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Chapter 6
The Liberation of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya
A summary of the Sixth Chapter is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya as follows: When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered the temple of Jagannatha, He immediately fainted. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then took Him to his home. Meanwhile, Gopinatha Acarya, the brother-in-law of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, met Mukunda Datta and talked to him about Caitanya Mahaprabhu's acceptance of sannyasa and His journey to Jagannatha Puri. After hearing about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's fainting and His being carried to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, people crowded there to see the Lord. Srila Nityananda Prabhu and other devotees then visited the Jagannatha temple, and when they came back to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to external consciousness. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya received everyone and distributed maha-prasada with great care. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then became acquainted with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and arranged accommodations at his aunt's house. His brother-in-law, Gopinatha Acarya, established that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Krsna Himself, but Sarvabhauma and his many disciples could not accept this. However, Gopinatha Acarya convinced Sarvabhauma that no one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead without being favored by Him. He proved by sastric quotation, quotations from the revealed scriptures, that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Krsna Himself in person. Still, Sarvabhauma did not take these statements very seriously. Hearing all these arguments, Caitanya Mahaprabhu told His devotees that Sarvabhauma was His spiritual master and that whatever he said out of affection was for everyone's benefit.
When Sarvabhauma met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he asked Him to hear Vedanta philosophy from him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted this proposal, and for seven days He continuously heard Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya explain the Vedanta-sutra. However, the Lord remained very silent. Because of His silence, the Bhattacarya asked Him whether He was understanding the Vedanta philosophy, and the Lord replied, "Sir, I can understand Vedanta philosophy very clearly, but I cannot understand your explanations." There was then a discussion between the Bhattacarya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu concerning the authority of the Vedic scriptures, specifically the Upanisads and Vedanta-sutra. The Bhattacarya was an impersonalist, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu proved that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He proved that the conceptions of the Mayavadi philosophers concerning the impersonal Absolute Truth are incorrect.
The Absolute Truth is neither impersonal nor without power. The greatest mistake made by the Mayavadi philosophers is in conceiving the Absolute Truth to be impersonal and without energy. In all the Vedas, the unlimited energies of the Absolute Truth have been accepted. It is also accepted that the Absolute Truth has His transcendental, blissful, eternal form. According to the Vedas, the Lord and the living entity are equal in quality but different quantitatively. The real philosophy of the Absolute Truth states that the Lord and His creation are inconceivably and simultaneously one and different. The conclusion is that the Mayavadi philosophers are actually atheists. There was much discussion on this issue between Sarvabhauma and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but despite all his endeavors, the Bhattacarya was defeated in the end.
At the request of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then explained the atmarama verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam in eighteen different ways. When the Bhattacarya came to his senses, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu disclosed His real identity. The Bhattacarya then recited one hundred verses in praise of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and offered his obeisances. After this, Gopinatha Acarya and all the others, having seen the wonderful potencies of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, became very joyful.
One morning after this incident, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received some prasada from Jagannatha and offered it to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Without caring for formality, the Bhattacarya immediately partook of the maha-prasada. On another day, when the Bhattacarya asked Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu the best way to worship and meditate, the Lord advised him to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. On another day, the Bhattacarya wanted to change the reading of the tat te 'nukampam verse because he did not like the word mukti-pada. He wanted to substitute the word bhakti-pada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised Sarvabhauma not to change the reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam because mukti-pada indicated the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna. Having become a pure devotee, the Bhattacarya said, "Because the meaning is hazy, I still prefer bhakti-pada." At this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the other inhabitants of Jagannatha Puri became very pleased. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya thus became a pure Vaisnava, and the other learned scholars there followed him.
TEXT 1
TEXT
naumi tam gauracandram yah
kutarka-karkasasayam
sarvabhaumam sarva-bhuma
bhakti-bhumanam acarat
SYNONYMS
naumi--I offer my respectful obeisances; tam--unto Him; gauracandram--who is known as Lord Gauracandra; yah--who; ku-tarka--by bad arguments; karkasa-asayam--whose heart was hard; sarvabhaumam--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; sarva-bhuma--the Lord of everything; bhakti-bhumanam--into a great personality of devotion; acarat--converted.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Gauracandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who converted the hardhearted Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the reservoir of all bad logic, into a great devotee.
TEXT 2
TEXT
jaya jaya gauracandra jaya nityananda
jayadvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya gauracandra--all glories to Lord Gaurahari; jaya nityananda--all glories to Nityananda Prabhu; jaya advaita-candra--all glories to Advaita Acarya; jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda--all glories to the devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Acarya! And all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
TEXT 3
TEXT
avese calila prabhu jagannatha-mandire
jagannatha dekhi' preme ha-ila asthire
SYNONYMS
avese--in ecstasy; calila--went; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jagannatha-mandire--to the temple of Jagannatha; jagannatha dekhi'--seeing the Jagannatha Deity; preme--in ecstasy; ha-ila--became; asthire--restless.
TRANSLATION
In ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went from Atharanala to the temple of Jagannatha. After seeing Lord Jagannatha, He became very restless due to love of Godhead.
TEXT 4
TEXT
jagannatha alingite calila dhana
mandire padila preme avista hana
SYNONYMS
jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; alingite--to embrace; calila--went; dhana--very swiftly; mandire--in the temple; padila--fell down; preme--in ecstasy; avista--overwhelmed; hana--becoming.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went swiftly to embrace Lord Jagannatha, but when He entered the temple, He was so overwhelmed with love of Godhead that He fainted on the floor.
TEXT 5
TEXT
daive sarvabhauma tanhake kare darasana
padicha marite tenho kaila nivarana
SYNONYMS
daive--by chance; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanhake--Him; kare--does; darasana--seeing; padicha--the watchman in the temple; marite--to beat; tenho--he; kaila--did; nivarana--forbidding.
TRANSLATION
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell down, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya happened to see Him. When the watchman threatened to beat the Lord, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya immediately forbade him.
TEXT 6
TEXT
prabhura saundarya ara premera vikara
dekhi' sarvabhauma haila vismita apara
SYNONYMS
prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saundarya--the beauty; ara--and; premera vikara--ecstatic transformations; dekhi'--seeing; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haila--became; vismita--surprised; apara--very much.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very much surprised to see the personal beauty of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu as well as the transcendental transformations wrought on His body due to love of Godhead.
TEXT 7
TEXT
bahu-ksane caitanya nahe, bhogera kala haila
sarvabhauma mane tabe upaya cintila
SYNONYMS
bahu-ksane--for a long time; caitanya--consciousness; nahe--there was not; bhogera--of offering food; kala--the time; haila--it became; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mane--in the mind; tabe--at that time; upaya--remedy; cintila--thought.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained unconscious for a long time. Meanwhile, the time for offering prasada to Lord Jagannatha came, and the Bhattacarya tried to think of a remedy.
TEXT 8
TEXT
sisya padicha-dvara prabhu nila vahana
ghare ani' pavitra sthane rakhila soyana
SYNONYMS
sisya--disciples; padicha--and watchmen; dvara--by means of; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nila--brought; vahana--carrying; ghare--at home; ani'--bringing; pavitra--purified; sthane--in a place; rakhila--kept; soyana--lying down.
TRANSLATION
While Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was unconscious, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, with the help of the watchmen and some disciples, carried Him to his home and laid Him down in a very sanctified room.
PURPORT
At that time Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya lived on the southern side of the Jagannatha Temple. His home was practically on the beach and was known as Markandeya-sarastata. At present it is used as the monastery of Gangamata.
TEXT 9
TEXT
svasa-prasvasa nahi udara-spandana
dekhiya cintita haila bhattacaryera mana
SYNONYMS
svasa-prasvasa--breathing; nahi--there was not; udara--of the abdomen; spandana--movement; dekhiya--seeing; cintita--full of anxiety; haila--became; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mana--the mind.
TRANSLATION
Examining the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma saw that His abdomen was not moving and that He was not breathing. Seeing His condition, the Bhattacarya became very anxious.
TEXT 10
TEXT
suksma tula ani' nasa-agrete dharila
isat calaye tula dekhi' dhairya haila
SYNONYMS
suksma--fine; tula--cotton; ani'--bringing; nasa--of the nostril; agrete--in front; dharila--held; isat--slightly; calaye--moves; tula--the cotton; dekhi'--seeing; dhairya--patience; haila--there was.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya then took a fine cotton swab and put it before the Lord's nostrils. When he saw the cotton move very slightly, he became hopeful.
TEXT 11
TEXT
vasi' bhattacarya mane karena vicara
ei krsna-mahapremera sattvika vikara
SYNONYMS
vasi'--sitting down; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mane--in his mind; karena--does; vicara--consideration; ei--this; krsna-maha-premera--of ecstatic love for Krsna; sattvika--transcendental; vikara--transformation.
TRANSLATION
Sitting beside Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he thought, "This is a transcendental ecstatic transformation brought about by love of Krsna."
TEXT 12
TEXT
'suddipta sattvika' ei nama ye 'pralaya'
nitya-siddha bhakte se 'suddipta bhava' haya
SYNONYMS
su-uddipta sattvika--of the name suddipta-sattvika; ei--this; nama--named; ye--which; pralaya--devastation; nitya-siddha--eternally perfected; bhakte--in the devotee; se--that; su-uddipta bhava--ecstasy known as suddipta; haya--becomes manifest.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing the sign of suddipta-sattvika, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya could immediately understand the transcendental ecstatic transformation in the body of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Such a sign takes place only in the bodies of eternally liberated devotees.
PURPORT
The word suddipta-sattvika is explained as follows by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: "The Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu mentions eight kinds of transcendental transformations in the bodies of advanced devotees. These are sometimes checked by the devotee, and there are two stages of such checking, technically known as dhumayita and jvalita. The dhumayita (smoking) stage is exhibited when only one or two transformations are slightly present and it is possible to conceal them. When more than two or three transcendental transformations are manifest and it is still possible to conceal them, although with great difficulty, that stage is called jvalita (lighted). When four or five symptoms are exhibited, the dipta (blazing) stage has been reached. When five, six or all eight symptoms are simultaneously manifest, that position is called uddipta (inflamed). And when all eight symptoms are multiplied a thousand times and are all visible at once, the devotee is in the suddipta (intensely inflamed) stage. Nitya-siddha-bhakta indicates the eternally liberated associates of the Lord. Such devotees enjoy the company of the Lord in four relationships--as servant, friend, parent or conjugal lover."
TEXT 13
TEXT
'adhirudha bhava' yanra, tanra e vikara
manusyera dehe dekhi,----bada camatkara
SYNONYMS
adhirudha bhava--an ecstasy technically known as adhirudha; yanra--of whom; tanra--of Him; e--this; vikara--transformation; manusyera--of a human being; dehe--in the body; dekhi--I see; bada camatkara--very wonderful.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya considered, "The uncommon ecstatic symptoms of adhirudha-bhava are appearing in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is very wonderful! How are they possible in the body of a human being?"
PURPORT
Adhirudha-bhava, or adhirudha-mahabhava, is explained in the Ujjvala-nilamani, by Srila Rupa Gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura quotes Rupa Gosvami as follows: "The loving propensity of the asraya (devotee) toward the visaya (Lord) becomes so ecstatic that even after enjoying the company of the beloved the devotee feels that his enjoyment is insufficient. At such a time, the lover sees the beloved in different ways. Such a development of ecstasy is called anuraga. When anuraga reaches its highest limit and becomes perceivable in the body, it is called bhava. When the bodily symptoms are not very distinct, however, the emotional state is still called anuraga, not bhava. When bhava ecstasy is intensified, it is called maha-bhava. The symptoms of maha-bhava are visible only in the bodies of eternal associates like the gopis."
TEXT 14
TEXT
eta cinti' bhattacarya achena vasiya
nityanandadi simha-dvare milila asiya
SYNONYMS
eta cinti'--thinking like this; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; achena--was; vasiya--sitting; nityananda-adi--all the devotees, headed by Nityananda Prabhu; simha-dvare--at the entrance door of the Jagannatha temple; milila--met; asiya--coming.
TRANSLATION
While the Bhattacarya was thinking in this way at his home, all the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, headed by Nityananda Prabhu, approached the Simha-dvara [the entrance door of the temple].
TEXT 15
TEXT
tanha sune loke kahe anyonye bat
eka sannyasi asi' dekhi' jagannatha
SYNONYMS
tanha--at that place; sune--they hear; loke--the people in general; kahe--talk; anyonye--among themselves; bat--topics; eka--one; sannyasi--mendicant; asi'--coming there; dekhi'--seeing; jagannatha--the Deity of Lord Jagannatha.
TRANSLATION
There the devotees heard the people talking about a mendicant who had come to Jagannatha Puri and seen the Deity of Jagannatha.
TEXT 16
TEXT
murcchita haila, cetana na haya sarire
sarvabhauma lana gela apanara ghare
SYNONYMS
murcchita--unconscious; haila--became; cetana--consciousness; na--not; haya--there is; sarire--in His body; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; lana--taking Him; gela--went; apanara--his own; ghare--to the home.
TRANSLATION
The people said that the sannyasi had fallen unconscious upon seeing the Deity of Lord Jagannatha. Because His consciousness did not return, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had taken Him to his home.
TEXT 17
TEXT
suni' sabe janila ei mahaprabhura karya
hena-kale aila tahan gopinathacarya
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; sabe--all the devotees; janila--could understand; ei--this; mahaprabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karya--the activities; hena-kale--at that time; aila--came; tahan--there; gopinatha-acarya--of the name Gopinatha Acarya.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, the devotees could understand that they were speaking of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Just then, Sri Gopinatha Acarya arrived.
TEXT 18
TEXT
nadiya-nivasi, visaradera jamata
mahaprabhura bhakta tenho prabhu-tattva-jnata
SYNONYMS
nadiya-nivasi--an inhabitant of Nadiya; visaradera--of Visarada; jamata--the son-in-law; mahaprabhura bhakta--a devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tenho--he; prabhu-tattva-jnata--a knower of the true identity of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya was a resident of Nadiya, the son-in-law of Visarada and a devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew the true identity of His Lordship.
PURPORT
Mahesvara Visarada was a classmate of Nilambara Cakravarti's. He lived in the Nadiya district in a village called Vidyanagara and had two sons named Madhusudana Vacaspati and Vasudeva Sarvabhauma. His son-in-law was Gopinatha Acarya.
TEXT 19
TEXT
mukunda-sahita purve ache paricaya
mukunda dekhiya tanra ha-ila vismaya
SYNONYMS
mukunda-sahita--with Mukunda Datta; purve--previously; ache--there was; paricaya--acquaintance; mukunda--Mukunda Datta; dekhiya--seeing; tanra--of him (Gopinatha Acarya); ha-ila--there was; vismaya--astonishment.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya had previously been acquainted with Mukunda Datta, and when the Acarya saw him at Jagannatha Puri, he was very much astonished.
