The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree
This chapter describes the branches of the tree named Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 1
sri-caitanya-padambhoja-
madhupebhyo namo namah
kathancid asrayad yesam
svapi tad-gandha-bhag bhavet
SYNONYMS
sri-caitanya--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pada-ambhoja--the lotus feet; madhu--honey; pebhyah--unto those who drink; namah--respectful obeisances; namah--respectful obeisances; kathancit--a little of it; asrayat--taking shelter of; yesam--of whom; sva--dog; api--also; tat-gandha--the aroma of the lotus flower; bhak--shareholder; bhavet--may become.
TRANSLATION
Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.
PURPORT
The example of a dog is very significant in this connection. A dog naturally does not become a devotee at any time, but still it is sometimes found that a dog of a devotee gradually becomes a devotee also. We have actually seen that a dog has no respect even for the tulasi plant. Indeed, a dog is especially inclined to pass urine on the tulasi plant. Therefore the dog is the number one nondevotee. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement is so strong that even a doglike nondevotee can gradually become a devotee by the association of a devotee of Lord Caitanya. Srila Sivananda Sena, a great householder devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, attracted a dog on the street while going to Jagannatha Puri. The dog began to follow him and ultimately went to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was liberated. Similarly, cats and dogs in the household of Srivasa Thakura were also liberated. Cats and dogs and other animals are not expected to become devotees, but in the association of a pure devotee they are also delivered.
jaya jaya--all glories; sri-krsna-caitanya--to Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nityananda--Lord Nityananda; jaya advaita-candra--all glories to Advaita Prabhu; jaya--all glories; gaura-bhakta-vrnda--to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaita Prabhu, and all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa!
TEXT 3
ei malira----ei vrksera akathya kathana
ebe suna mukhya-sakhara nama-vivarana
SYNONYMS
ei malira--of this gardener; ei vrksera--of this tree; akathya kathana--inconceivable description; ebe--now; suna--hear; mukhya--chief; sakhara--branches; nama--of the names; vivarana--description.
TRANSLATION
The description of Lord Caitanya as the gardener and the tree is inconceivable. Now hear with attention about the branches of this tree.
TEXT 4
caitanya-gosanira yata parisada-caya
guru-laghu-bhava tanra na haya niscaya
SYNONYMS
caitanya--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gosanira--of the supreme spiritual master; yata--all; parisada-caya--groups of associates; guru-laghu-bhava--conceptions of high and low; tanra--of them; na--never; haya--become; niscaya--ascertained.
TRANSLATION
The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were many, but none of them should be considered lower or higher. This cannot be ascertained.
TEXT 5
yata yata mahanta kaila tan-sabara ganana
keha karibare nare jyestha-laghu-krama
SYNONYMS
yata yata--as many as there are; mahanta--great devotees; kaila--made; tan-sabara--of all of them; ganana--counting; keha--all of them; karibare nare--can not do; jyestha--elder; laghu--younger; krama--chronology.
TRANSLATION
All the great personalities in the line of Lord Caitanya enumerated these devotees, but they could not distinguish between the greater and the lesser.
TEXT 6
ataeva tan-sabare kari' namaskara
nama-matra kari, dosa na labe amara
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; tan-sabare--to all of them; kari'--doing; namaskara--offer my obeisances; nama-matra--that is also a token; kari--I do; dosa--fault; na--do not; labe--take; amara--of me.
TRANSLATION
I offer my obeisances unto them as a token of respect. I request them not to consider my offenses.
vande--I offer my obeisances; sri-krsna-caitanya--to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prema-amara-taroh--of the eternal tree full of love of Godhead; priyan--those who are devotees; sakha-rupan--represented as branches; bhakta-ganan--all the devotees; krsna-prema--of love of Krsna; phala--of the fruit; pradan--the givers.
TRANSLATION
I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Krsna.
PURPORT
Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami sets the example of offering obeisances to all the preacher devotees of Lord Caitanya, without distinction as to higher and lower. Unfortunately, at present there are many foolish so-called devotees of Lord Caitanya who make such distinctions. For example, the title Prabhupada is offered to a spiritual master, especially to a distinguished spiritual master such as Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhupada or Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada. When our disciples similarly wanted to address their spiritual master as Prabhupada, some foolish people became envious. Not considering the propaganda work of the Hare Krsna movement, simply because these disciples addressed their spiritual master as Prabhupada they became so envious that they formed a faction along with other such envious persons just to minimize the value of the Krsna consciousness movement. To chastise such fools, Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami very frankly says, keha karibare nare jyestha-laghu-krama. Anyone who is a bona fide preacher of the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must be respectful to the real devotees of Lord Caitanya; one should not be envious, considering one preacher to be very great and another to be very lowly. This is a material distinction and has no place on the platform of spiritual activities. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree. ISKCON is one of these branches, and it should therefore be respected by all sincere devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 8
srivasa pandita, ara sri-rama pandita
dui bhai----dui sakha, jagate vidita
SYNONYMS
srivasa pandita--of the name Srivasa Pandita; ara--and; sri-rama pandita--of the name Sri Rama Pandita; dui bhai--two brothers; dui sakha--two branches; jagate--in the world; vidita--well known.
TRANSLATION
The two brothers Srivasa Pandita and Sri Rama Pandita started two branches that are well known in the world.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 90, Srivasa Pandita (Srivasa Thakura) is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, and Sri Rama Pandita, his younger brother, is said to be an incarnation of Parvata Muni, a great friend of Narada's. Srivasa Pandita's wife, Malini, is celebrated as an incarnation of the nurse Ambika, who fed Lord Krsna with her breast milk, and as already noted, his niece Narayani, the mother of Thakura Vrndavana dasa, the author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, was the sister of Ambika in krsna-lila. We also understand from the description of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata that after Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's acceptance of the sannyasa order, Srivasa Pandita left Navadvipa, possibly because of feelings of separation, and domiciled at Kumarahatta.
TEXT 9
sripati, srinidhi----tanra dui sahodara
cari bhaira dasa-dasi, grha-parikara
SYNONYMS
sripati--of the name Sripati; srinidhi--of the name Srinidhi; tanra--their; dui--two; sahodara--own brothers; cari--four; bhaira--brothers; dasa-dasi--family members, manservants and maidservants; grha-parikara--all counted in one family.
TRANSLATION
Their two brothers were named Sripati and Srinidhi. These four brothers and their servants and maidservants are considered one big branch.
TEXT 10
dui sakhara upasakhaya tan-sabara ganana
yanra grhe mahaprabhura sada sankirtana
SYNONYMS
dui sakhara--of the two branches; upasakhaya--on the subbranches; tan-sabara--of all of them; ganana--counting; yanra grhe--in whose house; mahaprabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sada--always; sankirtana--congregational chanting.
TRANSLATION
There is no counting the subbranches of these two branches. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu held congregational chanting daily at the house of Srivasa Pandita.
TEXT 11
cari bhai sa-vamse kare caitanyera seva
gauracandra vina nahi jane devi-deva
SYNONYMS
cari bhai--four brothers; sa-vamse--with all family members; kare--do; caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; seva--service; gauracandra--Gaurasundara (Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu); vina--except; nahi jane--they do not know; devi--goddess; deva--or god.
TRANSLATION
These four brothers and their family members fully engaged in the service of Lord Caitanya. They knew no other god or goddess.
PURPORT
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has said, anya-devasraya nai, tomare kahinu bhai, ei bhakti parama-karana: if one wants to become a pure, staunch devotee, one should not take shelter of any of the demigods or -goddesses. Foolish Mayavadis say that worshiping demigods is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that is not a fact. This philosophy misleads people to atheism. One who has no idea what God actually is thinks that any form he imagines or any rascal he accepts can be God. This acceptance of cheap gods or incarnations of God is actually atheism. It is to be concluded, therefore, that those who worship demigods or self-proclaimed incarnations of God are all atheists. They have lost their knowledge, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.20): kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante 'nya-devatah. "Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods." Unfortunately, those who do not cultivate Krsna consciousness and do not properly understand the Vedic knowledge accept any rascal to be an incarnation of God, and they are of the opinion that one can become an incarnation simply by worshiping a demigod. This philosophical hodge-podge exists under the name of the Hindu religion, but the Krsna consciousness movement does not approve of it. Indeed, we strongly condemn it. Such worship of demigods and so-called incarnations of God should never be confused with the pure Krsna consciousness movement.
TEXT 12
'acaryaratna' nama dhare bada eka sakha
tanra parikara, tanra sakha-upasakha
SYNONYMS
acaryaratna--of the name Acaryaratna; nama--name; dhare--he accepts; bada--big; eka--one; sakha--branch; tanra--his; parikara--associates; tanra--his; sakha--branch; upasakha--subbranches.
TRANSLATION
Another big branch was Acaryaratna, and his associates were subbranches.
TEXT 13
acaryaratnera nama 'sri-candrasekhara'----
yanra ghare devi-bhave nacila isvara
SYNONYMS
acaryaratnera--of Acaryaratna; nama--name; sri-candrasekhara--of the name Sri Candrasekhara; yanra--of whom; ghare--in the home; devi-bhave--as the goddess; nacila--danced; isvara--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Acaryaratna was also named Sri Candrasekhara Acarya. In a drama in his house, Lord Caitanya played the goddess of fortune.
PURPORT
Dramatic performances were also enacted during the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but the players who took part in such dramas were all pure devotees; no outsiders were allowed. The members of ISKCON should follow this example. Whenever they stage dramatic performances about the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or Lord Krsna, the players must be pure devotees. Professional players and dramatic actors have no sense of devotional service, and therefore although they can perform very artistically, there is no life in such performances. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to refer to such an actor as yatra-dale narada, which means "farcical Narada." Sometimes an actor in a drama plays the part of Narada Muni, although in his private life he is not at all like Narada Muni because he is not a devotee. Such actors are not needed in dramatic performances about the lives of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krsna.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to perform dramas with Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa Thakura and other devotees in the house of Candrasekhara. The place where Candrasekhara's house was situated is now known as Vrajapattana. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established a branch of his Sri Caitanya Matha at this place. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decided to accept the renounced order of life, Candrasekhara Acarya was informed of this by Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and therefore he was also present when Lord Caitanya accepted sannyasa from Kesava Bharati in Katwa. It is he who first spread the word in Navadvipa of Lord Caitanya's accepting sannyasa. Sri Candrasekhara Acarya was present during many important incidents in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He therefore forms the second branch of the tree of Lord Caitanya.
TEXT 14
pundarika vidyanidhi----bada-sakha jani
yanra nama lana prabhu kandila apani
SYNONYMS
pundarika vidyanidhi--of the name Pundarika Vidyanidhi; bada-sakha--another big branch; jani--I know; yanra nama--whose name; lana--taking; prabhu--the Lord; kandila--cried; apani--Himself.
TRANSLATION
Pundarika Vidyanidhi, the third big branch, was so dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that in his absence Lord Caitanya Himself would sometimes cry.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika Srila Pundarika Vidyanidhi is described as the father of Srimati Radharani in krsna-lila. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore treated him as His father. Pundarika Vidyanidhi's father was known as Banesvara or, according to another opinion, Suklambara Brahmacari, and his mother's name was Gangadevi. According to one opinion, Banesvara was a descendent of Sri Sivarama Gangopadhyaya. The original home of Pundarika Vidyanidhi was in East Bengal, in a village near Dacca named Baghiya, which belonged to the Varendra group of brahmana families. Sometimes these Varendra brahmanas were at odds with another group known as Radhiya brahmanas, and therefore Pundarika Vidyanidhi's family was ostracized and at that time was not living as a respectable family. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati informs us that one of the members of this family is living in Vrndavana and is named Sarojananda Gosvami. One special characteristic of this family is that each of its members had only one son or no son at all, and therefore the family was not very expansive. There is a place in the district of Cattagrama in East Bengal that is known as Hata-hajari, and a short distance from this place is a village known as Mekhala-grama in which Pundarika Vidyanidhi's forefathers lived. One can approach Mekhala-grama from Cattagrama either on horseback, by bullock cart or by steamer. The steamer station is known as Annapurnara-ghata. The birthplace of Pundarika Vidyanidhi is about two miles southwest of Annapurnara-ghata. The temple constructed there by Pundarika Vidyanidhi is now very old and much in need of repair. Without repair, the temple may soon crumble. There are two inscriptions on the bricks of that temple, but they are so old that one cannot read them. There is another temple, however, about two hundred yards south of this one, and some people say that this is the old temple constructed by Pundarika Vidyanidhi.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called Pundarika Vidyanidhi "father," and He gave him the title Premanidhi. Pundarika Vidyanidhi later became the spiritual master of Gadadhara Pandita and an intimate friend of Svarupa Damodara's. Gadadhara Pandita at first misunderstood Pundarika Vidyanidhi to be an ordinary pounds-and-shillings man, but later, upon being corrected by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he became his disciple. Another incident in the life of Pundarika Vidyanidhi involves his criticizing the priest of the Jagannatha temple, for which Jagannatha Prabhu chastised him personally by slapping his cheeks. This is described in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Seven. Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura informs us that there are still two living descendants of the family of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who are named Sri Harakumara Smrtitirtha and Sri Krsnakinkara Vidyalankara. For further information one should refer to the dictionary known as Vaisnava-manjusa.
TEXT 15
bada sakha,----gadadhara pandita-gosani
tenho laksmi-rupa, tanra sama keha nai
SYNONYMS
bada sakha--big branch; gadadhara pandita-gosani--the descendants or disciplic succession of Gadadhara Pandita; tenho--Gadadhara Pandita; laksmi-rupa--incarnation of the pleasure potency of Lord Krsna; tanra--his; sama--equal; keha--anyone; nai--there is none.
TRANSLATION
Gadadhara Pandita, the fourth branch, is described as an incarnation of the pleasure potency of Sri Krsna. No one, therefore, can equal him.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verses 147 through 153, it is stated: "The pleasure potency of Sri Krsna formerly known as Vrndavanesvari is now personified in the form of Sri Gadadhara Pandita in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu." Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has pointed out that in the shape of Laksmi, the pleasure potency of Krsna, she was formerly very dear to the Lord as Syamasundara-vallabha. The same Syamasundara-vallabha is now present as Gadadhara Pandita. Formerly, as Lalita-sakhi, she was always devoted to Srimati Radharani. In the Twelfth Chapter of this part of the Caitanya-caritamrta there is a description of the descendants or disciplic succession of Gadadhara Pandita.
TEXT 16
tanra sisya-upasisya,----tanra upasakha
eimata saba sakha-upasakhara lekha
SYNONYMS
tanra--his; sisya--disciples; upasisya--granddisciples and admirers; tanra--his; upasakha--subbranches; eimata--in this way; saba--all; sakha--branches; upasakhara--subbranches; lekha--to describe by writing.
TRANSLATION
His disciples and granddisciples are his subbranches. To describe them all would be difficult.
TEXT 17
vakresvara pandita----prabhura bada priya bhrtya
eka-bhave cabbisa prahara yanra nrtya
SYNONYMS
vakresvara pandita--of the name Vakresvara Pandita; prabhura--of the Lord; bada--very; priya--dear; bhrtya--servant; eka-bhave--continuously in the same ecstasy; cabbisa--twenty-four; prahara--a duration of time comprising three hours; yanra--whose; nrtya--dancing.
TRANSLATION
Vakresvara Pandita, the fifth branch of the tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya's. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 71, it is stated that Vakresvara Pandita was an incarnation of Aniruddha, one of the quadruple expansions of Visnu (Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha and Pradyumna). He could dance wonderfully for seventy-two continuous hours. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu played in dramatic performances in the house of Srivasa Pandita, Vakresvara Pandita was one of the chief dancers, and he danced continuously for that length of time. Sri Govinda dasa, an Oriya devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has described the life of Vakresvara Pandita in his book Gaura-krsnodaya. There are many disciples of Vakresvara Pandita in Orissa, and they are known as Gaudiya Vaisnavas although they are Oriyas. Among these disciples are Sri Gopalaguru and his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami.
TEXT 18
apane mahaprabhu gaya yanra nrtya-kale
prabhura carana dhari' vakresvara bale
SYNONYMS
apane--personally; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gaya--sang; yanra--whose; nrtya-kale--at the time of dancing; prabhura--of the Lord; carana--lotus feet; dhari'--embracing; vakresvara--Vakresvara Pandita; bale--said.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally sang while Vakresvara Pandita danced, and thus Vakresvara Pandita fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke as follows.
TEXT 19
"dasa-sahasra gandharva more deha' candramukha
tara gaya, muni nacon----tabe mora sukha"
SYNONYMS
dasa-sahasra--ten thousand; gandharva--residents of Gandharvaloka; more--unto me; deha'--please deliver; candra-mukha--O moon-faced one; tara gaya--let them sing; muni nacon--let me dance; tabe--then; mora--my; sukha--happiness.
TRANSLATION
"O Candramukha! Please give me ten thousand Gandharvas. Let them sing as I dance, and then I will be greatly happy."
PURPORT
The Gandharvas, who are residents of Gandharvaloka, are celebrated as celestial singers. Whenever singing is needed in the celestial planets, the Gandharvas are invited to sing. The Gandharvas can sing continuously for days, and therefore Vakresvara Pandita wanted to dance as they sang.
TEXT 20
prabhu bale----tumi mora paksa eka sakha
akase uditama yadi pan ara pakha
SYNONYMS
prabhu bale--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied; tumi--you; mora--My; paksa--wing; eka--one; sakha--one-sided; akase--in the sky; uditama--I could fly; yadi--if; pan--I could get; ara--another; pakha--wing.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya replied, "I have only one wing like you, but if I had another, certainly I would fly in the sky!"
pandita jagadananda--of the name Pandita Jagadananda; prabhura--of the Lord; prana-rupa--life and soul; loke--in the world; khyata--celebrated; yenho--who; satyabhamara--of Satyabhama; svarupa--personification.
TRANSLATION
Pandita Jagadananda, the sixth branch of the Caitanya tree, was celebrated as the life and soul of the Lord. He is known to have been an incarnation of Satyabhama [one of the chief queens of Lord Krsna].
PURPORT
There are many dealings of Jagadananda Pandita with Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Most importantly, he was the Lord's constant companion and especially took part in all the pastimes of the Lord in the houses of Srivasa Pandita and Candrasekhara Acarya.
TEXT 22
pritye karite cahe prabhura lalana-palana
vairagya-loka-bhaye prabhu na mane kakhana
Jagadananda Pandita [as an incarnation of Satyabhama] always wanted to see to the comfort of Lord Caitanya, but since the Lord was a sannyasi He did not accept the luxuries that Jagadananda Pandita offered.
TEXT 23
dui-jane khatmati lagaya kondala
tanra prityera katha age kahiba sakala
They sometimes appeared to fight over trifles, but these quarrels were based on their affection, of which I shall speak later.
TEXT 24
raghava-pandita----prabhura adya-anucara
tanra eka sakha mukhya----makaradhvaja kara
SYNONYMS
raghava pandita--of the name Raghava Pandita; prabhura--of the Lord; adya--original; anucara--follower; tanra--his; eka--one; sakha--branch; mukhya--chief; makaradhvaja--of the name Makaradhvaja; kara--surname.
TRANSLATION
Raghava Pandita, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's original follower, is understood to have been the seventh branch. From him proceeded another subbranch, headed by Makaradhvaja Kara.
PURPORT
Kara was the surname of Makaradhvaja. At present this surname is generally found in the Kayastha community. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 166, states:
Raghava Pandita was formerly a confidential gopi in Vraja during the time of Lord Krsna's pastimes, and his former name was Dhanistha. This gopi, Dhanistha, always engaged in preparing foods for Krsna.
TEXT 25
tanhara bhagini damayanti prabhura priya dasi
prabhura bhoga-samagri ye kare vara-masi
SYNONYMS
tanhara--his; bhagini--sister; damayanti--of the name Damayanti; prabhura--of the Lord; priya--dear; dasi--maidservant; prabhura--of the Lord; bhoga-samagri--cooking materials; ye--who; kare--does; vara-masi--throughout the whole year.
TRANSLATION
Raghava Pandita's sister Damayanti was the dear maidservant of the Lord. She always collected various ingredients with which to cook for Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 167, it is mentioned, gunamala vraje yasid damayanti tu tat-svasa: The gopi named Gunamala appeared as Raghava Pandita's sister Damayanti. On the East Bengal railway line beginning from the Sealdah station in Calcutta, there is a station named Sodapura, which is not very far from Calcutta. Within one mile of this station, toward the western side of the Ganges, is a village known as Panihati, in which the residential quarters of Raghava Pandita still exist. On Raghava Pandita's tomb is a creeper on a concrete platform. There is also a Madana-mohana Deity in a broken-down temple nearby. This temple is managed by a local Zamindar of the name Sri Sivacandra Raya Caudhuri. Makaradhvaja Kara was also an inhabitant of Panihati.
TEXT 26
se saba samagri yata jhalite bhariya
raghava la-iya ya'na gupata kariya
SYNONYMS
se saba--all those; samagri--ingredients; yata--all of them; jhalite bhariya--packing in bags; raghava--Raghava Pandita; la-iya--carried; ya'na--goes; gupata kariya--very confidentially.
TRANSLATION
The foods Damayanti cooked for Lord Caitanya when He was at Puri were carried in bags by her brother Raghava without the knowledge of others.
TEXT 27
vara-masa taha prabhu karena angikara
'raghavera jhali' bali' prasiddhi yahara
SYNONYMS
vara-masa--the whole year; taha--all those foods; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karena--did; angikara--accept; raghavera jhali--the bags of Raghava Pandita; bali'--so called; prasiddhi--celebrated; yahara--of which.
TRANSLATION
The Lord accepted these foods throughout the entire year. Those bags are still celebrated as raghavera jhali ["the bags of Raghava Pandita"].
TEXT 28
se-saba samagri age kariba vistara
yahara sravane bhaktera vahe asrudhara
SYNONYMS
se-saba--all these things; samagri--ingredients of the foods; age--further on; kariba--I shall describe; vistara--vividly; yahara--of which; sravane--by the hearing; bhaktera--of a devotee; vahe--flowing; asru-dhara--tears.
TRANSLATION
I shall describe the contents of the bags of Raghava Pandita later in this book. Hearing this narration, devotees generally cry, and tears glide down from their eyes.
PURPORT
A vivid description of these raghavera jhali is to be found in Chapter Ten of the Antya-lila portion of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.
TEXT 29
prabhura atyanta priya----pandita gangadasa
yanhara smarane haya sarva-bandha-nasa
SYNONYMS
prabhura--of the Lord; atyanta--very much; priya--dear; pandita gangadasa--of the name Pandita Gangadasa; yanhara--who; smarane--by remembering; haya--it becomes; sarva-bandha-nasa--freedom from all kinds of bondage.
TRANSLATION
Pandita Gangadasa was the eighth dear branch of the tree of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One who remembers his activities attains freedom from all bondage.
caitanya-parsada--associate of Lord Caitanya; sri-acarya purandara--of the name Sri Acarya Purandara; pita--father; kari'--taking him; yanre--whom; bale--says; gauranga-sundara--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Sri Acarya Purandara, the ninth branch, was a constant associate of Lord Caitanya. The Lord accepted him as His father.
PURPORT
It is described in the Caitanya-bhagavata that whenever Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited the house of Raghava Pandita, He also visited Purandara Acarya immediately upon receiving an invitation. Purandara Acarya is to be considered most fortunate because the Lord used to greet him by addressing him as His father and embracing him in great love.
damodara-pandita--of the name Damodara Pandita; sakha--another branch (the tenth branch); premete--in affection; pracanda--very much advanced; prabhura--the Lord; upare--upon; yenho--he who; kaila--did; vakya-danda--chastisement by speaking.
TRANSLATION
Damodara Pandita, the tenth branch of the Caitanya tree, was so elevated in love of Lord Caitanya that he once unhesitatingly chastised the Lord with strong words.
danda-katha--the narration of such chastisement; kahiba--I shall speak; age--ahead; vistara--detailed description; kariya--making; dande--in the matter of chastisement; tusta prabhu--the Lord is very much satisfied; tanre--him; pathaila--sent back; nadiya--Nadia (a district in Bengal).
TRANSLATION
Later in the Caitanya-caritamrta I shall describe this incident of chastisement in detail. The Lord, being very much satisfied by this chastisement, sent Damodara Pandita to Navadvipa.
PURPORT
Damodara Pandita, who was formerly known as Saibya in Vraja-dhama, used to carry messages from Lord Caitanya to Sacimata, and during the Ratha-yatra festival he carried messages from Sacimata to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 33
tanhara anuja sakha----sankara-pandita
'prabhu-padopadhana' yanra nama vidita
SYNONYMS
tanhara--his (Damodara Pandita's); anuja--younger brother; sakha--the eleventh branch; sankara-pandita--of the name Sankara Pandita; prabhu--the Lord's; pada-upadhana--shoes; yanra--whose; nama--name; vidita--celebrated.
TRANSLATION
The eleventh branch, the younger brother of Damodara Pandita, was known as Sankara Pandita. He was celebrated as the shoes of the Lord.
sadasiva-pandita--of the name Sadasiva Pandita; yanra--whose; prabhu-pade--unto the lotus feet of the Lord; asa--constant desire; prathamei--in the beginning; nityanandera--of Lord Nityananda; yanra--of whom; ghare--in the home; vasa--residence.
TRANSLATION
Sadasiva Pandita, the twelfth branch, was always anxious to serve the lotus feet of the Lord. It was his good fortune that when Lord Nityananda came to Navadvipa He resided at his house.
PURPORT
It is mentioned in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Nine, that Sadasiva Pandita was a pure devotee and that Nityananda Prabhu resided at his house.
TEXT 35
sri-nrsimha-upasaka----pradyumna brahmacari
prabhu tanra nama kaila 'nrsimhananda' kari'
SYNONYMS
sri-nrsimha-upasaka--the worshiper of Lord Nrsimhadeva; pradyumna brahmacari--of the name Pradyumna Brahmacari; prabhu--the Lord; tanra--his; nama--name; kaila--turned into; nrsimhananda--of the name Nrsimhananda; kari'--by such a name.
TRANSLATION
The thirteenth branch was Pradyumna Brahmacari. Since he was a worshiper of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu changed his name to Nrsimhananda Brahmacari.
PURPORT
Pradyumna Brahmacari is described in the Antya-lila, Second Chapter, of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. He was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya's who changed his name to Nrsimhananda. While coming from the house of Raghava Pandita at Panihati to the house of Sivananda, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the heart of Nrsimhananda Brahmacari. To acknowledge this, Nrsimhananda Brahmacari used to accept as eatables the food of three Deities, namely, Jagannatha, Nrsimhadeva and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, Second Chapter, verses 48 through 78. Upon receiving information that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was proceeding toward Vrndavana from Kuliya, Nrsimhananda absorbed himself in meditation and by his mental activities began constructing a very nice road from Kuliya to Vrndavana. All of a sudden, however, he broke his meditation and told the other devotees that this time Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would not go to Vrndavana but only as far as the place known as Kanai Natasala. This is described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter One, verses 155 through 162. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 74, says, avesas ca tathajneyo misre pradyumna-samjnake: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu changed the name of Pradyumna Misra, or Pradyumna Brahmacari, to Nrsimhananda Brahmacari, for in his heart Lord Nrsimhadeva was manifest. It is said that Lord Nrsimhadeva used to talk with him directly.
TEXT 36
narayana-pandita eka bada-i udara
caitanya-carana vinu nahi jane ara
SYNONYMS
narayana-pandita--of the name Narayana Pandita; eka--one; badai--very; udara--liberal; caitanya-carana--the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya; vinu--except; nahi--not; jane--know; ara--anything else.
TRANSLATION
Narayana Pandita, the fourteenth branch, a great and liberal devotee, did not know any shelter but Lord Caitanya's lotus feet.
PURPORT
Narayana Pandita was one of the associates of Srivasa Thakura. It is mentioned in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Ninth Chapter, verse 93, that he went to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri with Thakura's brother Sri Rama Pandita.
TEXT 37
sriman-pandita sakha----prabhura nija bhrtya
deuti dharena, yabe prabhu karena nrtya
SYNONYMS
sriman-pandita--of the name Sriman Pandita; sakha--branch; prabhura--of the Lord; nija--own; bhrtya--servant; deuti--torch light; dharena--carries; yabe--while; prabhu--Lord Caitanya; karena--does; nrtya--dance.
TRANSLATION
The fifteenth branch was Sriman Pandita, who was a constant servitor of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He used to carry a torch while the Lord danced.
PURPORT
Sriman Pandita was among the companions of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu when the Lord performed sankirtana. When Lord Caitanya dressed Himself in the form of the goddess Laksmi and danced in the streets of Navadvipa, Sriman Pandita carried a torch to light the way.
TEXT 38
suklambara-brahmacari bada bhagyavan
yanra anna magi' kadi' khaila bhagavan
SYNONYMS
suklambara-brahmacari--of the name Suklambara Brahmacari; bada--very; bhagyavan--fortunate; yanra--whose; anna--food; magi'--begging; kadi'--snatching; khaila--ate; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
The sixteenth branch, Suklambara Brahmacari, was very fortunate because Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu jokingly or seriously begged food from him or sometimes snatched it from him forcibly and ate it.
PURPORT
It is stated that Suklambara Brahmacari, an inhabitant of Navadvipa, was Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's first companion in the sankirtana movement. When Lord Caitanya returned from Gaya after initiation, He stayed with Suklambara Brahmacari because He wanted to hear from this devotee about the pastimes of Lord Krsna. Suklambara Brahmacari collected alms of rice from the inhabitants of Navadvipa, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took pleasure in eating the rice that he cooked. It is said that Suklambara Brahmacari was one of the wives of the yajnic brahmanas during the time of Lord Krsna's pastimes in Vrndavana. Lord Krsna begged food from the wives of the yajnic brahmanas, and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed a similar pastime by begging rice from Suklambara Brahmacari.
TEXT 39
nandana-acarya-sakha jagate vidita
lukaiya dui prabhura yanra ghare sthita
SYNONYMS
nandana-acarya--of the name Nandana Acarya; sakha--the seventeenth branch; jagate--in the world; vidita--celebrated; lukaiya--hiding; dui--two; prabhura--of the Lords; yanra--of whom; ghare--in the house; sthita--situated.
TRANSLATION
Nandana Acarya, the seventeenth branch of the Caitanya tree, is celebrated within the world because the two Prabhus [Lord Caitanya and Nityananda] sometimes hid in his house.
PURPORT
Nandana Acarya was another companion of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His kirtana pastimes in Navadvipa. Srila Nityananda Prabhu, as Avadhuta, traveled on many pilgrimages, and when He first came to Sri Navadvipa-dhama He remained hidden in the house of Nandana Acarya. It is there that He first met all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His maha-prakasa, He asked Ramai Pandita to call Advaita Prabhu, who was hiding in the home of Nandana Acarya, for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand that He was hiding. Similarly, Lord Caitanya also sometimes hid in the home of Nandana Acarya. In this connection one may refer to Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila Chapters Six and Seventeen.
sri-mukunda-datta--of the name Sri Mukunda Datta; sakha--another branch; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; samadhyayi--class friend; yanhara--whose; kirtane--in sankirtana; nace--dances; caitanya-gosani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda Datta, a class friend of Lord Caitanya's, was another branch of the Caitanya tree. Lord Caitanya danced while he sang.
PURPORT
Sri Mukunda Datta was born in the Cattagrama district, in the village of Chanhara, which is under the jurisdiction of the police station named Patiya. This village is situated ten krosas, or about twenty miles, from the home of Pundarika Vidyanidhi. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (140) it is said:
vraje sthitau gayakau yau
madhukantha-madhuvratau
mukunda-vasudevau tau
dattau gauranga-gayakau
"In Vraja there were two very nice singers named Madhukantha and Madhuvrata. They appeared in caitanya-lila as Mukunda and Vasudeva Datta, who were singers in the society of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu." When Lord Caitanya was a student, Mukunda Datta was His class friend, and they frequently engaged in logical arguments. Sometimes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would fight with Mukunda Datta, using tricks of logic. This is described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapters Eleven and Twelve. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned from Gaya, Mukunda Datta gave Him pleasure by reciting verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam about krsna-lila. It was by his endeavor that Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami became a disciple of Pundarika Vidyanidhi, as stated in Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Chapter Seven. When Mukunda Datta sang in the courtyard of Srivasa Prabhu, Mahaprabhu danced with His singing, and when Lord Caitanya for twenty-one hours exhibited an ecstatic manifestation known as sata-prahariya, Mukunda Datta inaugurated the function by singing.
Sometimes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu chastised Mukunda Datta by calling him khadajathiya beta because he attended many functions held by different classes of nondevotees. This is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Chapter Ten. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu dressed Himself as the goddess of fortune to dance in the house of Candrasekhara, Mukunda Datta began the first song.
Before disclosing His desire to take the renounced order of life, Lord Caitanya first went to the house of Mukunda Datta, but at that time Mukunda Datta requested Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to continue His sankirtana movement for a few days more before taking sannyasa. This is stated in Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila Chapter Twenty-six. The information of Lord Caitanya's accepting the renounced order was made known to Gadadhara Pandita, Candrasekhara Acarya and Mukunda Datta by Nityananda Prabhu, and therefore all of them went to Katwa and arranged for kirtana and all the paraphernalia for Lord Caitanya's acceptance of sannyasa. After the Lord took sannyasa, they all followed Him, especially Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu and Govinda, who followed Him all the way to Purusottama-ksetra. In this connection one may refer to Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Two. In the place known as Jalesvara, Nityananda Prabhu broke the sannyasa rod of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Mukunda Datta was also present at that time. He went every year from Bengal to see Lord Caitanya at Jagannatha Puri.
TEXT 41
vasudeva datta----prabhura bhrtya mahasaya
sahasra-mukhe yanra guna kahile na haya
SYNONYMS
vasudeva datta--of the name Vasudeva Datta; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhrtya--servant; mahasaya--great personality; sahasra-mukhe--with thousands of mouths; yanra--whose; guna--qualities; kahile--describing; na--never; haya--becomes fulfilled.
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the Sri Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.
PURPORT
Vasudeva Datta, the brother of Mukunda Datta, was also a resident of Cattagrama. In the Caitanya-bhagavata it is said, yanra sthane krsna haya apane vikraya: Vasudeva Datta was such a powerful devotee that Krsna was purchased by him. Vasudeva Datta stayed at Srivasa Pandita's house, and in the Caitanya-bhagavata it is described that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so pleased with Vasudeva Datta and so affectionate toward him that He used to say, "I am only Vasudeva Datta's man. My body is only meant to please Vasudeva Datta, and he can sell Me anywhere." Thrice He vowed that this was a fact and that no one should disbelieve these statements. "All My dear devotees," He said, "I tell you the truth. My body is especially meant for Vasudeva Datta." Vasudeva Datta initiated Sri Yadunandana Acarya, the spiritual master of Raghunatha dasa, who later became Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. This will be found in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, Sixth Chapter, verse 161. Vasudeva Datta spent money very liberally; therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Sivananda Sena to become his sarakhela, or secretary, in order to control his extravagant expenses. Vasudeva Datta was so kind to the living entities that he wanted to take all their sinful reactions so that they might be delivered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Caitanya-caritamrta's Madhya-lila, verses 159 through 180.
There is a railway station named Purvasthali near the Navadvipa railway station, and about one mile away, in a village known as Mamagachi, which is the birthplace of Vrndavana dasa Thakura, there is presently a temple of Madana-gopala that was established by Vasudeva Datta. The Gaudiya Matha devotees have now taken charge of this temple, and the seva-puja is going on very nicely. Every year all the pilgrims on the navadvipa-parikrama visit Mamagachi. Since Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura inaugurated the navadvipa-parikrama function, the temple has been very well managed.
TEXT 42
jagate yateka jiva, tara papa lana
naraka bhunjite cahe jiva chadaiya
SYNONYMS
jagate--in the world; yateka--all; jiva--living entities; tara--their; papa--sinful activities; lana--taking; naraka--hell; bhunjite--to suffer; cahe--wanted; jiva--the living entities; chadaiya--liberating them.
TRANSLATION
Srila Vasudeva Datta Thakura wanted to suffer for the sinful activities of all the people of the world so that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu might deliver them.
TEXT 43
haridasa-thakura sakhara adbhuta carita
tina laksa nama tenho layena apatita
SYNONYMS
haridasa-thakura--of the name Haridasa Thakura; sakhara--of the branch; adbhuta--wonderful; carita--characteristics; tina--three; laksa--hundred thousand; nama--names; tenho--he; layena--chanted; apatita--without fail.
TRANSLATION
The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree was Haridasa Thakura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name of Krsna 300,000 times a day without fail.
PURPORT
Certainly the chanting of 300,000 holy names of the Lord is wonderful. No ordinary person can chant so many names, nor should one artificially imitate Haridasa Thakura's behavior. It is essential, however, that everyone fulfill a specific vow to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. Therefore we have prescribed in our Society that all our students must chant at least sixteen rounds daily. Such chanting must be offenseless in order to be of high quality. Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as chanting of the holy name without offenses. It is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapter Two, that Haridasa Thakura was born in a village known as Budhana but after some time came to live on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliya near Santipura. From the description of his chastisement by a Muslim magistrate, which is found in the Sixteenth Chapter of the Adi-lila of Caitanya-bhagavata, we can understand how humble and meek Haridasa Thakura was and how he achieved the causeless mercy of the Lord. In the dramas performed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Haridasa Thakura played the part of a police chief. While chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra in Benapola, he was personally tested by Mayadevi herself. Haridasa Thakura's passing away is described in the Antya-lila of Caitanya-caritamrta, Eleventh Chapter. It is not definitely certain whether Sri Haridasa Thakura appeared in the village named Budhana that is in the district of Khulna. Formerly this village was within a district of twenty-four parganas within the Sataksira division.
tanhara--Haridasa Thakura's; ananta--unlimited; guna--qualities; kahi--I speak; din-matra--only a small part; acarya gosani--Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu; yanre--to whom; bhunjaya--offered to eat; sraddha-patra--prasada offered to Lord Visnu.
TRANSLATION
There was no end to the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura. Here I mention but a fraction of his qualities. He was so exalted that Advaita Gosvami, when performing the sraddha ceremony of his father, offered him the first plate.
prahlada-samana--exactly like Prahlada Maharaja; tanra--his; gunera--qualities; taranga--waves; yavana--of the Muslims; tadaneo--even by the persecution; yanra--whose; nahika--there was none; bhru-bhanga--even the slightest agitation of an eyebrow.
TRANSLATION
The waves of his good qualities were like those of Prahlada Maharaja. He did not even slightly raise an eyebrow when persecuted by the Muslim ruler.
TEXT 46
tenho siddhi paile tanra deha lana kole
nacila caitanya-prabhu maha-kutuhale
SYNONYMS
tenho--he; siddhi--perfection; paile--after achieving; tanra--his; deha--body; lana--taking; kole--on the lap; nacila--danced; caitanya-prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; maha-kutuhale--in great ecstasy.
TRANSLATION
After the passing away of Haridasa Thakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap, and He danced with it in great ecstasy.
TEXT 47
tanra lila varniyachena vrndavana-dasa
yeba avasista, age kariba prakasa
SYNONYMS
tanra--his; lila--pastimes; varniyachena--described; vrndavana-dasa--Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura; yeba--whatever; avasista--remained undescribed; age--later in the book; kariba--I shall make; prakasa--manifest.
TRANSLATION
Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura vividly described the pastimes of Haridasa Thakura in his Caitanya-bhagavata. Whatever has remained undescribed I shall try to explain later in this book.
TEXT 48
tanra upasakha----yata kulina-grami jana
satyaraja-adi----tanra krpara bhajana
SYNONYMS
tanra upasakha--his subbranch; yata--all; kulina-grami jana--the inhabitants of Kulina-grama; satyaraja--of the name Satyaraja; adi--heading the list; tanra--his; krpara--of mercy; bhajana--recipient.
TRANSLATION
One subbranch of Haridasa Thakura consisted of the residents of Kulina-grama. The most important among them was Satyaraja Khan, or Satyaraja Vasu, who was a recipient of all the mercy of Haridasa Thakura.
PURPORT
Satyaraja Khan was the son of Gunaraja Khan and father of Ramananda Vasu. Haridasa Thakura lived for some time during the Caturmasya period in the village named Kulina-grama, where he chanted the holy name, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and distributed his mercy to the descendants of the Vasu family. Satyaraja Khan was allotted the service of supplying silk ropes for the Jagannatha Deity during the Rathayatra festival. The answers to his inquiries from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu about the duty of householder devotees are vividly described in the Madhya-lila, Chapters Fifteen and Sixteen. The village of Kulina-grama is situated two miles from the railway station named Jaugrama on the Newcord line from Howrah to Burdwan. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu very highly praised the people of Kulina-grama, and He stated that even a dog of Kulina-grama was very dear to Him.
sri-murari gupta--of the name Sri Murari Gupta; sakha--branch; premera--of love of Godhead; bhandara--store; prabhura--of the Lord; hrdaya--the heart; drave--melts; suni'--hearing; dainya--humility; yanra--of whom.
TRANSLATION
Murari Gupta, the twenty-first branch of the tree of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was a storehouse of love of Godhead. His great humility and meekness melted the heart of Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
Sri Murari Gupta wrote a book called Sri Caitanya-carita. He belonged to a vaidya physician family of Srihatta, the paternal home of Lord Caitanya, and later became a resident of Navadvipa. He was among the elders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya exhibited His Varaha form in the house of Murari Gupta, as described in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Third Chapter. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His maha-prakasa form, He appeared before Murari Gupta as Lord Ramacandra. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu were sitting together in the house of Srivasa Thakura, Murari Gupta first offered his respects to Lord Caitanya and then to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu, however, was older than Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and therefore Lord Caitanya remarked that Murari Gupta had violated social etiquette, for he should have first shown respect to Nityananda Prabhu and then to Him. In this way, by the grace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Murari Gupta was informed about the position of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and the next day he offered obeisances first to Lord Nityananda and then to Lord Caitanya. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave chewed pan, or betel nut, to Murari Gupta. Once Sivananda Sena offered food to Lord Caitanya that had been cooked with excessive ghee, and the next day the Lord became sick and went to Murari Gupta for treatment. Lord Caitanya accepted some water from the waterpot of Murari Gupta, and thus He was cured. The natural remedy for indigestion is to drink a little water, and since Murari Gupta was a physician, he gave the Lord some drinking water and cured Him.
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the house of Srivasa Thakura in His Caturbhuja murti, Murari Gupta became His carrier in the form of Garuda, and in these pastimes of ecstasy the Lord then got up on his back. It was the desire of Murari Gupta to leave his body before the disappearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but the Lord forbade him to do so. This is described in Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Chapter Twenty. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu one day appeared in ecstasy as the Varaha murti, Murari Gupta offered Him prayers. He was a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra, and his staunch devotion is vividly described in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Fifteenth Chapter, verses 137 through 157.
TEXT 50
pratigraha nahi kare, na laya kara dhana
atma-vrtti kari' kare kutumba bharana
SYNONYMS
pratigraha nahi kare--he did not accept charity from anyone; na--not; laya--take; kara--anyone's; dhana--wealth; atma-vrtti--own profession; kari'--executing; kare--maintained; kutumba--family; bharana--provision.
TRANSLATION
Srila Murari Gupta never accepted charity from friends, nor did he accept money from anyone. He practiced as a physician and maintained his family with his earnings.
PURPORT
It should be noted that a grhastha (householder) must not make his livelihood by begging from anyone. Every householder of the higher castes should engage himself in his own occupational duty as a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya, but he should not engage in the service of others, for this is the duty of a sudra. One should simply accept whatever he earns by his own profession. The engagements of a brahmana are yajana, yajana, pathana, pathana, dana and pratigraha. A brahmana should be a worshiper of Visnu, and he should also instruct others how to worship Him. A ksatriya can become a landholder and earn his livelihood by levying taxes or collecting rent from tenants. A vaisya can accept agriculture or general trade as an occupational duty. Since Murari Gupta was born in a physician's family (vaidya-vamsa), he practiced as a physician, and with whatever income he earned he maintained his family. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, everyone should try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the execution of his occupational duty. That is the perfection of life. This system is called daivi-varnasrama. Murari Gupta was an ideal grhastha, for he was a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By practicing as a physician he maintained his family and at the same time satisfied Lord Caitanya to the best of his ability. This is the ideal of householder life.
TEXT 51
cikitsa karena yare ha-iya sadaya
deha-roga bhava-roga,----dui tara ksaya
SYNONYMS
cikitsa--medical treatment; karena--did; yare--upon whom; ha-iya--becoming; sadaya--merciful; deha-roga--the disease of the body; bhava-roga--the disease of material existence; dui--both; tara--his; ksaya--diminished.
TRANSLATION
As Murari Gupta treated his patients, by his mercy both their bodily and spiritual diseases subsided.
PURPORT
Murari Gupta could treat both bodily and spiritual disease because he was a physician by profession and a great devotee of the Lord in terms of spiritual advancement. This is an example of service to humanity. Everyone should know that there are two kinds of diseases in human society. One disease, which is called adhyatmika, or material disease, pertains to the body, but the main disease is spiritual. The living entity is eternal, but somehow or other, when in contact with the material energy, he is subjected to the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. The physicians of the modern day should learn from Murari Gupta. Although modern philanthropic physicians open gigantic hospitals, there are no hospitals to cure the material disease of the spirit soul. The Krsna consciousness movement has taken up the mission of curing this disease, but people are not very appreciative because they do not know what this disease is. A diseased person needs both proper medicine and a proper diet, and therefore the Krsna consciousness movement supplies materially stricken people with the medicine of the chanting of the holy name, or the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and the diet of prasada. There are many hospitals and medical clinics to cure bodily diseases, but there are no such hospitals to cure the material disease of the spirit soul. The centers of the Krsna consciousness movement are the only established hospitals that can cure man of birth, death, old age and disease.
TEXT 52
sriman sena prabhura sevaka pradhana
caitanya-carana vinu nahi jane ana
SYNONYMS
sriman sena--of the name Sriman Sena; prabhura--of the Lord; sevaka--servant; pradhana--chief; caitanya-carana--the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vinu--except; nahi--does not; jane--know; ana--anything else.
TRANSLATION
Sriman Sena, the twenty-second branch of the Caitanya tree, was a very faithful servant of Lord Caitanya. He knew nothing else but the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
PURPORT
Sriman Sena was one of the inhabitants of Navadvipa and was a constant companion of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 53
sri-gadadhara dasa sakha sarvopari
kaji-ganera mukhe yenha bolaila hari
SYNONYMS
sri-gadadhara dasa--of the name Sri Gadadhara dasa; sakha--another branch; sarva-upari--above all; kaji-ganera--of the Kazis (Muslim magistrates); mukhe--in the mouth; yenha--one who; bolaila--caused to speak; hari--the holy name of Hari.
TRANSLATION
Sri Gadadhara dasa, the twenty-third branch, was understood to be the topmost, for he induced all the Muslim Kazis to chant the holy name of Lord Hari.
PURPORT
About eight or ten miles from Calcutta on the banks of the Ganges is a village known as Endiyadaha-grama. Srila Gadadhara dasa was known as an inhabitant of this village (endiyadaha-vasi gadadhara dasa). The Bhakti-ratnakara (Seventh Wave), informs us that after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gadadhara dasa came from Navadvipa to Katwa. Thereafter he came to Endiyadaha and resided there. He is stated to be the luster of the body of Srimati Radharani, just as Srila Gadadhara Pandita Gosvami is an incarnation of Srimati Radharani Herself. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is sometimes explained to be radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalita, or characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Srimati Radharani. Gadadhara dasa is this dyuti, or luster. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika he is described to be the expansion potency of Srimati Radharani. He counts among the associates of both Srila Gaurahari and Nityananda Prabhu; as a devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he was one of the associates of Lord Krsna in conjugal love, and as a devotee of Lord Nityananda he is considered to have been one of the friends of Krsna in pure devotional service. Even though he was an associate of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, he was not among the cowherd boys but was situated in the transcendental mellow of conjugal love. He established a temple of Sri Gaurasundara in Katwa.
In 1434 sakabda (A.D. 1513), when Lord Nityananda Prabhu was empowered by Lord Caitanya to preach the sankirtana movement in Bengal, Sri Gadadhara dasa was one of Lord Nityananda's chief assistants. He preached the sankirtana movement by requesting everyone to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. This simple preaching method of Srila Gadadhara dasa can be followed by anyone and everyone in any position of society. One must simply be a sincere and serious servant of Nityananda Prabhu and preach this cult door to door.
When Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was preaching the cult of hari-kirtana, there was a magistrate who was very much against his sankirtana movement. Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Gadadhara dasa one night went to the house of the Kazi and requested him to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The Kazi replied, "All right, I shall chant Hare Krsna tomorrow." On hearing this, Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu began to dance, and he said, "Why tomorrow? You have already chanted the Hare Krsna mantra, so simply continue."
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (verses 154-55) it is said:
radha-vibhuti-rupa ya
candrakantih pura vraje
sa sri-gauranga-nikate
dasa-vamsyo gadadharah
purnananda vraje yasid
baladeva-priyagrani
sapi karya-vasad eva
pravisat tam gadadharam
Srila Gadadhara dasa is considered to be a united form of Candrakanti, who is the effulgence of Srimati Radharani, and Purnananda, who is the foremost of Lord Balarama's very dear girlfriends. Thus Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was one of the associates of both Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu.
Once while Srila Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was returning to Bengal from Jagannatha Puri with Nityananda Prabhu, he forgot himself and began talking very loudly as if he were a girl of Vrajabhumi selling yogurt, and Srila Nityananda Prabhu noted this. Another time, while absorbed in the ecstasy of the gopis, he carried a jug filled with Ganges water on his head as if he were selling milk. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the house of Raghava Pandita while going to Vrndavana, Gadadhara dasa went to see Him, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so glad that He put His foot on his head. When Gadadhara dasa Prabhu was present in Endiyadaha he established a Bala Gopala murti for worship there. Sri Madhava Ghosa performed a drama known as "Dana-khanda" with the help of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Gadadhara dasa. This is explained in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila 5.318-94.
The tomb of Gadadhara dasa Prabhu, which is in the village of Endiyadaha, was under the control of the Samyogi Vaisnavas and later under the direction of Siddha Bhagavan dasa Babaji of Kalna. By his order, Sri Madhusudana Mullik, one of the members of the aristocratic Mullik family of the Narikeladanga in Calcutta, established a patavati (monastery) there in the Bengali year 1256 (A.D. 1849). He also arranged for the worship of a Deity named Sri Radhakanta. His son Balaicanda Mullik established Gaura-Nitai Deities there in the Bengali year 1312 (A.D. 1905). Thus on the throne of the temple are both Gaura-Nityananda Deities and Radha-Krsna Deities. Below the throne is a tablet with an inscription written in Sanskrit. In that temple there is also a small Deity of Lord Siva as Gopesvara. This is all described on a stone by the side of the entrance door.
sivananda sena--of the name Sivananda Sena; prabhura--of the Lord; bhrtya--servant; antaranga--very confidential; prabhu-sthane--in Jagannatha Puri, where the Lord was staying; yaite--while going; sabe--all; layena--took; yanra--whose; sanga--shelter.
TRANSLATION
Sivananda Sena, the twenty-fourth branch of the tree, was an extremely confidential servant of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone who went to Jagannatha Puri to visit Lord Caitanya took shelter and guidance from Sri Sivananda Sena.
prati-varse--every year; prabhu-gana--the devotees of Lord Caitanya; sangete--along with; la-iya--taking; nilacale--to Jagannatha Puri; calena--goes; pathe--on the road; palana--maintenance; kariya--providing.
TRANSLATION
Every year he took a party of devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to visit Lord Caitanya. He maintained the entire party as they journeyed on the road.
TEXT 56
bhakte krpa karena prabhu e-tina svarupe
'saksat,' 'avesa' ara 'avirbhava'-rupe
SYNONYMS
bhakte--unto devotees; krpa--mercy; karena--bestows; prabhu--Lord Caitanya; e--these; tina--three; svarupe--features; saksat--directly; avesa--empowered by the Lord; ara--and; avirbhava--appearance; rupe--in the features.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestows His causeless mercy upon His devotees in three features: His own direct appearance [saksat], His prowess within someone He empowers [avesa], and His manifestation [avirbhava].
PURPORT
The saksat feature of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is His personal presence. Avesa refers to invested power, like that invested in Nakula Brahmacari. Avirbhava is a manifestation of the Lord that appears even though He is personally not present. For example, Sri Sacimata offered food at home to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu although He was far away in Jagannatha Puri, and when she opened her eyes after offering the food she saw that it had actually been eaten by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Similarly, when Srivasa Thakura performed sankirtana, everyone felt the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, even in His absence. This is another example of avirbhava.
TEXT 57
'saksate' sakala bhakta dekhe nirvisesa
nakula brahmacari-dehe prabhura 'avesa'
SYNONYMS
saksate--directly; sakala--all; bhakta--devotees; dekhe--see; nirvisesa--nothing peculiar but as He is; nakula brahmacari--of the name Nakula Brahmacari; dehe--in the body; prabhura--the Lord's; avesa--symptoms of power.
TRANSLATION
The appearance of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in every devotee's presence is called saksat. His appearance in Nakula Brahmacari as a symptom of special prowess is an example of avesa.
TEXT 58
'pradyumna brahmacari' tanra age nama chila
'nrsimhananda' nama prabhu pache ta' rakhila
SYNONYMS
pradyumna brahmacari--of the name Pradyumna Brahmacari; tanra--his; age--previously; nama--name; chila--was; nrsimhananda--of the name Nrsimhananda; nama--the name; prabhu--the Lord; pache--afterward; ta'--certainly; rakhila--kept it.
TRANSLATION
The former Pradyumna Brahmacari was given the name Nrsimhananda Brahmacari by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
tanhate--in him; ha-ila--there was; caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avirbhava--appearance; alaukika--uncommon; aiche--like that; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aneka--various; svabhava--features.
TRANSLATION
In his body there were symptoms of avirbhava. Such appearances are uncommon, but Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed many such pastimes through His different features.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (74) it is said that Nakula Brahmacari displayed the prowess (avesa) and Pradyumna Brahmacari the appearance (avirbhava) of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There are many hundreds and thousands of devotees of Lord Caitanya among whom there are no special symptoms, but when a devotee of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu functions with specific prowess, he displays the feature called avesa. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally spread the sankirtana movement, and He advised all the inhabitants of Bharatavarsa to take up His cult and preach it all over the world. The visible bodily symptoms of devotees who follow such instructions are called avesa. Srila Sivananda Sena observed such avesa symptoms in Nakula Brahmacari, who displayed symptoms exactly like those of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Caitanya-caritamrta states that in the Age of Kali the only spiritual function is to broadcast the holy name of the Lord, but this function can be performed only by one who is actually empowered by Lord Krsna. The process by which a devotee is thus empowered is called avesa, or sometimes it is called sakty-avesa.
Pradyumna Brahmacari was formerly a resident of a village known as Piyariganja in Kalna. There is a description of him in the Antya-lila of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Second Chapter, and in the Antya-lila of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, chapters Three and Nine.
TEXT 60
asvadila e saba rasa sena sivananda
vistari' kahiba age esaba ananda
Srila Sivananda Sena experienced the three features saksat, avesa and avirbhava. Later I shall vividly describe this transcendentally blissful subject.
PURPORT
Srila Sivananda Sena has been described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja as follows: He was a resident of Kumarahatta, which is also known as Halisahara, and was a great devotee of the Lord. About one and a half miles from Kumarahatta is another village, known as Kancadapada, in which there are Gaura-Gopala Deities installed by Sivananda Sena, who also established a temple of Krsnaraya that is still existing. Sivananda Sena was the father of Paramananda Sena, who was also known as Puri dasa or Kavi-karnapura. Paramananda Sena wrote in his Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (176) that two of the gopis of Vrndavana, whose former names were Vira and Duti, combined to become his father. Srila Sivananda Sena guided all the devotees of Lord Caitanya who went from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri, and he personally bore all the expenses for their journey. This is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Sixteen, verses 19 through 27. Srila Sivananda Sena had three sons, named Caitanya dasa, Ramadasa and Paramananda. This last son later became Kavi-karnapura, and he is the author of Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. His spiritual master was Srinatha Pandita, who was Sivananda Sena's priest. Due to Vasudeva Datta's lavish spending, Sivananda Sena was engaged to supervise his expenditures.
Sri Sivananda Sena actually experienced Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's features of saksat, avesa and avirbhava. He once picked up a dog while on his way to Jagannatha Puri, and it is described in the Antya-lila, First Chapter, that this dog later attained salvation by his association. When Srila Raghunatha dasa, who later became Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, fled his paternal home to join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his father wrote a letter to Sivananda Sena to get information about him. Sivananda Sena supplied him the details for which he asked, and later Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's father sent some servants and money to Sivananda Sena to take care of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Once Sri Sivananda Sena invited Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to his home and fed Him so sumptuously that the Lord felt indigestion and was somewhat sick. This became known to Sivananda Sena's son, who gave the Lord the kinds of food that would help His digestion, and thus Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased. This is described in the Antya-lila, Tenth Chapter, verses 142 through 151.
Once while going to Jagannatha Puri all the devotees had to stay underneath a tree, without the shelter of a house or even a shed, and Nityananda Prabhu became very angry, as if He were greatly disturbed by hunger. Thus He cursed Sivananda's sons to die. Sivananda's wife was very much aggrieved at this, and she began to cry. She very seriously thought that since her sons had been cursed by Nityananda Prabhu, certainly they would die. When Sivananda later returned and saw his wife crying, he said, "Why are you crying? Let us all die if Sri Nityananda Prabhu desires." When Sivananda Sena returned and Srila Nityananda Prabhu saw him, the Lord kicked him severely, complaining that He was very hungry, and asked why he did not arrange for His food. Such is the behavior of the Lord with His devotees. Srila Nityananda Prabhu behaved like an ordinary hungry man, as if completely dependent on the arrangements of Sivananda Sena.
There was a nephew of Sivananda Sena's named Srikanta who left the company in protest of Nityananda Prabhu's curse and went directly to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, where the Lord pacified him. On that occasion, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu allowed His toe to be sucked by Puri dasa, who was then a child. It is by the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that he could immediately compose Sanskrit verses. During the misunderstanding with Sivananda's family, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered His personal attendant Govinda to give them all the remnants of His food. This is described in the Antya-lila, Chapter Twelve, verse 53.
The sons, servants and family members of Sivananda Sena constituted a subbranch. They were all sincere servants of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 62
caitanya-dasa, ramadasa, ara karnapura
tina putra sivanandera prabhura bhakta-sura
SYNONYMS
caitanya-dasa--of the name Caitanya dasa; ramadasa--of the name Ramadasa; ara--and; karnapura--of the name Karnapura; tina putra--three sons; sivanandera--of Sivananda Sena; prabhura--of the Lord; bhakta-sura--of the heroic devotees.
TRANSLATION
The three sons of Sivananda Sena, named Caitanya dasa, Ramadasa and Karnapura, were all heroic devotees of Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
Caitanya dasa, the eldest son of Sivananda Sena, wrote a commentary on Krsna-karnamrta that was later translated by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his paper Sajjana-tosani. According to expert opinion, Caitanya dasa was the author of the book Caitanya-carita (also known as Caitanya-caritamrta), which was written in Sanskrit. The author was not Kavi-karnapura, as generally supposed. This is the opinion of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Sri Ramadasa was the second son of Sivananda Sena. It is stated in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (145) that the two famous parrots named Daksa and Vicaksana in krsna-lila became the elder brothers of Kavi-karnapura, namely, Caitanya dasa and Ramadasa. Karnapura, the third son, who was also known as Paramananda dasa or Puri dasa, was initiated by Srinatha Pandita, who was a disciple of Sri Advaita Prabhu. Karnapura wrote many books that are important in Vaisnava literature, such as Ananda-vrndavana-campu, Alankara-kaustubha, Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika and the great epic Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka. He was born in the year 1448 sakabda (A.D. 1527). He continually wrote books for ten years, from 1488 until 1498.
TEXT 63
sri-vallabhasena, ara sena srikanta
sivananda-sambandhe prabhura bhakta ekanta
SYNONYMS
sri-vallabha-sena--of the name Srivallabha Sena; ara--and; sena srikanta--of the name Srikanta Sena; sivananda--Sivananda Sena; sambandhe--in relationship; prabhura--the Lord's; bhakta--devotees; ekanta--unflinching.
TRANSLATION
Srivallabha Sena and Srikanta Sena were also subbranches of Sivananda Sena, for they were not only his nephews but also unalloyed devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
PURPORT
When Lord Nityananda Prabhu rebuked Sivananda Sena on the way to Puri, these two nephews of Sivananda left the company as a protest and went to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri. The Lord could understand the feelings of the boys, and He asked His personal assistant Govinda to supply them prasada until the party of Sivananda arrived. During the Ratha-yatra sankirtana festival these two brothers were members of the party led by Mukunda. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 174, it is said that the gopi whose name was Katyayani appeared as Srikanta Sena.
TEXT 64
prabhu-priya govindananda mahabhagavata
prabhura kirtaniya adi sri-govinda datta
SYNONYMS
prabhu-priya--the most dear to the Lord; govindananda--of the name Govindananda; maha-bhagavata--great devotee; prabhura--of the Lord; kirtaniya--performer of kirtana; adi--originally; sri-govinda datta--of the name of Sri Govinda Datta.
TRANSLATION
Govindananda and Govinda Datta, the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth branches of the tree, were performers of kirtana in the company of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Govinda Datta was the principal singer in Lord Caitanya's kirtana party.
PURPORT
Govinda Datta appeared in the village of Sukhacara near Khadadaha.
sri-vijaya-dasa--of the name Sri Vijaya dasa; nama--name; prabhura--of the Lord; akhariya--chief singer; prabhure--unto the Lord; aneka--many; punthi--literatures; diyache--has given; likhiya--by writing.
TRANSLATION
Sri Vijaya dasa, the twenty-seventh branch, another of the Lord's chief singers, gave the Lord many books written by hand.
PURPORT
Formerly there were no printing presses or printed books. All books were handwritten. Precious books were kept in manuscript form in temples or important places, and anyone who was interested in a book had to copy it by hand. Vijaya dasa was a professional writer who copied many manuscripts and gave them to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 66
'ratnabahu' bali' prabhu thuila tanra nama
akincana prabhura priya krsnadasa-nama
SYNONYMS
ratnabahu--the title Ratnabahu; bali'--calling him; prabhu--the Lord; thuila--kept; tanra--his; nama--name; akincana--unalloyed; prabhura--of the Lord; priya--dear; krsnadasa--of the name Krsnadasa; nama--name.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave Vijaya dasa the name Ratnabahu ["jewel-handed"] because he copied many manuscripts for Him. The twenty-eighth branch was Krsnadasa, who was very dear to the Lord. He was known as Akincana Krsnadasa.
PURPORT
Akincana means "one who possesses nothing in this world."
TEXT 67
khola-veca sridhara prabhura priya-dasa
yanha-sane prabhu kare nitya parihasa
SYNONYMS
khola-veca--a person who sells the bark of banana trees; sridhara--Sridhara Prabhu; prabhura--of the Lord; priya-dasa--very dear servant; yanha-sane--with whom; prabhu--the Lord; kare--does; nitya--daily; parihasa--joking.
TRANSLATION
The twenty-ninth branch was Sridhara, a trader in banana-tree bark. He was a very dear servant of the Lord. On many occasions, the Lord played jokes on him.
PURPORT
Sridhara was a poor brahmana who made a living by selling banana-tree bark to be made into cups. Most probably he had a banana-tree garden and collected the leaves, skin and pulp of the banana trees to sell daily in the market. He spent fifty percent of his income to worship the Ganges, and the balance he used for his subsistence. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu started His civil disobedience movement in defiance of the Kazi, Sridhara danced in jubilation.The Lord used to drink water from his water jug. Sridhara presented a squash to Sacidevi to cook before Lord Caitanya took sannyasa. Every year he went to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri. According to Kavi-karnapura, Sridhara was a cowherd boy of Vrndavana whose name was Kusumasava. In his Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 133, it is stated:
khola-vecataya khyatah
panditah sridharo dvijah
asid vraje hasya-karo
yo namna kusumasavah
"The cowherd boy known as Kusumasava in krsna-lila later became Kholaveca Sridhara during Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lila at Navadvipa."
prabhu--the Lord; yanra--whose; nitya--daily; laya--takes; thoda--the pulp of the banana tree; moca--the flowers of the banana tree; phala--the fruits of the banana tree; yanra--whose; phuta--broken; lauha-patre--in the iron pot; prabhu--the Lord; pila--drank; jala--water.
TRANSLATION
Every day Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu jokingly snatched fruits, flowers and pulp from Sridhara and drank from his broken iron pot.
prabhura--of the Lord; atipriya--very dear; dasa--servant; bhagavan pandita--of the name Bhagavan Pandita; yanra--whose; dehe--in the body; krsna--Lord Krsna; purve--previously; haila--became; adhisthita--established.
TRANSLATION
The thirtieth branch was Bhagavan Pandita. He was an extremely dear servant of the Lord, but even previously he was a great devotee of Lord Krsna who always kept the Lord within his heart.
jagadisa pandita--of the name Jagadisa Pandita; ara--and; hiranya--of the name Hiranya; mahasaya--great personality; yare--unto whom; krpa--mercy; kaila--showed; balye--in childhood; prabhu--the Lord; dayamaya--merciful.
TRANSLATION
The thirty-first branch was Jagadisa Pandita, and the thirty-second was Hiranya Mahasaya, unto whom Lord Caitanya in His childhood showed His causeless mercy.
PURPORT
Jagadisa Pandita was formerly a great dancer in krsna-lila and was known as Candrahasa. Regarding Hiranya Pandita, it is said that once when Lord Nityananda, decorated with valuable jewels, was staying at his home, a great thief attempted all night long to plunder these jewels but was unsuccessful. Later he came to Nityananda Prabhu and surrendered unto Him.
TEXT 71
ei dui-ghare prabhu ekadasi dine
visnura naivedya magi' khaila apane
SYNONYMS
ei dui-ghare--in these two houses; prabhu--the Lord; ekadasi dine--on the Ekadasi day; visnura--of Lord Visnu; naivedya--food offered to Lord Visnu; magi'--begging; khaila--ate; apane--personally.
TRANSLATION
In their two houses Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu begged food on the Ekadasi day and personally ate it.
PURPORT
The injunction to fast on Ekadasi is especially meant for devotees; on Ekadasi there are no restrictions regarding food that may be offered to the Lord. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took the food of Lord Visnu in His ecstasy as visnu-tattva.
TEXT 72
prabhura paduya dui,----purusottama, sanjaya
vyakarane dui sisya----dui mahasaya
SYNONYMS
prabhura paduya dui--the Lord's two students; purusottama--of the name Purusottama; sanjaya--of the name Sanjaya; vyakarane--studying grammar; dui sisya--two disciples; dui mahasaya--very great personalities.
TRANSLATION
The thirty-third and thirty-fourth branches were the two students of Caitanya Mahaprabhu named Purusottama and Sanjaya, who were stalwart students in grammar. They were very great personalities.
PURPORT
These two students were inhabitants of Navadvipa and were the Lord's first companions in the sankirtana movement. According to the Caitanya-bhagavata, Purusottama Sanjaya was the son of Mukunda Sanjaya, but the author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta has clarified that Purusottama and Sanjaya were two people, not one.
TEXT 73
vanamali pandita sakha vikhyata jagate
sonara musala hala dekhila prabhura hate
SYNONYMS
vanamali pandita--of the name Vanamali Pandita; sakha--the next branch; vikhyata--celebrated; jagate--in the world; sonara--made of gold; musala--club; hala--plow; dekhila--saw; prabhura--of the Lord; hate--in the hand.
TRANSLATION
Vanamali Pandita, the thirty-fifth branch of the tree, was very celebrated in this world. He saw a golden club and plow in the hands of the Lord.
PURPORT
Vanamali Pandita saw Lord Caitanya in the ecstasy of Balarama. This is described vividly in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Nine.
TEXT 74
sri-caitanyera ati priya buddhimanta khan
ajanma ajnakari tenho sevaka-pradhana
SYNONYMS
sri-caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ati priya--very dear; buddhimanta khan--of the name Buddhimanta Khan; ajanma--from the very beginning of his life; ajna-kari--follower of the orders; tenho--he; sevaka--servant; pradhana--chief.
TRANSLATION
The thirty-sixth branch, Buddhimanta Khan, was extremely dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was always prepared to carry out the Lord's orders, and therefore he was considered a chief servant of the Lord.
PURPORT
Sri Buddhimanta Khan was one of the inhabitants of Navadvipa. He was very rich, and it is he who arranged for the marriage of Lord Caitanya with Visnupriya, the daughter of Sanatana Misra, who was the priest of the local Zamindar. He personally defrayed all the expenditures for the marriage ceremony. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was attacked by vayu-vyadhi (derangement of the air within the body) Buddhimanta Khan paid for all requisite medicines and treatments to cure the Lord. He was the Lord's constant companion in the kirtana movement. He collected ornaments for the Lord when He played the part of the goddess of fortune in the house of Candrasekhara Acarya. He also went to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He was staying at Jagannatha Puri.
TEXT 75
garuda pandita laya srinama-mangala
nama-bale visa yanre na karila bala
SYNONYMS
garuda pandita--of the name Garuda Pandita; laya--takes; sri-nama-mangala--the auspicious Hare Krsna maha-mantra; nama-bale--by the strength of this chanting; visa--poison; yanre--whom; na--did not; karila--affect; bala--strength.
TRANSLATION
Garuda Pandita, the thirty-seventh branch of the tree, always engaged in chanting the auspicious name of the Lord. Because of the strength of this chanting, even the effects of poison could not touch him.
PURPORT
Garuda Pandita was once bitten by a poisonous snake, but the snake's poison could not affect him because of his chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
gopinatha simha--of the name of Gopinatha Simha; eka--one; caitanyera dasa--servant of Lord Caitanya; akrura bali'--famous as Akrura; prabhu--the Lord; yanre--whom; kaila--did; parihasa--joking.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Simha, the thirty-eighth branch of the tree, was a faithful servant of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord jokingly addressed him as Akrura.
PURPORT
Actually he was Akrura, as stated in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 117.
bhagavati devananda--Devananda, who used to recite Srimad-Bhagavatam; vakresvara-krpate--by the mercy of Vakresvara; bhagavatera--of Srimad-Bhagavatam; bhakti-artha--the bhakti interpretation; paila--got; prabhu haite--from the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Devananda Pandita was a professional reciter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but by the mercy of Vakresvara Pandita and the grace of the Lord he understood the devotional interpretation of the Bhagavatam.
PURPORT
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya-lila, Chapter Twenty-one, it is stated that Devananda Pandita and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya's father, Visarada, lived in the same village. Devananda Pandita was a professional reciter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not like his interpretation of it. In the present town of Navadvipa, which was formerly known as Kuliya, Lord Caitanya showed such mercy to him that he gave up the Mayavadi interpretation of Srimad-Bhagavatam and learned how to explain Srimad-Bhagavatam in terms of bhakti. Formerly, when Devananda was expounding the Mayavadi interpretation, Srivasa Thakura was once present in his meeting, and when he began to cry, Devananda's students drove him away. Some days later, Caitanya Mahaprabhu passed that way, and when He met Devananda He chastised him severely because of his Mayavada interpretation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. At that time Devananda had little faith in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as an incarnation of Lord Krsna, but one night some time later Vakresvara Pandita was a guest in his house, and when he explained the science of Krsna, Devananda was convinced about the identity of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus he was induced to explain Srimad-Bhagavatam according to the Vaisnava understanding In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 106, it is described that he was formerly Bhaguri Muni, who was the sabha-pandita who recited Vedic literature in the house of Nanda Maharaja.
ei saba mahasakha----caitanya-krpadhama
prema-phala-phula kare yahan tahan dana
SYNONYMS
khanda-vasi mukunda-dasa--of the name Mukunda dasa; sri-raghunandana--of the name Raghunandana; narahari-dasa--of the name Narahari dasa; ciranjiva--of the name Ciranjiva; sulocana--of the name Sulocana; ei saba--all of them; maha-sakha--great branches; caitanya-krpa-dhama--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the reservoir of mercy; prema--love of God; phala--fruit; phula--flower; kare--does; yahan--anywhere; tahan--everywhere; dana--distribution.
TRANSLATION
Sri Khandavasi Mukunda and his son Raghunandana were the thirty-ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Ciranjiva the forty-first and Sulocana the forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-merciful tree of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere.
Sri Mukunda dasa was the son of Narayana dasa and eldest brother of Narahari Sarakara. His second brother's name was Madhava dasa, and his son was named Raghunandana dasa. Descendants of Raghunandana dasa still live four miles west of Katwa in the village named Srikhanda, where Raghunandana dasa used to live. Raghunandana had one son named Kanai, who had two sons--Madana Raya, who was a disciple of Narahari Thakura, and Vamsivadana. It is estimated that at least four hundred men descended in this dynasty. All their names are recorded in the village known as Srikhanda. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 175, it is stated that the gopi whose name was Vrndadevi became Mukunda dasa, lived in Srikhanda village and was very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His wonderful devotion and love for Krsna are described in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Chapter Fifteen. It is stated in the Bhakti-ratnakara (Eighth Wave), that Raghunandana used to serve a Deity of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Narahari dasa Sarakara was a very famous devotee. Locana dasa Thakura, the celebrated author of Sri Caitanya-mangala, was his disciple. In the Caitanya-mangala it is stated that Sri Gadadhara dasa and Narahari Sarakara were extremely dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but there is no specific statement regarding the inhabitants of the village of Srikhanda.
Ciranjiva and Sulocana were both residents of Srikhanda, where their descendants are still living. Of Ciranjiva's two sons, the elder, Ramacandra Kaviraja, was a disciple of Srinivasacarya and an intimate associate of Narottama dasa Thakura. The younger son was Govinda dasa Kaviraja, the famous Vaisnava poet. Ciranjiva's wife was Sunanda, and his father-in-law was Damodara Sena Kaviraja. Ciranjiva previously lived on the bank of the Ganges River in the village of Kumaranagara. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 207, states that he was formerly Candrika in Vrndavana.
kulina-grama-vasi--the inhabitants of Kulina-grama; satyaraja--of the name Satyaraja; ramananda--of the name Ramananda; yadunatha--of the name Yadunatha; purusottama--of the name Purusottama; sankara--of the name Sankara; vidyananda--of the name Vidyananda.
TRANSLATION
Satyaraja, Ramananda, Yadunatha, Purusottama, Sankara and Vidyananda all belonged to the twentieth branch. They were inhabitants of the village known as Kulina-grama.
TEXT 81
vaninatha vasu adi yata grami jana
sabei caitanya-bhrtya,----caitanya-pranadhana
SYNONYMS
vaninatha vasu--of the name Vaninatha Vasu; adi--heading the list; yata--all; grami--of the village; jana--inhabitants; sabei--all of them; caitanya-bhrtya--servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; caitanya-prana-dhana--their life and soul was Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
All the inhabitants of Kulina-grama village, headed by Vaninatha Vasu, were servants of Lord Caitanya, who was their only life and wealth.
TEXT 82
prabhu kahe, kulinagramera ye haya kukkura
sei mora priya, anya jana rahu dura
SYNONYMS
prabhu--the Lord; kahe--says; kulina-gramera--of the village of Kulina-grama; ye--anyone who; haya--becomes; kukkura--even a dog; sei--he; mora--My; priya--dear; anya--others; jana--persons; rahu--let them remain; dura--away.
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, "What to speak of others, even a dog in the village of Kulina-grama is My dear friend."
TEXT 83
kulinagramira bhagya kahane na yaya
sukara caraya doma, seha krsna gaya
"No one can describe the fortunate position of Kulina-grama. It is so sublime that even sweepers who tend their hogs there also chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."
TEXT 84
anupama-vallabha, sri-rupa, sanatana
ei tina sakha vrksera pascime sarvottama
SYNONYMS
anupama--of the name Anupama; vallabha--of the name Vallabha; sri-rupa--of the name Sri Rupa; sanatana--of the name Sanatana; ei--these; tina--three; sakha--branches; vrksera--of the tree; pascime--on the western side; sarvottama--very great.
TRANSLATION
On the western side were the forty-third, forty-fourth and forty-fifth branches--Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa and Anupama. They were the best of all.
PURPORT
Sri Anupama was the father of Srila Jiva Gosvami and youngest brother of Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Sri Rupa Gosvami. His former name was Vallabha, but after Lord Caitanya met him He gave him the name Anupama. Because of working in the Muslim government, these three brothers were given the title Mullik. Our personal family is connected with the Mulliks of Mahatma Gandhi Road in Calcutta, and we often used to visit their Radha-Govinda temple. They belong to the same family as we do. (Our family gotra, or original genealogical line, is the Gautama-gotra, or line of disciples of Gautama Muni, and our surname is De.) But due to their accepting the posts of Zamindars in the Muslim government, they received the title Mullik. Similarly, Rupa, Sanatana and Vallabha were also given the title Mullik. Mullik means "lord." Just as the English government gives rich and respectable persons the title "lord," so the Muslims give the title Mullik to rich, respectable families that have intimate connections with the government. The title Mullik is found not only among the Hindu aristocracy but also among Muslims. This title is not restricted to a particular family but is given to different families and castes. The qualifications for receiving it are wealth and respectability.
Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami belonged to the Bharadvaja-gotra, which indicates that they belonged either to the family or disciplic succession of Bharadvaja Muni. As members of the Krsna consciousness movement we belong to the family, or disciplic succession, of Sarasvati Gosvami, and thus we are known as Sarasvatas. Obeisances are therefore offered to the spiritual master as sarasvata-deva, or a member of the Sarasvata family (namas te sarasvate deve), whose mission is to broadcast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (gaura-vani-pracarine) and to fight with impersonalists and voidists (nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine). This was also the occupational duty of Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami and Anupama Gosvami.
The genealogical table of Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami and Vallabha Gosvami can be traced back to the twelfth century sakabda, when a gentleman of the name Sarvajna appeared in a very rich and opulent brahmana family in the province of Karnata. He had two sons, named Aniruddhera Rupesvara and Harihara, who were both bereft of their kingdoms and thus obliged to reside in the highlands. The son of Rupesvara, who was named Padmanabha, moved to a place in Bengal known as Naihati on the bank of the Ganges. There he had five sons, of whom the youngest, Mukunda, had a well-behaved son named Kumaradeva, who was the father of Rupa, Sanatana and Vallabha. Kumaradeva lived in Baklacandradvipa, which was in the district of Jessore and is now known as Phateyabad. Of his many sons, three took to the path of Vaisnavism. Later, Sri Vallabha and his elder brothers Sri Rupa and Sanatana came from Candradvipa to the village in the Maldah district of Bengal known as Ramakeli. It is in this village that Srila Jiva Gosvami took birth, accepting Vallabha as his father. Because of engaging in the service of the Muslim government, the three brothers received the title Mullik. When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited the village of Ramakeli, He met Vallabha there. Later, Sri Rupa Gosvami, after meeting Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, resigned from government service, and when he went to Vrndavana to meet Lord Caitanya, Vallabha accompanied him. The meeting of Rupa Gosvami and Vallabha with Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Allahabad is described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Nineteen.
Actually, it is to be understood from the statement of Sanatana Gosvami that Sri Rupa Gosvami and Vallabha went to Vrndavana under the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. First they went to Mathura, where they met a gentleman named Subuddhi Raya, who maintained himself by selling dry fuel wood. He was very pleased to meet Sri Rupa Gosvami and Anupama, and he showed them the twelve forests of Vrndavana. Thus they lived in Vrndavana for one month and then again went to search for Sanatana Gosvami. Following the course of the Ganges, they reached Allahabad, or Prayaga-tirtha, but because Sanatana Gosvami had come there by a different road, they did not meet him there, and when Sanatana Gosvami came to Mathura he was informed of the visit of Rupa Gosvami and Anupama by Subuddhi Raya. When Rupa Gosvami and Anupama met Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Benares, they heard about Sanatana Gosvami's travels from Him, and thus they returned to Bengal, adjusted their affairs with the state and, on the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, went to see the Lord at Jagannatha Puri.
In the year 1436 sakabda (A.D. 1515), the youngest brother, Anupama, died and went back home, back to Godhead. He went to the abode in the spiritual sky where Sri Ramacandra is situated. At Jagannatha Puri, Sri Rupa Gosvami informed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu of this incident. Vallabha was a great devotee of Sri Ramacandra; therefore he could not seriously consider the worship of Radha-Govinda according to the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yet he directly accepted Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Ramacandra. In the Bhakti-ratnakara there is the following statement: "Vallabha was given the name Anupama by Sri Gaurasundara, but he was always absorbed in the devotional service of Lord Ramacandra. He did not know anyone but Sri Ramacandra, but he knew that Caitanya Gosani was the same Lord Ramacandra."
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (180) Sri Rupa Gosvami is described to be the gopi named Sri Rupa-manjari. In the Bhakti-ratnakara there is a list of the books Sri Rupa Gosvami compiled. Of all his books, the following sixteen are very popular among Vaisnavas: (1) Hamsaduta, (2) Uddhava-sandesa, (3) Krsna-janma-tithi-vidhi, (4 and 5) Radha-krsna-ganoddesa-dipika, Brhat (major) and Laghu (minor), (6) Stavamala, (7) Vidagdha-madhava, (8) Lalita-madhava, (9) Dana-keli-kaumudi, (10) Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (this is the most celebrated book by Sri Rupa Gosvami), (11) Ujjvala-nilamani, (12) Akhyata-candrika, (13) Mathura-mahima, (14) Padyavali, (15) Nataka-candrika and (16) Laghu-bhagavatamrta. Sri Rupa Gosvami gave up all family connections, joined the renounced order of life and divided his money, giving fifty percent to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas and twenty-five percent to his kutumba (family members) and keeping twenty-five percent for personal emergencies. He met Haridasa Thakura in Jagannatha Puri, where he also met Lord Caitanya and His other associates. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to praise the handwriting of Rupa Gosvami. Srila Rupa Gosvami could compose verses according to the desires of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and by His direction he wrote two books named Lalita-madhava and Vidagdha-madhava. Lord Caitanya desired the two brothers, Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami, to publish many books in support of the Vaisnava religion. When Sanatana Gosvami met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord advised him also to go to Vrndavana.
Sri Sanatana Gosvami is described in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (181). He was formerly known as Rati-manjari or sometimes Lavanga-manjari. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it is stated that his spiritual master, Vidyavacaspati, sometimes stayed in the village of Ramakeli, and Sanatana Gosvami studied all the Vedic literature from him. He was so devoted to his spiritual master that this cannot be described. According to the Vedic system, if someone sees a Muslim he must perform rituals to atone for the meeting. Sanatana Gosvami always associated with Muslim kings. Not giving much attention to the Vedic injunctions, he used to visit the houses of Muslim kings, and thus he considered himself to have been converted into a Muslim. He was therefore always very humble and meek. When Sanatana Gosvami presented himself before Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he admitted, "I am always in association with lower-class people, and my behavior is therefore very abominable." He actually belonged to a respectable brahmana family, but because he considered his behavior to be abominable, he did not try to place himself among the brahmanas but always remained among people of the lower castes. He wrote the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and Vaisnava-tosani, which is a commentary on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the year 1476 sakabda (A.D. 1555) he completed the Brhad-vaisnava-tosani commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the year 1504 sakabda (A.D. 1583) he finished the Laghu-tosani.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught His principles through four chief followers. Among them, Ramananda Raya is exceptional, for through him the Lord taught how a devotee can completely vanquish the power of Cupid. By Cupid's power, as soon as one sees a beautiful woman he is conquered by her beauty. Sri Ramananda Raya, however, vanquished Cupid's pride. Indeed, while rehearsing the Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka he personally directed extremely beautiful young girls in dancing, but he was never affected by their youthful beauty. Sri Ramananda Raya personally bathed these girls, touching them and washing them with his own hands, yet he remained calm and passionless, as a great devotee should be. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu certified that this was possible only for Ramananda Raya. Similarly, Damodara Pandita was notable for his objectivity as a critic. He did not even spare Caitanya Mahaprabhu from his criticism. This also cannot be imitated by anyone else. Haridasa Thakura is exceptional for his forbearance because although he was beaten with canes in twenty-two marketplaces, nevertheless he was tolerant. Similarly, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, although he belonged to a most respectable brahmana family, was exceptional for his humility and meekness.
In the Madhya-lila, Chapter Nineteen, the device adopted by Sanatana Gosvami to get free from the government service is described. He served a notice of sickness to the Nawab, the Moslem governer, but actually he was studying Srimad-Bhagavatam with brahmanas at home. The Nawab received information of this through a royal physician, and he immediately went to see Sanatana Gosvami to discover his intentions. The Nawab requested Sanatana to accompany him on an expedition to Orissa, but when Sanatana Gosvami refused, the Nawab ordered that he be imprisoned. When Rupa Gosvami left home, he wrote a note for Sanatana Gosvami informing him of some money that he had entrusted to a local grocer. Sanatana Gosvami took advantage of this money to bribe the jail keeper and get free from detention. Then he left for Benares to meet Caitanya Mahaprabhu, bringing with him only one servant, whose name was Isana. On the way they stopped at a sarai, or hotel, and when the hotel keeper found out that Isana had some gold coins with him, he planned to kill both Sanatana Gosvami and Isana to take away the coins. Later Sanatana Gosvami saw that although the hotel keeper did not know them, he was being especially attentive to their comfort. Therefore he concluded that Isana was secretly carrying some money and that the hotel keeper was aware of this and therefore planned to kill them for it. Upon being questioned by Sanatana Gosvami, Isana admitted that he indeed had money with him, and immediately Sanatana Gosvami took the money and gave it to the hotel keeper, requesting him to help them get though the jungle. Thus with the help of the hotel keeper, who was also the chief of the thieves of that territory, he crossed over the Hazipur mountains, which are presently known as the Hazaribags. He then met his brother-in-law Srikanta, who requested that he stay with him. Sanatana Gosvami refused, but before they parted Srikanta gave him a valuable blanket.
Somehow or other Sanatana Gosvami reached Varanasi and met Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at the house of Candrasekhara. By the order of the Lord, Sanatana Gosvami was cleanly shaved and his dress changed to that of a mendicant, or babaji. He put on old garments of Tapana Misra and took prasada at the house of a Maharashtran brahmana. Then, in discourses with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord Himself explained everything about devotional service to Sanatana Gosvami. He advised Sanatana Gosvami to write books on devotional service, including a book of directions for Vaisnava activities, and to excavate the lost places of pilgrimage in Vrndavana. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him His blessings to do all this work and also explained to Sanatana Gosvami the import of the atmarama verse from sixty-one different angles of vision.
Sanatana Gosvami went to Vrndavana by the main road, and when he reached Mathura he met Subuddhi Raya. Then he returned to Jagannatha Puri through Jharikhanda, the Uttar Pradesh jungle. At Jagannatha Puri he decided to give up his body by falling down beneath a wheel of the Jagannatha ratha, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu saved him. Then Sanatana Gosvami met Haridasa Thakura and heard about the disappearance of Anupama. Sanatana Gosvami later described the glories of Haridasa Thakura. Sanatana observed the etiquette of Jagannatha's temple by going through the beach to visit Lord Caitanya, although it was extremely hot due to the sun. He requested Jagadananda Pandita to give him permission to return to Vrndavana. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu praised the character of Sanatana Gosvami, and He embraced Sanatana, accepting his body as spiritual. Sanatana Gosvami was ordered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to live at Jagannatha Puri for one year. When he returned to Vrndavana after many years, he again met Rupa Gosvami, and both brothers remained in Vrndavana to execute the orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
The place where Sri Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami formerly lived has now become a place of pilgrimage. It is generally known as Gupta Vrndavana, or hidden Vrndavana, and is situated about eight miles south of English Bazaar. There the following places are still visited: (1) the temple of Sri Madana-mohana Deity, (2) the Keli-kadamba tree under which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Sanatana Gosvami at night and (3) Rupasagara, a large pond excavated by Sri Rupa Gosvami. A society named Ramakeli-samskara-samiti was established in 1924 to repair the temple and renovate the pond.
tanra--within that; madhye--in the midst of; rupa-sanatana--the branch known as Rupa-Sanatana; bada sakha--the big branch; anupama--of the name Anupama; jiva--of the name Jiva; rajendra-adi--and Rajendra and others; upasakha--their subbranches.
TRANSLATION
Among these branches, Rupa and Sanatana were principal. Anupama, Jiva Gosvami and others, headed by Rajendra, were their subbranches.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 195, it is said that Srila Jiva Gosvami was formerly Vilasa-manjari gopi. From his very childhood Jiva Gosvami was greatly fond of Srimad-Bhagavatam. He later came to Navadvipa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvipa-dhama. After visiting Navadvipa-dhama he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusudana Vacaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vrndavana and took shelter of his uncles, Sri Rupa and Sanatana. This is described in the Bhakti-ratnakara. As far as our information goes, Srila Jiva Gosvami composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-namamrta-vyakarana, (2) Sutra-malika, (3) Dhatu-sangraha, (4) Krsnarca-dipika, (5) Gopala-virudavali, (6) Rasamrta-sesa, (7) Sri Madhava-mahotsava, (8) Sri Sankalpa-kalpavrksa, (9) Bhavartha-sucaka-campu, (10) Gopala-tapani-tika, (11) a commentary on the Brahma-samhita, (12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nilamani, (14) a commentary on the Yogasara-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gayatri-mantra, as described in the Agni Purana, (16) a description of the Lord's lotus feet derived from the Padma Purana, (17) a description of the lotus feet of Srimati Radharani, (18) Gopala-campu (in two parts) and (19-25) seven sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramatma-, Krsna-, Bhakti- and Priti-sandarbha. After the disappearance of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami in Vrndavana, Srila Jiva Gosvami became the acarya of all the Vaisnavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service. In Vrndavana he established the Radha-Damodara temple, where we had the opportunity to live and retire until the age of sixty-five, when we decided to come to the United States of America. When Jiva Gosvami was still present, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami compiled his famous Caitanya-caritamrta. Later, Srila Jiva Gosvami inspired Srinivasa Acarya, Narottama dasa Thakura and Duhkhi Krsnadasa to preach Krsna consciousness in Bengal. Jiva Gosvami was informed that all the manuscripts that had been collected from Vrndavana and sent to Bengal for preaching purposes were plundered near Visnupura, in Bengal, but later he received the information that the books had been recovered. Sri Jiva Gosvami awarded the designation Kaviraja to Ramacandra Sena, a disciple of Srinivasa Acarya's, and to Ramacandra's younger brother Govinda. While Jiva Gosvami was alive, Srimati Jahnavi-devi, the pleasure potency of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, went to Vrndavana with a few devotees. Jiva Gosvami was very kind to the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the Vaisnavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vrndavana he provided with a residence and prasada. His disciple Krsnadasa Adhikari listed all the books of the Gosvamis in his diary.
The sahajiyas level three accusations against Srila Jiva Gosvami. This is certainly not congenial for the execution of devotional service. The first accusation concerns a materialist who was very proud of his reputation as a great Sanskrit scholar and approached Sri Rupa and Sanatana to argue with them about the revealed scriptures. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, not wanting to waste their time, gave him a written statement that he had defeated them in a debate on the revealed scriptures. Taking this paper, the scholar approached Jiva Gosvami for a similar certificate of defeat, but Jiva Gosvami did not agree to give him one. On the contrary, he argued with him regarding the scriptures and defeated him. Certainly it was right for Jiva Gosvami to stop such a dishonest scholar from advertising that he had defeated Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, but due to their illiteracy the sahajiya class refer to this incident to accuse Srila Jiva Gosvami of deviating from the principle of humility. They do not know, however, that humility and meekness are appropriate when one's own honor is insulted but not when Lord Visnu or the acaryas are blasphemed. In such cases one should not be humble and meek but must act. One should follow the example given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Caitanya says in His Siksastaka (3):
trnad api sunicena
taror ivasahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
"One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." Nevertheless, when the Lord was informed that Nityananda Prabhu was injured by Jagai and Madhai, He immediately went to the spot, angry like fire, wanting to kill them. Thus Lord Caitanya has explained His verse by the example of His own behavior. One should tolerate insults against oneself, but when there is blasphemy committed against superiors such as other Vaisnavas, one should be neither humble nor meek; one must take proper steps to counteract such blasphemy. This is the duty of a servant of a guru and Vaisnavas. Anyone who understands the principle of eternal servitude to the guru and Vaisnavas will appreciate the action of Sri Jiva Gosvami in connection with the so-called scholar's victory over his gurus, Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvami.
Another story fabricated to defame Srila Jiva Gosvami states that after compiling Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami showed the manuscript to Jiva Gosvami, who thought that it would hamper his reputation as a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was greatly shocked, and he died immediately. Fortunately a copy of the manuscript of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta had been kept by a person named Mukunda, and therefore later it was possible to publish the book. This story is another ignominious example of blasphemy against a guru and Vaisnava. Such a story should never be accepted as authoritative.
According to another accusation, Srila Jiva Gosvami did not approve of the principles of the parakiya-rasa of Vraja-dhama and therefore supported svakiya-rasa, showing that Radha and Krsna are eternally married. Actually, when Jiva Gosvami was alive, some of his followers disliked the parakiya-rasa of the gopis. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami, for their spiritual benefit, supported svakiya-rasa, for he could understand that sahajiyas would otherwise exploit the parakiya-rasa, as they are actually doing at the present. Unfortunately, in Vrndavana and Navadvipa it has become fashionable among sahajiyas, in their debauchery, to find an unmarried sexual partner to live with to execute so-called devotional service in parakiya-rasa. Foreseeing this, Srila Jiva Gosvami supported svakiya-rasa, and later all the Vaisnava acaryas also approved of it. Srila Jiva Gosvami was never opposed to the transcendental parakiya-rasa, nor has any other Vaisnava disapproved of it. Srila Jiva Gosvami strictly followed his predecessor gurus and Vaisnavas, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami accepted him as one of his instructor gurus.
TEXT 86
malira icchaya sakha bahuta badila
badiya pascima desa saba acchadila
SYNONYMS
malira icchaya--on the desire of the gardener; sakha--branches; bahuta--many; badila--expanded; badiya--so expanding; pascima--western; desa--countries; saba--all; acchadila--covered.
TRANSLATION
By the will of the supreme gardener, the branches of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami grew many times over, expanding throughout the western countries and covering the entire region.
TEXT 87
a-sindhunadi-tira ara himalaya
vrndavana-mathuradi yata tirtha haya
SYNONYMS
a-sindhu-nadi--to the border of the river Sindhu; tira--border; ara--and; himalaya--the Himalayan Mountains; vrndavana--of the name Vrndavana; mathura--of the name Mathura; adi--heading the list; yata--all; tirtha--places of pilgrimage; haya--there are.
TRANSLATION
Extending to the borders of the river Sindhu and the Himalayan Mountain valleys, these two branches expanded throughout India, including all the places of pilgrimage, such as Vrndavana, Mathura and Haridvara.
TEXT 88
dui sakhara prema-phale sakala bhasila
prema-phalasvade loka unmatta ha-ila
SYNONYMS
dui sakhara--of the two branches; prema-phale--by the fruit of love of Godhead; sakala--all; bhasila--became overflooded; prema-phala--the fruit of love of Godhead; asvade--by tasting; loka--all people; unmatta--maddened; ha-ila--became.
TRANSLATION
The fruits of love of Godhead which fructified on these two branches were distributed in abundance. Tasting these fruits, everyone became mad after them.
TEXT 89
pascimera loka saba mudha anacara
tahan pracarila donhe bhakti-sadacara
SYNONYMS
pascimera--on the western side; loka--people in general; saba--all; mudha--less intelligent; anacara--not well behaved; tahan--there; pracarila--preached; donhe--Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami; bhakti--devotional service; sad-acara--good behavior.
TRANSLATION
The people in general on the western side of India were neither intelligent nor well behaved, but by the influence of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami they were trained in devotional service and good behavior.
PURPORT
Although it is not only in western India that people were contaminated by association with Muslims, it is a fact that the farther west one goes in India the more he will find the people to be fallen from the Vedic culture. Even until five thousand years ago, when the entire planet was under the control of Maharaja Pariksit, the Vedic culture was current everywhere. Gradually, however, people were influenced by non-Vedic culture, and they lost sight of how to behave in connection with devotional service. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami very kindly preached the bhakti cult in western India, and following in their footsteps the propagators of the Caitanya cult in the Western countries are spreading the sankirtana movement and inculcating the principles of Vaisnava behavior, thus purifying and reforming many persons who were previously accustomed to the culture of mlecchas and yavanas. All of our devotees in the Western countries give up their old habits of illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. Of course, five hundred years ago these practices were unknown in India--at least in eastern India--but unfortunately at present all of India has been victimized by these non-Vedic principles, which are sometimes even supported by the government.
sastra-drstye--according to the directions of revealed scriptures; kaila--did; lupta--forgotten; tirthera--places of pilgrimage; uddhara--excavation; vrndavane--in Vrndavana; kaila--did; sri-murti--Deity; sevara--of worship; pracara--propagation.
TRANSLATION
In accordance with the directions of the revealed scriptures, both Gosvamis excavated the lost places of pilgrimage and inaugurated the worship of Deities in Vrndavana.
PURPORT
The spot where we now find Sri Radha-kunda was an agricultural field during the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. A small reservoir of water was there, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed in that water and pointed out that originally Radha-kunda existed in that location. Following His directions, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami renovated Radha-kunda. This is one of the brilliant examples of how the Gosvamis excavated lost places of pilgrimage. Similarly, it is through the endeavor of the Gosvamis that all the important temples at Vrndavana were established. Originally there were seven important Gaudiya Vaisnava temples established in Vrndavana, namely, the Madana-mohana temple, Govinda temple, Gopinatha temple, Sri Radharamana temple, Radha-Syamasundara temple, Radha-Damodara temple and Gokulananda temple.
mahaprabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; priya--very dear; bhrtya--servant; raghunatha-dasa--Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; sarva tyaji'--renouncing everything; kaila--did; prabhura--of the Lord; pada-tale--under the shelter of the lotus feet; vasa--habitation.
TRANSLATION
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, the forty-sixth branch of the tree, was one of the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He left all his material possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at His lotus feet.
PURPORT
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was most probably born in the year 1416 sakabda (A.D. 1495) in a kayastha family as the son of Govardhana Majumdara, who was the younger brother of the then Zamindar, Hiranya Majumdara. The village where he took birth is known as Sri Krsnapura. On the railway line between Calcutta and Burdwan is a station named Trisabagha, and about one and a half miles away is the village of Sri Krsnapura, where the parental home of Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was situated. A temple of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda is still there. In front of the temple is a large open area but no large hall for meetings. However, a rich Calcutta gentleman named Haricarana Ghosa, who resided in the Simla quarter, recently repaired the temple. The entire temple compound is surrounded by walls, and in a small room just to the side of the temple is a small platform on which Raghunatha dasa Gosvami used to worship the Deity. By the side of the temple is the dying River Sarasvati.
The forefathers of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami were all Vaisnavas and were very rich men. His spiritual master at home was Yadunandana Acarya. Although Raghunatha dasa was a family man, he had no attachment for his estate and wife. Seeing his tendency to leave home, his father and uncle engaged special bodyguards to watch over him, but nevertheless he managed to escape their vigilance and went away to Jagannatha Puri to meet Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This incident took place in the year 1439 sakabda (A.D. 1518). Raghunatha dasa Gosvami compiled three books, named Stava-mala (or Stavavali), Dana-carita and Muktacarita. He lived a long time. For most of his life he resided at Radha-kunda. The place where Raghunatha dasa Gosvami performed his devotional service still exists by Radha-kunda. He almost completely gave up eating, and therefore he was very skinny and of weak health. His only concern was to chant the holy name of the Lord. He gradually reduced his sleeping until he was almost not sleeping at all. It is said that his eyes were always full of tears. When Srinivasa Acarya went to see Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, the Gosvami blessed him by embracing him. Srinivasa Acarya requested his blessings for preaching in Bengal, and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami granted them. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (186) it is stated that Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Rasa-manjari. Sometimes it is said that he was Rati-manjari.
TEXT 92
prabhu samarpila tanre svarupera hate
prabhura gupta-seva kaila svarupera sathe
SYNONYMS
prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; samarpila--handed over; tanre--him; svarupera--Svarupa Damodara; hate--to the hand; prabhura--of the Lord; gupta-seva--confidential service; kaila--did; svarupera--Svarupa Damodara; sathe--with.
TRANSLATION
When Raghunatha dasa Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, the Lord entrusted him to the care of Svarupa Damodara, His secretary. Thus they both engaged in the confidential service of the Lord.
PURPORT
This confidential service was the personal care of the Lord. Svarupa Damodara, acting as His secretary, attended to the Lord's baths, meals, rest and massages, and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami assisted him. In effect, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami acted as the assistant secretary of the Lord.
He rendered confidential service to the Lord for sixteen years at Jagannatha Puri, and after the disappearance of both the Lord and Svarupa Damodara, he left Jagannatha Puri and went to Vrndavana.
TEXT 94
vrndavane dui bhaira carana dekhiya
govardhane tyajiba deha bhrgupata kariya
SYNONYMS
vrndavane--at Vrndavana; dui bhaira--the two brothers (Rupa and Sanatana); carana--feet; dekhiya--after seeing; govardhane--on the hill of Govardhana; tyajiba--will give up; deha--this body; bhrgupata--falling down; kariya--doing so.
TRANSLATION
Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami intended to go to Vrndavana to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill.
PURPORT
Jumping from the top of Govardhana Hill is a system of suicide especially performed by saintly persons. After the disappearance of Lord Caitanya and Svarupa Damodara, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami keenly felt separation from these two exalted personalities and therefore decided to give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill in Vrndavana. Before doing so, however, he wanted to see the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.
TEXT 95
ei ta' niscaya kari' aila vrndavane
asi' rupa-sanatanera vandila carane
SYNONYMS
ei ta'--thus; niscaya kari'--having decided; aila--came; vrndavane--to Vrndavana; asi'--coming there; rupa-sanatanera--of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami; vandila--offered respects; carane--at the lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Thus Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami came to Vrndavana, visited Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami and offered them his obeisances.
TEXT 96
tabe dui bhai tanre marite na dila
nija trtiya bhai kari' nikate rakhila
SYNONYMS
tabe--at that time; dui bhai--the two brothers (Srila Rupa and Sanatana); tanre--him; marite--to die; na dila--did not allow; nija--own; trtiya--third; bhai--brother; kari'--accepting; nikate--near; rakhila--kept him.
TRANSLATION
These two brothers, however, did not allow him to die. They accepted him as their third brother and kept him in their company.
TEXT 97
mahaprabhura lila yata bahira-antara
dui bhai tanra mukhe sune nirantara
SYNONYMS
mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lila--pastimes; yata--all; bahira--external; antara--internal; dui bhai--the two brothers; tanra--his; mukhe--in the mouth; sune--hear; nirantara--always.
TRANSLATION
Because Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was an assistant to Svarupa Damodara, he knew much about the external and internal features of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Thus the two brothers Rupa and Sanatana always used to hear of this from him.
TEXT 98
anna-jala tyaga kaila anya-kathana
pala dui-tina matha karena bhaksana
SYNONYMS
anna-jala--food and drink; tyaga--renunciation; kaila--did; anya-kathana--talking of other things; pala dui-tina--a few drops of; matha--sour milk; karena--does; bhaksana--eat.
TRANSLATION
Raghunatha dasa Gosvami gradually gave up all food and drink but a few drops of buttermilk.
TEXT 99
sahasra dandavat kare, laya laksa nama
dui sahasra vaisnavere nitya paranama
As a daily duty, he regularly offered one thousand obeisances to the Lord, chanted at least one hundred thousand holy names and offered obeisances to two thousand Vaisnavas.
ratri-dine--day and night; radha-krsnera--of Radha and Krsna; manasa--within the mind; sevana--service; prahareka--about three hours; mahaprabhura--of Lord Caitanya; caritra--character; kathana--discussing.
TRANSLATION
Day and night he rendered service within his mind to Radha-Krsna, and for three hours a day he discoursed about the character of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
PURPORT
We have many things to learn about bhajana, or worship of the Lord, by following in the footsteps of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. All the Gosvamis engaged in such transcendental activities, as described by Srinivasa Acarya in his poem about them (krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi). Following in the footsteps of Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami, one has to execute devotional service very strictly, specifically by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
TEXT 101
tina sandhya radha-kunde apatita snana
vraja-vasi vaisnave kare alingana mana
SYNONYMS
tina sandhya--three times, namely morning, evening and noon; radha-kunde--in the lake of Radha-kunda; apatita--without failure; snana--taking bath; vraja-vasi--inhabitants of Vrajabhumi; vaisnave--all devotees; kare--does; alingana--embracing; mana--and offering respect.
TRANSLATION
Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took three baths daily in the Radha-kunda lake. As soon as he found a Vaisnava residing in Vrndavana, he would embrace him and give him all respect.
TEXT 102
sardha sapta-prahara kare bhaktira sadhane
cari danda nidra, seha nahe kona-dine
SYNONYMS
sardha--one and a half hours; sapta-prahara--seven praharas (twenty-one hours); kare--does; bhaktira--of devotional service; sadhane--in execution; cari danda--about two hours; nidra--sleeping; seha--that also; nahe--not; kona-dine--some days.
TRANSLATION
He engaged himself in devotional service for more than twenty-two and a half hours a day, and for less than two hours he slept, although on some days that also was not possible.
TEXT 103
tanhara sadhana-riti sunite camatkara
sei rupa-raghunatha prabhu ye amara
SYNONYMS
tanhara--his; sadhana-riti--process of devotional service; sunite--to hear; camatkara--wonderful; sei--that; rupa--Sri Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; prabhu--lord; ye--that; amara--my.
TRANSLATION
I am struck with wonder when I hear about the devotional service he executed. I accept Srila Rupa Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami as my guides.
PURPORT
Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami accepted Raghunatha dasa Gosvami as his special guide. Therefore at the end of every chapter he says, sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa. Sometimes it is misunderstood that by using the word raghunatha he wanted to offer his respectful obeisances to Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, for it is sometimes stated that Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was his initiating spiritual master. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami does not approve of this statement; he does not accept Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami as the spiritual master of Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami.
TEXT 104
inha-sabara yaiche haila prabhura milana
age vistariya taha kariba varnana
sri-gopala bhatta--of the name Sri Gopala Bhatta; eka--one; sakha--branch; sarva-uttama--very exalted; rupa--of the name Rupa; sanatana--of the name Sanatana; sange--company; yanra--whose; prema--love of Godhead; alapana--discussion.
TRANSLATION
Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the forty-seventh branch, was one of the great and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of Godhead in the company of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.
PURPORT
Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was the son of Venkata Bhatta, a resident of Srirangam. Gopala Bhatta formerly belonged to the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya but later became part of the Gaudiya-sampradaya. In the year 1433 sakabda (A.D. 1512), when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring South India, He stayed for four months during the period of Caturmasya at the house of Venkata Bhatta, who then got the opportunity to serve the Lord to his heart's content. Gopala Bhatta also got the opportunity to serve the Lord at this time. Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami was later initiated by his uncle, the great sannyasi Prabodhananda Sarasvati. Both the father and mother of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami were extremely fortunate, for they dedicated their entire lives to the service of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They allowed Gopala Bhatta Gosvami to go to Vrndavana, and they gave up their lives thinking of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Lord Caitanya was later informed that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami had gone to Vrndavana and met Sri Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami, He was very pleased, and He advised Sri Rupa and Sanatana to accept Gopala Bhatta Gosvami as their younger brother and take care of him. Sri Sanatana Gosvami, out of his great affection for Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, compiled the Vaisnava smrti named Hari-bhakti-vilasa and published it under his name. Under the instruction of Srila Rupa and Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vrndavana, the Radharamana Deity. The sevaits (priests) of the Radharamana temple belong to the Gaudiya-sampradaya.
When Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami took permission from all the Vaisnavas before writing Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami also gave him his blessings, but he requested him not to mention his name in the book. Therefore Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami has mentioned Gopala Bhatta Gosvami only very cautiously in one or two passages of the Caitanya-caritamrta. Srila Jiva Gosvami has written in the beginning of his Tattva-sandarbha, "A devotee from southern India who was born of a brahmana family and was a very intimate friend of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami has written a book that he has not compiled chronologically. Therefore I, a tiny living entity known as jiva, am trying to assort the events of the book chronologically, consulting the direction of great personalities like Madhvacarya, Sridhara Svami, Ramanujacarya and other senior Vaisnavas in the disciplic succession." In the beginning of the Bhagavat-sandarbha there are similar statements by Srila Jiva Gosvami. Srila Gopala Bhatta Gosvami compiled a book called Sat-kriya-sara-dipika, edited the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, wrote a forword to the Sat-sandarbha and a commentary on the Krsna-karnamrta, and installed the Radharamana Deity in Vrndavana. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 184, it is mentioned that his previous name in the pastimes of Lord Krsna was Ananga-manjari. Sometimes he is also said to have been an incarnation of Guna-manjari. Srinivasa Acarya and Gopinatha Pujari were two of his disciples.
sankararanya--of the name Sankararanya; acarya-vrksera--of the tree of acaryas; eka--one; sakha--branch; mukunda--of the name Mukunda; kasinatha--of the name Kasinatha; rudra--of the name Rudra; upasakha lekha--they are known as subbranches.
TRANSLATION
The acarya Sankararanya was considered the forty-eighth branch of the original tree. From him proceeded the subbranches known as Mukunda, Kasinatha and Rudra.
PURPORT
It is said that Sankararanya was the sannyasa name of Srila Visvarupa, who was the elder brother of Visvambhara (the original name of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu). Sankararanya expired in 1432 sakabda (A.D. 1512) at Sholapur, where there is a place of pilgrimage known as Panderapura. This is referred to in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Nine, verses 299 and 300.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu opened a primary school in the house of Mukunda, or Mukunda Sanjaya, and Mukunda's son, whose name was Purusottama, became the Lord's student. Kasinatha arranged the marriage of Lord Caitanya in His previous asrama, when His name was Visvambhara. Kasinatha induced the court pandita, Sanatana, to offer Visvambhara his daughter. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 50, it is mentioned that Kasinatha was an incarnation of the brahmana Kulaka, whom Satrajit sent to arrange the marriage of Krsna and Satyabhama, and it is mentioned in verse 135 that Rudra, or Sri Rudrarama Pandita, was formerly a friend of Lord Krsna's named Varuthapa. Sri Rudrarama Pandita constructed a big temple at Vallabhapura, which is one mile north of Mahesa, for the Deities named Radhavallabha. The descendants of his brother, Yadunandana Vandyopadhyaya, are known as Cakravarti Thakuras, and they are in charge of the maintenance of this temple as sevaits. Formerly the Jagannatha Deity used to come to the temple of Radhavallabha from Mahesa during the Ratha-yatra festival, but in the Bengali year 1262 (A.D. 1855), due to a misunderstanding between the priests of the two temples, the Jagannatha Deity stopped coming.
srinatha pandita--of the name Srinatha Pandita; prabhura--of the Lord; krpara--of mercy; bhajana--receiver; yanra--whose; krsna-seva--worship of Lord Krsna; dekhi'--seeing; vasa--subjugated; tri-bhuvana--all the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
Srinatha Pandita, the forty-ninth branch, was the beloved recipient of all the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone in the three worlds was astonished to see how he worshiped Lord Krsna.
PURPORT
About one and a half miles away from Kumarahatta, or Kamarhatta, which is a few miles from Calcutta, is a village known as Kancadapada which was the home of Sri Sivananda Sena. There he constructed a temple of Sri Gauragopala. Another temple was established there with Sri Radha-Krsna murtis by Srinatha Pandita. The Deity of that temple is named Sri Krsna Raya. The temple of Krsna Raya, which was constructed in the year 1708 sakabda (A.D. 1787) by a prominent Zamindar named Nimai Mullik of Pathuriya-ghata in Calcutta, is very large. There is a big courtyard in front of the temple, and there are residential quarters for visitors and good arrangements for cooking prasada. The entire courtyard is surrounded by very high boundary walls, and the temple is almost as big as the Mahesa temple. Inscribed on a tablet are the names of Srinatha Pandita and his father and grandfather and the date of construction of the temple. Srinatha Pandita, one of the disciples of Advaita Prabhu, was the spiritual master of the third son of Sivananda Sena, who was known as Paramananda Kavi-karnapura. It is said that during the time of Kavi-karnapura the Krsna Raya Deity was installed. According to hearsay, Virabhadra Prabhu, the son of Nityananda Prabhu, brought a big stone from Mursidabad from which three Deities were carved--namely, the Radhavallabha vigraha of Vallabhapura, the Syamasundara vigraha of Khadadaha and the Sri Krsna Raya vigraha of Kancadapada. The home of Sivananda Sena was situated on the bank of the Ganges near an almost ruined temple. It is said that the same Nimai Mullik of Calcutta saw this broken-down temple of Krsna Raya while he was going to Benares and thereafter constructed the present temple.
jagannatha acarya--of the name Jagannatha Acarya; prabhura--of the Lord; priya dasa--very dear servant; prabhura ajnate--by the order of the Lord; tenho--he; kaila--agreed; ganga-vasa--living on the bank of the Ganges.
TRANSLATION
Jagannatha Acarya, the fiftieth branch of the Caitanya tree, was an extremely dear servant of the Lord, by whose order he decided to live on the bank of the Ganges.
PURPORT
Jagannatha Acarya is stated in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (111) to have formerly been Durvasa of Nidhuvana.
TEXT 109
krsnadasa vaidya, ara pandita-sekhara
kavicandra, ara kirtaniya sasthivara
SYNONYMS
krsnadasa vaidya--of the name Krsnadasa Vaidya; ara--and; pandita-sekhara--of the name Pandita Sekhara; kavicandra--of the name Kavicandra; ara--and; kirtaniya--kirtana performer; sasthivara--of the name Sasthivara.
TRANSLATION
The fifty-first branch of the Caitanya tree was Krsnadasa Vaidya, the fifty-second was Pandita Sekhara, the fifty-third was Kavicandra, and the fifty-fourth was Sasthivara, who was a great sankirtana performer.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (171) it is mentioned that Srinatha Misra was Citrangi and that Kavicandra was Manohara-gopi.
srinatha misra--of the name Srinatha Misra; subhananda--of the name Subhananda; srirama--of the name Srirama; isana--of the name Isana; srinidhi--of the name Srinidhi; sri-gopikanta--of the name Sri Gopikanta; misra bhagavan--of the name Misra Bhagavan.
TRANSLATION
The fifty-fifth branch was Srinatha Misra, the fifty-sixth was Subhananda, the fifty-seventh was Srirama, the fifty-eighth was Isana, the fifty-ninth was Srinidhi, the sixtieth was Sri Gopikanta, and the sixty-first was Misra Bhagavan.
PURPORT
Subhananda, who formerly lived in Vrndavana as Malati, was one of the kirtana performers who danced in front of the Ratha-yatra car during the Jagannatha festival. It is said that he ate the foam that came out of the mouth of the Lord while He danced before the Ratha-yatra car. Isana was a personal servant of Srimati Sacidevi, who showered her great mercy upon him. He was also very dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
subuddhi misra--of the name Subuddhi Misra; hrdayananda--of the name Hrdayananda; kamala-nayana--of the name Kamala-nayana; mahesa pandita--of the name Mahesa Pandita; srikara--of the name Srikara; sri-madhusudana--of the name Sri Madhusudana.
TRANSLATION
The sixty-second branch of the tree was Subuddhi Misra, the sixty-third was Hrdayananda, the sixty-fourth was Kamala-nayana, the sixty-fifth was Mahesa Pandita, the sixty-sixth was Srikara, and the sixty-seventh was Sri Madhusudana.
PURPORT
Subuddhi Misra, who was formerly Gunacuda in Vrndavana, installed Gaura-Nityananda Deities in a temple in the village known as Belagan, which is about three miles away from Srikhanda. His present descendant is known as Govindacandra Gosvami.
purusottama--of the name Purusottama; sri-galima--of the name Sri Galima; jagannatha-dasa--of the name Jagannatha dasa; sri-candresekhara vaidya--of the name Sri Candrasekhara Vaidya; dvija haridasa--of the name Dvija Haridasa.
TRANSLATION
The sixty-eighth branch of the original tree was Purusottama, the sixty-ninth was Sri Galima, the seventieth was Jagannatha dasa, the seventy-first was Sri Candrasekhara Vaidya, and the seventy-second was Dvija Haridasa.
PURPORT
There is some question about whether Dvija Haridasa was the author of Astottara-sata-nama. He had two sons named Sridama and Gokulananda, who were disciples of Sri Advaita Acarya. Their village, Kancana-gadiya, is situated within five miles of the Bajarasau station, the fifth station from Ajimaganja in the district of Mursidabad, West Bengal.
ramadasa--of the name Ramadasa; kavicandra--of the name Kavicandra; sri gopala-dasa--of the name Sri Gopala dasa; bhagavatacarya--of the name Bhagavatacarya; thakura saranga-dasa--of the name Thakura Saranga dasa.
TRANSLATION
The seventy-third branch of the original tree was Ramadasa, the seventy-fourth was Kavicandra, the seventy-fifth was Sri Gopala dasa, the seventy-sixth was Bhagavatacarya, and the seventy-seventh was Thakura Saranga dasa.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (203) it is said, "Bhagavatacarya compiled a book entitled Krsna-prema-tarangini, and he was the most beloved devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu." When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Varahanagara, a suburb of Calcutta, He stayed in the house of a most fortunate brahmana who was a very learned scholar in Bhagavata literature. As soon as this brahmana saw Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he began to read Srimad-Bhagavatam. When Mahaprabhu heard his explanation, which expounded bhakti-yoga, He immediately became unconscious in ecstasy. Lord Caitanya later said, "I have never heard such a nice explanation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. I therefore designate you Bhagavatacarya. Your only duty is to recite Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is My injunction." His real name was Raghunatha. His monastery, which is situated in Varahanagara, about three and a half miles north of Calcutta on the bank of the Ganges, still exists, and it is managed by the initiated disciples of the late Sri Ramadasa Babaji. Presently, however, it is not as well managed as in the presence of Babaji Maharaja.
Another name of Thakura Saranga dasa was Sarnga Thakura. Sometimes he was also called Sarngapani or Sarngadhara. He was a resident of Navadvipa in the neighborhood known as Modadruma-dvipa, and he used to worship the Supreme Lord in a secluded place on the bank of the Ganges. He did not accept disciples, but he was repeatedly inspired from within by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to do so. Thus one morning he decided, "Whomever I see I shall make my disciple." When he went to the bank of the Ganges to take his bath, by chance he saw a dead body floating in the water, and he touched it with his feet. This immediately brought the body to life, and Thakura Saranga dasa accepted him as his disciple. This disciple later became famous as Thakura Murari, and his name is always associated with that of Sri Saranga. His disciplic succession still inhabits the village of Sar. There is a temple at Mamagacchi that is said to have been started by Sarnga Thakura. Not long ago, a new temple building was erected in front of a bakula tree there, and it is now being managed by the members of the Gaudiya Matha. It is said that the management of the temple is now far better than before. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (172) it is stated that Saranga Thakura was formerly a gopi named Nandimukhi. Some devotees say that he was formerly Prahlada Maharaja, but Sri Kavi-karnapura says that his father, Sivananda Sena, does not accept this proposition.
TEXT 114
jagannatha tirtha, vipra sri-janakinatha
gopala acarya, ara vipra vaninatha
SYNONYMS
jagannatha tirtha--of the name Jagannatha Tirtha; vipra--brahmana; sri-janakinatha--of the name Sri Janakinatha; gopala acarya--of the name Gopala Acarya; ara--and; vipra vaninatha--the brahmana of the name Vaninatha.
TRANSLATION
The seventy-eighth branch of the original tree was Jagannatha Tirtha, the seventy-ninth was the brahmana Sri Janakinatha, the eightieth was Gopala Acarya, and the eighty-first was the brahmana Vaninatha.
PURPORT
Jagannatha Tirtha was one of the nine principal sannyasis who were Lord Caitanya's associates. Vaninatha Vipra was a resident of Canpahati, a village in the district of Burdwan near the town of Navadvipa, the police station of Purvasthali and the post office of Samudragada. The temple there was very much neglected, but it was renovated in the Bengali year 1328 (A.D. 1921) by Sri Paramananda Brahmacari, one of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's disciples, who reorganized the seva-puja (worship in the temple) and placed the temple under the management of the Sri Caitanya Matha of Sri Mayapur. In the temple as it now exists, the Deity of Sri Gaura-Gadadhara is worshiped strictly according to the principles of the revealed scriptures. Canpahati is two miles away from both Samudragada and the Navadvipa station of the eastern railway.
govinda--of the name Govinda; madhava--of the name Madhava; vasudeva--of the name Vasudeva; tina bhai--three brothers; yan-sabara--all of whom; kirtane--in the performance of sankirtana; nace--dance; caitanya-nitai--Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu.
TRANSLATION
The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Caitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.
PURPORT
The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva Ghosa all belonged to a kayastha family. Govinda established the Gopinatha temple in Agradvipa, where he resided. Madhava Ghosa was expert in performing kirtana. No one within this world could compete with him. He was known as the singer of Vrndavana and was very dear to Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It is said that when the three brothers performed sankirtana, immediately Lord Caitanya and Nityananda would dance in ecstasy. According to the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (188), the three brothers were formerly Kalavati, Rasollasa and Gunatunga, who recited the songs composed by Sri Visakha-gopi. The three brothers were among one of the seven parties that performed kirtana when Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu attended the Ratha-yatra festival at Jagannatha Puri. Vakresvara Pandita was the chief dancer in their party. This is vividly described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Thirteen, verses 42 and 43.
TEXT 116
ramadasa abhirama----sakhya-premarasi
solasangera kastha tuli' ye karila vansi
SYNONYMS
ramadasa abhirama--of the name Ramadasa Abhirama; sakhya-prema--friendship; rasi--great volume; solasa-angera--of sixteen knots; kastha--wood; tuli'--lifting; ye--one who; karila--made; vansi--flute.
TRANSLATION
Ramadasa Abhirama was fully absorbed in the mellow of friendship. He made a flute of a bamboo stick with sixteen knots.
PURPORT
Abhirama was an inhabitant of Khanakula-krsna-nagara.
prabhura ajnaya--under the order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nityananda--Lord Nityananda; gaude--to Bengal; calila--went back; tanra sange--in His company; tina jana--three men; prabhu-ajnaya--under the order of the Lord; aila--went.
TRANSLATION
By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, three devotees accompanied Lord Nityananda Prabhu when He returned to Bengal to preach.
TEXT 118
ramadasa, madhava, ara vasudeva ghosa
prabhu-sange rahe govinda paiya santosa
SYNONYMS
ramadasa--of the name Ramadasa; madhava--of the name Madhava; ara--and; vasudeva ghosa--of the name Vasudeva Ghosa; prabhu-sange--in the company of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; rahe--remained; govinda--of the name Govinda; paiya--feeling; santosa--great satisfaction.
TRANSLATION
These three were Ramadasa, Madhava Ghosa and Vasudeva Ghosa. Govinda Ghosa, however, remained with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and thus felt great satisfaction.
bhagavatacarya--of the name Bhagavatacarya; ciranjiva--of the name Ciranjiva; sri-raghunandana--of the name Sri Raghunandana; madhavacarya--of the name Madhavacarya; kamalakanta--of the name Kamalakanta; sri-yadunandana--of the name Sri Yadunandana.
TRANSLATION
Bhagavatacarya, Ciranjiva, Sri Raghunandana, Madhavacarya, Kamalakanta and Sri Yadunandana were all among the branches of the Caitanya tree.
PURPORT
Sri Madhavacarya was the husband of Lord Nityananda's daughter, Gangadevi. He took initiation from Purusottama, a branch of Nityananda Prabhu. It is said that when Nityananda Prabhu's daughter married Madhavacarya, the Lord gave him the village named Panjinagara as a dowry. Madhavacarya's temple is situated near the Jirat railway station on the eastern railway. According to the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (169) Sri Madhavacarya was formerly the gopi named Madhavi. Kamalakanta belonged to the branch of Sri Advaita Prabhu. His full name was Kamalakanta Visvasa.
TEXT 120
maha-krpa-patra prabhura jagai, madhai
'patita-pavana' namera saksi dui bhai
SYNONYMS
maha-krpa-patra--object of very great mercy; prabhura--of the Lord; jagai madhai--the two brothers Jagai and Madhai; patita-pavana--deliverer of the fallen; namera--of this name; saksi--witness; dui bhai--these two brothers.
TRANSLATION
Jagai and Madhai, the eighty-ninth and ninetieth branches of the tree, were the greatest recipients of Lord Caitanya's mercy. These two brothers were the witnesses who proved that Lord Caitanya was rightly named Patita-pavana, "the deliverer of the fallen souls."
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (115) it is said that the two brothers Jagai and Madhai were formerly the doorkeepers named Jaya and Vijaya, who later became Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu. Jagai and Madhai were born in respectable brahmana families, but they adopted the professions of thieves and rogues and thus became implicated in all kinds of undesirable activities, especially woman-hunting, intoxication and gambling. Later, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu, they were initiated, and they got the chance to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. As a result of chanting, both brothers became exalted devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The descendants of Madhai still exist, and they are respectable brahmanas. The tombs of these two brothers, Jagai and Madhai, are in a place known as Ghosahata, or Madhaitala-grama, which is situated about one mile south of Katwa. It is said that Sri Gopicarana dasa Babaji established a temple of Nitai-Gaura at this place about two hundred years ago.
TEXT 121
gauda-desa-bhaktera kaila sanksepa kathana
ananta caitanya-bhakta na yaya ganana
SYNONYMS
gauda-desa--in Bengal; bhaktera--of the devotees; kaila--I have described; sanksepa--in brief; kathana--narration; ananta--unlimited; caitanya-bhakta--devotees of Lord Caitanya; na--not; yaya--can be; ganana--counted.
TRANSLATION
I have given a brief description of the devotees of Lord Caitanya in Bengal. Actually His devotees are innumerable.
TEXT 122
nilacale ei saba bhakta prabhu-sange
dui sthane prabhu-seva kaila nana-range
SYNONYMS
nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; ei--these; saba--all; bhakta--devotees; prabhu-sange--in the company of Lord Caitanya; dui sthane--in two places; prabhu-seva--service of the Lord; kaila--executed; nana-range--in different ways.
TRANSLATION
I have especially mentioned all these devotees because they accompanied Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal and Orissa and served Him in many ways.
PURPORT
Most of the devotees of Lord Caitanya lived in Bengal and Orissa. Thus they are celebrated as Oriyas and Gaudiyas. At present, however, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His cult is being propagated all over the world, and it is most probable that in the future history of Lord Caitanya's movement, Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Australians, South Americans, Asians and people from all over the world will be celebrated as devotees of Lord Caitanya. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already constructed a big temple at Mayapur, Navadvipa, which is being visited by devotees from all parts of the world, as foretold by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and anticipated by Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
TEXT 123
kevala nilacale prabhura ye ye bhakta-gana
sanksepe kariye kichu se saba kathana
SYNONYMS
kevala--only; nilacale--in Jagannatha Puri; prabhura--of the Lord; ye ye--all those; bhakta-gana--devotees; sanksepe--in brief; kariye--I do; kichu--some; se saba--all those; kathana--narration.
TRANSLATION
Let me briefly describe some of the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri.
paramananda-puri, ara svarupa-damodara
gadadhara, jagadananda, sankara, vakresvara
damodara pandita, thakura haridasa
raghunatha vaidya, ara raghunatha-dasa
SYNONYMS
nilacale--in Jagannatha Puri; prabhu-sange--in the company of Lord Caitanya; yata--all; bhakta-gana--devotees; sabara--of all of them; adhyaksa--the chief; prabhura--of the Lord; marma--heart and soul; dui jana--two persons; paramananda-puri--of the name Paramananda Puri; ara--and; svarupa-damodara--of the name Svarupa Damodara; gadadhara--of the name Gadadhara; jagadananda--of the name Jagadananda; sankara--of the name Sankara; vakresvara--of the name Vakresvara; damodara pandita--of the name Damodara Pandita; thakura haridasa--of the name Thakura Haridasa; raghunatha vaidya--of the name Raghunatha Vaidya; ara--and; raghunatha-dasa--of the name Raghunatha dasa.
TRANSLATION
Among the devotees who accompanied the Lord in Jagannatha Puri, two of them--Paramananda Puri and Svarupa Damodara--were the heart and soul of the Lord. Among the other devotees were Gadadhara, Jagadananda, Sankara, Vakresvara, Damodara Pandita, Thakura Haridasa, Raghunatha Vaidya and Raghunatha dasa.
PURPORT
The Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Five, states that Raghunatha Vaidya came to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when the Lord was staying at Panihati. He was a great devotee and had all good qualities. According to the Caitanya-bhagavata, he was formerly Revati, the wife of Balarama. Anyone he glanced upon would immediately attain Krsna consciousness. He lived on the seashore at Jagannatha Puri and compiled a book of the name Sthana-nirupana.
TEXT 127
ityadika purva-sangi bada bhakta-gana
nilacale rahi' kare prabhura sevana
SYNONYMS
iti-adika--all these and others; purva-sangi--former associates; bada--very; bhakta-gana--great devotees; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; rahi'--remaining; kare--do; prabhura--of the Lord; sevana--service.
TRANSLATION
All these devotees were associates of the Lord from the very beginning, and when the Lord took up residence in Jagannatha Puri they remained there to serve Him faithfully.
TEXT 128
ara yata bhakta-gana gauda-desa-vasi
pratyabde prabhure dekhe nilacale asi'
bada-sakha eka--one of the biggest branches; sarvabhauma bhattacarya--of the name Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanra bhagni-pati--his brother-in-law (the husband of Sarvabhauma's sister); sri-gopinathacarya--of the name Sri Gopinatha Acarya.
TRANSLATION
There was Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, one of the biggest branches of the tree of the Lord, and his sister's husband, Sri Gopinatha Acarya.
PURPORT
The original name of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was Vasudeva Bhattacarya. His place of birth, which is known as Vidyanagara, is about two and a half miles away from the Navadvipa railway station, or Canpahati railway station. His father was a very celebrated man of the name Mahesvara Visarada. It is said that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was the greatest logician of his time in India. At Mithila in Bihar he became a student of a great professor named Paksadhara Misra, who did not allow any student to note down his explanations of logic. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was so talented, however, that he learned the explanations by heart, and when he later returned to Navadvipa he established a school for the study of logic, thus diminishing the importance of Mithila. Students from various parts of India still come to Navadvipa to study logic. According to some authoritative opinions, the celebrated logician Raghunatha Siromani was also a student of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya's. In effect, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became the leader of all students of logic. Although he was a grhastha (householder), he even taught many sannyasis in the knowledge of logic.
He started a school at Jagannatha Puri for the study of Vedanta philosophy, of which he was a great scholar. When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he advised the Lord to learn Vedanta philosophy from him, but later he became a student of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to understand the real meaning of Vedanta. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was so fortunate as to see the six-armed form of Lord Caitanya known as Sadbhuja. A Sadbhuja Deity is still situated at one end of the Jagannatha temple. Daily sankirtana performances take place in this part of the temple. The meeting of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is vividly described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Six. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote a book named Caitanya-sataka. In addition to the hundred verses of this book, two verses beginning with the words vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga and kalan nastam bhakti-yogam nijam yah are very famous among Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (119) states that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was an incarnation of Brhaspati, the learned scholar from the celestial planets.
Gopinatha Acarya, who belonged to a respectable brahmana family, was also an inhabitant of Navadvipa and a constant companion of the Lord. As mentioned in the present verse of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, he was the husband of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya's sister. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (178) it is described that he was formerly the gopi named Ratnavali. According to the opinion of others, he was an incarnation of Brahma.
TEXT 131
kasi-misra, pradyumna-misra, raya bhavananda
yanhara milane prabhu paila ananda
SYNONYMS
kasi-misra--of the name Kasi Misra; pradyumna-misra--of the name Pradyumna Misra; raya bhavananda--of the name Bhavananda Raya; yanhara--of whom; milane--meeting; prabhu--the Lord; paila--got; ananda--great pleasure.
TRANSLATION
In the list of devotees at Jagannatha Puri [which begins with Paramananda Puri, Svarupa Damodara, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Gopinatha Acarya], Kasi Misra was the fifth, Pradyumna Misra the sixth and Bhavananda Raya the seventh. Lord Caitanya took great pleasure in meeting with them.
PURPORT
In Jagannatha Puri Lord Caitanya lived at the house of Kasi Misra, who was the priest of the king. Later this house was inherited by Vakresvara Pandita and then by his disciple Gopalaguru Gosvami, who established there a Deity of Radhakanta. The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (193) states that Kasi Misra was formerly Kubja in Mathura.. Pradyumna Misra, an inhabitant of Orissa, was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Pradyumna Misra was born of a brahmana family and Ramananda Raya of a non-brahmana family, yet Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Pradyumna Misra to take instruction from Ramananda Raya. This incident is described in the Antya-lila, Chapter Five.
Bhavananda Raya was the father of Sri Ramananda Raya. His residence was in Alalanatha (Brahmagiri), which is about twelve miles west of Jagannatha Puri. By caste he belonged to the karana community of Orissa, whose members were sometimes known as kayasthas and sometimes as sudras, but he was the governor of Madras under the control of King Prataparudra of Jagannatha Puri.
Embracing Raya Bhavananda, the Lord declared to him, "You formerly appeared as Pandu, and your five sons appeared as the five Pandavas."
TEXT 133
ramananda raya, pattanayaka gopinatha
kalanidhi, sudhanidhi, nayaka vaninatha
SYNONYMS
ramananda raya--of the name Ramananda Raya; pattanayaka gopinatha--of the name Pattanayaka Gopinatha; kalanidhi--of the name Kalanidhi; sudhanidhi--of the name Sudhanidhi; nayaka vaninatha--of the name Nayaka Vaninatha.
TRANSLATION
The five sons of Bhavananda Raya were Ramananda Raya, Pattanayaka Gopinatha, Kalanidhi, Sudhanidhi and Nayaka Vaninatha.
TEXT 134
ei panca putra tomara mora priyapatra
ramananda saha mora deha-bheda matra
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Bhavananda Raya, "Your five sons are all My dear devotees. Ramananda Raya and I are one, although our bodies are different."
PURPORT
The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (120-24) states that Ramananda Raya was formerly Arjuna. He is also considered to have been an incarnation of the gopi Lalita, although in the opinion of others he was an incarnation of Visakhadevi. He was a most confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Although I am a sannyasi, My mind is sometimes perturbed when I see a woman. But Ramananda Raya is greater than Me, for he is always undisturbed, even when he touches a woman." Only Ramananda Raya was endowed with the prerogrative to touch a woman in this way; no one should imitate him. Unfortunately, there are rascals who imitate the activities of Ramananda Raya. We need not discuss them further.
In Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's final pastimes, both Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara always engaged in reciting suitable verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam to pacify the Lord's ecstatic feelings of separation from Krsna. It is said that when Lord Caitanya went to southern India, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya advised Him to meet Ramananda Raya, declaring that there was no devotee as advanced in understanding the conjugal love of Krsna and the gopis. While touring South India, Lord Caitanya met Ramananda Raya by the bank of the Godavari, and in their long discourses the Lord took the position of a student, and Ramananda Raya instructed Him. Caitanya Mahaprabhu concluded these discourses by saying, "My dear Ramananda Raya, both you and I are madmen, and therefore we met intimately on an equal level." Lord Caitanya advised Ramananda Raya to resign from his government post and come back to Jagannatha Puri to live with Him. Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu refused to see Maharaja Prataparudra because he was a king, Ramananda Raya, by a Vaisnava scheme, arranged a meeting between the Lord and the King. This is described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Twelve, verses 41-57. Sri Ramananda Raya was present during the water sports of the Lord after the Ratha-yatra festival.
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu considered Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Sanatana Gosvami to be equal in their renunciation, for although Sri Ramananda Raya was a grhastha engaged in government service and Sri Sanatana Gosvami was in the renounced order of complete detachment from material activities, they were both servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who kept Krsna in the center of all their activities. Sri Ramananda Raya was one of the three and a half personalities with whom Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discussed the most confidential topics of Krsna consciousness. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Pradyumna Misra to learn the science of Krsna from Sri Ramananda Raya. As Subala always assisted Krsna in His dealings with Radharani in krsna-lila, so Ramananda Raya assisted Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His feelings of separation from Krsna. Sri Ramananda Raya was the author of Jagannatha-vallabha-nataka.
TEXTS 135-136
prataparudra raja, ara odhra krsnananda
paramananda mahapatra, odhra sivananda
bhagavan acarya, brahmanandakhya bharati
sri-sikhi mahiti, ara murari mahiti
SYNONYMS
prataparudra raja--King Prataparudra of Orissa; ara--and; odhra krsnananda--Krsnananda, an Oriya devotee; paramananda mahapatra--of the name Paramananda Mahapatra; odhra sivananda--the Oriya Sivananda; bhagavan acarya--of the name Bhagavan Acarya; brahmananda-akhya bharati--of the name Brahmananda Bharati; sri-sikhi mahiti--of the name Sri Sikhi Mahiti; ara--and; murari mahiti--of the name Murari Mahiti.
TRANSLATION
King Prataparudra of Orissa, the Oriya devotees Krsnananda and Sivananda, Paramananda Mahapatra, Bhagavan Acarya, Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Sikhi Mahiti and Murari Mahiti constantly associated with Caitanya Mahaprabhu while He resided in Jagannatha Puri.
PURPORT
Prataparudra Maharaja, who belonged to the dynasty of the Ganga kings and whose capital was in Cuttak, was the Emperor of Orissa and a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It was by the arrangement of Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya that he was able to serve Lord Caitanya. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (118) it is said that King Indradyumna, who established the temple of Jagannatha thousands of years ago, later took birth again in his own family as Maharaja Prataparudra during the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Maharaja Prataparudra was as powerful as King Indra. The drama named Caitanya-candrodaya was written under his direction.
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Five, Paramananda Mahapatra is described as follows: "Paramananda Mahapatra was among the devotees who took birth in Orissa and accepted Caitanya Mahaprabhu as their only asset. In the ecstasy of conjugal love, he always thought of Caitanya Mahaprabhu." Bhagavan Acarya, a very learned scholar, was formerly an inhabitant of Halisahara, but he left everything to live with Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri. His relationship with Caitanya Mahaprabhu was friendly, like that of a cowherd boy. He was always friendly to Svarupa Gosani, but he was staunchly devoted to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He sometimes invited Caitanya Mahaprabhu to his house.
Bhagavan Acarya was very liberal and simple. His father, Satananda Khan, was completely materialistic, and his younger brother, Gopala Bhattacarya, was a staunch Mayavadi philosopher who had studied very elaborately. When his brother came to Jagannatha Puri, Bhagavan Acarya wanted to hear from him about Mayavada philosophy, but Svarupa Damodara forbade him to do so, and there the matter stopped. Once a friend of Bhagavan Acarya's from Bengal wanted to recite a drama that he had written that was against the principles of devotional service, and although Bhagavan Acarya wanted to recite this drama before Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara, the Lord's secretary, did not allow him to do so. Later Svarupa Damodara pointed out in the drama many mistakes and disagreements with the conclusion of devotional service, and the author became aware of the faults in his writing and then surrendered to Svarupa Damodara, begging his mercy. This is described in the Antya-lila, Chapter Five, verses 91-158.
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 189, it is said that Sikhi Mahiti was formerly an assistant of Srimati Radharani named Ragalekha. His sister Madhavi was also an assistant of Srimati Radharani and was named Kalakeli. Sikhi Mahiti, Madhavi and their brother Murari Mahiti were all unalloyed devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who could not forget Him for a moment of their lives. There is a book in the Oriya language called Caitanya-carita-mahakavya in which there are many narrations about Sikhi Mahiti. One narration concerns his seeing an ecstatic dream. Sikhi Mahiti always engaged in serving the Lord in his mind. One night, while he was rendering such service, he fell asleep, and while he was asleep his brother and sister came to awaken him. At that time he was in full ecstasy because he was having a wonderful dream that Lord Caitanya, while visiting the temple of Jagannatha, was entering and again coming out of the body of Jagannatha and looking at the Jagannatha Deity. Thus as soon as he awakened he embraced his brother and sister and informed them, "My dear brother and sister, I have had a wonderful dream that I shall now explain to you. The activities of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of Mother Saci, are certainly most wonderful. I saw that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, while visiting the temple of Jagannatha, was entering the body of Jagannatha and again coming out of His body. I am still seeing the same dream. Do you think I have become deranged? I am still seeing the same dream! And the most wonderful thing is that as soon as I came near Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He embraced me with His long arms." As he spoke to his brother and sister in this way, Sikhi Mahiti's voice faltered, and there were tears in his eyes. Thus the brothers and sister went to the temple of Jagannatha, and there they saw Lord Caitanya in the Jagamohana (the kirtana hall in the Jagannatha temple), looking at the beauty of the Sri Jagannatha Deity just as in Sikhi Mahiti's dream. The Lord was so magnanimous that immediately He embraced Sikhi Mahiti, exclaiming, "You are the elder brother of Murari!" Being thus embraced, Sikhi Mahiti felt ecstatic transcendental bliss. Thus he and his brother and sister always engaged in rendering service to the Lord. Murari Mahiti, the youngest brother of Sikhi Mahiti, is described in the Madhya-lila, Chapter Ten, verse 44.
TEXT 137
madhavi-devi----sikhi-mahitira bhagini
sri-radhara dasi-madhye yanra nama gani
SYNONYMS
madhavi-devi--of the name Madhavidevi; sikhi-mahitira--of Sikhi Mahiti; bhagini--sister; sri-radhara--of Srimati Radharani; dasi-madhye--amongst the maidservants; yanra--whose; nama--name; gani--count.
TRANSLATION
Madhavidevi, the seventeenth of the prominent devotees, was the younger sister of Sikhi Mahiti. She is considered to have formerly been a maidservant of Srimati Radharani.
PURPORT
In the Antya-lila of Caitanya-caritamrta, Chapter Two, verses 104-106, there is a description of Madhavidevi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu considered her one of the maidservants of Srimati Radharani. Within this world, Caitanya Mahaprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees. The three were Svarupa Gosani, Sri Ramananda Raya and Sikhi Mahiti, and Sikhi Mahiti's sister, Madhavidevi, being a woman, was considered the half. Thus it is known that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had three and a half confidential devotees.
TEXT 138
isvara-purira sisya----brahmacari kasisvara
sri-govinda nama tanra priya anucara
SYNONYMS
isvara-purira sisya--disciple of Isvara Puri; brahmacari kasisvara--of the name Brahmacari Kasisvara; sri-govinda--of the name Sri Govinda; nama--name; tanra--his; priya--very dear; anucara--follower.
TRANSLATION
Brahmacari Kasisvara was a disciple of Isvara Puri, and Sri Govinda was another of his dear disciples.
PURPORT
Govinda was the personal servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 137, it is stated that the servants formerly named Bhrngara and Bhangura in Vrndavana became Kasisvara and Govinda in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes. Govinda always engaged in the service of the Lord, even at great risk.
TEXT 139
tanra siddhi-kale donhe tanra ajna pana
nilacale prabhu-sthane milila asiya
SYNONYMS
tanra siddhi-kale--at the time of Isvara Puri's passing away; donhe--the two of them; tanra--his; ajna--order; pana--getting; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; prabhu-sthane--at the place of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; milila--met; asiya--coming there.
TRANSLATION
In the list of prominent devotees at Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri], Kasisvara was the eighteenth and Govinda the nineteenth. They both came to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, being thus ordered by Isvara Puri at the time of his passing away.
gurura sambandhe--in relationship with His spiritual master; manya--honor; kaila--offered; dunhakare--to both of them; tanra ajna--his order; mani'--accepting; seva--service; dilena--gave them; donhare--the two of them.
TRANSLATION
Both Kasisvara and Govinda were Godbrothers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus the Lord duly honored them as soon as they arrived. But because Isvara Puri had ordered them to give Caitanya Mahaprabhu personal service, the Lord accepted their service.
TEXT 141
anga-seva govindere dilena isvara
jagannatha dekhite calena age kasisvara
SYNONYMS
anga-seva--taking care of the body; govindere--unto Govinda; dilena--He gave; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jagannatha--the Jagannatha Deity; dekhite--while going to visit; calena--goes; age--in front; kasisvara--of the name Kasisvara.
TRANSLATION
Govinda cared for the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whereas Kasisvara went in front of the Lord when He went to see Jagannatha in the temple.
TEXT 142
aparasa yaya gosani manusya-gahane
manusya theli' patha kare kasi balavane
SYNONYMS
aparasa--untouched; yaya--goes; gosani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; manusya-gahane--in the crowd; manusya theli'--pushing the crowd of men; patha kare--clears the way; kasi--Kasisvara; balavane--very strong.
TRANSLATION
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the temple of Jagannatha, Kasisvara, being very strong, cleared the crowds aside with his hands so that Caitanya Mahaprabhu could pass untouched.
TEXT 143
ramai-nandai----donhe prabhura kinkara
govindera sange seva kare nirantara
SYNONYMS
ramai-nandai--of the names Ramai and Nandai; donhe--both of them; prabhura--Lord Caitanya's; kinkara--servants; govindera--with Govinda; sange--with him; seva--service; kare--rendered; nirantara--twenty-four hours a day.
TRANSLATION
Ramai and Nandai, the twentieth and twenty-first among the important devotees in Jagannatha Puri, always assisted Govinda twenty-four hours a day in rendering service to the Lord.
TEXT 144
baisa ghada jala dine bharena ramai
govinda-ajnaya seva karena nandai
SYNONYMS
baisa--twenty-two; ghada--big waterpots; jala--water; dine--daily; bharena--fills; ramai--of the name Ramai; govinda-ajnaya--by the order of Govinda; seva--service; karena--renders; nandai--of the name Nandai.
TRANSLATION
Every day Ramai filled twenty-two big waterpots, whereas Nandai personally assisted Govinda.
PURPORT
In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika (139) it is stated that two servants who formerly supplied milk and water to Lord Krsna became Ramai and Nandai in the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
krsnadasa--of the name Krsnadasa; nama--name; suddha--pure; kulina--respectable; brahmana--brahmana; yare--whom; sange--with; laiya--taking; kaila--did; daksina--southern India; gamana--touring.
TRANSLATION
The twenty-second devotee, Krsnadasa, was born of a pure and respectable brahmana family. While touring southern India, Lord Caitanya took Krsnadasa with Him.
PURPORT
Krsnadasa is described in the Madhya-lila, chapters Seven and Nine. He went with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to carry His waterpot. In the Malabar state, members of the Bhattathari cult tried to captivate Krsnadasa by supplying a woman to seduce him, but although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saved him from being harmed, when they returned to Jagannatha Puri He asked Krsnadasa to remain there, for the Lord was never favorably disposed toward an associate who was attracted by a woman. Thus Krsnadasa lost the personal association of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
ballabhadra bhattacarya--of the name Balabhadra Bhattacarya; bhakti adhikari--bona fide devotee; mathura-gamane--while touring Mathura; prabhura--of the Lord; yenho--who; brahmacari--acted as a brahmacari.
TRANSLATION
As a bona fide devotee, Balabhadra Bhattacarya, the twenty-third principal associate, acted as the brahmacari of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He toured Mathura.
PURPORT
Balabhadra Bhattacarya acted as a brahmacari, or personal assistant of a sannyasi. A sannyasi is not supposed to cook. Generally a sannyasi takes prasada at the house of a grhastha, and a brahmacari helps in this connection. A sannyasi is supposed to be a spiritual master and a brahmacari his disciple. Balabhadra Bhattacarya acted as a brahmacari for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when the Lord toured Mathura and Vrndavana.
TEXT 147
bada haridasa, ara chota haridasa
dui kirtaniya rahe mahaprabhura pasa
SYNONYMS
bada haridasa--of the name Bada Haridasa; ara--and; chota haridasa--of the name Chota Haridasa; dui kirtaniya--both of them were good singers; rahe--stay; maha-prabhura--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pasa--with.
TRANSLATION
Bada Haridasa and Chota Haridasa, the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth devotees in Nilacala, were good singers who always accompanied Lord Caitanya.
PURPORT
Chota Haridasa was later banished from the company of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as stated in the Antya-lila, Chapter Two.
TEXT 148
ramabhadracarya, ara odhra simhesvara
tapana acarya, ara raghu, nilambara
SYNONYMS
ramabhadracarya--of the name Ramabhadra Acarya; ara--and; odhra--resident of Orissa; simhesvara--of the name Simhesvara; tapana acarya--of the name Tapana Acarya; ara raghu--and another Raghunatha; nilambara--of the name Nilambara.
TRANSLATION
Among the devotees who lived with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, Ramabhadra Acarya was the twenty-sixth, Simhesvara the twenty-seventh, Tapana Acarya the twenty-eighth, Raghunatha the twenty-ninth and Nilambara the thirtieth.
singabhatta--of the name Singabhatta; kamabhatta--of the name Kamabhatta; dantura sivananda--of the name Dantura Sivananda; gaude--in Bengal; purva--formerly; bhrtya--servant; prabhura--of the Lord; priya--very dear; kamalananda--of the name Kamalananda.
TRANSLATION
Singabhatta was the thirty-first, Kamabhatta the thirty-second, Sivananda the thirty-third and Kamalananda the thirty-fourth. They all formerly served Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal, but later these servants left Bengal to live with the Lord in Jagannatha Puri.
acyutananda--of the name Acyutananda; advaita-acarya-tanaya--the son of Advaita Acarya; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; rahe--stays; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; carana--lotus feet; asraya--taking shelter.
TRANSLATION
Acyutananda, the thirty-fifth devotee, was the son of Advaita Acarya. He also lived with Lord Caitanya, taking shelter of His lotus feet at Jagannatha Puri.
PURPORT
There is a statement about Acyutananda in Chapter Twelve, verse 13, of Adi-lila.
TEXT 151
nirloma gangadasa, ara visnudasa
ei sabera prabhu-sange nilacale vasa
SYNONYMS
nirloma gangadasa--of the name Nirloma Gangadasa; ara--and; Visnudasa--of the name Visnudasa; ei sabera--of all of them; prabhu-sange--with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; vasa--residence.
TRANSLATION
Nirloma Gangadasa and Visnudasa were the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh among the devotees who lived at Jagannatha Puri as servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXTS 152-154
varanasi-madhye prabhura bhakta tina jana
candrasekhara vaidya, ara misra tapana
candrasekhara-grhe kaila dui masa vasa
tapana-misrera ghare bhiksa dui masa
SYNONYMS
varanasi-madhye--at Varanasi; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta--devotees; tina jana--three persons; candrasekhara vaidya--the clerk of the name Candrasekhara; ara--and; misra tapana--Tapana Misra; raghunatha bhattacarya--of the name Raghunatha Bhattacarya; misrera nandana--the son of Tapana Misra; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yabe--when; kasi--Varanasi; aila--came; dekhi'--after visiting; vrndavana--the holy place known as Vrndavana; candrasekhara grhe--in the house of Candrasekhara Vaidya; kaila--did; dui masa--for two months; vasa--reside; tapana-misrera--of Tapana Misra; ghare--in the house; bhiksa--accepted prasada; dui masa--for two months.
TRANSLATION
The prominent devotees at Varanasi were the physician Candrasekhara, Tapana Misra and Raghunatha Bhattacarya, Tapana Misra's son. When Lord Caitanya came to Varanasi after seeing Vrndavana, for two months He lived at the residence of Candrasekhara Vaidya and accepted prasada at the house of Tapana Misra.
PURPORT
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in Bengal, Tapana Misra approached Him to discuss spiritual advancement. Thus he was favored by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and received hari-nama initiation. After that, by the order of the Lord, Tapana Misra resided in Varanasi, and when Lord Caitanya visited Varanasi He stayed at the home of Tapana Misra.
TEXT 155
raghunatha balye kaila prabhura sevana
ucchista-marjana ara pada-samvahana
SYNONYMS
raghunatha--Raghunatha, the son of Tapana Misra; balye--in his boyhood; kaila--did; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya; sevana--rendering service; ucchista-marjana--washing the dishes; ara--and; pada-samvahana--massaging the feet.
TRANSLATION
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Misra, Raghunatha Bhatta, who was then a boy, washed His dishes and massaged His legs.
TEXT 156
bada haile nilacale gela prabhura sthane
asta-masa rahila bhiksa dena kona dine
SYNONYMS
bada haile--when he grew to be a young man; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; gela--went; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sthane--at the place; asta-masa--eight months; rahila--stayed; bhiksa--prasada; dena--gave; kona dine--some days.
TRANSLATION
When Raghunatha grew to be a young man, he visited Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and stayed there for eight months. Sometimes he offered prasada to the Lord.
TEXT 157
prabhura ajna pana vrndavanere aila
asiya sri-rupa-gosanira nikate rahila
SYNONYMS
prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ajna--order; pana--receiving; vrndavanere--to Vrndavana; aila--he came; asiya--coming there; sri-rupa-gosanira--of Srila Rupa Gosvami; nikate--at his shelter; rahila--remained.
TRANSLATION
Later, by the order of Lord Caitanya, Raghunatha went to Vrndavana and remained there under the shelter of Srila Rupa Gosvami.
tanra sthane--in his place; rupa-gosani--Srila Rupa Gosvami; sunena--heard; bhagavata--the recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam; prabhura krpaya--by the mercy of Lord Caitanya; tenho--he; krsna-preme--in love of Krsna; matta--always maddened.
TRANSLATION
While he stayed with Srila Rupa Gosvami, his engagement was to recite Srimad-Bhagavatam for him to hear. As a result of this Bhagavatam recitation, he attained perfectional love of Krsna, by which he remained always maddened.
PURPORT
Raghunatha Bhattacarya, or Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, one of the six Gosvamis, was the son of Tapana Misra. Born in approximately 1425 sakabda (A.D. 1504), he was expert in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam, and in the Antya-lila, Chapter Thirteen, it is stated that he was also expert in cooking; whatever he cooked would be nectarean. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was greatly pleased to accept the food that he cooked, and Raghunatha Bhatta used to take the remnants of food left by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Raghunatha Bhattacarya lived for eight months in Jagannatha Puri, after which Lord Caitanya ordered him to go to Vrndavana to join Sri Rupa Gosvami. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Raghunatha Bhattacarya not to marry but to remain a brahmacari, and He also ordered him to read Srimad-Bhagavatam constantly. Thus he went to Vrndavana, where he engaged in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam to Srila Rupa Gosvami. He was so expert in reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam that he would recite each and every verse in three melodious tunes. While Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was living with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord blessed him by offering him betel nuts offered to the Jagannatha Deity and a garland of tulasi said to be as long as fourteen cubits. Under Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami's order, one of his disciples constructed the Govinda temple. Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami supplied all the ornaments of the Govinda Deity. He never talked of nonsense or worldly matters but always engaged in hearing about Krsna twenty-four hours a day. He never cared to hear blasphemy of a Vaisnava. Even when there were points to be criticized, he used to say that since all the Vaisnavas were engaged in the service of the Lord, he did not mind their faults. Later Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami lived by Radha-kunda in a small cottage. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 185, it is said that Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami was formerly the gopi named Raga-manjari.
TEXT 159
ei-mata sankhyatita caitanya-bhakta-gana
dinmatra likhi, samyak na yaya kathana
SYNONYMS
ei-mata--in this way; sankhya-atita--innumerable; caitanya-bhakta-gana--devotees of Lord Caitanya; din-matra--only a fractional part; likhi--I write; samyak--full; na--cannot; yaya--be possible; kathana--to explain.
TRANSLATION
I list in this way only a portion of the innumerable devotees of Lord Caitanya. To describe them all fully is not possible.
TEXT 160
ekaika-sakhate lage koti koti dala
tara sisya-upasisya, tara upadala
From each branch of the tree have grown hundreds and thouands of subbranches of disciples and granddisciples.
PURPORT
It was the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that His cult be spread all over the world. Therefore there is a great necessity for many, many disciples of the branches of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disciplic succession. His cult should be spread not only in a few villages, or in Bengal, or in India, but all over the world. It is very much regrettable that complacent so-called devotees criticize the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness for accepting sannyasa and spreading the cult of Lord Caitanya all over the world. It is not our business to criticize anyone, but because they try to find fault with this movement, the real truth must be stated. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted devotees all over the world, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also confirmed this. It is in pursuit of their will that the ISKCON movement is spreading all over the world. Genuine devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu must take pride in the spread of the Krsna consciousness movement instead of viciously criticizing its propaganda work.
TEXT 161
sakala bhariya ache prema-phula-phale
bhasaila tri-jagat krsna-prema-jale
SYNONYMS
sakala--all; bhariya--filled; ache--there is; prema--love of Godhead; phula--flowers; phale--fruits; bhasaila--inundated; tri-jagat--the whole world; krsna-prema--of love of Krsna; jale--with water.
TRANSLATION
Every branch and subbranch of the tree is full of innumerable fruits and flowers. They inundate the world with the waters of love of Krsna.
eka eka--of each and every; sakhara--branch; sakti--power; ananta--unlimited; mahima--glories; sahasra vadane--in thousands of mouths; yara--of which; dite--to give; nare--becomes unable; sima--limit.
TRANSLATION
Each and every branch of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees has unlimited spiritual power and glory. Even if one had thousands of mouths, it would be impossible to describe the limits of their activities.
sanksepe--in brief; kahila--described; mahaprabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta-gana--the devotees; samagra--all; balite--to speak; nare--cannot; sahasra-vadana--Lord Sesa, who has thousands of mouths.
TRANSLATION
I have briefly described the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in different places. Even Lord Sesa, who has thousands of mouths, could not list them all.
TEXT 164
sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa
SYNONYMS
sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsnadasa--Srila Krsnadasa Gosvami.
TRANSLATION
Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Tenth Chapter, in the matter of the main trunk of the Caitanya tree, its branches and its subbranches.