyāvādī — the impersonalists ; kṛṣṇe — unto Kṛṣṇa ; aparādhī — great offenders ; brahma — brahma ; ātmā — ātmā ; caitanya — caitanya ; kahe — say ; niravadhi — without stopping .

Translation

“Because they are offenders unto Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is identical with His holy name, the holy name ‘Kṛṣṇa’ does not manifest in their mouths.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; tāra mukhe — in their mouths ; nā — not ; āise — manifests ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name “Kṛṣṇa” ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name “Kṛṣṇa” ; kṛṣṇa - svarūpa — the personality of the Lord ; duita samāna — both identical .

Translation

“The Lord’s holy name, His form and His personality are all one and the same. There is no difference between them. Since all of them are absolute, they are all transcendentally blissful.

Word meanings

nāma — the name ; vigraha — form ; svarūpa — personality ; tina — all three ; eka - rūpa — one and the same ; tine — between the three ; bheda nāhi — there is no difference ; tina — all three ; cit - ānanda - rūpa — transcendentally blissful .

Translation

“There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa’s body and Himself or between His name and Himself. But as far as the conditioned soul is concerned, one’s name is different from one’s body, from one’s original form and so on.

Word meanings

deha - dehīra — of the body and the owner of the body ; nāma - nāmīra — of the name and the owner of the name ; kṛṣṇe — in Kṛṣṇa ; nāhi bheda — there is no difference ; jīvera dharma — the situation of the conditioned soul ; nāma — name ; deha — body ; svarūpe — original form ; vibheda — different .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is herein pointing out to the brāhmaṇa that Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand that the living entity is equal in quality with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because they do not accept this, they think that the living entity has been falsely divided from the original Brahman due to being conditioned by māyā. Māyāvādīs believe that the Absolute Truth is ultimately impersonal. When an incarnation of God or God Himself comes, they think He is covered by māyā. In other words, Māyāvādī impersonalists think that the Lord’s form is also a product of this material world. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand that Kṛṣṇa has no body separate from Himself. His body and Himself are both the same Absolute Truth. Not having perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, such impersonalists certainly commit offenses at His lotus feet. Therefore they do not utter “Kṛṣṇa, ” the original name of the Absolute Truth. In their impersonal way, they utter the name of impersonal Brahman, spirit soul. In other words, they indulge in indirect indications of the Absolute Truth. Even if they happen to utter the names “Govinda,” “Kṛṣṇa” or “Mādhava,” they still cannot understand that these names are as good as Govinda, Kṛṣṇa or Mādhava the person. Because they are ultimately impersonalists, their uttering of the personal name has no potency. Actually they do not believe in Kṛṣṇa but consider all these names to be material vibrations. Not being able to appreciate the holy name of the Lord, they simply utter indirect names like Brahman, ātmā and caitanya.

It is a fact, however, that the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa the person are both spiritual. Everything about Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, blissful and objective. For a conditioned soul, the body is different from the soul, and the name given by the father is also different from the soul. The conditioned living entity’s identification with material objects keeps him from attaining his actual position. Although he is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he acts differently. The svarūpa, or actual identification of the living entity, is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’. The conditioned soul has forgotten the real activities of his original position. However, this is not the case with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa’s name and His person are identical. There is no such thing as māyā Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is not a product of the material creation. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa’s body and His soul. Kṛṣṇa is simultaneously both soul and body. The distinction between body and soul applies to conditioned souls. The body of the conditioned soul is different from the soul, and the conditioned soul’s name is different from his body. One may be named Mr. John, but if we call for Mr. John, Mr. John may never actually appear. However, if we utter the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is immediately present on our tongue. In the Padma Purāṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhaktā yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada: “O Nārada, I am present wherever My devotees are chanting.” When the devotees chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare — Lord Kṛṣṇa is immediately present.

Translation

“ ‘The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.’

Word meanings

nāmaḥ — the holy name ; cintāmaṇiḥ — transcendentally blissful giver of all spiritual benedictions ; kṛṣṇaḥ — not different from Kṛṣṇa ; caitanya - rasa - vigrahaḥ — the form of all transcendental mellows ; pūrṇaḥ — complete ; śuddhaḥ — pure, without material contamination ; nitya — eternal ; muktaḥ — liberated ; abhinnatvāt — due to not being different ; nāma — of the holy name ; nāminoḥ — and of the person who has the name .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Padma Purāṇa.

Translation

“The holy name of Kṛṣṇa, His body and His pastimes cannot be understood by the blunt material senses. They are manifested independently.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; nāma — the holy name ; deha — the spiritual body ; vilāsa — the pastimes ; prākṛta - indriya — by the dull senses made of matter ; grāhya — perceptible ; nahe — not ; haya — are ; sva - prakāśa — self-manifested .

Purport

Since Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body, name, form, qualities, pastimes and entourage are all the Absolute Truth, they are as good as Kṛṣṇa Himself ( sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha ) . As long as the living entity is conditioned by the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), the objects of his material senses — material form, taste, smell, sound and touch — will not help him understand spiritual knowledge and bliss. Rather, these are revealed to the pure devotee. One’s material name, form and qualities are certainly different from one another. In the material world, there is no conception of absolute; however, when we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness we find that there is no material difference between Kṛṣṇa’s body and His names, activities and entourage.

Translation

“Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, transcendental qualities and transcendental pastimes are all equal to Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. They are all spiritual and full of bliss.

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; kṛṣṇa - guṇa — the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa ; kṛṣṇa - līlā - vṛnda — the transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kṛṣṇera svarūpa — Kṛṣṇa’s personality ; sama — equal ; saba — all ; cit - ānanda — spiritual and full of bliss .

Translation

“ ‘Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṇa really is.’

Word meanings

ataḥ — therefore (because Kṛṣṇa’s name, form and qualities are all on the absolute platform) ; śrī - kṛṣṇa - nāma - ādi — Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities, pastimes and so on ; na — not ; bhavet — can be ; grāhyam — perceived ; indriyaiḥ — by the blunt material senses ; sevā - unmukhe — to one engaged in His service ; hi — certainly ; jihvā - ādau — beginning with the tongue ; svayam — personally ; eva — certainly ; sphurati — become manifest ; adaḥ — those (Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and so on) .

Purport

This verse is recorded in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.234).

Translation

“The mellows of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, which are full of bliss, attract the jñānī from the pleasure of Brahman realization and conquer him.

Word meanings

brahma - ānanda — the pleasure of self-realization ; haite — from ; pūrṇa - ānanda — complete pleasure ; līlā - rasa — the mellows of the pastimes of the Lord ; brahma - jñānī — those who are on the platform of Brahman understanding ; ākarṣiyā — attracting ; kare — make ; ātma - vaśa — subordinate to Kṛṣṇa .

Purport

When one understands that he belongs not to the material world but to the spiritual world, one is called liberated. Being situated in the spiritual world is certainly pleasurable, but those who realize the transcendental name, form, qualities and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoy transcendental bliss many times more than one who has simply realized the self. When one is situated on the platform of self-realization, he can certainly be easily attracted by Kṛṣṇa and become a servant of the Lord. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.54) :

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.”

When one becomes spiritually realized ( brahma-bhūta ), he becomes happy ( prasannātmā ), for he is relieved from material conceptions. One who has attained this platform is not agitated by material action and reaction. He sees everyone on the platform of spirit soul ( paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ) . When one is completely realized, he can rise to the platform of pure devotional service ( mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ) . When one comes to the platform of bhakti, devotional service, he automatically realizes who Kṛṣṇa is. As the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) :

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram

“One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.”

It is only on the bhakti platform that one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental name, form, qualities, pastimes and entourage. Being thus qualified spiritually, one is allowed to enter the spiritual kingdom of God and return home, back to Godhead ( viśate tad-anantaram ).

Translation

“ ‘Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is he who defeats all inauspicious things within this universe. Although in the beginning he was absorbed in the happiness of Brahman realization and was living in a secluded place, giving up all other types of consciousness, he became attracted by the most melodious pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He therefore mercifully spoke the supreme Purāṇa, known as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the bright light of the Absolute Truth and which describes the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.’

Word meanings

sva - sukha — in happiness of the self ; nibhṛta — solitary ; cetāḥ — whose consciousness ; tat — because of that ; vyudasta — given up ; anya - bhāvaḥ — any other type of consciousness ; api — although ; ajita — of Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; rucira — pleasing ; līlā — by the pastimes ; ākṛṣṭa — attracted ; sāraḥ — whose heart ; tadīyam — consisting of the activities of the Lord ; vyatanuta — spread, manifested ; kṛpayā — mercifully ; yaḥ — who ; tattva - dīpam — the bright light of the Absolute Truth ; purāṇam — the Purāṇa ( Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ) ; tam — unto him ; akhila - vṛjina - ghnam — defeating everything inauspicious ; vyāsa - sūnum — the son of Vyāsadeva ; nataḥ asmi — I offer my obeisances .