TEXT 20
TEXT
mukunda tanhare dekhi' kaila namaskara
tenho alingiya puche prabhura samacara
SYNONYMS
mukunda--Mukunda Datta; tanhare--him; dekhi'--seeing; kaila--offered; namaskara--obeisances; tenho--he; alingiya--embracing; puche--inquires; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; samacara--news.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda Datta offered obeisances unto Gopinatha Acarya upon meeting him. Then the Acarya embraced Mukunda Datta and inquired about news of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 21
TEXT
mukunda kahe,----prabhura ihan haila agamane
ami-saba asiyachi mahaprabhura sane
SYNONYMS
mukunda kahe--Mukunda replies; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ihan--here; haila--there was; agamane--coming; ami-saba--all of us; asiyachi--have come; mahaprabhura--Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sane--with.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda Datta replied, "The Lord has already arrived here. We have come with Him."
TEXT 22
TEXT
nityananda-gosanike acarya kaila namaskara
sabe meli' puche prabhura varta bara bara
SYNONYMS
nityananda-gosanike--unto Lord Nityananda Prabhu; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; kaila namaskara--offered obeisances; sabe meli'--meeting them all; puche--inquires; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; varta--news; bara bara--again and again.
TRANSLATION
As soon as Gopinatha Acarya saw Nityananda Prabhu, he offered his obeisances unto Him. In this way, meeting all the devotees, he asked about news of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu again and again.
TEXT 23
TEXT
mukunda kahe,----'mahaprabhu sannyasa kariya
nilacale aila sange ama-saba lana
SYNONYMS
mukunda kahe--Mukunda Datta replies; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sannyasa kariya--after accepting the renounced order of life; nilacale--to Jagannatha Puri; aila--has come; sange--with Him; ama-saba--all of us; lana--taking.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda Datta continued, "After accepting the sannyasa order, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come to Jagannatha Puri and has brought all of us with Him.
TEXT 24
TEXT
ama-saba chadi' age gela darasane
ami-saba pache ailan tanra anvesane
SYNONYMS
ama-saba--all of us; chadi'--leaving; age--ahead; gela--went; darasane--to see Lord Jagannatha; ami-saba--all of us; pache--behind; ailan--came; tanra--of Him; anvesane--in search.
TRANSLATION
"Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu left our company and walked ahead to see Lord Jagannatha. We have just arrived and are now looking for Him.
TEXT 25
TEXT
anyonye lokera mukhe ye katha sunila
sarvabhauma-grhe prabhu,----anumana kaila
SYNONYMS
anyonye--among themselves; lokera--of the people in general; mukhe--in the mouths; ye--that which; katha--talk; sunila--was heard; sarvabhauma-grhe--at the home of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prabhu--the Lord; anumana--a guess; kaila--made.
TRANSLATION
"From the talk of the people in general, we have guessed that the Lord is now at the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
TEXT 26
TEXT
isvara-darsane prabhu preme acetana
sarvabhauma lana gela apana-bhavana
SYNONYMS
isvara-darsane--by seeing Lord Jagannatha; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; preme--in the ecstasy of love of Godhead; acetana--unconscious; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; lana gela--has taken; apana-bhavana--to his own home.
TRANSLATION
"Upon seeing Lord Jagannatha, Caitanya Mahaprabhu became ecstatic and fell unconscious, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya has taken Him to his home in this condition.
TEXT 27
TEXT
tomara milane yabe amara haila mana
daive sei ksane pailun tomara darasana
SYNONYMS
tomara--of you; milane--in meeting; yabe--when; amara--of me; haila--there was; mana--the mind; daive--by chance; sei ksane--at that very moment; pailun--got; tomara--your; darasana--meeting.
TRANSLATION
"Just as I was thinking of meeting you, by chance we have actually met.
TEXT 28
TEXT
cala, sabe yai sarvabhaumera bhavana
prabhu dekhi' pache kariba isvara darsana'
SYNONYMS
cala--let us go; sabe--all; yai--we shall go; sarvabhaumera bhavana--to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prabhu dekhi'--seeing Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; pache--later; kariba--we shall do; isvara darsana--seeing of Lord Jagannatha.
TRANSLATION
"First let us all go to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and see Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Later we shall come to see Lord Jagannatha."
TEXT 29
TEXT
eta suni' gopinatha sabare lana
sarvabhauma-ghare gela harasita hana
SYNONYMS
eta suni'--hearing this; gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; sabare--all of them; lana--taking with him; sarvabhauma-ghare--to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; gela--went; harasita hana--becoming very pleased.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this and feeling very pleased, Gopinatha Acarya immediately took all the devotees with him and approached the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
TEXT 30
TEXT
sarvabhauma-sthane giya prabhuke dekhila
prabhu dekhi' acaryera duhkha-harsa haila
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma-sthane--to the place of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; giya--going there; prabhuke--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dekhila--all of them saw; prabhu dekhi'--seeing the Lord; acaryera--of Gopinatha Acarya; duhkha--unhappiness; harsa--happiness; haila--there was.
TRANSLATION
Arriving at the home of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, everyone saw the Lord lying unconscious. Seeing Him in this condition, Gopinatha Acarya became very unhappy, but at the same time he was happy just to see the Lord.
TEXT 31
TEXT
sarvabhaume janana saba nila abhyantare
nityananda-gosanire tenho kaila namaskare
SYNONYMS
sarvabhaume--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; janana--informing and taking permission; saba--all the devotees; nila--took; abhyantare--within the house; nityananda-gosanire--unto Nityananda Prabhu; tenho--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kaila--offered; namaskare--obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya permitted all the devotees to enter his house, and upon seeing Nityananda Prabhu, the Bhattacarya offered Him obeisances.
TEXT 32
TEXT
saba sahita yatha-yogya karila milana
prabhu dekhi' sabara haila harasita mana
SYNONYMS
saba sahita--with all of them; yatha-yogya--as it was befitting; karila--did; milana--meeting; prabhu dekhi'--seeing the Lord; sabara--of all; haila--became; harasita--pleased; mana--the minds.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma met with all the devotees and offered them a proper welcome. They were all pleased to see Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 33
TEXT
sarvabhauma pathaila saba darsana karite
'candanesvara' nija-putra dila sabara sathe
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; pathaila--sent them; saba--all; darsana karite--to see Lord Jagannatha; candana-isvara--of the name Candanesvara; nija-putra--his son; dila--gave; sabara sathe--with all of them.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya then sent them all back to see Lord Jagannatha, and he asked his own son Candanesvara to accompany them as a guide.
TEXT 34
TEXT
jagannatha dekhi' sabara ha-ila ananda
bhavete avista haila prabhu nityananda
SYNONYMS
jagannatha dekhi'--seeing Lord Jagannatha; sabara--of everyone; ha-ila--there was; ananda--pleasure; bhavete--in ecstasy; avista--overwhelmed; haila--became; prabhu nityananda--Lord Nityananda.
TRANSLATION
Everyone was then very pleased to see the Deity of Lord Jagannatha. Lord Nityananda in particular was overwhelmed with ecstasy.
TEXT 35
TEXT
sabe meli' dhari tanre susthira karila
isvara-sevaka mala-prasada ani' dila
SYNONYMS
sabe meli'--meeting all together; dhari--caught; tanre--Him; su-sthira--steady; karila--made; isvara-sevaka--the priest of the Deity; mala--garland; prasada--offering; ani--bringing; dila--gave.
TRANSLATION
When Lord Nityananda Prabhu nearly fainted, all the devotees caught Him and steadied Him. At that time, the priest of Lord Jagannatha brought a garland that had been offered to the Deity and offered it to Nityananda Prabhu.
TEXT 36
TEXT
prasada pana sabe haila anandita mane
punarapi aila sabe mahaprabhura sthane
SYNONYMS
prasada pana--getting this honor of the garland; sabe--all of them; haila--became; anandita mane--pleased in the mind; punarapi--again; aila--came back; sabe--all; mahaprabhura sthane--to the place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying.
TRANSLATION
Everyone was pleased to receive this garland worn by Lord Jagannatha. Afterwards they all returned to the place where Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying.
TEXT 37
TEXT
ucca kari' kare sabe nama-sankirtana
trtiya prahare haila prabhura cetana
SYNONYMS
ucca--very loudly; kari'--doing; kare--began; sabe--all; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra; trtiya prahare--in the forenoon; haila--there was; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya; cetana--consciousness.
TRANSLATION
All of the devotees then began to loudly chant the Hare Krsna mantra. Just before noon the Lord regained His consciousness.
TEXT 38
TEXT
hunkara kariya uthe 'hari' 'hari' bali'
anande sarvabhauma tanra laila pada-dhuli
SYNONYMS
hunkara kariya--making a loud sound; uthe--got up; hari hari bali'--chanting Hari, Hari; anande--in pleasure; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanra--His; laila--took; pada-dhuli--the dust of the feet.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahaprabhu got up and very loudly chanted, "Hari! Hari!" Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very pleased to see the Lord regain consciousness, and he took the dust of the Lord's lotus feet.
TEXT 39
TEXT
sarvabhauma kahe,----sighra karaha madhyahna
muni bhiksa dimu aji maha-prasadanna
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--says; sighra--very soon; karaha--do; madhya-ahna--midday duties; muni--I; bhiksa--alms; dimu--shall offer; aji--today; maha-prasada-anna--remnants of food offered to Lord Jagannatha.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya informed all of them, "Please take your midday baths immediately. Today I shall offer you maha-prasada, the remnants of food offered to Lord Jagannatha."
TEXT 40
TEXT
samudra-snana kari' mahaprabhu sighra aila
carana pakhali' prabhu asane vasila
SYNONYMS
samudra-snana--a bath in the sea; kari'--taking; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sighra--very soon; aila--returned; carana--feet; pakhali'--washing; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asane--on a seat; vasila--sat.
TRANSLATION
After bathing in the sea, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees returned very soon. The Lord then washed His feet and sat down on a carpet to take lunch.
TEXT 41
TEXT
bahuta prasada sarvabhauma anaila
tabe mahaprabhu sukhe bhojana karila
SYNONYMS
bahuta prasada--varieties of food offered to Lord Jagannatha; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; anaila--caused to bring them; tabe--at that time; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sukhe--in happiness; bhojana--lunch; karila--accepted.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya made arrangements to bring various kinds of maha-prasada from the Jagannatha temple. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then accepted lunch with great happiness.
TEXT 42
TEXT
suvarna-thalira anna uttama vyanjana
bhakta-gana-sange prabhu karena bhojana
SYNONYMS
suvarna-thalira--on golden plates; anna--rice; uttama--first-class; vyanjana--vegetables; bhakta-gana--the devotees; sange--with; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; karena--accepts; bhojana--lunch.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahaprabhu was offered special rice and first-class vegetables on golden plates. He thus took lunch in the company of His devotees.
TEXT 43
TEXT
sarvabhauma parivesana karena apane
prabhu kahe,----more deha laphra-vyanjane
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; parivesana--distribution; karena--does; apane--personally; prabhu kahe--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; more--unto Me; deha--please give; laphra-vyanjane--boiled vegetables.
TRANSLATION
While Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya personally distributed the prasada, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested him, "Please give Me only boiled vegetables.
PURPORT
Laphra-vyanjana is a preparation in which many vegetables are boiled together, and then a chenka is added, consisting of spices like cumin, black pepper and mustard seed.
TEXT 44
TEXT
pitha-pana deha tumi inha-sabakare
tabe bhattacarya kahe yudi' dui kare
SYNONYMS
pitha-pana--cakes and condensed milk; deha--give; tumi--you; inha-sabakare--to all these devotees; tabe--at that time; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--said; yudi'--folding; dui kare--two hands.
TRANSLATION
"You can offer the cakes and other preparations made with condensed milk to all the devotees." Hearing this, the Bhattacarya folded his hands and spoke as follows.
TEXT 45
TEXT
jagannatha kaiche kariyachena bhojana
aji saba mahaprasada kara asvadana
SYNONYMS
jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; kaiche--as; kariyachena--has accepted; bhojana--lunch; aji--today; saba--all of you; maha-prasada--the remnants of food offered to the Lord; kara--do; asvadana--tasting.
TRANSLATION
"Today, all of you please try to taste the lunch just as Lord Jagannatha accepted it."
TEXT 46
TEXT
eta bali' pitha-pana saba khaoyaila
bhiksa karana acamana karaila
SYNONYMS
eta bali'--saying this; pitha-pana--many kinds of cakes and condensed-milk preparations; saba--all; khaoyaila--made to eat; bhiksa karana--after offering prasada; acamana karaila--made them wash their hands, feet and mouths.
TRANSLATION
After saying this, he made them all eat the various cakes and condensed-milk preparations. After feeding them, he offered them water to wash their hands, feet and mouths.
TEXT 47
TEXT
ajna magi' gela gopinatha acaryake lana
prabhura nikata aila bhojana karina
SYNONYMS
ajna magi'--taking permission; gela--went; gopinatha acaryake lana--taking Gopinatha Acarya; prabhura--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nikata--near; aila--went; bhojana karina--after taking lunch.
TRANSLATION
Begging permission from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then went with Gopinatha Acarya to take lunch. After finishing their lunch, they returned to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 48
TEXT
'namo narayanaya' bali' namaskara kaila
'krsne matir astu' bali' gosani kahila
SYNONYMS
namah narayanaya--I offer my respects to Narayana; bali'--saying; namaskara kaila--offered respects to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krsne--unto Lord Krsna; matih astu--let there be attraction; bali'--saying; gosani--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahila--spoke.
TRANSLATION
Offering his obeisances to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "Namo narayanaya" ["I offer my obeisances to Narayana"]." In return, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Krsne matir astu" ["Let your attention be on Krsna"]."
PURPORT
It is the etiquette among sannyasis, those on the fourth platform of spiritual life, to offer respects by saying om namo narayanaya ("I offer my respectful obeisances unto Narayana"). This greeting is used especially by Mayavadi sannyasis. According to the smrti scriptures, a sannyasi should not expect anything from anyone, nor should he consider himself identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vaisnava sannyasis never think of themselves as being one with the Lord; they always consider themselves eternal servants of Krsna, and they want to see everyone in the world become Krsna conscious. For this reason, a Vaisnava sannyasi always offers his blessings to everyone, saying krsne matir astu ("May you become Krsna conscious").
TEXT 49
TEXT
suni' sarvabhauma mane vicara karila
vaisnava-sannyasi inho, vacane janila
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mane--within the mind; vicara karila--considered; vaisnava-sannyasi--Vaisnava sannyasi; inho--this person; vacane--by words; janila--understood.
