The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna-Chaitanya
(Continued from P.14, June, 1928.)
After wandering about the country in this exclusive mood for three days Sri Krishna-Chaitanya now a sannyasi came in sight of the Ganges opposite Santipur having been conducted thither by the clever management of Prabhu Nityananda. On beholding the Ganges Sri Chaitanya took the river to be the Yamuna and accordingly recited a hymn of praise to Yamuna and supposed that He was in the neighbourhood of Sri Brindaban. Sri Advaita Prabhu now crossed over from Santipur in a boat in order to convey Sri Chaitanya to his house. The sight of Advaita recalled Sri Chaitanya to external consciousness and He was induced to accompany Sri Advaita Prabhu to his Santipur residence. Sri Advaita Prabhu made Seeta Devi prepare a great variety of eatables and offered them first to Sri Gaursundar and Sri Nityananda. Sri Chaitanya asked Sri Haridas and Sri Mukunda to sit at meal with Himself but they preferred to take their meal after Sri Chaitanya had finished eating. Sri Advaita Prabhu along with Sri Haridas and Sri Mukunda then partook of the portion of the meal that remained in the dish after it had been eaten by Sri Gaursundar.
The entire population of Santipur began to pour in a continuous stream to obtain a sight of the holy feet of Sri Chaitanya. There was samkirtan with dancing in the evening when Sri Chaitanya manifested simultaneously the eight sattwic perturbations as Mukunda began the kirtan. His mother, Sri Sachi Devi, arrived in a dola the next morning with a very large number of devotees from Navadwip. Sachi Devi had thus an opportunity of seeing her Son once again. Sri Chaitanya stopped for ten days at the house of Advaita. While there He consoled Sachi Devi, performed kirtan in the company of the devotees of Navadwip and accepted daily the food that was cooked by Sachi Devi with her own hands. In order to teach them the conduct that is proper for a sannyasi Sri Chaitanya told the people of Navadwip that it was not the duty of one after acceptance of sannyas to stay in his native place amidst his friends and relatives. Mother Sachi on hearing of this judged it to be proper that Sri Gaursundar must do what He considered to be His duty and accordingly asked Him to reside at Nilachal (Puri). Sri Chaitanya then took leave of the devotees of Navadwip and of His mother and asked them to devote all the time of their lives to the holy Name of Krishna and Krishna-talk.
Sri Chaitanya started on His journey to Sri Purusottam (Puri), by the road that led past Chhatrabhog in the company of Nityananda, Mukunda, Jagadananda and Damodar. After visiting Briddhamantreswar Sree Krishna-Chaitanya crossed the frontiers into the kingdom of Utkal. The party moved on along the road to Puri, Sri Chaitanya chanting joyously the kirtan of Krishna with His associates, obtaining their food by begging in the wayside villages. Journeying in this manner Sri Chaitanya reached the village of Remuna where He beheld Sri Gopinath and narrated to His devotees the story of Madhabendra Puri and Ksheer-chora (stealer of a sweet-preparation of milk) Gopinath as told to Himself by Sri Iswara Puri. The Lord exhibited the state of delirium under the anxieties of separation from the Beloved on reciting the sloka of Madhabendra Puri. He stopped for that night at Remuna and resumed the journey to Puri the next morning.
Sri Chaitanya arrived at the town of Cuttack by way of Jajpur. At Cuttack He saw Sri Sakshi Gopal and listened to the story of Gopal from the mouth of Sri Nityananda. From Cuttack He proceeded to Bhubaneswar and there saw the God Siva, the protecting Deity of the holy realm of Sri Jagannath Deva. After this the Lord paid a flying visit to Kamalpur on the Bhargi to have a sight of Kapoteswara Siva. It was while He went up into the shrine leaving His ascetic’s staff in the keeping of Nityananda that the latter deliberately broke it into three pieces and threw them into the Bhargi. By this act Sri Nityananda made it known that it was not necessary for God Himself to carry the staff or other symbols of regulation of oneself in as much God is His own Master. Sri Chaitanya was angry at this to warn against misunderstanding of the action of Nityananda. Because although it is not necessary for God or even a paramahamsa Vaishnava to submit to any penal regulation there was not the least chance of well-being for the novice on the path of spiritual effort who was still subject to worldly impulses if such a person chose to act in such free manner in lieu of submitting the mind, body and speech to the strictest penal regulations.
When Sri Chaitanya reached the Atharanala (the eighteen sluice-gates) a small bridge on the Puri road at the entrance of the holy city of Sri Jagannath Deva, He gave vent to His anger at the loss of His staff and in this mood of external indignation proceeded unattended by any one to the Temple of Jagannath asking all His companions to stay behind. Sri Chaitanya made a violent movement to embrace Jagannath the instant He caught sight of Him. This was followed by the manifestation of all the signs of mahabhava (superior love) all over His body. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya who happened to be present in the Temple at the time chanced to notice His condition and intervened to prevent any rough treatment by the parichhas. Sarvabhauma was very much struck by the sight of the unique perturbations that was wrought in Sri Chaitanya by holy love and finding that the return of normal consciousness was being delayed had Him conveyed with care to his own residence on the shoulders of men.
(To be continued.)
Sree Sree Chaitanya Bhagavat
(Continued from P.23, June, 1928.)
CHAPTER VIII
Summary:—In this Chapter are narrated the ceremony of the investment of Nimai with the sacrificial thread. His studies under Gangadas Pandit, the dream of Jagannath Misra in which he beheld the renunciation and other activities of Visvambhar in the future, the departure of Misra from this world and other matters.
On an auspicious day and in an auspicious moment Sri Gaursundar duly went through the purificatory ceremony of investment with the holy thread. On this occasion He performed the lila of Sri Vamana by begging for alms from the people. He then began His studies under Gangadas Pandit just as Sri Krishna received His schooling under Sandipani Muni. Gangadas Pandit was highly delighted on making the discovery that the New-comer was the cleverest of all his pupils. The Boy took a special delight in putting puzzling questions of logic to the other students and when they failed to answer them He would offer the answers Himself to their satisfaction. After all had accepted His answers He would refute what He Himself had established and repeat the whole process many times over to their utter amazement.
Nimai now led the life of an ideal Brahmacharin, bathed duly in the holy stream of the Bhagirathi, worshipped Vishnu, offered water to the holy tulasi and ate the prasad of Vishnu (food which had been previously offered to Vishnu) and set Himself assiduously to study and writing original annotations of the Sastras. The heart of Misra was gladdened by the ideal behaviour of his darling Son.
This great happiness of Misra, however, did not last long. He had a most wonderful dream in which he saw Nimai clad in the glorious garment of a sannyasi and surrounded by Advaitacharyya and other devotees, constantly uttering the Name of Krishna and laughing, dancing, crying all the time. Then Nimai appeared seated on the throne of Vishnu in the act of receiving the homage of all the gods. This was followed by the vision of Nimai followed by crores of devotees going through every town dancing and chanting the kirtan of Hari. Nimai was also seen proceeding along the road to Puri.
This dream convinced Misra that the sannyas of Nimai was inevitable and filled him with the greatest anxiety. Sachi Devi took a different view and told Misra that Nimai would never leave home as He was so completely engrossed in His studies. Shortly after this Misra left this world. Sri Gaursundar wept long at the departure of His father from this world just as Sri Ramchandra lamented the departure of Dasarath. The Boy, however, consoled Sachi Devi with many sweet words telling her that He would give her what was attainable with difficulty by even Brahma and Siva.
But the Boy proved utterly ungovernable at times and did much wilful damage in the house in fits of waywardness. Sachi Devi bore all His boyish freaks with the disposition of Yasoda of the cowherd settlement towards Krishna. In reply to the expostulations of Sachi on one of these occasions against such wilful damage of property which had actually reduced themselves to complete destitution Sri Gaursundar remarked ‘that Krishna who happens to be the Supporter of the world is the only Maintainer of everybody. It is unnecessary for His servants to have any anxiety for their own sustenance’. With this He went off to His studies. But when He returned home that day He gave His mother two tolas of gold saying that ‘Krishna had given the stuff wherewith she might defray all expenses of the household’. Whenever there was real want Sri Gaursundar would in this way procure small quantities of gold to help the mother over the difficulty. He was always exceedingly busy with His studies and had not yet declared Himself, such was the ill luck of the world.
The Chapter closes with a description of the grief of the Vaishnavas for want of devotion to Krishna in the world.
- All glory to Sri Gaursundar, Ocean of mercy!
Glory to the Moon of the home of Sacchi and Jagannath! - All glory to the life of Nityananda Swarup!
All glory to the propounder of the religion of Sankirtan! - All glory to Gauranga with the company of His devotees!
By listening to the story of Chaitanya devotion is gained. - In this manner the Lord abode in the house of Jagannath
In disguise so that none recognised. - All varieties of children’s games to be found in the world
The Lord played; who has the power to tell it all? - By the channel of the Veda they will manifest themselves in all the Puranas;
All fortunate persons will hear a little in due course. - Thus Gaur-Chandra abandoned Himself to the joys of childhood;
And now the time of wearing the sacrificial thread arrived. - For the purpose of investing his Son with the holy thread
The best of Misras invited to his house all his friends. - They all gathered together with the greatest pleasure
And each of them did such work as suited him. - The women offering ‘joy’ sang the praises of Krishna
Dances played on the Mrdanga, Sanai and flute. - The Brahmans read the Veda, ministrels sang eulogies,
Joy took a visible form in the house of Sachi. - Sri Gaursundar was to put on the sacrificial thread
So all the auspicious conjunctions hastened to Sachi’s house. - In an auspicious month, day and moment
Gauranga Sri Hari assumed the holy thread of sacrifice. - As the beautiful thread adorned His charming figure
Its subtle splendour encompassed the whole body. - Lord Gaur Chandra now assumed the form of Vamana
The sight augmented the supreme joy of every body. - All beheld the wonderful blaze of the fiery Brahman quality
No longer did any one think Him to be human. - With staff in hand and a wallet across His shoulders
The supreme Lord at the house of all His servants begged for alms. - All gladly gave Him to the utmost of their power
The women laughed as they put alms into the wallet of the Lord. - The consorts of Brahma and Rudra in the guise of Brahman wives
And all the loyal spouses of the munis - With joy beholding the Lord’s Vamanalila
Laughed as all of them repeatedly poured their alms into the wallet of the Lord. - The Lord was also delighted in displaying the lila of the Vamana;
All these pastimes were played for the deliverance of the jiva. - All glory to Gaur Chandra in the form of Sri Vamana
May Thou vouchsafe to the heart the gift of Thy twin feet! - Who listens to this assumption of the sacrificial thread by the Supreme Lord
Obtains the refuge of the feet of Chaitanya-Chandra. - In this manner the Lord of Vaikuntha in the home of Sachi
Played luscious pastimes most carefully hid in the Vedas. - Having thoroughly mastered the sense of all the scriptures at home
The Lord now wished to study in the company of His devotees. - In Nabadwip dwell Gangadas Pandit
The crest-jewel of all the professors, Sandipani’s own self. - He was gifted with special knowledge of the science of Grammar,
Under him the Lord was most anxious to study. - The worthy Misra took the hint from his Boy
And make his way to the house of the Brahman Gangadas taking his Son with him. - On seeing the Misra Gangadas stood up with respect
And after embracing him seated him by his side. - The Misra said, ‘I give my Boy to you;
Be pleased to teach and impart Him the Truth - Gangadas made the reply ‘It is a great good fortune for me;
I shall teach Him to the utmost of my power’. - Catching the sight of his Disciple Gangadas with the greatest joy
Kept Him by his side as if He were his own son. - Whatsoever Pandit Gangadas explained
The Lord understood by hearing but once. - He refuted all the explanations of His teacher
And then re-established them. - Among those thousands of students who read under their professors,
There was no one who dared to blame the interpretations of Nimai. - The teacher was highly pleased finding such wonderful intelligence,
And honoured Him by awarding Him precedence over all the disciples. - The Lord constantly put to test all those boys
Who studied under Gangadas Pandit— - Sri Murarigupta and another who bore the name of Kamalakanta,
Krishnananda and others who were the heads of the body. - The Lord probed them all by His hoaxes
They all laughed at His tests, no one minded taking Him to be a child. - In this manner after the day’s reading and writing was done
The Lord went off to bathe in the Ganges taking His companions with Him.