Purport

This verse was spoken by Sūta Gosvāmī in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.12.69) .

Translation

“The transcendental qualities of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are completely blissful and relishable. Consequently Lord Kṛṣṇa’s qualities attract even the minds of self-realized persons from the bliss of self-realization.

Word meanings

brahma - ānanda — the pleasure of Brahman realization ; haite — from ; pūrṇa - ānanda — complete bliss ; kṛṣṇa - guṇa — the qualities of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; ataeva — therefore ; ākarṣaye — attract ; ātma - ārāmera mana — the minds of self-realized persons .

Translation

“ ‘Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Kṛṣṇa because He has such transcendentally attractive features.’

Word meanings

ātma - ārāmaḥ — persons who take pleasure in being transcendentally situated in the service of the Lord ; ca — also ; munayaḥ — great saintly persons who have completely rejected material aspirations, fruitive activities, and so forth ; nirgranthāḥ — without interest in any material desire ; api — certainly ; urukrame — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, whose activities are wonderful ; kurvanti — do ; ahaitukīm — causeless, or without material desires ; bhaktim — devotional service ; ittham - bhūta — so wonderful as to attract the attention of the self-satisfied ; guṇaḥ — who has transcendental qualities ; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead .

Translation

“Apart from the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, when tulasī leaves are offered at the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, even the aroma of the leaves attracts the minds of self-realized persons.

Word meanings

ei saba rahu — apart from the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kṛṣṇa - caraṇa - sambandhe — in relation to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa ; ātma - ārāmera — of self-realized persons ; mana — the mind ; hare — attracts ; tulasīra gandhe — the aroma of tulasī leaves .

Translation

“ ‘When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasī leaves and saffron from the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead entered through the nostrils into the hearts of those sages [the Kumāras], they experienced a change in both body and mind, even though they were attached to the impersonal Brahman understanding.’

Word meanings

tasya — of Him ; aravinda - nayanasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus ; pada - aravinda — of the lotus feet ; kiñjalka — with saffron ; miśra — mixed ; tulasī — of tulasī leaves ; makaranda — with the aroma ; vāyuḥ — the air ; antaḥ - gataḥ — entered ; sva - vivareṇa — through the nostrils ; cakāra — created ; teṣām — of them ; saṅkṣobham — strong agitation ; akṣara - juṣām — of the impersonally self-realized (Kumāras) ; api — also ; citta - tanvoḥ — of the mind and body .

Purport

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.15.43) . Vidura and Maitreya discussed the pregnancy of Diti. Diti’s pregnancy caused the demigods to be very much afraid, and the demigods went to see Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā explained the original incident involving the cursing of Jaya and Vijaya by the Catuḥsana Kumāras. Once the Catuḥsana Kumāras went to Vaikuṇṭha to visit Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they were stopped from entering the palace at the seventh gate by two doorkeepers named Jaya and Vijaya. Due to their jealousy, Jaya and Vijaya would not allow the Kumāras entry, and consequently the Kumāras became angry and cursed Jaya and Vijaya, condemning them to take birth in a family of asuras in the material world. The omniscient Personality of Godhead could immediately understand the incident, and He came with His eternal consort, the goddess of fortune. The Catuḥsana Kumāras immediately offered their obeisances unto the Lord. Simply by seeing the Lord and smelling the aroma of tulasī and saffron from His lotus feet, the Kumāras became devotees and abandoned their long-cherished impersonalism. Thus the four Kumāras were turned into Vaiṣṇavas simply by smelling the aromatic tulasī mixed with saffron. Those who are actually on the platform of Brahman realization and who have not offended the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa can immediately become Vaiṣṇavas simply by smelling the aroma of the Lord’s lotus feet. But those who are offenders or demons are never attracted to the Lord’s personal feature, even though they may visit the Lord’s temple many times. In Vṛndāvana we have seen many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs who do not even come to the temple of Govindajī, Gopīnātha or Madana-mohana because they think that such temples are māyā. Therefore they are called Māyāvādīs. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said that the Māyāvādīs are the greatest offenders.

Translation

“Because the Māyāvādīs are great offenders and atheistic philosophers, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa does not come from their mouths.

Word meanings

ataeva — therefore ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; nā — does not ; āise — come ; tāra mukhe — in their mouths ; māyāvādi - gaṇa — all the Māyāvādīs ; yāte — because ; mahā bahiḥ - mukhe — great offenders by dint of strong atheism .

Purport

Because they are constantly blaspheming the Supreme Personality of Godhead by saying that He has no head, hands or legs, Māyāvādī philosophers remain offenders for many, many births, even though they have partially realized Brahman. However, if such impersonalists are not offenders at the lotus feet of the Lord, they immediately become devotees in the association of a devotee. In other words, if an impersonalist is not an offender, he can become a devotee if he gets a chance to associate with other devotees. If he is an offender, he cannot be converted even by the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much afraid of this Māyāvādī offender; therefore He spoke as follows.

Translation

“I have come here to sell My emotional ecstatic sentiments in this city of Kāśī, but I cannot find any customers. If they are not sold, I must take them back home.

Word meanings

bhāvakāli — devotional sentiments ; vecite — to sell ; āmi — I ; āilāṅa — came ; kāśīpure — to the city of Kāśī ; grāhaka nāhi — there is no customer ; nā vikāya — do not sell ; lañā yāba ghare — then I must take my commodity back home .

Translation

“I have brought a heavy load to sell in this city. To take it back again is a very difficult job; therefore if I get but a fraction of the price, I shall sell it here in this city of Kāśī.”

Word meanings

bhārī bojhā — heavy load ; lañā — bearing ; āilāṅa — I came ; kemane — how ; lañā yāba — shall I take it back ; alpa - svalpa - mūlya — a fraction of the real price ; pāile — if I get ; ethāi — here ; veciba — I shall sell .

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was selling the transcendental holy name of the Lord. But Kāśī was a city of Māyāvādīs (impersonalists), and such people will never chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Consequently Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was feeling disappointed. How could He teach the Māyāvādīs the importance of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra ? The attraction for chanting the holy name of the Lord belongs absolutely to pure devotees, and there was no possibility of finding pure devotees at Kāśī. Consequently Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s commodity was certainly very heavy. The Lord therefore suggested that even though there were no pure devotees in Kāśī, if someone was a little inclined to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, He would deliver this big load, although the proper price was not paid.

Actually we experienced this when we came to preach the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in the West. When we came to New York in 1965, we never expected that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would be accepted in this country. Nonetheless, we invited people to our storefront to join in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and the Lord’s holy name is so attractive that simply by coming to our storefront in New York, fortunate young people became Kṛṣṇa conscious. Although this mission was started with insignificant capital, it is now going nicely. The spreading of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in the West has become successful because the young people were not offenders. The youths who joined this movement were not very advanced as far as purity is concerned, nor were they very well educated in Vedic knowledge, but because they were not offenders, they could accept the importance of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. We are now very happy to see that this movement is advancing more and more in the Western countries. We therefore conclude that the so-called mlecchas and yavanas of the Western countries are more purified than offensive Māyāvādīs or atheistic impersonalists.

Translation

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted that brāhmaṇa as His devotee. The next morning, rising very early, the Lord started for Mathurā.

Word meanings

eta bali’ — saying this ; sei vipre — that brāhmaṇa ; ātmasātha kari’ — accepting as His devotee ; prāte uṭhi — rising early in the morning ; mathurā calilā — started for Mathurā ; gaurahari — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu started for Mathurā, all three devotees started to go with Him. But the Lord forbade them to accompany Him, and from a distance He asked them to return home.

Word meanings

sei tina — those three ; saṅge — with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; cale — go ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; niṣedhila — forbade ; dūra haite — from a distance ; tina - jane — the three persons ; ghare — home ; pāṭhāila — sent back .

Translation

Feeling separation from the Lord, the three used to meet and glorify the holy qualities of the Lord. Thus they were absorbed in ecstatic love.

Word meanings

prabhura virahe — because of separation from the Lord ; tine — all three ; ekatra — together ; miliyā — meeting ; prabhu - guṇa — the transcendental qualities of the Lord ; gāna kare — chant ; preme — with love ; matta hañā — being mad .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Prayāga, where He bathed at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamunā. He then visited the temple of Veṇī Mādhava and chanted and danced there in ecstatic love.