TRANSLATION
Hearing these words, Sarvabhauma understood Lord Caitanya to be a Vaisnava sannyasi.
TEXT 50
TEXT
gopinatha acaryere kahe sarvabhauma
gosanira janite cahi kahan purvasrama
SYNONYMS
gopinatha acaryere--to Gopinatha Acarya; kahe--said; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; gosanira--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; janite--to know; cahi--I want; kahan--what; purva-asrama--previous situation.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma then said to Gopinatha Acarya, "I want to know Caitanya Mahaprabhu's previous situation."
PURPORT
The word purvasrama refers to one's previous situation in life. Sometimes a person will accept the renounced order from householder life, and sometimes even from student (brahmacari) life. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wanted to know of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's previous situation as a householder.
TEXT 51
TEXT
gopinathacarya kahe,----navadvipe ghara
'jagannatha'----nama, padavi----'misra purandara'
SYNONYMS
gopinatha-acarya kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; navadvipe--in Navadvipa; ghara--residence; jagannatha--of the name Jagannatha; nama--named; padavi--the surname; misra purandara--Misra Purandara.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya replied, "There was a man named Jagannatha, who was a resident of Navadvipa, and whose surname was Misra Purandara.
TEXT 52
TEXT
'visvambhara'----nama inhara, tanra inho putra
nilambara cakravartira hayena dauhitra
SYNONYMS
visvambhara--of the name Visvambhara; nama--the name; inhara--His; tanra--of Jagannatha Misra; inho--He; putra--son; nilambara cakravartira--of Nilambara Cakravarti; hayena--is; dauhitra--grandson (daughter's son).
TRANSLATION
"Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the son of that Jagannatha Misra, and His former name was Visvambhara Misra. He also happens to be the grandson of Nilambara Cakravarti."
TEXT 53
TEXT
sarvabhauma kahe,----nilambara cakravarti
visaradera samadhyayi,----ei tanra khyati
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma said; nilambara cakravarti--the gentleman named Nilambara Cakravarti; visaradera--of Mahesvara Visarada (Sarvabhauma's father); samadhyayi--class friend; ei--this; tanra--of him; khyati--acquaintance.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya said, "Nilambara Cakravarti was a classmate of my father, Mahesvara Visarada. I knew him as such.
TEXT 54
TEXT
'misra purandara' tanra manya, hena jani
pitara sambandhe donhake pujya kari' mani
SYNONYMS
misra purandara--Jagannatha Misra Purandara; tanra--his; manya--respectable; hena--thus; jani--I know; pitara sambandhe--in relationship to my father; donhake--both of them (Nilambara Cakravarti and Jagannatha Misra); pujya--respectable; kari'--thinking; mani--I accept.
TRANSLATION
"Jagannatha Misra Purandara was respected by my father. Thus because of their relationship with my father, I respect both Jagannatha Misra and Nilambara Cakravarti."
TEXT 55
TEXT
nadiya-sambandhe sarvabhauma hrsta haila
prita hana gosanire kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
nadiya-sambandhe--in connection with Nadiya; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; hrsta--pleased; haila--became; prita hana--thus being pleased; gosanire--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahite lagila--began to speak.
TRANSLATION
Hearing that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to the Nadiya district, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became very pleased and addressed the Lord as follows.
TEXT 56
TEXT
'sahajei pujya tumi, are ta' sannyasa
ataeva han tomara ami nija-dasa'
SYNONYMS
sahajei--naturally; pujya--respectable; tumi--You; are--over and above this; ta'--certainly; sannyasa--the renounced order of life; ataeva--therefore; han--am; tomara--Your; ami--I; nija-dasa--personal servant.
TRANSLATION
"You are naturally respectable. Besides, You are a sannyasi; thus I wish to become Your personal servant."
PURPORT
A sannyasi is always to be worshiped and offered all kinds of respect by the grhasthas (householders). Although Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was older than Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sarvabhauma respected Him as a sannyasi and as one who had attained the topmost platform of spiritual ecstasy. Thus the Bhattacarya certainly accepted Him as his master.
TEXT 57
TEXT
suni' mahaprabhu kaila sri-visnu smarana
bhattacarye kahe kichu vinaya vacana
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; mahaprabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--did; sri-visnu smarana--remembering Lord Visnu; bhattacarye--to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--speaks; kichu--some; vinaya vacana--very humble statements.
TRANSLATION
As soon as Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from the Bhattacarya, He immediately remembered Lord Visnu and began to speak humbly to him as follows.
TEXT 58
TEXT
"tumi jagad-guru----sarvaloka-hita-karta
vedanta padao, sannyasira upakarta
SYNONYMS
tumi jagat-guru--you are the master of all people; sarva-loka--of all people; hita-karta--the well-wisher; vedanta padao--you teach Vedanta philosophy; sannyasira--of the mendicants in the renounced order of life; upakarta--the benefactor.
TRANSLATION
"Because you are a teacher of Vedanta philosophy, you are the master of all the people in the world and their well-wisher as well. You are also the benefactor of all kinds of sannyasis.
PURPORT
Because the Mayavadi sannyasis teach Vedanta philosophy to their students or disciples, they are customarily called jagad-guru. This indicates that they are the benefactors of all people. Although Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was not a sannyasi but a householder, he used to invite all the sannyasis to his home and offer them prasada. Thus he was accepted as the best well-wisher and friend of all the sannyasis.
TEXT 59
TEXT
ami balaka-sannyasi----bhanda-manda nahi jani
tomara asraya nilun, guru kari' mani
SYNONYMS
ami--I; balaka-sannyasi--a young sannyasi; bhanda-manda--good and bad; nahi--not; jani--know; tomara--your; asraya--shelter; nilun--have taken; guru--spiritual master; kari'--taking as; mani--I accept.
TRANSLATION
"I am a young sannyasi, and I actually have no knowledge of what is good and what is bad. Therefore I am taking shelter of you and accepting you as My spiritual master.
TEXT 60
TEXT
tomara sanga lagi' mora ihan agamana
sarva-prakare karibe amaya palana
SYNONYMS
tomara--your; sanga--association; lagi'--for the sake of; mora--My; ihan--here; agamana--arrival; sarva-prakare--in all respects; karibe--you will do; amaya--unto Me; palana--maintaining.
TRANSLATION
"I have come here only to associate with you, and I am now taking shelter of you. Will you kindly maintain Me in all respects?
TEXT 61
TEXT
aji ye haila amara bada-i vipatti
taha haite kaile tumi amara avyahati"
SYNONYMS
aji--today; ye--that which; haila--happened; amara--My; bada-i--very great; vipatti--obstacle; taha--that danger; haite--from; kaile--did; tumi--you; amara--My; avyahati--relief.
TRANSLATION
"The incident that happened today was a great obstacle for Me, but you have kindly relieved Me of it."
TEXT 62
TEXT
bhattacarya kahe,----ekale tumi na yaiha darsane
amara sange yabe, kimva amara loka-sane
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya kahe--the Bhattacarya said; ekale--alone; tumi--You; na--not; yaiha--go; darsane--to see the Deity; amara sange--with me; yabe--You should go; kimva--or; amara loka-sane--with my men.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya replied, "Do not go alone to see the Deity at the Jagannatha temple. It is better that You go with me or my men."
TEXT 63
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----'mandira bhitare na yaiba
garudera pase rahi' darsana kariba'
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya replied; mandira--the temple; bhitare--inside; na--never; yaiba--I shall go; garudera--of the column known as the Garuda-stambha; pase--by the side; rahi'--staying; darsana--seeing; kariba--I shall do.
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, "I shall never enter the temple but shall always view the Lord from the side of the Garuda-stambha."
TEXT 64
TEXT
gopinathacaryake kahe sarvabhauma
'tumi gosanire lana karaiha darasana
SYNONYMS
gopinatha-acaryake--to Gopinatha Acarya; kahe--says; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tumi--you; gosanire--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lana--taking; karaiha--make Him do; darasana--seeing of Lord Jagannatha.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then told Gopinatha Acarya, "Take Gosvamiji and show Him Lord Jagannatha.
TEXT 65
TEXT
amara matr-svasa-grha----nirjana sthana
tahan vasa deha, kara sarva samadhana'
SYNONYMS
amara--my; matr-svasa--of the aunt; grha--the home; nirjana sthana--very solitary place; tahan--there; vasa--an apartment; deha--give; kara--make; sarva--all; samadhana--arrangements.
TRANSLATION
"Also, the apartment belonging to my maternal aunt is in a very solitary place. Make all arrangements for Him to stay there."
TEXT 66
TEXT
gopinatha prabhu lana tahan vasa dila
jala, jala-patradika sarva samadhana kaila
SYNONYMS
gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lana--taking; tahan--there; vasa--apartment; dila--gave; jala--water; jala-patra-adika--waterpots and other vessels; sarva--all; samadhana--arrangements; kaila--made.
TRANSLATION
Thus Gopinatha Acarya took Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the residential quarters and showed Him where to find water, tubs and waterpots. Indeed, he arranged everything.
TEXT 67
TEXT
ara dina gopinatha prabhu sthane giya
sayyotthana darasana karaila lana
SYNONYMS
ara dina--the next day; gopinatha--Gopinatha Acarya; prabhu--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sthane--to the place; giya--going; sayya-utthana--the rising from bed of Lord Jagannatha; darasana--seeing; karaila--caused; lana--taking Him.
TRANSLATION
The next day Gopinatha Acarya took Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to see the early rising of Lord Jagannatha.
TEXT 68
TEXT
mukunda-datta lana aila sarvabhauma sthane
sarvabhauma kichu tanre balila vacane
SYNONYMS
mukunda-datta--of the name Mukunda Datta; lana--taking; aila--went; sarvabhauma--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; sthane--to the place; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kichu--something; tanre--to Mukunda Datta; balila--said; vacane--in words.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya then took Mukunda Datta with him and went to Sarvabhauma's house. When they arrived, Sarvabhauma addressed Mukunda Datta as follows.
TEXT 69
TEXT
'prakrti-vinita, sannyasi dekhite sundara
amara bahu-priti bade inhara upara
SYNONYMS
prakrti-vinita--by nature very humble and meek; sannyasi--renouncer; dekhite--to see; sundara--very beautiful; amara--my; bahu-priti--great affection; bade--increases; inhara--Him; upara--upon.
TRANSLATION
"The sannyasi is very meek and humble by nature, and His person is very beautiful to see. Consequently my affection for Him increases.
PURPORT
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya considered Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu a very humble and meek person because although Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a sannyasi, He still retained His brahmacari name. The Lord took sannyasa from Kesava Bharati in the Bharati sampradaya, in which the brahmacaris (the assistants of the sannyasis) are named "Caitanya." Even after accepting sannyasa, Caitanya Mahaprabhu retained the name "Caitanya," meaning a humble servant of a sannyasi. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya appreciated this very much.
TEXT 70
TEXT
kon sampradaye sannyasa karyachena grahana
kiba nama inhara, sunite haya mana'
SYNONYMS
kon sampradaye--in which community; sannyasa--the renounced order of life; karyachena--has made; grahana--acceptance; kiba--what; nama--name; inhara--His; sunite--to hear; haya--it is; mana--my mind.
TRANSLATION
"From which sampradaya has He accepted the sannyasa order, and what is His name?"
TEXT 71
TEXT
gopinatha kahe,----nama sri-krsna-caitanya
guru inhara kesava-bharati maha-dhanya
SYNONYMS
gopinatha kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; nama--His name; sri-krsna-caitanya--of the name Sri Krsna Caitanya; guru--sannyasa-guru; inhara--His; kesava-bharati--of the name Kesava Bharati; maha-dhanya--the greatly fortunate personality.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya replied, "The Lord's name is Sri Krsna Caitanya, and His sannyasa preceptor is the greatly fortunate Kesava Bharati."
TEXT 72
TEXT
sarvabhauma kahe,----'inhara nama sarvottama
bharati-sampradaya inho----hayena madhyama'
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied; inhara--His; nama--name; sarva-uttama--first-class; bharati-sampradaya--the community of the Bharati sannyasis; inho--He; hayena--becomes; madhyama--middle-class.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, " 'Sri Krsna' is a very good name, but He belongs to the Bharati community. Therefore He is a second-class sannyasi."
TEXT 73
TEXT
gopinatha kahe,----inhara nahi bahyapeksa
ataeva bada sampradayera nahika apeksa
SYNONYMS
gopinatha kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; inhara--of the Lord; nahi--there is not; bahya-apeksa--dependence on any external formality; ataeva--therefore; bada--big; sampradayera--of a community; nahika--there is not; apeksa--necessity.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya replied, "Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu does not rely on any external formality. There is no need for Him to accept the sannyasa order from a superior sampradaya."
PURPORT
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa from the Bharati sampradaya (community), which belongs to the disciplic succession of Sankaracarya. Sankaracarya introduced names for his sannyasa disciples, and these are ten in number. Out of these, the surnames Tirtha, Asrama and Sarasvati are considered topmost. In the monastery at Srngeri, the surname Sarasvati is considered first class, Bharati second class and Puri third class. A sannyasi who has very nicely understood the slogan tat tvam asi and who takes his bath at the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Sarasvati is called a Tirtha. A person who is very eager to accept sannyasa, who is detached from worldly activities, who has no desire for any kind of material facilities, and who is thus saved from repeated birth and death is known as Asrama. When a sannyasi lives in a beautiful, solitary place in the forest and is freed from all material desires, he is called Vana. A sannyasi who always lives in the forest and renounces all connection with the world in order to be elevated to the heavenly planets, where he can live in the Nandana-kanana, is called Aranya. One who prefers living in the mountains engaging in the study of the Bhagavad-gita and whose intelligence is fixed is called Giri. One who prefers living in great mountains, even among ferocious animals, to attain the summit of philosophical speculation (understanding that the essence of this material world is useless) is called Parvata. A sannyasi who has dipped into the ocean of the Absolute Truth and collected some valuable stones of knowledge from that ocean, who never falls from the regulative principles of a sannyasi, is called Sagara. One who has learned the classical art of music, who engages in its culture, and who has become expert and completely aloof from material attachment is called Sarasvati. Sarasvati is the goddess of music and learning, and in one hand she holds a musical instrument called a vina. A sannyasi who is always engaged in music for spiritual elevation is called Sarasvati. One who has become completely educated and is freed from all kinds of ignorance and who is never unhappy, even in a distressed condition, is called Bharati. One who has become very expert in absolute knowledge, who is situated in the Absolute Truth, and who always discusses the Absolute Truth is called Puri.
All these sannyasis are assisted by brahmacaris, who are described as follows: One who knows his real identity and is fixed in his particular occupational duty, who is always happy in spiritual understanding, is called Svarupa-brahmacari. One who completely knows the Brahman effulgence and is always engaged in the practice of yoga is called Prakasa-brahmacari. One who has acquired absolute knowledge and who always meditates on the Absolute Truth, knowledge, the unlimited and the Brahman effulgence, thus keeping himself in transcendental bliss, is called Ananda-brahmacari. One who is able to distinguish between matter and spirit, who is never disturbed by material transformations, and who meditates on the unlimited, inexhaustible, auspicious Brahman effulgence is a first-class, learned brahmacari and is named Caitanya.
When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was talking with Gopinatha Acarya about Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sannyasa community, he appreciated the first name, "Sri Krsna," but did not like the surname, "Caitanya," which is the name for a brahmacari belonging to the Bharati community. He therefore suggested that the Lord be elevated to the Sarasvati community. However, Gopinatha Acarya pointed out that the Lord does not depend on any external formality. Gopinatha Acarya was firmly convinced that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Krsna Himself and therefore independent of any external ritual or formality. If one wants to engage in pure devotional service, he does not require titular superiority as a Bharati or a Sarasvati.
TEXT 74
TEXT
bhattacarya kahe,----'inhara praudha yauvana
kemate sannyasa-dharma ha-ibe raksana
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied; inhara--His; praudha--full; yauvana--youth; kemate--how; sannyasa-dharma--principles of a sannyasi; ha-ibe--there will be; raksana--protection.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya inquired, "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in His full-fledged youthful life. How can He keep the principles of sannyasa?
TEXT 75
TEXT
nirantara inhake vedanta sunaiba
vairagya-advaita-marge pravesa karaiba
SYNONYMS
nirantara--continuously; inhake--to Him; vedanta--Vedanta philosophy; sunaiba--I shall recite; vairagya--of renunciation; advaita--of monism; marge--on the path; pravesa--entrance; karaiba--I shall cause Him to make.
TRANSLATION
"I shall continuously recite Vedanta philosophy before Caitanya Mahaprabhu so that He may remain fixed in His renunciation and thus enter upon the path of monism."
PURPORT
According to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, among sannyasis the cultivation of Vedanta philosophy helps in becoming detached from sense gratification. Thus a sannyasi can protect the prestige of wearing a loincloth (kaupina). One has to practice sense control as well as mind control and subdue the six forces of speech, mind, anger, tongue, belly and genitals. Then one can become expert in understanding the devotional service of the Lord and thus become a perfect sannyasi. For that purpose one must cultivate knowledge and renunciation regularly. When one is attached to material sense gratification, he cannot protect his sannyasa order. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya suggested that by the study of vairagya (renunciation) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu might be saved from the clutches of full-fledged youthful desires.
TEXT 76
TEXT
kahena yadi, punarapi yoga-patta diya
samskara kariye uttama-sampradaye aniya'
SYNONYMS
kahena--says; yadi--if; punarapi--again; yoga-patta diya--offering Him saffron cloth; samskara--reformatory process; kariye--I perform; uttama--first-class; sampradaye--to the community; aniya--bringing.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then suggested, "If Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would like, I could bring Him into a first-class sampradaya by offering Him saffron cloth and performing the reformatory process again."
PURPORT
The Bhattacarya wanted to reinstate Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu into the Sarasvati sampradaya because he did not like the Lord's belonging to the Bharati sampradaya or Puri sampradaya. Actually, he did not know the position of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not depend on an inferior or superior sampradaya. The Supreme Personality of Godhead remains in the supreme position in all circumstances.
TEXT 77
TEXT
suni' gopinatha-mukunda dunhe duhkha haila
gopinathacarya kichu kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; gopinatha-mukunda--Gopinatha Acarya and Mukunda Datta; dunhe--both; duhkha--unhappy; haila--became; gopinatha-acarya--of the name Gopinatha Acarya; kichu--something; kahite--to speak; lagila--began.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya and Mukunda Datta became very unhappy when they heard this. Gopinatha Acarya therefore addressed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya as follows.
TEXT 78
TEXT
'bhattacarya' tumi inhara na jana mahima
bhagavatta-laksanera inhatei sima
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya--my dear Bhattacarya; tumi--you; inhara--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; na--not; jana--know; mahima--the greatness; bhagavatta--of being the Supreme Personality of Godhead; laksanera--of symptoms; inhatei--in Him; sima--the highest degree.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Bhattacarya, you do not know the greatness of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are found in Him to the highest degree."
PURPORT
Since the Bhattacarya was an impersonalist, he had no idea of the Absolute Truth beyond the impersonal effulgence. However, Gopinatha Acarya informed him that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who know the Absolute Truth know it in three phases, as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.11):
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
"Those who are in knowledge of the nondual Absolute Truth know very clearly what is Brahman, what is Paramatma, and what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sad-aisvarya-purna, complete with six opulences. Gopinatha Acarya emphasized that all those six opulences were completely existing in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 79
TEXT
tahate vikhyata inho parama-isvara
ajna-sthane kichu nahe vijnera gocara'
SYNONYMS
tahate--therefore; vikhyata--celebrated; inho--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; parama-isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ajna-sthane--before an ignorant person; kichu--any; nahe--not; vijnera--of the person who knows; gocara--information.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya continued, "Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is celebrated as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are ignorant in this connection find the conclusion of knowledgeable men very difficult to understand."
TEXT 80
TEXT
sisya-gana kahe,----'isvara kaha kon pramane'
acarya kahe,----'vijna-mata isvara-laksane'
SYNONYMS
sisya-gana kahe--the disciples of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said; isvara kaha--you say the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kon pramane--by what evidence; acarya kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; vijna-mata--statements of authorized persons; isvara-laksane--in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
The disciples of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya retaliated, "By what evidence do you conclude that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Lord?" Gopinatha Acarya replied, "The statements of authorized acaryas who understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are proof."
PURPORT
Since the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, there have been many pseudo incarnations in India who do not present authorized evidence. Five hundred years ago the disciples of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, being very learned scholars, were certainly right in asking Gopinatha Acarya for evidence. If a person proposes that he himself is God or that someone else is an incarnation of God or God Himself, he must cite evidence from sastra to prove his claim. Thus the request of the Bhattacarya's disciples is quite bona fide. Unfortunately, at the present moment it has become fashionable to present someone as an incarnation of God without referring to the sastras. Before an intelligent person accepts someone as an incarnation of God, however, he must ask about the evidence. When the disciples of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya challenged Gopinatha Acarya, he immediately replied correctly: "We must hear the statements of great personalities in order to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Lord Krsna is established as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by statements from authorized persons like Brahma, Narada, Vyasadeva, Asita, Arjuna and many others. Similarly, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also established as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by evidence from the same personalities. This will be explained later.
TEXT 81
TEXT
sisya kahe,----'isvara-tattva sadhi anumane'
acarya kahe,----'anumane nahe isvara-jnane
SYNONYMS
sisya kahe--the disciples said; isvara-tattva--the truth of the Absolute; sadhi--derive; anumane--by hypothesis; acarya kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; anumane--by hypothesis; nahe--there is not; isvara-jnane--real knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
The disciples of the Bhattacarya said, "We derive knowledge of the Absolute Truth by logical hypothesis." Gopinatha Acarya replied, "One cannot attain real knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by such logical hypothesis and argument."
PURPORT
The Mayavadi philosophers in particular make certain hypotheses about the Absolute Truth. They reason that in the material world we experience that everything is created. If we trace the history of anything, we find a creator. Therefore there must be a creator of this huge cosmic manifestation. By such reasoning they come to the conclusion that a higher power has created this cosmic manifestation. The Mayavadis do not accept this great power to be a person. Their brains cannot accommodate the fact that this huge cosmic manifestation can be created by a person. They doubt this because as soon as they think of a person, they think of a person within the material world with limited potency. Sometimes the Mayavadi philosophers will accept Lord Krsna or Lord Rama as Bhagavan, but they think of the Lord as a person having a material body. The Mayavadis do not understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, has a spiritual body. They think of Krsna as a great personality, a human being, within whom there is the supreme impersonal power, Brahman. Therefore they finally conclude that the impersonal Brahman is the Supreme, not the personality Krsna. This is the basis of Mayavadi philosophy. However, from the sastras we can understand that the Brahman effulgence is the bodily rays of Krsna:
yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-
kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
"I serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the primeval Lord, the effulgence of whose transcendental body is known as the brahmajyoti. That brahmajyoti, which is unlimited, unfathomed and all-pervasive, is the cause of the creation of unlimited numbers of planets with varieties of climates and specific conditions of life." (Brahma-samhita 5.40)
Mayavadi philosophers study the Vedic literature, but they do not understand that the Absolute Truth in the last stage of realization is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. They do accept the fact that there is a creator of this cosmic manifestation, but that is anumana (hypothesis). The Mayavadi philosopher's logic is something like seeing smoke on a hill. When there is a forest fire on a high hill, smoke is first of all visible. The smoke is created when there is fire. Just as one can conclude that there is fire from seeing smoke, from seeing this cosmic manifestation the Mayavadi philosophers conclude that there must be a creator.
The disciples of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wanted evidence to show that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was actually the creator of the cosmic manifestation. Only then would they accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original cause of creation. Gopinatha Acarya replied that one could not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by guesswork. As Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita (7.25):
naham prakasah sarvasya
yoga-maya-samavrtah
mudho 'yam nabhijanati
loko mam ajam avyayam
"I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My eternal creative potency [yogamaya]; and so the deluded world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible." (Bg. 7.25) The Supreme Personality of Godhead reserves the right of not being exposed to nondevotees. He can only be understood by bona fide devotees. Lord Krsna says elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati: "One can understand Me only by the devotional process." In the Fourth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita (4.3) Lord Krsna says, bhakto 'si me sakha ceti rahasyam hy etad uttamam. Here Lord Krsna informs Arjuna that He is disclosing the secrets of Bhagavad-gita to him because he is His devotee. Arjuna was not a sannyasi, nor was he a Vedantist or brahmana. He was, however, a devotee of Krsna. The conclusion is that we have to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the devotees. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself says, guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija. (Cc. Madhya 19.151)
More evidence can be cited to show that without the mercy of a devotee or the mercy of Krsna, one cannot understand what is Krsna and what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in the next verse.
TEXT 82
TEXT
anumana pramana nahe isvara-tattva-jnane
krpa vina isvarere keha nahi jane
SYNONYMS
anumana pramana--evidence by hypothesis; nahe--there is not; isvara-tattva-jnane--in understanding the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krpa vina--without His mercy; isvarere--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; keha--anyone; nahi--not; jane--knows.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya continued, "One can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead only by His mercy, not by guesswork or hypothesis."
PURPORT
One cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by exhibiting some mundane magic. Foolish people are enchanted by magical demonstrations, and when they see a few wonderful things done by mystical power, they accept a magician as the Personality of Godhead or an incarnation. This is not the way of realization. Nor should one guess or speculate about an incarnation of God or the Personality of Godhead. One has to learn from the bona fide person or from the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, as Arjuna did, by the mercy of Krsna. Krsna Himself also gives many hints about His potencies as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead only through the evidence presented by the sastras and the mahajanas. In any case, one must have the mercy of the Lord in order to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by devotional service.
TEXT 83
TEXT
isvarera krpa-lesa haya ta' yahare
sei ta' isvara-tattva janibare pare
SYNONYMS
isvarera--of the Personality of Godhead; krpa-lesa--a little mercy; haya--there is; ta'--certainly; yahare--upon whom; sei ta'--he certainly; isvara-tattva--the Absolute Truth; janibare--to know; pare--is able.
TRANSLATION
The Acarya continued, "If one receives but a tiny bit of the Lord's favor by dint of devotional service, he can understand the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 84
TEXT
athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam bhagavan-mahimno
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
SYNONYMS
atha--therefore; api--indeed; te--Your; deva--my Lord; pada-ambuja-dvaya--of the two lotus feet; prasada--of the mercy; lesa--by only a trace; anugrhitah--favored; eva--certainly; hi--indeed; janati--one knows; tattvam--the truth; bhagavat--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahimnah--of the greatness; na--never; ca--and; anyah--another; ekah--one; api--although; ciram--for a long period; vicinvan--speculating.
TRANSLATION
" 'My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate in order to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.' "
PURPORT
The above verse is from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.29). The Brahma-samhita states, vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau (Brahma-samhita 5.33). Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the ultimate goal of knowledge (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah), one who is not a pure devotee and who is not engaged in the service of the Lord cannot understand Him. Lord Brahma therefore confirms this. Vedesu durlabham: "It is very difficult to understand the Supreme Lord simply through one's studies." Adurlabham atma-bhaktau: "However, it is very easy for the devotees to capture the Lord." The Lord is known as ajita (unconquerable). No one can conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Lord consents to be conquered by His devotees. That is His nature. As stated in the Padma Purana:
atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
Being pleased by devotional activities, the Lord reveals Himself to His devotees. That is the way to understand Him.
The verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam quoted by Gopinatha Acarya was originally spoken by Lord Brahma when he was defeated by Lord Krsna. Lord Brahma had stolen all the calves and cowherd boys in order to test Krsna's power. Lord Brahma admitted that his own extraordinary powers within the universe were not in the least comparable to the unlimited powers of Lord Krsna. If Lord Brahma can make a mistake in understanding Krsna, what to speak of ordinary persons, who either misunderstand Krsna or falsely present a so-called incarnation of Krsna for their own sense gratification.
TEXTS 85-86
TEXT
yadyapi jagad-guru tumi----sastra-jnanavan
prthivite nahi pandita tomara samana
isvarera krpa-lesa nahika tomate
ataeva isvara-tattva na para janite
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; jagat-guru--a teacher of many disciples; tumi--you; sastra-jnanavan--well versed in Vedic knowledge; prthivite--on this earth; nahi--there is not; pandita--a learned scholar; tomara--your; samana--equal; isvarera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krpa--of mercy; lesa--a bit; nahika--there is not; tomate--on you; ataeva--therefore; isvara-tattva--the Absolute Truth (the Supreme personality of Godhead); na para--are not able; janite--to know.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya then addressed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya: "You are a great scholar and a teacher of may disciples. Indeed, there is no other scholar like you on earth. Nonetheless, because you are bereft of even a pinch of the Lord's mercy, you cannot understand Him, even though He is present in your home.
TEXT 87
TEXT
tomara nahika dosa, sastre ei kahe
pandityadye isvara-tattva-jnana kabhu nahe'
SYNONYMS
tomara--your; nahika--there is not; dosa--fault; sastre--the scriptures; ei--this; kahe--mention; panditya-adye--simply by scholarship, etc.; isvara-tattva-jnana--knowledge of the principles of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kabhu--ever; nahe--there is not.
TRANSLATION
"It is not your fault; it is the verdict of the scriptures. You cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by scholarship."
PURPORT
This is a very important verse. Even big scholars cannot understand Krsna, yet they dare comment on the Bhagavad-gita. Reading the Bhagavad-gita means understanding Krsna, yet we actually see many scholars making blunders in trying to understand Krsna. Gopinatha Acarya's statement is confirmed in many places in Vedic literature. In the Katha Upanisad (1.2.23) it is stated:
nayam atma pravacanena labhyo
na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyas
tasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam
It is also stated in Katha Upanisad (1.2.9):
naisa tarkena matir apaneya
proktanyenaiva sujnanaya prestha
yam tvam apah satya-dhrtir batasi
tvadrn no bhuyan naciketah prasta
The fact is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, cannot be attained simply by explanations, logic and erudite scholarship. One cannot understand Him simply by one's brain substance. Even by studying all Vedic literature, one cannot understand the Supreme Lord. However, if one is slightly favored by the mercy of the Lord, if the Lord is pleased, one can understand Him. But who are the candidates eligible to receive the mercy of the Lord? Only the devotees. They alone can understand what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord reveals Himself to the sincere devotee when He is pleased with his service: svayam eva sphuraty adah. One should not try to understand the Lord simply from the statements of the Vedas, nor should one uselessly attempt to decry these statements through reasoning and logic.
TEXT 88
TEXT
sarvabhauma kahe,----acarya, kaha savadhane
tomate isvara-krpa ithe ki pramane
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya says; acarya--my dear Gopinatha Acarya; kaha--kindly speak; savadhane--very carefully; tomate--unto you; isvara-krpa--mercy of the Lord; ithe--in this matter; ki pramane--by what evidence.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "My dear Gopinatha Acarya, please speak with great care. What is the proof that you have received the mercy of the Lord?"
TEXT 89
TEXT
acarya kahe,----"vastu-visaye haya vastu-jnana
vastu-tattva-jnana haya krpate pramana
SYNONYMS
acarya kahe--Gopinatha Acarya replied; vastu-visaye--in the matter of the summum bonum; haya--there is; vastu-jnana--knowledge of the Supreme; vastu-tattva--of the Absolute Truth; jnana--knowledge; haya--is; krpate--of the mercy; pramana--the evidence.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya replied, "Knowledge of the summum bonum, the Absolute Truth, is evidence of the mercy of the Supreme Lord."
PURPORT
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya informed his brother-in-law, Gopinatha Acarya, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead may not have shown mercy to me, but what is the proof of His having shown it to you? Kindly let us know about this." in reply to this, Gopinatha Acarya said that the summum bonum, the Absolute Truth, and His different potencies are identical. Therefore one can understand the substance of the Absolute Truth by the manifestation of His different potencies. The summum bonum includes all potencies in one unit. The Absolute Truth combined with different characteristics is the original substance (vastu): parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate.
Thus the Vedas state that the Absolute Truth has different potencies. When one understands the characteristics of the potencies of the Absolute Truth, one is aware of the Absolute Truth. On the material platform as well, one can understand the substance by the manifestation of its symptoms. For example, when there is heat, it is to be understood that there is fire. The heat of the fire is perceived directly. The fire may not be visible, but one can search out the fire by feeling heat. Similarly, if one can perceive the characteristics of the Absolute Truth, we can know that he has understood the substance of the Absolute Truth by the mercy of the Lord.
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.25) it is said, naham prakasah sarvasya The Supreme Personality of Godhead reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah: "The Lord reveals Himself to a devotee when He is completely satisfied by the devotee's service." Thus one cannot understand the Supreme Lord without His mercy. The Absolute Truth cannot be understood by speculation, and this is the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita.
TEXT 90
TEXT
inhara sarire saba isvara-laksana
maha-premavesa tumi panacha darsana
SYNONYMS
inhara--His; sarire--in the body; saba--all; isvara-laksana--characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-prema-avesa--absorption in transcendental ecstasy; tumi--you; panacha--have obtained; darsana--seeing.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya continued, "You have seen the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His absorption in an ecstatic mood.
TEXT 91
TEXT
tabu ta' isvara-jnana na haya tomara
isvarera maya ei----bali vyavahara
SYNONYMS
tabu ta'--still, however; isvara-jnana--knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na--not; haya--there is; tomara--your; isvarera--of the Lord; maya--the illusion; ei--this; bali--saying; vyavahara--the general term.
TRANSLATION
"Despite directly perceiving the symptoms of the Supreme Lord in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you cannot understand Him. This is commonly called illusion.
PURPORT
Gopinatha Acarya is pointing out that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had already seen uncommon symptoms of ecstasy in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
These uncommon symptoms of ecstatic love indicated the Supreme Person, but despite having seen all these symptoms, the Bhattacarya could not understand the Lord's transcendental nature. He was considering the Lord's pastimes to be mundane. This was certainly due to illusion.
TEXT 92
TEXT
dekhile na dekhe tare bahirmukha jana"
suni' hasi' sarvabhauma balila vacana
SYNONYMS
dekhile--even after seeing; na--not; dekhe--sees; tare--the Supreme Person; bahih-mukha jana--a person influenced by the external energy; suni'--hearing this; hasi'--smiling; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; balila--said; vacana--the words.
TRANSLATION
"A person influenced by the external energy is called bahirmukha jana, a mundane person, because despite his perception, he cannot understand the real substance." Hearing Gopinatha Acarya say this, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya smiled and began to speak as follows.
PURPORT
When one's heart is not cleansed, one cannot awaken the transcendental nature of devotional service. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28):
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination."
When one is actually engaged in pure devotional service, it is understood that he has already attained freedom from all reactions to sinful activities. In other words, it is to be understood that devotees are already freed from sin. A sinful person, a miscreant (duskrti, cannot engage in devotional service. Nor can one engage in devotional service simply on the basis of scholarly speculation. One has to wait for the mercy of the Lord in order to render pure devotional service.
TEXT 93
TEXT
ista-gosthi vicara kari, na kariha rosa
sastra-drstye kahi, kichu na la-iha dosa
SYNONYMS
ista-gosthi--discussion among friends; vicara--consideration; kari--we do; na--not; kariha--make; rosa--anger; sastra-drstye--according to the conclusion of scriptures; kahi--we speak; kichu--any; na--not; la-iha--take; dosa--fault.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya said, "We are just having a discussion among friends and considering the points described in the scriptures. Do not become angry. I am simply speaking on the strength of the sastras. Please don't take any offense.
TEXT 94
TEXT
maha-bhagavata haya caitanya-gosani
ei kali-kale visnura avatara nai
SYNONYMS
maha-bhagavata--a great devotee; haya--is; caitanya-gosani--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ei--this; kali-kale--in the Age of Kali; visnura--of Lord Visnu; avatara--incarnation; nai--there is not.
TRANSLATION
"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is certainly a great, uncommon devotee, but we cannot accept Him as an incarnation of Lord Visnu because, according to sastra, there is no incarnation in this Age of Kali.
TEXT 95
TEXT
ataeva 'tri-yuga' kari' kahi visnu-nama
kali-yuge avatara nahi,----sastra-jnana
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; tri-yuga--the Lord, who appears in three yugas only; kari'--making; kahi--we say; visnu-nama--the holy name of Lord Visnu; kali-yuge--in the Age of Kali; avatara--incarnation; nahi--there is not; sastra-jnana--the verdict of the scriptures.
TRANSLATION
"Another name for Lord Visnu is Triyuga because there is no incarnation of Lord Visnu in Kali-yuga. Indeed, this is the verdict of revealed scriptures."
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is known as Triyuga, which means that He is manifest in three yugas. However, this means that in the Age of Kali the Lord appears not directly but in disguise. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.9.38):
ittham nr-tiryag-rsi-deva-jhasavatarair
lokan vibhavayasi hamsi jagat-pratipan
dharmam maha-purusa pasi yuganuvrttam
channah kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam
"My Lord, You kill all the enemies of the world in Your multifarious incarnations in the families of men, animals, demigods, rsis, aquatics and so on. Thus You illuminate the worlds with transcendental knowledge. In the Age of Kali, O Mahapurusa, You sometimes appear in a covered incarnation. Therefore You are known as Triyuga [one who appears in only three yugas].")
Srila Sridhara Svami has also verified that Lord Visnu appears in the Age of Kali but does not act as He does in other ages. Lord Visnu incarnates for two purposes: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam. That is, He comes to engage in pastimes with His devotees and to annihilate the demons. These purposes are visible in the Satya, Treta and Dvapara yugas, but in Kali-yuga the Lord appears disguised. He does not directly kill demons and give protection to the faithful. Because the Lord is not directly perceived in Kali-yuga but is directly known in the other three yugas, His name is Triyuga.
TEXT 96
TEXT
suniya acarya kahe duhkhi hana mane
sastra-jna karina tumi kara abhimane
SYNONYMS
suniya--hearing this; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; kahe--says; duhkhi--unhappy; hana--becoming; mane--in the mind; sastra-jna--well versed in Vedic scriptures; karina--taking as; tumi--you; kara--do; abhimane--pride.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing this, Gopinatha Acarya became very unhappy. He said to the Bhattacarya, "You consider yourself the knower of all Vedic scriptures.
TEXT 97
TEXT
bhagavata-bharata dui sastrera pradhana
sei dui-grantha-vakye nahi avadhana
SYNONYMS
bhagavata--Srimad-Bhagavatam; bharata--Mahabharata; dui--two; sastrera--of all Vedic scriptures; pradhana--the most prominent; sei--those; dui-grantha--of the two scriptures; vakye--in the statements; nahi--there is not; avadhana--attention.
TRANSLATION
"Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Mahabharata are the two most important Vedic scriptures, but you have paid no attention to their statements.
TEXT 98
TEXT
sei dui kahe kalite saksat-avatara
tumi kaha,----kalite nahi visnura pracara
SYNONYMS
sei--those; dui--two; kahe--say; kalite--in this Age of Kali; saksat--direct; avatara--incarnation; tumi--you; kaha--say; kalite--in this Age of Kali; nahi--there is not; visnura--of Lord Visnu; pracara--manifestation.
TRANSLATION
"In Srimad-Bhagavatam and Mahabharata it is stated that the Lord appears directly, but you say that in this age there is no manifestation or incarnation of Lord Visnu.
TEXT 99
TEXT
kali-yuge lilavatara na kare bhagavan
ataeva 'tri-yuga' kari' kahi tara nama
SYNONYMS
kali-yuge--in this Age of Kali; lila-avatara--a pastime incarnation; na--not; kare--does; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ataeva--therefore; tri-yuga--of the name Triyuga (manifested in three yugas); kari'--accepting; kahi--I say; tara nama--His holy name.
TRANSLATION
"In this Age of Kali there is no lila-avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is known as Triyuga. That is one of His holy names."
PURPORT
A lila-avatara is an incarnation of the Lord who performs a variety of activities without making any special endeavor. He always has one pastime after another, all full of transcendental pleasure, and these pastimes are fully controlled by the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person is totally independent of all others in these pastimes. While teaching Sanatana Gosvami (Cc. Madhya 20.296-298), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out that one cannot count the number of lila-avataras:
lilavatara krsnera na yaya ganana
pradhana kariya kahi dig-darasana
"However," the Lord told Sanatana, "I shall explain the chief lila-avataras."
matsya, kurma, raghunatha, nrsimha, vamana
varahadi----lekha yanra na yaya ganana
Thus the Lord's incarnations were enumerated, including Matsya, the fish incarnation; Kurma, the tortoise; Lord Ramacandra; Nrsimhadeva; Vamanadeva; and Varaha, the boar incarnation. Thus there are innumerable lila-avataras, and all of these exhibit wonderful pastimes. Lord Varaha, the boar incarnation, lifted the entire planet earth from the depths of the Garbhodaka Ocean. The tortoise incarnation, Lord Kurma, became a pivot for the emulsification of the whole sea, and Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared as half-man, half-lion. These are some of the wonderful and uncommon features of lila-avataras.
In his book Laghu-bhagavatamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami has enumerated the following twenty-five lila-avataras: Catuh-sana, Narada, Varaha, Matsya, Yajna, Nara-Narayana, Kapila, Dattatreya, Hayasirsa (Hayagriva), Hamsa, Prsnigarbha, Rsabha, Prthu, Nrsimha, Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Vamana, Parasurama, Raghavendra, Vyasa, Balarama, Krsna, Buddha and Kalki.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not mentioned as a lila-avatara because He is an incarnation in disguise (channa-avatara). In this Age of Kali there are no lila-avataras, but there is an incarnation of the Lord manifested in the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This has been explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
TEXT 100
TEXT
pratiyuge karena krsna yuga-avatara
tarka-nistha hrdaya tomara nahika vicara
SYNONYMS
prati-yuge--in every age or millennium; karena--makes; krsna--Lord Krsna; yuga-avatara--incarnation for the age; tarka-nistha--hardened by argument; hrdaya--heart; tomara--your; nahika--there is not; vicara--consideration.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya continued, "There is certainly an incarnation in every age, and such an incarnation is called the yuga-avatara. But your heart has become so hardened by logic and argument that you cannot consider all these facts.
TEXT 101
TEXT
asan varnas trayo hy asya
grhnato 'nu-yugam tanuh
suklo raktas tatha pita
idanim krsnatam gatah
SYNONYMS
asan--there were; varnah--colors; trayah--three; hi--indeed; asya--of Him; grhnatah--accepting; anu-yugam--according to the age; tanuh--bodies; suklah--white; raktah--red; tatha--also; pitah--yellow; idanim--at the present moment; krsnatam--blackish; gatah--has accepted.
TRANSLATION
" 'In the past, your son has had bodies of three different colors, according to the age. These colors were white, red and yellow. In this age [Dvapara-yuga] He has accepted a blackish body.'
PURPORT
This verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.8.13) was spoken by Garga Muni when he was performing the rituals at Lord Krsna's name-giving ceremony. He states that the incarnations of the Lord in other ages had been white, red and yellow. This yellow color refers to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whose bodily complexion was yellowish. This confirms that in the past Kali-yugas, the Lord also had incarnated in a body that was yellow in hue. It is understood that the Lord incarnates in different colors for the different yugas (Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali). Accepting the color yellow (pita), as well as other characteristics, the Lord incarnated as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the verdict of all Vedic authorities.
TEXT 102
TEXT
iti dvapara urv-isa
stuvanti jagad-isvaram
nana-tantra-vidhanena
kalav api tatha srnu
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; dvapare--in Dvapara-yuga; uru-isa--O King; stuvanti--offer prayers; jagat-isvaram--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nana--various; tantra--of the supplementary Vedic literature; vidhanena--by regulative principles; kalau--in the Age of Kali; api--certainly; tatha--so also; srnu--hear.
TRANSLATION
" 'In the Age of Kali, as well as in Dvapara-yuga, the people offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by various mantras and observe the regulative principles of the supplementary Vedic literature. Now please hear of this from me.
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.31).
TEXT 103
TEXT
krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
SYNONYMS
krsna-varnam--chanting the two syllables krs and na; tvisa--by complexion; akrsnam--not blackish; sa-anga--accompanied by personal expansions; upa-anga--devotees; astra--the weapon of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra; parsadam--and associates like Gadadhara, Svarupa Damodara, etc.; yajnaih--by sacrifice; sankirtana--congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra; prayaih--chiefly consisting of; yajanti--worship; hi--indeed; su-medhasah--those who are intelligent.
TRANSLATION
" 'In this Age of Kali, those who are intelligent perform the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in this age always describing the glories of Krsna. That incarnation is yellowish in hue and is always associated with His plenary expansions [such as Sri Nityananda Prabhu] and personal expansions [such as Gadadhara], as well as His devotees and associates [such as Svarupa Damodara].'
PURPORT
This verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32) is explained by Sri Jiva Gosvami in his Krama-sandarbha, as quoted by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in regard to the explanation of Adi-lila, Third Chapter, verse 52.
TEXT 104
TEXT
suvarna-varno hemango
varangas candanangadi
sannyasa-krc chamah santo
nistha-santi-parayanah
SYNONYMS
suvarna-varnah--whose complexion is like gold; hema-angah--having a body like molten gold; vara-angah--whose body is very beautifully constructed; candana-angadi--smeared with the pulp of sandalwood; sannyasa-krt--accepting the renounced order of life; samah--self-controlled; santah--peaceful; nistha--firmly fixed; santi--bringing peace by propagating the Hare Krsna maha-mantra; parayanah--always in the ecstatic mood of devotional service.
TRANSLATION
" 'The Lord [in the incarnation of Gaurasundara] has a golden complexion. Indeed, His entire body, which is very nicely constituted, is like molten gold. Sandalwood pulp is smeared all over His body. He will take the fourth order of spiritual life [sannyasa] and will be very self-controlled. He will be distinguished from Mayavadi sannyasis in that He will be fixed in devotional service and will spread the sankirtana movement.' "
PURPORT
Gopinatha Acarya quoted this verse from the Mahabharata's Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotra.
TEXT 105
TEXT
tomara age eta kathara nahi prayojana
usara-bhumite yena bijera ropana
SYNONYMS
tomara age--before you; eta--so many; kathara--of words; nahi--there is not; prayojana--necessity; usara-bhumite--in barren land; yena--like; bijera--of the seed; ropana--sowing.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya then said, "There is no need to quote so much evidence from the sastras, for you are a very dry speculator. There is no need to sow seeds in barren land.
TEXT 106
TEXT
tomara upare tanra krpa yabe habe
e-saba siddhanta tabe tumiha kahibe
SYNONYMS
tomara upare--upon you; tanra--the Lord's; krpa--mercy; yabe--when; habe--there will be; e-saba--all these; siddhanta--conclusions; tabe--at that time; tumiha--you also; kahibe--will quote.
TRANSLATION
"When the Lord will be pleased with you, you will also understand these conclusions and will quote from the sastras.
TEXT 107
TEXT
tomara ye sisya kahe kutarka, nana-vada
ihara ki dosa----ei mayara prasada
SYNONYMS
tomara--your; ye--which; sisya--disciples; kahe--say; ku-tarka--false arguments; nana-vada--jugglery of philosophy; ihara--their; ki--what; dosa--fault; ei--this; mayara--of illusion; prasada--benediction.
TRANSLATION
"The false arguments and philosophical word jugglery of your disciples are not faults of theirs. They have simply received the benediction of Mayavada philosophy.
TEXT 108
TEXT
yac-chaktayo vadatam vadinam vai
vivada-samvada-bhuvo bhavanti
kurvanti caisam muhur atma-moham
tasmai namo 'nanta-gunaya bhumne
SYNONYMS
yat--whose; saktayah--potencies; vadatam--contending; vadinam--of the opposing disputants; vai--indeed; vivada--of opposition; samvada--of agreement; bhuvah--objects; bhavanti--become; kurvanti--do; ca--also; esam--of them; muhuh--always; atma-moham--illusion of the self; tasmai--unto Him; namah--obeisances; ananta--unlimited; gunaya--who has qualities; bhumne--the Supreme.
TRANSLATION
" 'I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of unlimited qualities and whose different potencies bring about agreement and disagreement between disputants. Thus the illusory energy again and again covers the self-realization of both disputants.'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.4.31).
TEXT 109
TEXT
yuktam ca santi sarvatra
bhasante brahmana yatha
mayam madiyam udgrhya
vadatam kim nu durghatam
SYNONYMS
yuktam--quite befitting; ca--also; santi--are; sarvatra--everywhere; bhasante--speak; brahmanah--the learned; yatha--as much; mayam--illusion; madiyam--of Me; udgrhya--accepting; vadatam--of the speculators; kim--what; nu--certainly; durghatam--impossible.
TRANSLATION
" 'In almost all cases, whatever learned brahmanas speak becomes accepted; nothing is impossible for one who takes shelter of My illusory energy and speaks under her influence.' "
PURPORT
In this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.22.4), the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains that His illusory energy can perform the impossible; such is the power of the illusory energy. In many cases philosophical speculators have covered the real truth and have boldly set forth false theories. In ancient times philosophers like Kapila, Gautama, Jaimini, Kanada and similar brahmanas propounded useless philosophical theories, and in modern days so-called scientists are setting forth many false theories about the creation, backed up by seemingly logical arguments. This is all due to the influence of the Supreme Lord's illusory energy. The illusory energy, therefore, sometimes appears correct because it is emanating from the Supreme Correct. To avoid the very bewildering illusory influence, one must accept the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as they are. Only then can one escape the influence of the illusory energy.
TEXT 110
TEXT
tabe bhattacarya kahe, yaha gosanira sthane
amara name gana-sahita kara nimantrane
SYNONYMS
tabe--thereafter; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--says; yaha--please go; gosanira sthane--to the place of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; amara name--in my name; gana-sahita--with His associates; kara--make; nimantrane--invitation.
TRANSLATION
After hearing this from Gopinatha Acarya, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "First go to the place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is staying and invite Him here with His associates. Ask Him on my account.
TEXT 111
TEXT
prasada ani' tanre karaha age bhiksa
pascat asi' amare karaiha siksa
SYNONYMS
prasada ani'--bringing jagannatha-prasada; tanre--unto Him; karaha--make; age--first; bhiksa--acceptance; pascat--afterwards; asi'--coming here; amare--unto me; karaiha--cause; siksa--teaching.
TRANSLATION
"Take jagannatha-prasada and first give it to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. After that, come back here and teach me well."
TEXT 112
TEXT
acarya----bhagini-pati, syalaka----bhattacarya
ninda-stuti-hasye siksa kara'na acarya
SYNONYMS
acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; bhagini-pati--sister's husband; syalaka--wife's brother; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; ninda--sometimes blaspheming; stuti--sometimes by praising; hasye--sometimes by laughing; siksa--instruction; kara'na--causes; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya was the brother-in-law of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; therefore their relationship was very sweet and intimate. Under the circumstances, Gopinatha Acarya taught him by sometimes blaspheming him, sometimes praising him and sometimes laughing at him. This had been going on for some time.
TEXT 113
TEXT
acaryera siddhante mukundera haila santosa
bhattacaryera vakya mane haila duhkha-rosa
SYNONYMS
acaryera--of Gopinatha Acarya; siddhante--with the conclusions; mukundera--of Mukunda Datta; haila--there was; santosa--satisfaction; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; vakye--by the words; mane--in the mind; haila--there was; duhkha--unhappiness; rosa--and anger.
TRANSLATION
Srila Mukunda Datta felt very satisfied to hear the conclusive statements of Gopinatha Acarya, but he became very unhappy and angry to hear the statements put forward by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
TEXT 114
TEXT
gosanira sthane acarya kaila agamana
bhattacaryera name tanre kaila nimantrana
SYNONYMS
gosanira sthane--to the place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying; acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; kaila--did; agamana--coming; bhattacaryera name--on behalf of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanre--unto Him; kaila--made; nimantrana--invitation.
TRANSLATION
According to the instructions of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Gopinatha Acarya went to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and invited Him on the Bhattacarya's behalf.
TEXT 115
TEXT
mukunda-sahita kahe bhattacaryera katha
bhattacaryera ninda kare, mane pana vyatha
SYNONYMS
mukunda-sahita--along with Mukunda; kahe--describes; bhattacaryera katha--all the words of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; ninda--defamation; kare--does; mane--in the mind; pana--getting; vyatha--some pain.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya's statements were discussed before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gopinatha Acarya and Mukunda Datta disapproved of the Bhattacarya's statements because they caused mental pain.
TEXT 116
TEXT
suni mahaprabhu kahe aiche mat kaha
ama prati bhattacaryera haya anugraha
SYNONYMS
suni--hearing them; mahaprabhu--Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kahe--says; aiche--such; mat kaha--do not speak; ama prati--toward Me; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haya--there is; anugraha--mercy.
TRANSLATION
Hearing this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Do not speak like that. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya has shown great affection and mercy toward Me.
TEXT 117
TEXT
amara sannyasa-dharma cahena rakhite
vatsalye karuna karena, ki dosa ihate
SYNONYMS
amara--My; sannyasa-dharma--regulative principles of sannyasa; cahena--he wants; rakhite--to keep; vatsalye--out of paternal affection; karuna--mercy; karena--does; ki--what; dosa--fault; ihate--in this connection.
TRANSLATION
"Out of paternal affection for Me, he wants to protect Me and see that I follow the regulative principles of a sannyasi. What fault is there in this?"
TEXT 118
TEXT
ara dina mahaprabhu bhattacarya-sane
anande karila jagannatha darasane
SYNONYMS
ara dina--the next day; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhattacarya-sane--along with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; anande--in great pleasure; karila--did; jagannatha--to Lord Jagannatha; darasane--visit.
TRANSLATION
The next morning, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya together visited the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Both of them were in a very pleasant mood.
TEXT 119
TEXT
bhattacarya-sange tanra mandire aila
prabhure asana diya apane vasila
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya-sange--along with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanra--His (Lord Jagannatha's); mandire--to the temple; aila--came; prabhure--unto Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asana--sitting place; diya--giving; apane--personally; vasila--sat down.
TRANSLATION
When they entered the temple, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya offered Caitanya Mahaprabhu a seat, while he himself sat down on the floor out of due respect for a sannyasi.
TEXT 120
TEXT
vedanta padaite tabe arambha karila
sneha-bhakti kari' kichu prabhure kahila
SYNONYMS
vedanta--Vedanta philosophy; padaite--to instruct; tabe--then; arambha--beginning; karila--made; sneha--affection; bhakti--and devotion; kari'--showing; kichu--something; prabhure--unto the Lord; kahila--said.
TRANSLATION
He then began to instruct Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu on Vedanta philosophy, and out of affection and devotion, he spoke to the Lord as follows.
PURPORT
The Vedanta- or Brahma-sutra, written by Srila Vyasadeva, is a book studied by all advanced spiritual students, especially by the sannyasis of all religious communities (sampradayas). The sannyasis must read the Vedanta-sutra to establish their final conclusions concerning Vedic knowledge. Here, of course, the Vedanta mentioned is the commentary of Sankaracarya, known as Sariraka-bhasya. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya intended to convert Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who was a Vaisnava sannyasi, into a Mayavadi sannyasi. He therefore made this arrangement to instruct Him in the Vedanta-sutra according to the Sariraka commentary of Sankaracarya. All the sannyasis of the Sankara-sampradaya enjoy seriously studying the Vedanta-sutra with the Sariraka-bhasya commentary. It is said, vedanta-vakyesu sada ramantah: "One should always enjoy the studies of the Vedanta-sutra."
TEXT 121
TEXT
vedanta-sravana,----ei sannyasira dharma
nirantara kara tumi vedanta sravana
SYNONYMS
vedanta-sravana--hearing of Vedanta philosophy; ei--this; sannyasira--of a person in the renounced order; dharma--factual occupation; nirantara--incessantly; kara--do; tumi--You; vedanta--of Vedanta philosophy; sravana--hearing.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya said, "Hearing Vedanta philosophy is a sannyasi's main business. Therefore without hesitation You should study Vedanta philosophy, hearing it without cessation from a superior person."
TEXT 122
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----'more tumi kara anugraha
sei se kartavya, tumi yei more kaha'
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord replied; more--unto Me; tumi--you; kara--show; anugraha--mercy; sei se--that; kartavya--duty; tumi--you; yei--whatever; more--unto Me; kaha--say.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya replied, "You are very merciful to Me, and therefore I think it is My duty to obey your order."
TEXT 123
TEXT
sata dina paryanta aiche karena sravane
bhala-manda nahi kahe, vasi' matra sune
SYNONYMS
sata dina--seven days; paryanta--up to; aiche--in this way; karena--does; sravane--hearing; bhala--right; manda--wrong; nahi--not; kahe--says; vasi'--sitting; matra--only; sune--hears.
TRANSLATION
Thus for seven days continually, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu listened to the Vedanta philosophy expounded by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. However, Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not say anything and did not indicate whether it was right or wrong. He simply sat there and listened to the Bhattacarya.
TEXT 124
TEXT
astama-divase tanre puche sarvabhauma
sata dina kara tumi vedanta sravana
SYNONYMS
astama-divase--on the eighth day; tanre--unto Him; puche--inquires; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; sata dina--seven days; kara--do; tumi--You; vedanta--Vedanta philosophy; sravana--hearing.
TRANSLATION
On the eighth day, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "You have been listening to Vedanta philosophy from me continually for seven days.
TEXT 125
TEXT
bhala-manda nahi kaha, raha mauna dhari'
bujha, ki na bujha,----iha bujhite na pari
SYNONYMS
bhala-manda--right or wrong; nahi kaha--not speak; raha--keep; mauna--silence; dhari'--holding; bujha--understand; ki--or; na--not; bujha--understand; iha--this; bujhite--to understand; na--not; pari--I am able.
TRANSLATION
"You have simply been listening, fixed in Your silence. Since You do not say whether You think it is right or wrong, I cannot know whether You are actually understanding Vedanta philosophy or not."
TEXT 126
TEXT
prabhu kahe----"murkha ami, nahi adhyayana
tomara ajnate matra kariye sravana
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord replied; murkha ami--I am a fool; nahi--there is not; adhyayana--study; tomara--your; ajnate--by the order; matra--only; kariye--I do; sravana--hearing.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "I am a fool, and consequently I do not study the Vedanta-sutra. I am just trying to hear it from you because you have ordered Me.
TEXT 127
TEXT
sannyasira dharma lagi' sravana matra kari
tumi yei artha kara, bujhite na pari"
SYNONYMS
sannyasira--of one in the renounced order of life; dharma--the occupation; lagi'--for the matter of; sravana--hearing; matra--only; kari--I do; tumi--you; yei--whatever; artha--meaning; kara--present; bujhite--to understand; na--not; pari--I am able.
TRANSLATION
"Only for the sake of executing the duties of the renounced order of sannyasa do I listen. Unfortunately, I cannot in the least understand the meaning you are presenting."
PURPORT
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented Himself as if He were a sannyasi in name only or, in other words, a number-one fool. Mayavadi sannyasis in India are very accustomed to declaring themselves jagad-gurus, teachers of the world, although they have no information of the outside world and are limited in their experience to a small town or village, or perhaps to the country of India. Nor do such sannyasis have sufficient education. Unfortunately, at the present moment there are many foolish sannyasis, both in India and elsewhere, who simply read and study Vedic literature without understanding the purports. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu was having His discussion with the Chand Kazi, the Muslim magistrate of Navadvipa, He recited a verse from Vedic literature to the effect that the order of sannyasa is prohibited in this Age of Kali. Only those who are very serious and who follow the regulative principles and study Vedic literature should accept sannyasa. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved of a sannyasi's reading the Vedanta-sutra, or Brahma-sutra, but He did not approve the Sariraka commentary of Sankaracarya. Indeed, He said elsewhere, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa: "If one hears the Sariraka-bhasya of Sankaracarya, he is doomed." Thus a sannyasi, a transcendentalist, must read the Vedanta-sutra regularly, but he should not read the Sariraka-bhasya. This is the conclusion of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The real commentary on the Vedanta-sutra is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Artho 'yam brahma-sutranam: Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original commentary on the Vedanta-sutra written by the author himself, Srila Vyasadeva.
TEXT 128
TEXT
bhattacarya kahe,----na bujhi', hena jnana yara
bujhibara lagi' seha puche punarbara
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied; na bujhi'--not understanding; hena--this; jnana--the knowledge; yara--of someone; bujhibara lagi'--just to understand; seha--he also; puche--inquires; punah-bara--again.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "I accept that You do not understand, yet even one who does not understand inquires about the subject matter.
TEXT 129
TEXT
tumi suni' suni' raha mauna matra dhari'
hrdaye ki ache tomara, bujhite na pari
SYNONYMS
tumi--You; suni'--hearing; suni'--hearing; raha--keep; mauna--silence; matra--only; dhari'--holding; hrdaye--in the heart; ki--what; ache--there is; tomara--Your; bujhite--to understand; na--not; pari--am able.
TRANSLATION
"You are hearing again and again, yet You keep silent. I cannot understand what is actually within Your mind."
TEXT 130
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----"sutrera artha bujhiye nirmala
tomara vyakhya suni' mana haya ta' vikala
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord replied; sutrera artha--the meaning of the sutras; bujhiye--I can understand; nirmala--very clearly; tomara--your; vyakhya--explanation; suni'--hearing; mana--mind; haya--becomes; ta'--indeed; vikala--disturbed.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then revealed His mind, saying, "I can understand the meaning of each sutra very clearly, but your explanations have simply agitated My mind.
PURPORT
The factual meaning of the aphorismsof the Vedanta-sutra is as clear as sunshine. The Mayavadi philosophers simply try to cover the sunshine with the clouds of interpretations imagined by Sankaracarya and his followers.
TEXT 131
TEXT
sutrera artha bhasya kahe prakasiya
tumi, bhasya kaha----sutrera artha acchadiya
SYNONYMS
sutrera artha--meanings of the sutras; bhasya--the purport; kahe--one speaks; prakasiya--clearly manifesting; tumi--you; bhasya kaha--make a comment; sutrera--of the sutras; artha--the meanings; acchadiya--covering.
TRANSLATION
"The meaning of the aphorisms in the Vedanta-sutra contain clear purports in themselves, but other purports you presented simply covered the meaning of the sutras like a cloud.
PURPORT
Please refer to Adi-lila, Seventh Chapter, verses 106-146, for an explanation of this verse.
TEXT 132
TEXT
sutrera mukhya artha na karaha vyakhyana
kalpanarthe tumi taha kara acchadana
SYNONYMS
sutrera--of the sutras; mukhya--direct; artha--of meanings; na--not; karaha--you do; vyakhyana--explanation; kalpana-arthe--because of imaginative meaning; tumi--you; taha--of that; kara--do; acchadana--covering.
TRANSLATION
"You do not explain the direct meaning of the Brahma-sutras. Indeed, it appears that your business is to cover their real meaning."
PURPORT
This is typical of all Mayavadis or atheists who interpret the meaning of Vedic literature in their own imaginative way. The real purpose of such foolish people is to impose the impersonalist conclusion on all Vedic literature. The Mayavadi atheists also interpret the Bhagavad-gita. In every verse of Srimad Bhagavad-gita it is clearly stated that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In every verse Vyasadeva says, sri-bhagavan uvaca, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead said," or "the Blessed Lord said." It is clearly stated that the Blessed Lord is the Supreme Person, but Mayavadi atheists still try to prove that the Absolute Truth is impersonal. In order to present their false, imaginary meanings, they must adopt so much word jugglery and grammatical interpretation that they finally become ludicrous. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked that no one should hear the Mayavadi commentaries or purports to any Vedic literature.
TEXT 133
TEXT
upanisad-sabde yei mukhya artha haya
sei artha mukhya,----vyasa-sutre saba kaya
SYNONYMS
upanisad--of the Vedas; sabde--by the words; yei--whatever; mukhya--direct; artha--meaning; haya--is; sei--that; artha--meaning; mukhya--chief; vyasa-sutre--in the Vedanta-sutra; saba--all; kaya--describes.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "The Vedanta-sutra is the summary of all the Upanisads; therefore whatever direct meaning is there in the Upanisads is also recorded in the Vedanta-sutra, or Vyasa-sutra.
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati has explained the word upanisad in his Anubhasya. Please refer to Adi-lila, Second Chapter, fifth verse, and Adi-lila, Seventh Chapter, verses 106 and 108, for his explanation.
TEXT 134
TEXT
mukhyartha chadiya kara gaunartha kalpana
'abhidha'-vrtti chadi' kara sabdera laksana
SYNONYMS
mukhya-artha--direct meaning; chadiya--giving up; kara--you do; gauna-artha--indirect meaning; kalpana--imagining; abhidha-vrtti--the meaning that is understood immediately; chadi'--giving up; kara--you do; sabdera--of the words; laksana--interpretation.
TRANSLATION
"For each sutra the direct meaning must be accepted without interpretation. However, you simply abandon the direct meaning and proceed with your imaginative interpretation.
TEXT 135
TEXT
pramanera madhye sruti pramana----pradhana
sruti ye mukhyartha kahe, sei se pramana
SYNONYMS
pramanera--of the evidences; madhye--in the midst; sruti--the Vedic version; pramana--evidence; pradhana--chief; sruti--the Vedic version; ye--whatever; mukhya-artha--chief meaning; kahe--says; sei se--that indeed; pramana--evidence.
TRANSLATION
"Although there is other evidence, the evidence given in the Vedic version must be taken as foremost. Vedic versions understood directly are first-class evidence."
PURPORT
Works that should be consulted are Srila Jiva Gosvami's Tattva-sandarbha (10-11), Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana's commentary on that, and the following verses of the Brahma-sutra: sastra-yonitvat (1.1.3), tarkapratisthanat (2.1.11) and srutes tu sabda-mulatvat (2.1.27), as commented upon by Sri Ramanujacarya, Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Nimbarkacarya and Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana. In his book Sarva-samvadini, Srila Jiva Gosvami has noted that although there are ten kinds of evidence--direct perception, the Vedic version, historical reference, hypothesis, and so on--and although they are all generally accepted as evidence, the person presenting a hypothesis, reading the Vedic version, perceiving or interpreting by his experience is certain to be imperfect in four ways. That is, he is subject to commiting mistakes, to becoming illusioned, to cheating and to having imperfect senses. Although the evidence may be correct, the person himself is in danger of being misled due to his material defects. Apart from the direct presentation, there is a chance that an interpretation may not be perfect. Therefore the conclusion is that only a direct presentation can be considered evidence. An interpretation cannot be accepted as evidence, but may be considered proof of evidence.
In the Bhagavad-gita, at the very beginning it is stated:
dhrtarastra uvaca
dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre
samaveta yuyutsavah
mamakah pandavas caiva
kim akurvata sanjaya
The statements of the Bhagavad-gita are themselves proof that there is a place of religious pilgrimage named Kuruksetra where the Pandavas and Kurus met to fight. After meeting there, what did they do? This was Dhrtarastra's inquiry to Sanjaya. Although these statements are very clear, atheists try to interpret different meanings of the words dharma-ksetra and kuru-ksetra. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami has warned us not to depend on any kind of interpretation. It is better to take the verses as they are, without interpretation.
TEXT 136
TEXT
jivera asthi-vistha dui----sankha-gomaya
sruti-vakye sei dui maha-pavitra haya
SYNONYMS
jivera--of the living entity; asthi--the bone; vistha--stool; dui--two; sankha--conchshell; go-maya--cow dung; sruti-vakye--in the words of the Vedic version; sei--that; dui--two; maha--greatly; pavitra--pure; haya--are.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "Conchshells and cow dung are nothing but the bones and the stool of some living entities, but according to the Vedic version they are both considered very pure.
PURPORT
According to Vedic principles, bones and dung are generally considered very impure. If one touches a bone or stool, he must take a bath immediately. That is the Vedic injunction. Yet the Vedas also enjoin that a conchshell, although the bone of an animal, and cow dung, although the stool of an animal, are very sanctified. Even though such statements appear contradictory, on the basis of the Vedic version we still accept the fact that conchshells and cow dung are pure and sanctified.
TEXT 137
TEXT
svatah-pramana veda satya yei kaya
'laksana' karile svatah-pramanya-hani haya
SYNONYMS
svatah-pramana--self-evidence; veda--Vedic literature; satya--truth; yei--whatever; kaya--say; laksana--interpretation; karile--by making; svatah-pramanya--self-evidential proof; hani--lost; haya--becomes.
TRANSLATION
"The Vedic statements are self-evident. Whatever is stated there must be accepted. If we interpret according to our own imagination, the authority of the Vedas is immediately lost."
PURPORT
Out of four main types of evidence--direct perception, hypothesis, historical reference and the Vedas--Vedic evidence is accepted as the foremost. If we want to interpret the Vedic version, we must imagine an interpretation according to what we want to do. First of all, we set forth such an interpretation as a suggestion or hypothesis. As such, it is not actually true, and the self-evident proof is lost.
Srila Madhvacarya, commenting on the aphorism drsyate tu (Vedanta-sutra 2.1.6), quotes the Bhavisya Purana as follows:
rg-yajuh-samatharvas ca
bharatam pancaratrakam
mula-ramayanam caiva
veda ity eva sabditah
puranani ca yaniha
vaisnavani vido viduh
svatah-pramanyam etesam
natra kincid vicaryate
The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pancaratra and original Ramayana are all considered Vedic literature. The Puranas (such as the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, Naradiya Purana, Visnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana) are especially meant for Vaisnavas and are also Vedic literature. As such, whatever is stated within the Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayana is self-evident. There is no need for interpretation. The Bhagavad-gita is also within the Mahabharata; therefore all the statements of the Bhagavad-gita are self-evident. There is no need for interpretation, and if we do interpret, the entire authority of the Vedic literature is lost.
TEXT 138
TEXT
vyasa-sutrera artha----yaiche suryera kirana
sva-kalpita bhasya-meghe kare acchadana
SYNONYMS
vyasa-sutrera--of the Vedanta-sutra, by Vyasadeva; artha--the meanings; yaiche--just as; suryera--of the sun; kirana--shining rays; sva-kalpita--imaginative; bhasya--of the commentary; meghe--by the cloud; kare--does; acchadana--covering.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "The Brahma-sutra, compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, is as radiant as the sun. One who tries to interpret its meaning simply covers that sunshine with a cloud.
TEXT 139
TEXT
veda-purane kahe brahma-nirupana
sei brahma----brhad-vastu, isvara-laksana
SYNONYMS
veda-purane--in the Vedas and the Puranas; kahe--it is stated; brahma-nirupana--explaining the Supreme; sei brahma--that Supreme; brhat-vastu--the greatest; isvara-laksana--feature of the Supreme Personality.
TRANSLATION
"All the Vedas and literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles explain that the Supreme Brahman is the Absolute Truth, the greatest of all, and a feature of the Supreme Lord.
PURPORT
The greatest of everything is Sri Krsna. Lord Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: "By all the Vedas, I am to be known.") In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is understood in three phases--namely, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate). Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the last word in understanding the Absolute Truth, Brahman.
TEXT 140
TEXT
sarvaisvarya-paripurna svayam bhagavan
tanre nirakara kari' karaha vyakhyana
SYNONYMS
sarva-aisvarya-paripurna--full with all opulences; svayam--personally; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tanre--Him; nirakara--impersonal; kari'--making; karaha--you make; vyakhyana--explanation.
TRANSLATION
"Actually, the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences. You are trying to explain Him as impersonal and formless.
PURPORT
Brahman means brhattva, the greatest of all. The greatest of all is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He possesses all potencies and opulence in full; therefore the Absolute Truth, the greatest of all, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whether one says "Brahman" or "the Supreme Personality of Godhead," the fact is the same, for they are identical. In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna accepted Krsna as param brahma param dhama. Although the living entities or material nature are sometimes described as Brahman, Param Brahma--the Supreme, the greatest of all Brahmans--is still Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is full with all opulences, and as such He possesses all riches, all strength, all reputation, all knowledge, all beauty and all renunciation. He is eternally a person and eternally supreme. If one tries to explain the Supreme impersonally, one distorts the real meaning of Brahman.
TEXT 141
TEXT
'nirvisesa' tanre kahe yei sruti-gana
'prakrta' nisedhi kare 'aprakrta' sthapana
SYNONYMS
nirvisesa--impersonal; tanre--Him; kahe--say; yei--whatever; sruti-gana--the Vedas; prakrta--mundane; nisedhi--forbidding; kare--does; aprakrta--transcendental; sthapana--confirmation.
TRANSLATION
"Wherever there is an impersonal description in the Vedas, the Vedas mean to establish that everything belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental and free of mundane characteristics."
PURPORT
There are many impersonal statements about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19):
apani-pado javano grahita
pasyaty acaksuh sa srnoty akarnah
sa vetti vedyam na ca tasyasti vetta
tam ahur agryam purusam mahantam
Although the Supreme Lord is described as having no hands and legs, He nonetheless accepts all sacrificial offerings. He has no eyes, yet He sees everything. He has no ears, yet He hears everything. When it is stated that the Supreme Lord has no hands and legs, one should not think that He is impersonal. Rather, He has no mundane hands or legs like ours. "He has no eyes, yet He sees." This means that He does not have mundane, limited eyes like ours. Rather, He has such eyes that He can see past, present and future, everywhere, in every corner of the universe and in every corner of the heart of every living entity. Thus the impersonal descriptions in the Vedas intend to deny mundane characteristics in the Supreme Lord. They do not intend to establish the Supreme Lord as impersonal.
TEXT 142
TEXT
ya ya srutir jalpati nirvisesam
sa sabhidhatte sa-visesam eva
vicara-yoge sati hanta tasam
prayo baliyah sa-visesam eva
SYNONYMS
ya ya--whatever; srutih--the Vedic hymns; jalpati--describe; nirvisesam--impersonal truth; sa--that; sa--that; abhidhatte--directly describes (like a dictionary meaning); sa-visesam--personality; eva--certainly; vicara-yoge--when accepted by intelligence; sati--being; hanta--alas; tasam--of all the Vedic mantras; prayah--mostly; baliyah--more powerful; sa-visesam--personal variety; eva--certainly.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, " 'Whatever Vedic mantras describe the Absolute Truth impersonally only prove in the end that the Absolute Truth is a person. The Supreme Lord is understood in two features--impersonal and personal. If one considers the Supreme Personality of Godhead in both features, he can actually understand the Absolute Truth. He knows that the personal understanding is stronger because we see that everything is full of variety. No one can see anything that is not full of variety.'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Sri Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (6.67), by Kavi-karnapura.
TEXT 143
TEXT
brahma haite janme visva, brahmete jivaya
sei brahme punarapi haye yaya laya
SYNONYMS
brahma haite--from the Supreme Brahman; janme--emanates; visva--the whole cosmic manifestation; brahmete--in the Absolute Truth; jivaya--exists; sei--that; brahme--in the Absolute Truth; punarapi--again; haye--being; yaya--goes; laya--to annihilation.
TRANSLATION
"Everything in the cosmic manifestation emanates from the Absolute Truth. It remains in the Absolute Truth, and after annihilation it again enters the Absolute Truth.
PURPORT
In the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1) it is said, yato va imani bhutani jayante: "The entire material cosmic manifestation is born of the Supreme Brahman." Also, the Brahma-sutra begins with the verse janmady asya yatah: "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." (Brahma-sutra 1.1.2) That Absolute Truth is Krsna. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.8), Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me." Therefore Krsna is the original Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Again, Krsna states in the Bhagavad-gita (9.4), maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina: "By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded." And as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.37), goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah: "Although the Lord always stays in His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, He is still all-pervading." His all-pervasive feature is understood to be impersonal because one does not find the form of the Lord in that all-pervasiveness. Actually, everything is resting on the rays of His bodily effulgence. The Brahma-samhita (5.40) also states:
yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-
kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
"Due to the rays of the Lord's bodily effulgence, millions of universes are created, just as planets are created from the sun."
TEXT 144
TEXT
'apadana,' 'karana,' 'adhikarana'-karaka tina
bhagavanera savisese ei tina cihna
SYNONYMS
apadana--ablative; karana--instrumental; adhikarana--locative; karaka--cases; tina--three; bhagavanera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sa-visesa--in the personality; ei--these; tina--three; cihna--symptoms.
TRANSLATION
"The personal features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are categorized in three cases--namely ablative, instrumental and locative."
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya that according to the injunction of the Upanisads ("the Supreme Absolute Truth is He from whom everything emanates"), it is understood that the whole cosmic manifestation emanated from Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. The creation subsists by the energy of the Supreme Brahman and, after annihilation, merges into the Supreme Brahman. From this we can understand that the Absolute Truth can be categorized in three cases--ablative, instrumental and locative. According to these three cases, the Absolute Truth is positively personified. In this connection, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati quotes the Aitareya Upanisad (1.1.1):
atma va idam eka evagra asin nanyat kincana misat sa iksata lokan nu srja iti.
Similarly, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (4.9) it is stated:
chandamsi yajnah kratavo vratani
bhutam bhavyam yac ca veda vadanti
yasman mayi srjate visvam etat
tasmims canyo mayaya sanniruddhah
And in the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1):
yato va imani bhutani jayante, yena jatani jivanti, yat prayanty abhisamvisanti, tad vijijnasasva, tad brahma.
This was the answer given by father Varuna when questioned by his son Varuni Bhrgu about the Absolute Truth. In this mantra, the word yatah, the Absolute Truth from which the cosmic manifestation has emanated, is in the ablative case; that Brahman by which this universal creation is maintained is in the instrumental case (yena); and that Brahman into which the whole cosmic manifestation merges is in the locative case (yat or yasmin). It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.20):
idam hi visvam bhagavan ivetaro
yato jagat-sthana-nirodha-sambhavah
"The entire universal creation is contained in the gigantic form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything emanates from Him, everything rests in His energy, and after annihilation everything merges into His person."
TEXTS 145-146
TEXT
bhagavan bahu haite yabe kaila mana
prakrta-saktite tabe kaila vilokana
se kale nahi janme 'prakrta' mano-nayana
ataeva 'aprakrta' brahmera netra-mana
SYNONYMS
bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bahu--many; haite--to become; yabe--when; kaila--made; mana--His mind; prakrta--material; saktite--on the energy; tabe--at that time; kaila--did; vilokana--glancing; se kale--at that time; nahi--not; janme--in creation; prakrta--mundane; manah-nayana--mind and eyes; ataeva--therefore; aprakrta--transcendental; brahmera--of the Absolute Truth; netra-mana--eyes and mind.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "When the Supreme Personality of Godhead wished to become many, He glanced over the material energy. Before the creation there were no mundane eyes or mind; therefore the transcendental nature of the Absolute Truth's mind and eyes is confirmed.
PURPORT
In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.2.3), it is said, tad aiksata bahu syam prajayeya. This verse confirms the fact that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead wishes to become many, the cosmic manifestation arises simply by His glancing over material energy. It may be noted that the Supreme Lord glanced over the material nature before the creation of this cosmic manifestation. Before the creation there were no material minds or material eyes; therefore the mind by which the Supreme Personality of Godhead desired to create is transcendental, and the eyes with which He glanced over material nature are also transcendental. Thus the Lord's mind, eyes and other senses are all transcendental.
TEXT 147
TEXT
brahma-sabde kahe purna svayam bhagavan
svayam bhagavan krsna,----sastrera pramana
SYNONYMS
brahma-sabde--by the word "Brahman"; kahe--it is said; purna--complete; svayam--personally; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; svayam--personally; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krsna--Lord Krsna; sastrera pramana--the verdict of all Vedic literature.
TRANSLATION
"The word 'Brahman' indicates the complete Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is Sri Krsna. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature.
PURPORT
This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15), where the Lord says, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah. The ultimate object in all Vedic literature is Krsna. Everyone is searching for Him. This is also confirmed elsewhere in the Bhagavad-gita (7.19):
bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhah
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."
When one has actually become wise through the study of Vedic literature, he surrenders unto Vasudeva, Bhagavan Sri Krsna. This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.7-8):
vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
Understanding Vasudeva is real knowledge. By engaging in the devotional service of Vasudeva, Krsna, one acquires perfect knowledge and Vedic understanding. Thus one becomes detached from the material world. This is the perfection of human life. Although one may perfectly follow religious rituals and ceremonies, he is simply wasting his time (srama eva hi kevalam) if he does not attain this perfection.
Before the creation of the cosmic manifestation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead possessed His totally transcendental mind and eyes. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna. A person may think that there is no direct statement about Krsna in the Upanisads, but the fact is that the Vedic mantras cannot be understood by people with mundane senses. As stated in the Padma Purana, atah-sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: a person with mundane senses cannot fully understand the name, qualities, form and pastimes of Sri Krsna. The Puranas are therefore meant to explain and supplement Vedic knowledge. The great sages present the Puranas in order to make the Vedic mantras understandable for common men (stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam). Considering that women, sudras and dvija-bandhus (unworthy sons of the twice-born) cannot understand the Vedic hymns directly, Srila Vyasadeva compiled the Mahabharata. Actually, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is vedesu durlabham (untraceable in the Vedas), but when the Vedas are properly understood or when Vedic knowledge is received from devotees, one can understand that all Vedic knowledge leads to Sri Krsna.
The Brahma-sutra (1.1.3) confirms this fact also: sastra-yonitvat. Commenting upon this Brahma-sutra aphorism (sastra-yonitvat), Sri Madhvacarya says: "The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pancaratra and the original Valmiki Ramayana are all works of Vedic literature. Any literary work following the conclusive statements of these Vedic scripttures is also to be considered Vedic literature. That literature which does not conform to Vedic literature is simply misleading."
Therefore when reading Vedic literature, we must take the path traversed by great acaryas: maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah. Unless one follows the path traversed by great acaryas, he cannot understand the real purport of the Vedas.
TEXT 148
TEXT
vedera nigudha artha bujhana na haya
purana-vakye sei artha karaya niscaya
SYNONYMS
vedera--of the Vedic literature; nigudha--confidential; artha--meaning; bujhana--understanding; na--not; haya--is; purana-vakye--by the words of the Puranas; sei--that; artha--meaning; karaya--makes; niscaya--certain.
TRANSLATION
"The confidential meaning of the Vedas is not easily understood by common men; therefore that meaning is supplemented by the words of the Puranas.
TEXT 149
TEXT
aho bhagyam aho bhagyam
nanda-gopa-vrajaukasam
yan-mitram paramanandam
purnam brahma sanatanam
SYNONYMS
aho--what great; bhagyam--fortune; aho--what great; bhagyam--fortune; nanda--of Maharaja Nanda; gopa--of other cowherd men; vraja-okasam--of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi; yat--of whom; mitram--friend; parama-anandam--the supreme bliss; purnam--complete; brahma--the Absolute Truth; sanatanam--eternal.
TRANSLATION
" 'How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd men and all the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend.'
PURPORT
This quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.32) is spoken by Lord Brahma.
TEXT 150
TEXT
'apani-pada'-sruti varje 'prakrta' pani-carana
punah kahe, sighra cale, kare sarva grahana
SYNONYMS
apani-pada-sruti--the sruti-mantra beginning apani-padah; varje--rejects; prakrta--material; pani-carana--hands and legs; punah--again; kahe--says; sighra cale--walks very fast; kare--does; sarva--of everything; grahana--accepting.
TRANSLATION
"The Vedic 'apani-pada' mantra rejects material hands and legs, yet it states that the Lord goes very fast and accepts everything offered to Him.
TEXT 151
TEXT
ataeva sruti kahe, brahma----savisesa
'mukhya' chadi' 'laksana'te mane nirvisesa
SYNONYMS
ataeva--therefore; sruti--Vedic mantras; kahe--say; brahma--the Absolute Truth; sa-visesa--personal; mukhya--direct meaning; chadi'--giving up; laksana'te--by interpretation; mane--accept; nirvisesa--impersonal.
TRANSLATION
"All these mantras confirm that the Absolute Truth is personal, but the Mayavadis, throwing away the direct meaning, interpret the Absolute Truth as impersonal.
PURPORT
As mentioned above, the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.19) states:
apani-pado javano grahita
pasyaty acaksuh sa srnoty akarnah
sa vetti vedyam na ca tasyasti vetta
tam ahur agryam purusam mahantam
This Vedic mantra clearly states, purusam mahantam. The word purusa means "person." That person is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita by Arjuna when he addresses Krsna, purusam sasvatam: "You are the original person." (Bg. 10.12) This purusam mahantam is Sri Krsna. His hands and legs are not mundane, but are completely transcendental. However, when He comes, fools take Him to be an ordinary person (avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam). One who has no Vedic knowledge, who has not studied the Vedas from a bona fide spiritual master, does not know Krsna. Therefore he is a mudha. Such fools take Krsna to be an ordinary person (param bhavam ajanantah). They do not actually know what Krsna is. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. It is not possible to understand Krsna simply by studying the Vedas perfectly. One must have the mercy of a devotee (yat-padam). Unless one is favored by a devotee, he cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita (10.14): "My Lord, it is very difficult to understand Your personality." The less intelligent class of men cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead without being favored by His devotee. Therefore the Bhagavad-gita (4.34) contains another injunction:
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to him. Only then can one understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a person.
TEXT 152
TEXT
sad-aisvarya-purnananda-vigraha yanhara
hena-bhagavane tumi kaha nirakara ?
SYNONYMS
sat-aisvarya-purna--with six opulences in full; ananda--blissful; vigraha--form; yanhara--whose; hena-bhagavane--unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead; tumi--you; kaha--said; nirakara--without any form.
TRANSLATION
"Are you describing as formless that Supreme Personality of Godhead whose transcendental form is complete with six transcendental opulences?
PURPORT
If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is formless, how can He be said to walk very fast and accept everything offered to Him? Rejecting the direct meaning of the Vedic mantras, the Mayavadi philosophers interpret them and try to establish the Absolute Truth as formless. Actually, the Supreme Lord has an eternal personal form full of all opulence. The Mayavadi philosophers try to interpret the Absolute Truth as being without potency. However, in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8) it is clearly said, parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate: "The Absolute Truth has multipotencies."
TEXT 153
TEXT
svabhavika tina sakti yei brahme haya
'nihsaktika' kari' tanre karaha niscaya?
SYNONYMS
svabhavika--by nature; tina--three; sakti--potencies; yei--which; brahme--in the Absolute Truth; haya--there are; nihsaktika--without potency; kari'--making; tanre--Him; karaha--you do; niscaya--proof.
TRANSLATION
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead has three primary potencies. Are you trying to prove that He has no potencies?
PURPORT
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu now quotes four verses from the Visnu Purana (6.7.61-63 and 1.12.69) to explain the different potencies of the Lord.
TEXT 154
TEXT
visnu-saktih para prokta
ksetra-jnakhya tatha para
avidya-karma-samjnanya
trtiya saktir isyate
SYNONYMS
visnu-saktih--the internal potency of Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; para--spiritual; prokta--said; ksetra-jna--the living entities; akhya--known as; tatha--also; para--spiritual; avidya--nescience, or godlessness; karma--and fruitive activities; samjna--known as; anya--another; trtiya--third; saktih--potency; isyate--is accepted as.
TRANSLATION
" 'The internal potency of the Supreme Lord, