Seeking the Kingdom of God

SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA

Madhya Lila Chapter 8

All glories to the beloved Lord Gaurasundara, who is most dear to everyone, especially Lord Nityananda and Advaita Acarya Prabhu. He is the life and soul of Sri Jagannatha Pandita and Sri Gadadhara, and the most precious treasure of Pundarika Vidyanidhi. All glories to Lord Caitanya for He is the Lord and master of Jagadisa and Gopinatha. All glories to the associates of Lord Caitanya.
Lord Caitanya continued to perform wonderful pastimes in Navadvipa along with Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Assisting in Their pastimes Advaita Acarya Prabhu, as well as all the other Vaisnavas, performed grand kirtana, dancing ecstatically while constantly chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna.
While Nityananda Prabhu remained in Srivasa Pandita's house He manifested the mood of a young boy. He would not even eat by Himself and had to be fed by Mother Malini, who felt like a mother to Him.
One day Lord Caitanya began to discuss topics regarding Krsna Consciousness with Srivasa Pandita. Wanting to test Srivasa He asked, "Why do you keep and maintain this Avadhuta in your house? You don't even know anything about Him, who He is, where He comes from or what is His family background is. I warn you that you are being too lenient and kind to Him. If you want to maintain the good reputation of your family in society then you should immediately turn this Avadhuta out of Your house."
Srivasa Pandita smiled and said, "O Lord, it is not proper for You to test me in this way. I know that Lord Nityananda is Your expansion. You are the Supreme Lord and there is no difference between Yourself and Lord Nityananda. I am Your servant and anyone who serves You becomes my master. Even if Lord Nityananda were a meat-eating drunkard and due to my association with Him I lost my reputation, wealth and everything, still, I tell You truly that I would never think of anything else other than serving His and Your lotus feet."
Hearing Srivasa Pandita speaking in this manner, the Lord stood up and roared loudly with great joy, "What have I just heard from you, Srivasa Pandita? You have so much faith and love for Nityananda Prabhu? You have understood the truth about My dearmost confidential associate. This has pleased Me so much that I grant you this boon: even if there comes a time when Laksmi devi, the Goddess of fortune, is forced to wander about with a begging bowl, still your house will never know the chills of penury. Everyone in Your house, including your pet dogs and cats, will find complete shelter in My devotional service. Therefore I leave Lord Nityananda Prabhu in your care so that you may look after Him and serve Him properly." Saying this the Lord returned home.
Lord Nityananda spent His time roaming about Navadvipa. Sometimes He went to the Ganga to take a swim and happily allowed the currents to carry Him away. At other times He played with the young boys acting like a little child Himself. He would visit the houses of Gangadasa Pandita and Murari Gupta, and then run to Lord Caitanya's house where Mother Saci showered Him with affection. Absorbed in the mood of a young boy, Lord Nityananda would try to catch mother Saci's feet and she always tried to escape from Him.
One night mother Saci had a dream which she later related to Lord Visvambhara in confidence. "Late in the night I dreamed I saw You and Nityananda. You were two five year old boys, running about playing and fighting. I saw both of You enter the Deity room and then come out with the deity of Lord Balarama in Your hand, and the deity of Krsna in Nityananda's hand. The four of You then began to fight with each other.
"Lord Balarama and Lord Krsna were angry and said to You, 'Hey, You cheaters, You impostors, get out of here. This house and this room belongs to Us, and everything else here like the sweets, curds and milk are all Ours.'
"Nityananda replied, 'Those days of stealin g butter and curd for You to eat are now gone. You are no longer cowherd boys. Now You have become young brahmanas, so give up Your possessiveness about all these sweets, yogurt and milk now. If You do not listen to Our sweet persuasion then We will convince you with a beating. Who is going to tolerate Your plundering and mischief.'
"Lord Balarama and Lord Krsna replied, 'We will catch hold of both of You impostors and tie You up and leave you here. If by chance You go against the wishes of Krsna, no one will blame Us for this.'(?)
"Lord Nityananda Prabhu then replied, 'Who is afraid of Your Krsna? My Lord and Master is Lord Visvambhara.'
"The four of them fought with each other in this way, snatching the sweets and food from each other's hands and mouths and eating it. Nityananda called out to me saying, 'Mother, bring My food. I am very hungry'.
"Thereafter I woke up, but I cannot understand anything of this dream. Therefore, I am telling You."
Hearing the description of Mother Saci's dream, Lord Visvambhara smiled and spoke to her tenderly. "That was a nice dream you had mother, but do not tell this to everyone. Our Deities are actually living and are very potent. Your dream has increased and strengthened My devotion and faith in Them. It is interesting that you dreamt about this, as I have been observing something strange which I did not reveal before because I was feeling ashamed. I noticed that the foodstuff which your daughter-in-law cooked and offered to Their Lordships, Lord Balarama and Lord Krsna, would remain half-eaten after the offering was over. I was suspicious of my wife, but now everything has become clear.
Visnupriya, Sri Laksmi Devi, the mother of the universe, heard the details of Mother Saci's dream from the inner quarters and smiled at her husband's words.
Lord Visvambhara said, "Mother let me go and bring Nityananda here right away and you can feed him." Happy to hear this, Saci Mata quickly began to prepare for cooking.
Lord Visvambhara went to Nityananda Prabhu and extended an invitation to Him, along with a warning: "Today, we are making a special offering to the Deities, so please do not misbehave."
Nityananda Prabhu caught hold of His ears and cried, "Visnu, Visnu, only made people misbehave. You think that I will misbehave because You think everyone is like Yourself." Joking in this way, They proceeded towards Visvambara's house, absorbed in talks of Krsna.
Entering the house, They were given water to wash Their feet and then sat down to eat next to each other, surrounded by Gadadhara Pandita and other friends. Sitting together in this way, Nityananda and Visvambhara looked exactly like Lord Ramacandra and Laksmana sitting in Their mother's house. The mood was the same and Their affection for each other was the same, as They were the same Persons.
Mother Saci was very happy and excitedly hurried to serve out three full plates of prasadam for the two of Them. When she returned she found two young boys of five in the place where Visvambhara and Nityananda had been sitting. One of the boys had a blackish complexion and the other was very fair. Both of Them were exquisitely beautiful, and both were without any clothing. One of Them had four arms which held the conch shell, disc, mace and lotus. His breast was marked with the Srivatsa, the glistening kosa(kaustubha?) jewel hung from His neck and beautiful fish-shaped earrings dangled from His ears. The other boy held the plough and the pestle. She also saw her daughter-in-law, Visnupriya, situated on the breast of one of the young children. No sooner had she seen this wonderful sight, then it vanished.
Mother Saci stood still, mummified with ecstasy and tears rolled down her face drenching her clothes. All the foodstuff scattered as mother Saci fell to the ground and lay unconscious.
Lord Visvambhara rushed to wash His hands and mouth then quickly ran to rescue His mother. Lifting her up He said, "Mother, Mother, please get up, calm down, get control of yourself. Why did you suddenly fall to the ground?"
Mother Saci slowly regained consciousness and quickly tied her loosened hair. Without uttering a word she went inside her room and began weeping. She was overwhelmed with ecstatic love for God and nothing else mattered to her. Her breath came in great sighs and her body trembled from head to toe.
Meanwhile the servant, Isana, cleaned the eating room. He collected the remnants of food that had scattered on the floor and ate it all. Isana is truly extremely fortunate, for everyday he performed such wonderful activities yet he remained like a servant, thus no one knew that he was actually perceiving the highest transcendental truth.
Lord Gauracandra, along with His devotees, continued to perform congregational chanting of the holy name in Navadvipa. Although the Lord's eternal associates had appeared in different parts of Bengal, gradually, in small numbers, they began to come to Navadvipa. There they soon found out that the Supreme Lord had appeared. Allaying the fears of the devotees and filling their hearts with bliss, Lord Visvambhara manifested Himself before them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord's devotees are as dear to Him as His own heart, thus that Supreme Personality who is intensely sought after through the Vedic literature, mixed freely with His devotees, embracing all of them so lovingly that each one of them felt as if he were the most prominent of the Lord's associates.
The Lord regularly visited His disciples in their homes, where he would exhibit to them His four-handed form. Sometimes He went to Gangadasa Pandita's house or to Murari Gupta's house, and at other times He visited Srivasa Pandita's. But all the while The Lord's constant companion was Nityananda Prabhu, from whom He could not bear to be separated. Lord Nityananda was always engrossed in the playful mood of a young boy, and Visvambhara wholeheartedly reciprocated with him in the same spirit.
According to their particular faith, various devotees saw Lord Caitanya appear before them in different incarnations: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Nrsimha, etc.
Some days the Lord was absorbed in the mood of the gopi's and wept continuously, oblivious to the passage of time. Other days He felt like Uddhava, or Akrura, while at other times felt like Lord Balarama and demanded that wine be brought to Him. Sometimes he was filled with the emotions of Lord Brahma and began chanting hymns, falling on the ground. Another time, feeling like Prahlad Maharaja, He offered prayers to the Supreme Lord. In this way Lord Caitanya floated on various waves of devotional ecstasy.
Observing the happiness of her son, Mother Saci was extremely happy, yet one dreadful thought continuously interrupted her cheerful mood: "What if my son leaves home?" Brushing such unpleasant thoughts aside she said, "Dear son, go and take Your bath in the Ganga."
"Mother, please chant the holy name, Krsna, Rama." In every conversation with His Mother the Lord simply replied with one word: 'Krsna'.
These super excellent transcendental pastimes of the Lord's are all inconceivable. They cannot be understood by any amount of material calculation.
One day a wandering devotee of Lord Siva passed by singing the glories of his Lord, while dancing blissfully round and round. Hearing the singing of the Sivaite, Sri Caitanya suddenly appeared in the form of Lord Siva, with great matted locks of hair piled on His head. Jumping up on the singer's shoulders He shouted loudly, "I am Sankara, I am Sankara." The people watched in amazement as the Lord sat perched on the devotee's shoulder. Playing on a horn and a small hand tabor, the Lord encouraged the Sivaite to continue singing.
That day, that fortunate devotee received the full benefit of purely glorifying his Lord Siva - purely without offenses. The Supreme Lord Gaurasundara sat on his shoulders. The Lord regained normalcy and climbing down He personally offered alms to the singer. The singer devotee left feeling extremely grateful and satisfied. The devotee servants of Lord Gauranga shouted Lord Hari's name in illusion, feeling a surge of devotional ecstasy in the Lord's company.
The Lord said, "You My brothers, please hear the essential teachings of all scriptures. Why should we waste our nights in useless activities? Let us make a firm resolution from today to spend the nights engaged in the most auspicious activities, chanting the Lord's name. By performing congregational chanting of the holy name, all of us will drown in divine deluge as if the flood of devotional ecstasy is gushing like Ganga devi. Let the whole world be delivered by hearing the holy name; in that way you will become everyone's spiritual life-giver and beloved treasure."
The Lord's words breathed great joy to all the Vaisnava hearts - Lord Caitanya had begun His kirtana pastimes. Every night, the Lord met the devotees in Srivasa Pandita's house and performed kirtana Some days He would also meet in Candra Sekhara's house. These kirtana meetings would be attended by so many devotees, the Lord's dear servants, that all their names cannot possibly be remembered.
Lord Nityananda was there with Gadadhara Pandita, Advaita Acarya, Srivasa Pandita, Vidyanidhi, Murari, Hiranya, Haridasa Thakura, Gangadasa, Banamali, Bijoy, Nandana, Jagadananda Pandita, Buddhimanta Khan, Narayana, Kasisvara, Vasudeva, Rama, Garudai, Govinda, Govindarama, Gopinatha, Jagadisa, Sriman, Sridhara, Sadasiva, Vakresvara, Srigarbha, Suklambara, Brahmananda, Purusottama, Sanjaya and others. The Lord was always surrounded only by such devotees who accompanied Him in kirtana and dancing.
The Lord's ecstatic thunderous roars and loud kirtana rented the very limits of the material world.
These kirtans agitated the envious atheists. They clapped their thighs and jumped up, pouring out streams of profanity, "All this loud howling and wild dancing after a good wine bout as soon as it gets to be night time, is robbing us of our entire night's precious sleep. These impostors entice women to them with their hypnotic enchantments and enjoy them the whole night. These atheists are consumed in their own fire of hate, and the Lord, Sacinandana, dances in graceful ebullience.
As soon as the kirtana begins, the Lord comes in trance and becomes oblivious to the phenomenal world. Dancing, He falls to the ground with such force that the earth quakes and cracks in places. The devotees look at Him mummified in fear. As the Lord's tender body contacts the hard surface, Sacimata closes her eyes silently praying to Lord Govinda, Krsna for is protection. Sacimata knows that Nimai is in spiritual trance, yet due to her intense love for the Lord she experienced great agony. She did not know what action to take so she earnestly prayed to the Lord. "O Lord Krsna, please grant me this wish, that I may not know when Nimai hurls Himself to the ground. Please grant me this mercy, Krsna.
Although for Nimai there is no pain but actual blissfulness, I will be happy to remain unaware of all this." Lord Caitanya, the Supreme Lord knew Sacimata's wishes, so accordingly He infused in her divine ecstasy. As long as Lord Caitanya performed kirtana and dancing, Mother Saci entered a state of spiritual exhilaration and became heedless of this material world.
All the time now, the Lord spent in kirtana and ecstatic dancing surrounded by His followers. Some days the devotees would collect in the Lord's house and begin loud sankirtana while the Lord immersed Himself in dancing.
At times the Lord exhibited His mood as the Omnipotent Supreme Controller. Then at other times he wept in humility saying, "I am Your servant." Dear readers hear these narrations about the Lord's transcendental ecstasies very attentively, for there is no one who can dance so gracefully as Lord Caitanya in the entire creation. And likewise the beautiful and exuberant singing of His associates that accompany His dancing is also incomparable.
On special (religious) days, like ekadasi, dvadasa or Visnu tattva appearances, Lord Caitanya assembled all the devotees in Srivasa Pandita's house from early dawn and began mesmerizing everyone with jubilant dancing. In the house of that most fortunate soul, Srivasa Pandita a melodious tumult of the holy names of Govinda Gopala went up in the atmosphere. Different kirtana groups emerged from the assembled devotees.
Srivasa Pandita headed one group, Mukunda another and Govinda yet another. They all sang and the Lord danced. Nityananda Prabhu, that great spiritual stalwart circumambulated the dancing Lord while Advaita Acarya Prabhu stealthily lifted the dust from the ground where the Lord danced and put it on his head. Gadadhara Pandita and others experienced divine exhilaration and looked at the Lord with tearful eyes.
Hear some of the descriptions of how they performed kirtanas to accompany the Lord's magnificent dancing. They sang often in "Bhatigari Raga." The directions resounded with the singing of the holy name, "Govinda", and Mahaprabhu accompanied it lost in His scintillating body movements. They sang, "Hari O Rama. Hari O Rama."
Lord Caitanya would begin to weep during kirtanas. It continued for a minimum of an hour. His long tresses tossed about on the ground and He made no attempt to tie them. Only hearts of stone can remain unmoved by the sight; the devotees fell swooning to the ground trying to reach out to the Lord. And when He began laughing, He broke out in carefree effervescent mirth infecting everyone with ecstatic joy for hours. Lord Caitanya being surcharged with the mood of servitorship became unaware of His own divinity. Jubilantly He repeated, "I am victorious. I am victorious." and all the devotees chorused the same.
At intervals the Lord sang out so loudly it sounded as if the entire universe would split open. Sometimes He became heavier than our earth, impossible for anyone to hold Him; and again He lost so much weight in a moment, He was lighter than cotton wool and being carried around the house jubilantly by devotees on their shoulders. The Lord frequently went into ecstatic trances on the least of provocation putting the devotees in anxiety and they chanted, "Hari" loudly into His ears to awaken Him.
Then sometimes His entire body shivered uncontrollably, His teeth chattering like a little boy out on a winter morning. Next moment He was drenched in cold sweat like Mother Ganga was flowing out of His pores. His body would suddenly become burning hot, drying up all the cooling sandal paste applied to His person. He released gigantic sighs throwing asunder the devotees from His front and then He rushed at the devotees to catch their feet and all the Vaisnavas tried to escape the Lord.
The Lord liked to sit and rest back against Lord Nityananda lifting His lotus feet He looked smiling at the devotees. The devotees immediately comprehended the impact of this pastime and they ran to loot the priceless treasure of the dust of the Lord's lotus feet. Advaita Acarya said, "O You thief, now we have crushed Your pride." Lord Caitanya blissfully rolled on the ground and allowed the devotees to glorify Krsna.
When Lord Caitanya danced vigorously, the earth quaked and the devotees looked around in apprehension, but when He danced with graceful postures He looked like the divine Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. He roared sometimes with the roar of ten million lions but He carefully protected the devotees ear drums. Often He would be seen by some moving on air a little above the ground, yet not everyone could see. He stared at devotees with eyes turned bright red due to feelings of extreme ecstasy. They were shocked at first but fled away laughing.
Visvambhara became restless with ecstasy and danced, lost in Himself. He caught some one's feet and sometimes even clambered on His head. He would drape around someone's neck weeping, and the next moment would climb on to his shoulders. Again overcome by the youthful mood He became restless and made sounds of musical instruments with His mouth like a playful lad. He would shake His foot and laugh continuously and then get down and crawl on all fours feeling like a baby.
At times Visvambhara entered into the mood of Syamananda Sundara Krsna and stood for hours in the trilinga position (the body bent in three places). He meditated for sometime and then played the flute melodiously. He looked just like Krsna, the moon of Vrndavana. When He came out of this mood He again felt like the Lord's servitor and wept. With utmost humility He begged everyone - wanting to serve their feet.
The Lord sometimes bent His body like a wheel, His feet touching His head, remaining like this for long hours. He expressed all His ecstatic moods in wondrous ways, exquisitely dancing immersed in the bliss of chanting His own names. Now His body trembled as He frequently made roaring sounds and He became unquiet falling crashing to the ground. A dancing resplendent golden figure - suddenly they see Him multicolored. They see double images of Him. Supreme Lord Caitanya exhibited such extraordinary displays of ecstatic emotion under the total influence of His mood of a Vaisnava devotee. He often repeated unspeakable words, shouting before the Vaisnava He respected as a "Prabhu" who was now caught by his hair by the Lord. The Lord called out, "This fellow is My servant." The Vaisnava whose feet He tried to catch previously in humility, He now stands on His breath. The devotees all around were so captivated and moved by the Lord's ecstatic symptoms that they put their hands around each other's necks and cried.
The entire group of assembled Vaisnavas look so radiant, their bodies decorated with sandalwood tilaka and tulasi mala; and blissfully tasting the nectar of chanting Lord Krsna's name. The sounds of their voices, mrdangas, conch shells and kartals mingled to a melodious uproar. As this auspicious sound of the holy name spread and filled the azure vaults, evil and misfortune disappeared in every direction. How extraordinary is that Supreme Master that the entire universe becomes cleansed of sin simply by the dancing of His disciples.
And the Master, Krsna Himself, dances to the accompaniment of His own holy name. How can the Puranas ever explain this supernatural phenomena?
Lord Caitanya danced, surrounded by His devotees loudly chanting the auspicious name of Lord Hari. Lord Siva becomes spiritually surcharged with bliss at the sound of the Lord's name. Once He begins to dance and taste the nectar, he loses track of his person and clothes. That very name of the Lord transformed Valmiki to an embodiment of knowledge and renunciation. The same holy name offered Ajamila supreme liberation. Hearing His name, the shackles of material existence are broken. That selfsame Supreme Lord has now appeared in Kali yuga and is dancing to His own name. Narada Muni and Sukdeva Gosvami roam the universe singing His praises. Ananta Sesa Prabhu with a thousand mouths glorifies His name. Whose name is the best means for atonement from my sin, that same Supreme Personality dances only to be seen by the most fortunate souls. I am so fallen and wretched that I was not born then to see this marvelous festival of sankirtana and dance.
Srila Vyasadeva's son, Sukadeva Gosvami, praised Kali yuga in Srimad Bhagavatam because he knew of the future advent of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That same Lord now danced immersed within His joyful self enchanting all with the rhythmic patting of His feet. The Vaijayanti garland around His neck swung wildly echoing the Lord's ecstatic dancing mood. He tore the garland and threw the shreds at His devotees' feet; gave up His joy rides on Garuda's shoulder, forgot His conch shell, disc, mace, lotus holding form, and forsook His bed of Ananta Sesa. In His pastimes as Gaurasundara He rolled on the dust and wept, overcome with the ecstatic mood of servitorship to the Supreme Lord. Gone was His mood of Lord and Master and the pleasures of the Vaikuntha planets - the ecstasy of being the Lord's servant overshadowed all other pleasures.
The Lord is the Supreme subject of all pleasures. Yet disregarding the pleasure of Laksmi devi's company and exquisite face He prefers to heave His hands and face in the ecstasy of the kirtana and drown in an ocean of acute separation from His beloved Krsna. The Supreme Lord who is diligently served by elevated personalities like Lord Siva and Narada Muni having given up their wealth and position for Him - that same Lord Gauranga has neglected His Supreme Absolute Lordship and with utmost humility, taking straw in his mouth, begging and praying for devotional service. And if any wretched soul, in spite of the Lord's unprecedented novel example disregards devotional service to the Supreme Lord, he is unfortunate enough to throw away the nectar and drink poison.
These are again those who read and propagate the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam and establish themselves as lord and master, without appreciating the extraordinary beauty of devotional service. All their activities are lowly and futile. They do not know the essential truth of the Vedas, yet they deliver dissertations on the scriptures, to an equally agnostic audience. They are truly like the mules carrying the burden - some load of useless learning. The Vedas and Bhagavatam have unequivocally elucidated the elevated position of devotional servitorship to the Supreme; Laksmi devi, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and others carefully cultivate this priceless process.
Those who do not have complete faith in Lord Caitanya's words are most unfortunate and are forever disassociated from His mercy.
It was so divinely enchanting to see Lord Gaurasundara dance surrounded by all His associates singing sweet melodious kirtanas. Advaita Acarya, unable to control His ecstasy, often went into a trance and covered His entire body with straw, and holding one in His mouth in humility with some on His head He danced vigorously, His eyebrows drawn close together. The assembled devotees were astounded by Advaita Acarya's ecstatic symptoms, while Nityananda Prabhu and Gadadhara Pandita were shaking with laughter.
Lord Gaurasundara, the dear life of every soul, continued His sublime dance, frequently overcome by endless ecstatic emotions.
Lord Gaura Sundara exhibited such extraordinary symptoms of ecstasy that are not even mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam, nor has anyone heard about them from anywhere else. Sometimes His body became stiff like a statue, and no one could possibly move or bend Him. Then again His body became soft as cream, as if He had no bones in the body. Other times He looked at least twice His normal size and again sometimes He looked at least twice His normal size, and again sometimes He became thinner and smaller than usual. Sometimes He moved drowsily about like a drunkard, suddenly breaking out into joyous boisterous laughter that shook His entire frame.
Seeing the assembled Vaisnavas surrounding Him, Lord Gaurasundara enraptured in spiritual emotions, started calling each with their previous names. He looked around and shouted out to the individual names like, "Haladhara, Siva, Suka, Narada, Prahlada, Rama (laksmi) Aja (Brahma), Uddhava. In this way the Lord skillfully revealed different devotee's previous identity in Krsna lila. All the devotees marveled, filling their eyes with the enchanting dance of Lord Gaurasundara in the mood of Lord Krsna.
The crowd at Srivasa Pandita's residence drawn by the delightful kirtana was overflowing and over-anxious to see Sri Gaurasundara. Those who arrived early were in the house and could see everything, others remained outside. The Lord instructed for the doors to be closed. The people of Nadia were impatient, creating a loud commotion to get inside. They cried out, "We want to see the kirtana. Open the doors immediately." The Vaisnavas inside were unaware of any happenings, their complete attention captivated by the kirtana.
Amongst those who were not allowed inside were some atheistic and envious persons making various comments. They said, "They are a bunch of beggars. Afraid and feeling ashamed that they might be recognized by others, they close the doors." "You are right, it is only due to the pangs of hunger that they scream nonstop for hours." "Actually they closed the doors because they do not want us to catch them drinking wine all night," "Nimai Pandita was good and normal, we do not know why God changed His mentality." "I think this is a consequence of His past life."
"In fact, this is happening because of bad association. Ever since Nimai lost His father, He has no one to discipline Him. Nimai has long since given up His studies. Grammar is such a subject: if you lose touch of it for even a month, you forget it. His mind is now idle, we know all their excuses.
"We know the real reason for their closed-door activities. In the night they chant mystical incantations casting spells on women to bring them here. Together they eat and drink all sorts of things and decorate themselves with fragrant flowers and perfumes and engage in various illicit recreation. So they lock their doors to avoid public censure.
"Tomorrow I shall definitely have them arrested and taken away bound up like common criminals. All this howling and shouting, `Hari, Hari' was never heard in these parts. Now this kirtana has stolen the sleep and peace of common people. All material prosperity is now forever gone and instead we will have famine. The rains will stop due to their reprobate activities, and no grains will grow and we will all starve. But let us wait outside a few days, because this madness cannot go on for too long. We shall see that Srivasa or Advaita or that Avadhuta Nityananda does." In this manner the godless persons raved and threatened, but the Vaisnavas were immersed in joyous ocean of kirtana and they did not pay attention to their words.
Outside the tirade continued, "It is not a brahmana's duty to sing and dance - that is for the low class man. It is sad that a educated brahmana should set such a bad example." Just looking at them, even a upright brahmana looses all his good qualities. No one should as much as see their dancing and kirtana even out of curiosity. Look what happened to Nimai. He was intelligent, now He is mad - dancing and singing with them, and they are steadily increasing in number. What is their use of calling out to God, without any self-realization. God resided within you, why reject the wealth in your own house and search for it elsewhere in the forest."
Then someone quite unexpectedly said, "It is of no use criticizing others, better just go home and mind our own business." Another voice supported him saying, "We cannot get inside to see the kirtana due to our own misfortune from our previous life. How can we criticize those who are fortunate to be inside participating in the kirtana? They are very pious."
"He must also belong to their group," the atheists cried out, and pressed aggressively towards him. "What is the great loss if we do not see their kirtana? They are simply a few hundred, prancing around, screaming as if in war. Without practicing chanting, penances or cultivating knowledge they follow a concocted method of discipline and meditation. They collect foodstuffs like rice, bananas, milk and curd, and mixing everything they sit together and eat. This way they corrupt the caste system."
People came to see the kirtana only to abuse, "Just look at how madly they are acting. They indulged in such comments and left. Again a fresh group of people gathered to continue the vilification. When two agnostics met they engaged in ridiculing the Vaisnavas and rolling in laughter. When they met anyone who had never see the kirtana they forced them to go to Srivasa's house, and only on repeated pleadings would they allow someone to get away.
Someone said, "What a wonder! In spite of seeing all this, the people crazily follow Nimai Pandita. With all the hustle and bustle, Srivasa Pandita's house sounds like he is celebrating Durga puja. The only sound one hears is a great din. This certainly gives rise to all the ill rumors. Navadvipa is crowded with thousands of erudite scholars, yet these charlatans have gained prominence here. We must free Navadvipa from this Srivasa, tomorrow I will demolish his house and float his belongings down the Ganga. It is for the better of this town to be rid of this so called brahmana, otherwise when the brahmanical culture wanes by his bad example, the Muslims will take over."
Such were the unending string of invectives against the Vaisnavas, yet some atheists were somehow very fortunate. They were born in the same place as the Lord, and so they automatically saw and heard the Lord's dancing, kirtana and other pastimes.
The devotees of Lord Caitanya were deaf to all such criticism, intoxicated by the sweet nectar of Krsna's name. Day and night they sang the different transcendental names of Krsna, "Jaya Krsna, Murari, Mukunda, Banamali." And day and night a tireless Lord Visvambhara sang and danced with His associates whose transcendental bodies were naturally indefatigable.
Immersed in the ecstasy of nama kirtana with Lord Caitanya, millenniums passed by, but by human considerations they were but a few years for the devotees. Like in the Rasa dance pastimes of Lord Krsna, the young damsels, the Vraja gopis, spent millenniums with Krsna dancing with Him, but to Him it seemed a mere flitting moment that came to an end only too early. Krsna's pastimes are all inconceivable and the associates of Lord Caitanya, knowing this, experienced the slow passage of time like the Vraja gopis.
One night, an hour before dawn, Lord Caitanya suddenly stopped dancing and climbed up on the altar and lifting the shaligrama silas that were in Lord Visnu's seat up on His lap, He sat down in it. The seat crackled and protested loudly under His weight. Lord Nityananda quickly rushed to hold up the altar seat. Now with Lord Ananta Sesa supporting the seat, it did not crumble, and Lord Gaurasundara sat comfortably in it and swayed gently. The Lord ordered for the kirtana to discontinue and as quietness settled, He began to reveal the transcendental truth about Himself with a booming loud voice.
"In Kaliyuga, I have appeared as Krsna. I am the Supreme Lord Narayana and the fortunate son of Devaki. I am the Lord and master of the entire cosmic creation; it is I who am glorified in all your songs, for you are My servitors. I have appeared for the sake of all of you. I have accepted whatever foodstuffs you have offered - they were gifts meant for Me."
Srivasa said, "O Lord, everything is Yours." Lord Caitanya replied, "I will eat everything." Advaita Acarya said, "Lord, it is a great fortune for us."
The devotees became busy bringing edibles for the Lord, and the Lord enjoyed it with relish. He ate milk, curd and fresh butter and kept repeating, "What else do you have? Bring it." They brought Him milk sweets like sandesh which He mixed with sugar. They brought rock candy with coconut milk and grains, bananas with flat rice and fried rice. He consumed large amounts and still said, "Bring more." He ate in a matter of minutes more than what two hundred men could eat.
Still the Lord said, "What else is there? Bring it, bring it. Oh there is nothing here." The devotees were alarmed because their supplies were exhausted. They became amazed at the Lord in this mood and began to remember the Lord Almighty in fear.
They prayed to the Lord with folded hands, "O Lord, what do we know about Your mystique? How can we satisfy You with our small gifts - someone who can hold the entire creation in His stomach?" The Lord replied, "My devotees' gifts are never small or insignificant to Me. Quickly! Bring, bring! What other things you have?"
They said, "Please listen dear Lord: the only thing left is some camphor rice." The Lord replied, "Do not worry, bring Me that."
The devotees became jubilant and forgot their fear. Each one hurried to bring as much rice as they could, and the Lord received it with open outstretched palms. The Lord then made large eyes and rolling them He began calling out loud, "Narra, Narra, Narra."
The dumbstruck devotees sat around with terror in their hearts. They saw the Lord as a terrible master come to give out punishments. No one could approach Him. Lord Nityananda stood behind Mahaprabhu holding an umbrella over Him, and Advaita Acarya stood before the Lord with folded hands offering Him prayers. All the devotees hung their heads in consternation and remembered the shelter of Lord Caitanya's feet.
Whosoever relishes these narrations of the Lord's mystic opulence will certainly be able to see the beatific face of the Lord. And in whatever stage of spiritual realization one is situated, he will perceive to that extent only such esoteric revealment. Anything more is impossible without the Lord's sanction.
Looking at Advaita's face the Lord said, "As for a boon, I have incarnated here only because of you." The Lord looked at all the devotees one by one and laughing said, "Ask for what you want." The Lord manifested His divine awesome potency in this way, sweeping away the devotees in waves of ecstasy.
The Lord's inconceivable pastimes are impossible to comprehend; in a matter of moments the Lord changes from an exacting autocrat to a devotee swooning in devotional ecstasy. On regaining consciousness, the Lord wept continuously manifesting the mood of servitorship. He went around putting His arms around the Vaisnavas' necks and wept calling them, "Brother, friend."
An ordinary person could never see such activities. Only by the arrangement of the Lord's maya potency, the Lord's servitors were eligible to perceive the truth about the Lord's supra-mundane situation. The devotees were joyous and laughed at the Lord's wonderful character and they said, "Supreme Lord Narayana has advented."
He again fell down unconscious with overwhelming bliss, and lay on the ground as if dead. The devotees began to lament bitterly. They thought, "My beloved Lord has left me behind and left this world. Why is He so cruel to me? I will also leave my body immediately."
The all-knowing Lord again woke up feeling the thoughts of His devotees, and started a loud kirtana. The devotees were suddenly stirred up and in extreme exhilaration lost balance. Navadvipa devotees thus relished such wonderful loving pastimes with the Lord of Vaikuntha.
Whoever hears these transcendental pastimes of the Lord, his mind will always dwell in the association of devotees and the Supreme Lord Gaurasundara Himself.
Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord NItyananda are my life and soul,
I, Vrndavana dasa, humbly offer this song at Their lotus feet.
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