Word meanings

prayāge — to Prayāga ; āsiyā — coming ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kaila — did ; veṇī - snāna — bathing in the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā ; mādhava — the predominating Deity there, Veṇī Mādhava ; dekhiyā — seeing ; preme — in ecstatic love ; kaila — performed ; nṛtya - gāna — dancing and chanting .

Purport

The city of Prayāga is situated a few miles from the city of Allahabad. The name Prayāga is given due to successful sacrifices performed there. It is said, prakṛṣṭo yāgo yāga-phalaṁ yasmāt. If one performs sacrifices at Prayāga, he certainly gets immediate results without difficulty. Prayāga is also called Tīrtharāja, the king of all places of pilgrimage. This holy place is situated on the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamunā. Every year a fair takes place there known as Māgha-melā, and every twelve years a Kumbha-melā is also held. In any case, many people come to bathe there every year. During Māgha-melā, people from the local district generally come, and during Kumbha-melā people come from all over India to live there and bathe in the Ganges and Yamunā. Whoever goes there immediately feels the place’s spiritual influence. A fort located there was constructed by the emperor Akbar about five hundred years ago, and near the fort is a place called Triveṇī. On the other side of Prayāga is an old place known as Pratiṣṭhāna-pura. It is also well known as Jhuṅsi. Many saintly people live there, and consequently it is very attractive from the spiritual point of view.

Translation

As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the river Yamunā, He threw Himself into it. Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya hastily caught the Lord and very carefully raised Him up again.

Word meanings

yamunā — the river Yamunā ; dekhiyā — seeing ; preme — in ecstatic love ; paḍe — falls down ; jhāṅpa diyā — jumping ; āste - vyaste — in great haste ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; uṭhāya — raises ; dhariyā — catching .

Translation

The Lord stayed at Prayāga for three days. He delivered the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love. Thus He delivered many people.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; tina - dina — for three days ; prayāge — at Prayāga ; rahilā — remained ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; prema — and ecstatic love ; diyā — delivering ; loka nistārilā — delivered the people .

Translation

Wherever the Lord stopped to rest on the way to Mathurā, He delivered the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. Thus He made the people dance.

Word meanings

mathurā — to Mathurā ; calite — going ; pathe — on the road ; yathā — wherever ; rahi’ — staying ; yāya — goes ; kṛṣṇa - nāma - prema — the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and His ecstatic love ; diyā — delivering ; lokere nācāya — made the people dance .

Translation

When the Lord toured South India, He delivered many people, and when He traveled in the western sector, He similarly converted many people to Vaiṣṇavism.

Word meanings

pūrve — formerly ; yena — as ; dakṣiṇa — South India ; yāite — going to ; loka — the people ; nistārilā — He delivered ; paścima - deśe — in the western countries ; taiche — similarly ; saba — all ; vaiṣṇava — devotees ; karilā — made .

Purport

Formerly Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu converted people when He toured southern and western India. Similarly, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is now delivering the people of the Western world wherever devotees are chanting the holy names. This is all being done by the Lord’s mercy. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu predicted that He would deliver people in every city and village of the world by giving them a chance to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Translation

While the Lord was going to Mathurā, He came across the river Yamunā several times, and as soon as He saw the river Yamunā, He would immediately jump in, falling unconscious in the water in the ecstasy of love of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

pathe — on the road ; yāhāṅ yāhāṅ — wherever ; haya — there is ; yamunā - darśana — meeting with the Yamunā River ; tāhāṅ — there ; jhāṅpa diyā paḍe — jumps over and falls down ; preme acetana — unconscious in the ecstasy of love .

Translation

When He approached Mathurā and saw the city, He immediately fell to the ground and offered obeisances with great ecstatic love.

Word meanings

mathurā - nikaṭe — near Mathurā ; āilā — came ; mathurā dekhiyā — seeing the city of Mathurā ; daṇḍavat hañā — offering obeisances ; paḍe — falls down ; prema - āviṣṭa hañā — in the great ecstasy of love .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the city of Mathurā, He took His bath at Viśrāma-ghāṭa. He then visited the birthplace of Kṛṣṇa and saw the Deity named Keśavajī. He offered His respectful obeisances to this Deity.

Word meanings

mathurā āsiyā — coming in to Mathurā ; kailā — performed ; viśrānti - tīrthe — at the bathing place known as Viśrāma-ghāṭa ; snāna — bathing ; janma - sthāne — at the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birth ; keśava — the Deity named Keśava ; dekhi’ — seeing ; karilā praṇāma — offered His respectful obeisances .

Purport

At the present moment, the temple of Keśavajī is very much improved. At one time, Keśavajī-mandira was attacked by the emperor Aurangzeb, who constructed such a big mosque there that the temple of Keśavajī was insignificant in comparison. But with the help of many rich Marwaris, the temple has been improved, and a very large temple is now being constructed so that the mosque is now appearing diminished in comparison. Many archeological discoveries have been made there, and many people from foreign countries are beginning to appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s birthplace. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is attracting many foreigners to the Keśavajī temple, and now they will also be attracted by the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted, danced and made loud vibrations, all the people were astonished to see His ecstatic love.

Word meanings

prema - ānande — in ecstatic love ; nāce — dances ; gāya — chants ; saghana — repeatedly ; huṅkāra — tumultuous sound vibrations ; prabhura — of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; prema - āveśa — ecstatic love ; dekhi’ — seeing ; loke — all people ; camatkāra — astonished .

Translation

One brāhmaṇa fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then began to dance with Him in ecstatic love.

Word meanings

eka - vipra — one brāhmaṇa ; paḍe — falls down ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; caraṇa dhariyā — catching the lotus feet ; prabhu - saṅge — with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nṛtya kare — he dances ; prema - āviṣṭa hañā — being absorbed in ecstatic love .

Translation

The two of them danced in ecstatic love and embraced each other. Raising their arms, they said, “Chant the holy names of Hari and Kṛṣṇa!”

Word meanings

duṅhe — both of them ; preme — in ecstatic love ; nṛtya kari’ — dancing ; kare — do ; kolākuli — embracing ; hari — the holy name of Hari ; kṛṣṇa — the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; kaha — go on chanting ; duṅhe — both of them ; bale — speak ; bāhu tuli’ — raising the arms .

Translation

All the people then began to chant, “Hari! Hari!” and there was a great uproar. The priest in Lord Keśava’s service offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu a garland.

Word meanings

loka — all the people ; hari hari bale — began to chant the holy names Hari, Hari ; kolāhala haila — there was a great uproar ; keśava - sevaka — the priest in the service of Lord Keśava ; prabhuke — unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; mālā parāila — offered a garland .

Translation

When the people saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s dancing and chanting, they were struck with wonder, and they all said, “Such transcendental love is never an ordinary thing.”

Word meanings

loke kahe — the people said ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhi’ — seeing ; hañā vismaya — being struck with wonder ; aiche — such ; hena — similar ; prema — love of Godhead ; laukika — ordinary ; kabhu naya — never is .

Translation

The people said, “Simply by seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, everyone is maddened with love of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, everyone is laughing, crying, dancing, chanting and taking the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Word meanings

yāṅhāra darśane — by seeing whom ; loke — people ; preme — in love ; matta hañā — becoming mad ; hāse — laugh ; kānde — cry ; nāce — dance ; gāya — chant ; kṛṣṇa - nāma lañā — taking the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa .

Translation

“Certainly Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in all respects the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Now He has come to Mathurā to deliver everyone.”

Word meanings

sarvathā — in every respect ; niścita — ascertained ; iṅho — He ; kṛṣṇa - avatāra — incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; mathurā āilā — has come to Mathurā ; lokera — of the people ; karite — to perform ; nistāra — deliverance .

Translation

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the brāhmaṇa aside. Sitting in a solitary place, the Lord began to question him.

Word meanings

tabe — after that ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; sei — that ; brāhmaṇe — brāhmaṇa ; lañā — taking ; tāṅhāre — unto him ; puchilā — inquired ; kichu — something ; nibhṛte vasiyā — sitting in a solitary place .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You are an elderly brāhmaṇa, you are sincere, and you are advanced in spiritual life. Wherefrom have you gotten this transcendental opulence of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa?”

Word meanings

ārya — advanced in devotional service ; sarala — simple ; tumi — you ; vṛddha brāhmaṇa — elderly brāhmaṇa ; kāhāṅ haite — from where ; pāile tumi — did you obtain ; ei — this ; prema - dhana — transcendental opulence of ecstatic love .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa replied, “His Holiness Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī came to the city of Mathurā while he was on tour.

Word meanings

vipra kahe — the brāhmaṇa said ; śrīpāda — His Holiness ; śrī - mādhavendra - purī — Śrī Mādhavendra Purī ; bhramite bhramite — while touring ; āilā — came ; mathurā - nagarī — to the city of Mathurā .

Translation

“While at Mathurā, Śrīpāda Mādhavendra Purī visited my house and accepted me as a disciple. He even took lunch at my home.

Word meanings

kṛpā kari’ — by his causeless mercy ; teṅho — he ; mora nilaye — to my humble place ; āilā — came ; more — me ; śiṣya kari’ — accepting as his disciple ; mora hāte — from my hand ; bhikṣā kailā — accepted lunch .

Translation

“After installing the Deity of Gopāla, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī rendered Him service. That very Deity is still being worshiped at Govardhana Hill.”

Word meanings

gopāla — the Gopāla Deity ; prakaṭa kari’ — installing ; sevā — service ; kaila — did ; mahāśaya — that great personality ; adyāpiha — still now ; tāṅhāra — of that Gopāla Deity ; sevā — the service ; govardhane — on Govardhana Hill ; haya — is conducted .

Translation

As soon as Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard about Mādhavendra Purī’s relationship with the brāhmaṇa, He immediately offered obeisances at his feet. Becoming fearful, the brāhmaṇa also immediately fell at the Lord’s feet.

Word meanings

śuni’ — after hearing ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kaila — did ; tāṅra — of him ; caraṇa vandana — worshiping the feet ; bhaya pāñā — being afraid ; prabhu - pāya — at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; paḍilā — fell down ; brāhmaṇa — the brāhmaṇa. .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You are on the platform of My spiritual master, and I am your disciple. Since you are My spiritual master, it is not befitting that you offer Me obeisances.”

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said ; tumi — you ; guru — My spiritual master ; āmi — I ; śiṣya - prāya — like your disciple ; guru hañā — being the spiritual master ; śiṣye — unto the disciple ; namaskāra — obeisances ; nā yuyaya — is not befitting .

Translation

Upon hearing this, the brāhmaṇa became afraid. He then said, “Why do You speak like this? You are a sannyāsī.

Word meanings

śuniyā — after hearing ; vismita — astonished ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa ; kahe — said ; bhaya pāñā — being afraid ; aiche bāt — such a statement ; kaha — You say ; kene — why ; sannyāsī hañā — although You are a sannyāsī. .

Translation

“Upon seeing Your ecstatic love, I can just imagine that You must have some relationship with Mādhavendra Purī. This is my understanding.

Word meanings

kintu — still ; tomāra prema — Your ecstatic love ; dekhi’ — after seeing ; mane — in my mind ; anumāni — I imagine ; mādhavendra - purīra — of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī ; sambandha — relationship ; dhara — You have ; jāni — I can understand .

Translation

“This kind of ecstatic love can be experienced only when one has a relationship with Mādhavendra Purī. Without him, even a scent of such transcendental ecstatic love is impossible.”

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa - premā — love of Kṛṣṇa ; tāṅhā — there ; yāṅhā — where ; tāṅhāra — his ; sambandha — relationship ; tāhāṅ vinā — without him ; ei premāra — of this ecstatic love ; kāhāṅ nāhi gandha — there is no possibility of even a scent .

Translation

Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya then explained the relationship between Mādhavendra Purī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. After hearing this, the brāhmaṇa became very pleased and began to dance.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; tāre — unto the brāhmaṇa ; sambandha kahila — explained the relationship ; śuni’ — after hearing ; ānandita — being pleased ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa ; nācite lāgila — began to dance .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa then took Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home and, out of his own free will, began to serve the Lord in various ways.

Word meanings

tabe — thereafter ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa ; prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; lañā — taking ; āilā — came back ; nija - ghare — to his home ; āpana - icchāya — by his own will ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; nānā — various ; sevā — services ; kare — rendered .

Translation

He asked Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to cook Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lunch. At that time the Lord, smiling, spoke as follows.

Word meanings

bhikṣā lāgi’ — for lunch ; bhaṭṭācārye — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; karāilā randhana — made to cook ; tabe — at that time ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; hāsi’ — smiling ; balilā vacana — said these words .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Mādhavendra Purī has already taken lunch at your place. Therefore you may cook and give Me the food. That is My instruction.”

Word meanings

purī - gosāñi — Mādhavendra Purī ; tomāra ghare — at your place ; karyāchena bhikṣā — accepted lunch ; more — for Me ; tumi bhikṣā deha — better for you to cook ; ei — that ; mora śikṣā — My instruction .

Translation

“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.”

Word meanings

yat yat — however ; ācarati — behaves ; śreṣṭhaḥ — the best man ; tat tat — that ; eva — certainly ; itaraḥ — the lesser ; janaḥ — men ; saḥ — he ; yat — which ; pramāṇam — standard ; kurute — shows ; lokaḥ — the people ; tat — that ; anuvartate — follow .

Purport

This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (3.21) .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa belonged to the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa community, and a sannyāsī does not accept food from such a brāhmaṇa.

Word meanings

yadyapi — although ; sanoḍiyā — a priest of the Sanoḍiyā community ; haya — was ; seita — that ; brāhmaṇa — brāhmaṇa ; sanoḍiyā - ghare — in the house of a Sanoḍiyā (goldsmith) ; sannyāsī — a person in the renounced order of life ; nā kare bhojana — does not accept food .

Purport

In northwestern India, vaiśyas are divided into various subdivisions. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura points out that they are divided as Āgarwālā, Kālawāra and Sānwāḍa. Out of them, the Āgarwālās are said to be first-class vaiśyas, and the Kālawāras and Sānwāḍas are considered lower due to their occupational degradation. The Kālawāras generally take wine and other intoxicants. Although they are vaiśyas, they are considered to belong to a lower class. The priests who guide the Kālawāras and the Sānwāḍas are called Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura states that the word sānoyāḍa in Bengal indicates suvarṇa-vaṇik. In Bengal there are priests who guide the suvarṇa-vaṇik community, which is also considered a low class. There is little difference between the Sānwāḍas and the suvarṇa-vaṇiks. Generally the suvarṇa-vaṇiks are bankers dealing in gold and silver. In western India, the Āgarwālās also belong to the banking profession. This is the original business of the suvarṇa-vaṇik or Āgarwālā community. Historically, the Āgarwālās came from the up-country named Ayodha, and the suvarṇa-vaṇik community also came from Ayodha. It therefore appears that the suvarṇa-vaṇiks and the Āgarwālās belong to the same community. The Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas were the guides of the Kālawāras and Sānwāḍas. They are therefore considered to be lower-class brāhmaṇas, and a sannyāsī is not allowed to take alms or food from them. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted lunch cooked by a Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa simply because he belonged to Mādhavendra Purī’s community. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was the spiritual master of Īśvara Purī, who was the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus a spiritual relationship is established on the spiritual platform, without consideration of material inferiority or superiority.

Translation

Although the brāhmaṇa belonged to the Sanoḍiyā community, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī had seen that he behaved like a Vaiṣṇava and had therefore accepted him as his disciple. The food he had cooked had also been accepted by Mādhavendra Purī.

Word meanings

tathāpi — still ; purī — Mādhavendra Purī ; dekhi’ — after seeing ; tāṅra — of the brāhmaṇa ; vaiṣṇava - ācāra — behavior like a Vaiṣṇava ; śiṣya kari’ — accepting him as his disciple ; tāṅra bhikṣā — food offered by him ; kaila aṅgīkāra — accepted .

Translation

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu willingly requested food from the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa, feeling natural humility, began to speak as follows.

Word meanings

mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; tāṅre — from him ; yadi — when ; bhikṣā māgila — requested lunch ; dainya kari’ — out of humility ; sei vipra — that brāhmaṇa ; kahite lāgila — began to speak .

Translation

“It is a great fortune for me to offer You food. You are the Supreme Lord, and being in the transcendental position, You are not restricted in any way.

Word meanings

tomāre — unto You ; bhikṣā diba — I shall offer food ; baḍa bhāgya — great fortune ; se — that ; āmāra — my ; tumi — You ; īśvara — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; nāhi — there is not ; tomāra — of You ; vidhi - vyavahāra — regulative behavior .

Translation

“Foolish people will blaspheme You, but I shall not tolerate the words of such mischievous people.”

Word meanings

mūrkha - loka — foolish persons ; karibeka — will do ; tomāra nindana — blaspheming You ; sahite nā pārimu — I shall not be able to tolerate ; sei — those ; duṣṭera vacana — words of mischievous persons .

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks that although the brāhmaṇa did not belong to a superior community, he fearlessly chastised so-called caste brāhmaṇas because he was situated on the platform of pure devotional service. There are people who are opposed to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s accepting a Vaiṣṇava belonging to a lower caste. Such people do not consider mahā-prasādam transcendental, and therefore they are described here as mūrkha (foolish) and duṣṭa (mischievous). A pure devotee has the power to challenge such high-caste people, and his brave statements are not to be considered proud or puffed up. On the contrary, he is to be considered straightforward. Such a person does not like to flatter high-class brāhmaṇas who belong to the non-Vaiṣṇava community.

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “The Vedas, Purāṇas and great learned sages are not always in agreement with one another. Consequently there are different religious principles.

Word meanings

prabhu kahe — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said ; śruti — the Vedas ; smṛti — the Purāṇas ; yata — all ; ṛṣi - gaṇa — great sages ; sabe — all of them ; eka - mata nahe — do not agree ; bhinna bhinna dharma — different grades of religious principles .

Purport

Unless one comes to the Absolute Truth, there is no possibility of agreement. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam: it is said that a great learned scholar or sage cannot be exalted unless he disagrees with other scholars and sages. On the material platform, there is no possibility of agreement; therefore there are different kinds of religious systems. But the Absolute Truth is one, and when one is situated in the Absolute Truth, there is no disagreement. On that absolute platform the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshipable. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) , bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. On the absolute platform, the worshipful Deity is one, and the process of worship is also one. That process is bhakti.

There are many different religions throughout the world because they are not all on the absolute platform of devotional service. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) : sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. The word ekam means “one,” Kṛṣṇa. On this platform, there are no different religious systems. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2) , dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra. On the material platform, religious systems are different. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes them from the very beginning as dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ, cheating religions. None of these religions is actually genuine. The genuine religious system is that which enables one to become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.6) :

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati

“The supreme occupation [ dharma ] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self.”

On this platform there is nothing but the service of the Lord. When a person has no ulterior motive, there is certainly oneness and agreement of principles. Since everyone has a different body and mind, different types of religions are needed. But when one is situated on the spiritual platform, there are no bodily and mental differences. Consequently on the absolute platform there is oneness in religion.

Translation

“A devotee’s behavior establishes the true purpose of religious principles. The behavior of Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī is the essence of such religious principles.”

Word meanings

dharma - sthāpana - hetu — to establish the principles of religion ; sādhura vyavahāra — behavior of a devotee ; purī - gosāñira — of Mādhavendra Purī ; ye ācaraṇa — the behavior ; sei — that ; dharma sāra — the essence of all religion .

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following commentary on this passage. A sādhu, or honest man, is called a mahājana or a mahātmā. The mahātmā is described thus by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.13) :

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

“O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.”

In the material world, the word mahātmā is understood in different ways by different religionists. Mundaners also come up with their different angles of vision. For the conditioned soul busy in sense gratification, a mahājana is recognized according to the proportion of sense gratification he offers. For instance, a businessman may consider a certain banker to be a mahājana, and karmīs desiring material enjoyment may consider philosophers like Jaimini to be mahājanas. There are many yogīs who want to control the senses, and for them Patañjali Ṛṣi is a mahājana. For the jñānīs, the atheist Kapila, Vasiṣṭha, Durvāsā, Dattātreya and other impersonalist philosophers are mahājanas. For the demons, Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa’s son Meghanāda, Jarāsandha and others are accepted as mahājanas. For materialistic anthropologists speculating on the evolution of the body, a person like Darwin is a mahājana. The scientists who are bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s external energy have no relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet they are accepted by some as mahājanas. Similarly, philosophers, historians, literary men, public speakers and social and political leaders are sometimes accepted as mahājanas. Such mahājanas are respected by certain men who have been described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.19) :

śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ

“Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the deliverer from evils.”

Thus on the material platform animalistic leaders are worshiped by animals. Sometimes physicians, psychiatrists and social workers try to mitigate bodily pain, distress and fear, but they have no knowledge of spiritual identity and are bereft of a relationship with God. Yet they are considered mahājanas by the illusioned. Self-deceived persons sometimes accept leaders or spiritual masters from a priestly order that has been officially appointed by the codes of material life. In this way, they are deceived by official priests. Sometimes people accept as mahājanas those who have been designated by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura as ḍhaṅga-vipras (imposter brāhmaṇas ) . Such imposters imitate the characteristics of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and they envy Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was certainly a mahājana. They make great artificial endeavors, advertising themselves as great devotees of the Lord or as mystic hypnotists knowledgeable in witchcraft, hypnotism and miracles. Sometimes people accept as mahājanas demons like Pūtanā, Tṛṇāvarta, Vatsa, Baka, Aghāsura, Dhenuka, Kālīya and Pralamba. Some people accept imitators and adversaries of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Pauṇḍraka, Śṛgāla Vāsudeva, the spiritual master of the demons (Śukrācārya), or atheists like Cārvāka, King Vena, Sugata and Arhat. People who accept such imitators as mahājanas have no faith in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rather, they accept godless cheaters who present themselves as incarnations of God and cheat foolish people within the material world by word jugglery. Thus many rascals are accepted as mahājanas.

It is those who are devoid of devotional service who sometimes mistakenly accept persons with mundane motives as mahājanas. The only motive must be kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord. Sometimes fruitive workers, dry philosophers, nondevotees, mystic yogīs and persons attached to material opulence, women and money are considered mahājanas. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.25) gives the following statement about such unauthorized mahājanas:

prāyeṇa veda tad idaṁ na mahājano ’yaṁ devyā vimohita-matir bata māyayālam trayyāṁ jaḍī-kṛta-matir madhu-puṣpitāyāṁ vaitānike mahati karmaṇi yujyamānaḥ

In this material world, karmīs (fruitive actors) are accepted as mahājanas by foolish people who do not know the value of devotional service. The mundane intelligence and mental speculative methods of such foolish people are under the control of the three modes of material nature. Consequently they cannot understand unalloyed devotional service. They are attracted by material activities, and they become worshipers of material nature. Thus they are known as fruitive actors. They even become entangled in material activities disguised as spiritual activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā such people are described as veda-vāda-ratāḥ, supposed followers of the Vedas. They do not understand the real purport of the Vedas, yet they think of themselves as Vedic authorities. People versed in Vedic knowledge must know Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. ( Bg. 15.15 )

In this material world a person may be famous as a karma-vīra, a successful fruitive worker, or he may be very successful in performing religious duties, or he may be known as a hero in mental speculation ( jñāna-vīra ), or he may be a very famous renunciant. In any case, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.23.56) gives the following opinion in this matter.

neha yat karma dharmāya na virāgāya kalpate na tīrtha-pada-sevāyai jīvann api mṛto hi saḥ

“Anyone whose work is not meant for elevating him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered dead, although he is breathing.”

The conclusion is that all pious activity, fruitive activity, religious principles and renunciation must ultimately lead to devotional service. There are different types of processes for rendering service. One may serve his country, people and society, the varṇāśrama-dharma system , the sick, the poor, the rich, women, demigods and so on. All this service comes under the heading of sense gratification, or enjoyment in the material world. It is most unfortunate that people are more or less attracted by such material activity and that the leaders of these activities are accepted as mahājanas, great ideal leaders. Actually they are only misleaders, but an ordinary man cannot understand how he is being misled.

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya: “One should accept as one’s guide the words of the sādhus, the śāstra and the guru. ” A sādhu is a great personality like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the śāstras are the injunctions of revealed scriptures, and the guru, or spiritual master, is one who confirms the scriptural injunctions. Accepting the guidance of these three is the actual way of following the great personalities ( mahājanas ) for real advancement in life ( mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ). A man covered by illusion cannot understand the proper way; therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, dharma-sthāpana-hetu sādhura vyavahāra: “The behavior of a devotee is the criterion for all other behavior.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself followed the devotional principles and taught others to follow them. Purī-gosāñira ye ācaraṇa, sei dharma sāra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally followed the behavior of Mādhavendra Purī and advised others to follow his principles. Unfortunately, people have been attracted to the material body since time immemorial.

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

“A human being who identifies this body made of three elements with his self, who considers the by-products of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers his land of birth worshipable, and who goes to a place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge there is to be considered like an ass or a cow.” ( Bhāg. 10.84.13 ) Those who accept the logic of gaḍḍālikā-pravāha and follow in the footsteps of pseudo mahājanas are carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore warns:

miche māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese’, khāccha hābuḍubu, bhāi jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa, e viśvāsa, ka’rle ta’ āra duḥkha nāi

“Don’t be carried away by the waves of māyā. Just surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and all miseries will end.” Those who follow social customs and behavior forget to follow the path chalked out by the mahājanas; thus they are offenders at the feet of the mahājanas. Sometimes they consider such mahājanas very conservative, or they create their own mahājanas. In this way they ignore the principles of the paramparā system. This is a great misfortune for everyone. If one does not follow in the footsteps of the real mahājanas, one’s plans for happiness will be frustrated. This is elaborately explained later in the Madhya-līlā (chapter twenty-five, verses 55, 56 and 58). It is there stated:

parama kāraṇa īśvare keha nāhi māne sva-sva-mata sthāpe para-matera khaṇḍane

tāte chaya darśana haite ‘tattva’ nāhi jāni ‘mahājana’ yei kahe, sei ‘satya’ māni

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-vāṇī — amṛtera dhāra tiṅho ye kahaye vastu, sei ‘tattva’ — sāra

People are so unfortunate that they do not accept the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead, they want to be supported by so-called mahājanas, or authorities. Tāte chaya darśana haite ‘tattva’ nāhi jāni: we cannot ascertain the real truth simply by following speculators. We have to follow the footsteps of the mahājanas in the disciplic succession. Then our attempt will be successful. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-vāṇī — amṛtera dhāra: “Whatever is spoken by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is an incessant flow of nectar.” Whoever accepts His words as reality can understand the essence of the Absolute Truth.

No one can ascertain the Absolute Truth by following the philosophy of Sāṅkhya or the yoga system of Patañjali, for neither the followers of Sāṅkhya nor the yogīs who follow Patañjali accept Lord Viṣṇu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead ( na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum ) . The ambition of such people is never fulfilled; therefore they are attracted by the external energy. Although mental speculators may be renowned all over the world as great authorities, actually they are not. Such leaders are themselves conservative and not at all liberal. However, if we preach this philosophy, people will consider Vaiṣṇavas very sectarian. Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī was a real mahājana, but misguided people cannot distinguish the real from the unreal. But a person who is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness can understand the real religious path chalked out by the Lord and His pure devotees. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī was a real mahājana because he understood the Absolute Truth properly and throughout his life behaved like a pure devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved the method of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. Therefore, although from the material viewpoint the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa was on a lower platform, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered him situated on the highest platform of spiritual realization.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20) states that there are twelve mahājanas: Brahmā, Nārada, Śambhu, the four Kumāras, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva and Yamarāja.

To select our mahājanas in the Gauḍīya-sampradāya, we have to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His representatives. His next representative is Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, and the next representatives are the six Gosvāmīs — Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana, Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa and Dāsa Raghunātha. A follower of Viṣṇu Svāmī’s was Śrīdhara Svāmī, the most well known commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He was also a mahājana. Similarly, Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati and Jayadeva were all mahājanas. One who tries to imitate the mahājanas just to become an imitative spiritual master is certainly far away from following in the footsteps of the mahājanas. Sometimes people cannot actually understand how a mahājana follows other mahājanas. In this way people commit offenses and fall from devotional service.

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “ ‘Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self-realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.’ ”

Word meanings

tarkaḥ — dry argument ; apratiṣṭhaḥ — not fixed ; śrutayaḥ — Vedas ; vibhinnāḥ — possessing different departments ; na — not ; asau — that ; ṛṣiḥ — great sage ; yasya — whose ; matam — opinion ; na — not ; bhinnam — separate ; dharmasya — of religious principles ; tattvam — truth ; nihitam — placed ; guhāyām — in the heart of a realized person ; mahā - janaḥ — self-realized predecessors ; yena — by which way ; gataḥ — acted ; saḥ — that ; panthāḥ — the pure unadulterated path .

Purport

This is a verse spoken by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja in the Mahābhārata, Vana-pārva (313.117).

Translation

After this discussion, the brāhmaṇa served lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then all the people residing in Mathurā came to see the Lord.

Word meanings

tabe — after that ; sei vipra — that brāhmaṇa ; prabhuke — unto Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bhikṣā karāila — served lunch ; madhu - purīra — of Mathurā ; loka — people in general ; saba — all ; prabhuke — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhite āila — came to see .

Translation

People came by the hundreds of thousands, and no one could count them. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came out of the house to give audience to the people.

Word meanings

lakṣa - saṅkhya — numbering hundreds of thousands ; loka āise — people came ; nāhika gaṇana — there is no counting ; bāhira hañā — coming out ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dila daraśana — gave audience .

Translation

When the people assembled, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu raised His arms and said very loudly, “Haribol!” The people responded to the Lord and became ecstatic. As if mad, they began to dance and to vibrate the transcendental sound “Hari!”

Word meanings

bāhu tuli’ — raising the arms ; bale — says ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; hari - bola - dhvani — the transcendental sound vibration “Haribol” ; preme — in ecstasy ; matta — maddened ; nāce — dance ; loka — the people ; kari’ hari - dhvani — making the transcendental vibration Hari .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed in the twenty-four ghats along the banks of the Yamunā, and the brāhmaṇa showed Him all the places of pilgrimage.

Word meanings

yamunāra — of the river Yamunā ; cabbiśa ghāṭe — in the twenty-four ghats, or bathing places ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kaila — performed ; snāna — bathing ; sei vipra — that brāhmaṇa ; prabhuke — unto Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhāya — shows ; tīrtha - sthāna — the holy places of pilgrimage .

Purport

The twenty-four ghats (bathing places) along the Yamunā are (1) Avimukta, (2) Adhirūḍha, (3) Guhya-tīrtha, (4) Prayāga-tīrtha, (5) Kanakhala-tīrtha, (6) Tinduka, (7) Sūrya-tīrtha, (8) Vaṭa-svāmī, (9) Dhruva-ghāṭa, (10) Ṛṣi-tīrtha, (11) Mokṣa-tīrtha, (12) Bodha-tīrtha, (13) Gokarṇa, (14) Kṛṣṇa-gaṅgā, (15) Vaikuṇṭha, (16) Asi-kuṇḍa, (17) Catuḥ-sāmudrika-kūpa, (18) Akrūra-tīrtha, (19) Yājñika-vipra-sthāna, (20) Kubjā-kūpa, (21) Raṅga-sthala, (22) Mañca-sthala, (23) Mallayuddha-sthāna and (24) Daśāśvamedha.

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited all the holy places on the banks of the Yamunā, including Svayambhu, Viśrāma-ghāṭa, Dīrgha Viṣṇu, Bhūteśvara, Mahāvidyā and Gokarṇa.

Word meanings

svayambhu — Svayambhu ; viśrāma — Viśrāma ; dīrgha - viṣṇu — Dīrgha Viṣṇu ; bhūteśvara — Bhūteśvara ; mahāvidyā — Mahāvidyā ; gokarṇa — Gokarṇa ; ādi — and so on ; dekhilā — saw ; vistara — many .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to see the various forests of Vṛndāvana, He took the brāhmaṇa with Him.

Word meanings

vana — the forests ; dekhibāre — to see ; yadi — when ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; mana — mind ; haila — was ; seita — indeed that ; brāhmaṇe — brāhmaṇa ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; saṅgete la - ila — took along .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the different forests, including Madhuvana, Tālavana, Kumudavana and Bahulāvana. Wherever He went, He took His bath with great ecstatic love.

Word meanings

madhu - vana — Madhuvana ; tāla — Tālavana ; kumuda — Kumudavana ; bahulā - vana — Bahulāvana ; gelā — He visited ; tāhāṅ tāhāṅ — here and there ; snāna kari’ — taking a bath ; prema - āviṣṭa hailā — became overwhelmed by ecstatic love .

Purport

The word vana means “forest.” Vṛndāvana is the name given to the forest where Śrīmatī Vṛndādevī (Tulasīdevī) grows profusely. Actually it is not a forest as we ordinarily consider a forest, because it is very thick with green vegetation. There are twelve such vanas in Vṛndāvana. Some are located on the western side of the Yamunā, and others are on the eastern side. The forests situated on the eastern side are Bhadravana, Bilvavana, Lauhavana, Bhāṇḍīravana and Mahāvana. On the western side are Madhuvana, Tālavana, Kumudavana, Bahulāvana, Kāmyavana, Khadiravana and Vṛndāvana. These are the twelve forests of the Vṛndāvana area.

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed through Vṛndāvana, herds of grazing cows saw Him pass and, immediately surrounding Him, began to moo very loudly.

Word meanings

pathe — on the road ; gābhī - ghaṭā — groups of cows ; care — graze ; prabhure dekhiyā — after seeing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; prabhuke beḍaya — they surrounded the Lord ; āsi’ — coming ; huṅ - kāra kariyā — making a loud vibration .

Translation

Seeing the herds approach Him, the Lord was stunned with ecstatic love. The cows then began to lick His body out of great affection.

Word meanings

gābhī dekhi’ — seeing the cows ; stabdha — stunned ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; premera taraṅge — in the waves of ecstatic love ; vātsalye — out of great affection ; gābhī — all the cows ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; cāṭe — licked ; saba - aṅge — all over the body .

Translation

Becoming pacified, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to caress the cows, and the cows, being unable to give up His company, went with Him.

Word meanings

sustha hañā — becoming patient ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kare — does ; aṅga — of the body ; kaṇḍūyana — scratching ; prabhu - saṅge — with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; cale — go ; nāhi chāḍe — do not give up ; dhenu - gaṇa — all the cows .

Translation

It was only with great difficulty that the cowherd men were able to keep the cows back. Then when the Lord chanted, all the deer heard His sweet voice and approached Him.

Word meanings

kaṣṭe - sṛṣṭye — with great difficulty ; dhenu — the cows ; saba — all ; rākhila — kept back ; goyāla — the cowherd men ; prabhu - kaṇṭha - dhvani — the musical voice of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; śuni’ — hearing ; āise — came ; mṛgī - pāla — flocks of deer .

Translation

When the does and bucks came and saw the Lord’s face, they began to lick His body. Not being at all afraid of Him, they accompanied Him along the path.

Word meanings

mṛga - mṛgī — the deer, both male and female ; mukha dekhi’ — seeing His face ; prabhu - aṅga cāṭe — began to lick the body of the Lord ; bhaya nāhi kare — they were not at all afraid ; saṅge yāya — go with Him ; vāṭe - vāṭe — all along the road .

Translation

Bumblebees and birds like the parrot and cuckoo all began to sing loudly on the fifth note, and the peacocks began to dance in front of the Lord.

Word meanings

śuka — parrots ; pika — cuckoos ; bhṛṅga — bumblebees ; prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhi’ — seeing ; pañcama — the fifth musical note ; gāya — sing ; śikhi - gaṇa — peacocks ; nṛtya — dancing ; kari’ — performing ; prabhu - āge — in front of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yāya — go .

Translation

Upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the trees and creepers of Vṛndāvana became jubilant. Their twigs stood up, and they began to shed tears of ecstasy in the form of honey.

Word meanings

prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhi’ — seeing ; vṛndāvanera — of Vṛndāvana ; vṛkṣa - latā - gaṇe — the trees and creepers ; aṅkura — twigs ; pulaka — jubilant ; madhu - aśru — tears in the form of honey ; variṣaṇe — pour .

Translation

The tree branches and creepers, overloaded with fruits and flowers, fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord and greeted Him with various presentations as if they were friends.

Word meanings

phula - phala bhari’ — loaded with fruits and flowers ; ḍāla — the branches ; paḍe — fall down ; prabhu - pāya — at the lotus feet of the Lord ; bandhu dekhi’ — seeing one friend ; bandhu — another friend ; yena — as if ; bheṭa — a presentation ; lañā — taking ; yāya — goes .

Translation

Thus all the moving and nonmoving living entities of Vṛndāvana became very jubilant to see the Lord. It was as if friends were made happy by seeing another friend.

Word meanings

prabhu dekhi’ — seeing the Lord ; vṛndāvanera — of Vṛndāvana ; sthāvara - jaṅgama — all living entities, moving and not moving ; ānandita — very jubilant ; bandhu — friend ; yena — as if ; dekhe — see ; bandhu - gaṇa — friends .

Translation

Seeing their affection, the Lord was moved by ecstatic love. He began to sport with them exactly as a friend sports with his friends. Thus He voluntarily came under the control of His friends.

Word meanings

tā - sabāra — of all of them ; prīti — affection ; dekhi’ — seeing ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bhāva - āveśe — in ecstatic love ; sabā - sane — with all of them ; krīḍā — sporting ; kare — performs ; hañā — being ; tāra — their ; vaśe — under control .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to embrace each and every tree and creeper, and they began to offer their fruits and flowers as if in meditation.

Word meanings

prati — each and every ; vṛkṣa - latā — tree and creeper ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; karena āliṅgana — embraced ; puṣpa - ādi — all the flowers and fruits ; dhyāne — in meditation ; karena — do ; kṛṣṇe — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa ; samarpaṇa — offering .

Translation

The Lord’s body was restless, and tears, trembling and jubilation were manifest. He said very loudly, “Chant ‘Kṛṣṇa!’ Chant ‘Kṛṣṇa!’ ”

Word meanings

aśru — tears ; kampa — trembling ; pulaka — jubilation ; preme — in ecstatic love ; śarīra — the whole body ; asthire — restless ; kṛṣṇa bala — say Kṛṣṇa ; kṛṣṇa bala — say Kṛṣṇa ; bale — the Lord says ; uccaiḥ - svare — very loudly .

Translation

All moving and nonmoving creatures then began to vibrate the transcendental sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, as if they were echoing the deep sound of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Word meanings

sthāvara - jaṅgama — all living entities, nonmoving and moving ; mili’ — meeting together ; kare — perform ; kṛṣṇa - dhvani — vibration of the sound “Hare Kṛṣṇa” ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; gambhīra - svare — deep voice ; yena — as if ; prati - dhvani — responsive vibration .

Translation

The Lord then clasped the necks of the deer and began to cry. There was jubilation manifest in the bodies of the deer, and tears were in their eyes.

Word meanings

mṛgera — of the deer ; galā dhari’ — catching the necks ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; karena — does ; rodane — crying ; mṛgera — of the deer ; pulaka aṅge — jubilation ; aśru — tears ; nayane — in the eyes .

Translation

When a male and female parrot appeared on the branches of a tree, the Lord saw them and wanted to hear them speak.

Word meanings

vṛkṣa - ḍāle — on a branch of a tree ; śuka - śārī — male and female parrots ; dila — gave ; daraśana — appearance ; tāhā dekhi’ — seeing that ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kichu — something ; śunite — to hear ; haila — there was ; mana — mind .

Translation

Both parrots flew onto the hand of the Lord and began to chant the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord listened to them.

Word meanings

śuka - śārikā — the parrots, male and female ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; hāte — on the hand ; uḍi’ — flying ; paḍe — fall ; prabhuke — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; śunāñā — causing to hear ; kṛṣṇera — of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; guṇa - śloka paḍe — chanted verses about the transcendental qualities .

Translation

The male parrot sang, “The glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behavior satisfies everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe!”

Word meanings

saundaryam — the bodily beauty ; lalanā - āli — of groups of gopīs ; dhairya — the patience ; dalanam — subduing ; līlā — pastimes ; ramā — the goddess of fortune ; stambhinī — astounding ; vīryam — strength ; kandukita — making like a small ball for throwing ; adri - varyam — the great mountain ; amalāḥ — without a spot ; pāre - parārdham — unlimited ; guṇāḥ — qualities ; śīlam — behavior ; sarva - jana — all kinds of living entities ; anurañjanam — satisfying ; aho — oh ; yasya — whose ; ayam — this ; asmat - prabhuḥ — our Lord ; viśvam — the whole universe ; viśva - janīna — for the benefit of everyone ; kīrtiḥ — whose glorification ; avatāt — may He maintain ; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; jagat - mohanaḥ — the attractor of the whole world .

Purport

This verse is found in the Govinda-līlāmṛta (13.29).

Translation

After hearing this description of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the male parrot, the female parrot began to recite a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Word meanings

śuka - mukhe — in the mouth of the male parrot ; śuni’ — hearing ; kṛṣṇera varṇana — a description of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; śārikā — female parrot ; paḍaye — recites ; tabe — then ; rādhikā - varṇana — a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī .

Translation

The female parrot said, “Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe.”

Word meanings

śrī - rādhikāyāḥ — of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; priyatā — affection ; su - rūpatā — exquisite beauty ; su - śīlatā — good behavior ; nartana - gāna — in chanting and dancing ; cāturī — artistry ; guṇa - āli - sampat — possession of such transcendental qualities ; kavitā — poetry ; ca — also ; rājate — shine ; jagat - manaḥ - mohana — of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts the mind of the whole universe ; citta - mohinī — the attractor of the mind .

Purport

This verse is also found in the Govinda-līlāmṛta (13.30).

Translation

Thereafter the male parrot said, “Kṛṣṇa is the enchanter of the mind of Cupid.” He then began to recite another verse.

Word meanings

punaḥ — again ; śuka — the male parrot ; kahe — says ; kṛṣṇa madana - mohana — Kṛṣṇa is the conqueror of the mind of Cupid ; tabe — thereafter ; āra — another ; śloka — verse ; śuka — the male parrot ; karila paṭhana — recited .

Translation

The male parrot then said, “My dear śārī [female parrot], Śrī Kṛṣṇa carries a flute and enchants the hearts of all women throughout the universe. He is specifically the enjoyer of the beautiful gopīs, and He is the enchanter of Cupid also. Let Him be glorified!”

Word meanings

vaṁśī - dhārī — the carrier of the flute ; jagat - nārī — of all women of the universe ; citta - hārī — the stealer of the hearts ; saḥ — He ; śārike — my dear śārī ; vihārī — enjoyer ; gopa - nārībhiḥ — with the gopīs ; jīyāt — let Him be glorified ; madana — of Cupid ; mohanaḥ — the enchanter .

Purport

This verse is also found in the Govinda-līlāmṛta (13.31).

Translation

Then the female parrot began to speak jokingly to the male parrot, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was struck with wonderful ecstatic love to hear her speak.

Word meanings

punaḥ — again ; śārī kahe — the female parrot said ; śuke — unto the male parrot ; kari’ parihāsa — jokingly ; tāhā śuni’ — hearing that ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; haila — there was ; vismaya — wonderful ; prema - ullāsa — awakening of ecstatic love .

Translation

The female parrot said, “When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is with Rādhārāṇī, He is the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, when He is alone, He Himself is enchanted by erotic feelings even though He enchants the whole universe.”

Word meanings

rādhā - saṅge — with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī ; yadā — when ; bhāti — shines ; tadā — at that time ; madana - mohanaḥ — the enchanter of the mind of Cupid ; anyathā — otherwise ; viśva - mohaḥ — the enchanter of the whole universe ; api — even though ; svayam — personally ; madana - mohitaḥ — enchanted by Cupid .

Purport

This is another verse from the Govinda-līlāmṛta (13.32).

Translation

Both parrots then flew onto a tree branch, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to watch the dancing of the peacocks with curiosity.

Word meanings

śuka - śārī — the male and female parrots ; uḍi’ — flying ; punaḥ — again ; gela — went ; vṛkṣa - ḍāle — to the branch of a tree ; mayūrera — of the peacocks ; nṛtya — dancing ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; dekhe — sees ; kutūhale — with curiosity .

Translation

When the Lord saw the bluish necks of the peacocks, His remembrance of Kṛṣṇa immediately awakened, and He fell to the ground in ecstatic love.

Word meanings

mayūrera — of the peacocks ; kaṇṭha — necks ; dekhi’ — seeing ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kṛṣṇa - smṛti — remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; haila — there was ; prema - āveśe — in ecstatic love ; mahāprabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; bhūmite — on the ground ; paḍila — fell down .

Translation

When the brāhmaṇa saw that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unconscious, he and Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya took care of Him.

Word meanings

prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; mūrcchita — unconscious ; dekhi’ — seeing ; sei ta brāhmaṇa — indeed that brāhmaṇa ; bhaṭṭācārya - saṅge — with the Bhaṭṭācārya ; kare — does ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; santarpaṇa — taking care .

Translation

They hastily sprinkled water over the Lord’s body. Then they took up His outer cloth and began to fan Him with it.

Word meanings

āste - vyaste — with great haste ; mahāprabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; lañā — taking ; bahirvāsa — covering cloth ; jala - seka kare — sprinkle water ; aṅge — on the body ; vastrera vātāsa — fanning with the cloth .

Translation

They then began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa into the Lord’s ear. When the Lord regained consciousness, He began rolling on the ground.

Word meanings

prabhu - karṇe — in the ear of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; kṛṣṇa - nāma — the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa ; kahe — chant ; ucca kari’ — loudly ; cetana pāñā — coming to consciousness ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yā’na — goes ; gaḍāgaḍi — rolling on the ground .

Translation

When the Lord rolled on the ground, sharp thorns injured His body. Taking Him on his lap, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya pacified Him.

Word meanings

kaṇṭaka - durgama — difficult to traverse because of thorns ; vane — in the forest ; aṅga — the body ; kṣata haila — became injured ; bhaṭṭācārya — Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya ; kole kari’ — taking Him on his lap ; prabhure — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; sustha kaila — pacified .

Translation

The mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wandered in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. He immediately stood up and said, “Chant! Chant!” Then He Himself began to dance.

Word meanings

kṛṣṇa - āveśe — in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; preme — by love ; garagara — disturbed ; mana — mind ; bol bol — chant, chant ; kari’ — saying ; uṭhi’ — standing up ; karena nartana — began to dance .

Translation

Being thus ordered by the Lord, both Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and the brāhmaṇa began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Then the Lord, dancing and dancing, proceeded along the path.

Word meanings

bhaṭṭācārya — the Bhaṭṭācārya ; sei vipra — that brāhmaṇa ; kṛṣṇa - nāma gāya — chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa ; nācite nācite — dancing and dancing ; pathe — on the road ; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; cali’ yāya — goes forward .

Translation

The brāhmaṇa was astounded to see the symptoms of ecstatic love exhibited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He then became anxious to give the Lord protection.

Word meanings

prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; prema - āveśa — ecstatic love ; dekhi’ — seeing ; brāhmaṇa — the brāhmaṇa ; vismita — astonished ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; rakṣā lāgi’ — for the protection ; vipra — the brāhmaṇa ; ha - ilā — became ; cintita — very anxious .

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mind was absorbed in ecstatic love at Jagannātha Purī, but when He passed along the road on the way to Vṛndāvana, that love increased a hundred times.

Word meanings

nīlācale — at Jagannātha Purī ; chilā — was ; yaiche — as ; prema - āveśa mana — always in a mentality of ecstatic love ; vṛndāvana — to Vṛndāvana ; yāite — going ; pathe — on the road ; haila — became ; śata - guṇa — one hundred times .

Translation

The Lord’s ecstatic love increased a thousand times when He visited Mathurā, but it increased a hundred thousand times when He wandered in the forests of Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

sahasra - guṇa — one thousand times ; prema — love ; bāḍe — increased ; mathurā — Mathurā ; daraśane — upon seeing ; lakṣa - guṇa — a hundred thousand times ; prema bāḍe — love increases ; bhramena — wanders ; yabe — when ; vane — in the forests of Vṛndāvana .

Translation

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was elsewhere, the very name of Vṛndāvana was sufficient to increase His ecstatic love. Now, when He was actually traveling in the Vṛndāvana forest, His mind was absorbed in great ecstatic love day and night. He ate and bathed simply out of habit.

Word meanings

anya - deśa — in other countries ; prema — love ; uchale — increases ; vṛndāvana - nāme — by the name of Vṛndāvana ; sākṣāt — directly ; bhramaye — travels ; ebe — now ; sei vṛndāvane — in that Vṛndāvana ; preme — in ecstatic love ; garagara — faltering ; mana — mind ; rātri - divase — day and night ; snāna - bhikṣā - ādi — bathing and accepting food ; nirvāha — accomplishing ; karena — does ; abhyāse — by habit .

Translation

Thus I have written a description of the ecstatic love Lord Caitanya manifested in one of the places He visited while walking through the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana. To describe what He experienced everywhere would be impossible.

Word meanings

ei - mata — in this way ; prema — ecstatic love ; yāvat — so long ; bhramila — He traveled ; bāra vana — through the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana ; ekatra — in one place ; likhiluṅ — I have written ; sarvatra — everywhere ; nā yāya varṇana — cannot be described .

Translation

Lord Ananta writes millions of books elaborately describing the transformations of ecstatic love experienced by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in Vṛndāvana.

Word meanings

vṛndāvane — in Vṛndāvana ; haila — there were ; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; yateka — as many ; premera vikāra — transformations of ecstasy ; koṭi - granthe — in millions of books ; ananta — Lord Ananta ; likhena — writes ; tāhāra — of them ; vistāra — elaboration .

Translation

Since Lord Ananta Himself cannot describe even a fragment of these pastimes, I am simply pointing out the direction.

Word meanings

tabu — yet ; likhibāre — to write ; nāre — is not able ; tāra — of that ; eka — one ; kaṇa — fragment ; uddeśa — indication ; karite — to make ; kari — I perform ; dik - daraśana — pointing out the direction .

Translation

The whole world became merged in the inundation of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One can swim in that water to the extent that he has the strength.

Word meanings

jagat — the whole world ; bhāsila — floated ; caitanya - līlāra — of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ; pāthāre — in the inundation ; yāṅra — of whom ; yata — as much ; śakti — power ; tata — that much ; pāthāre — in the inundation ; sāṅtāre — swims .

Translation

Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.

Word meanings

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

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, seventeenth chapter, describing the Lord’s traveling to Vṛndāvana.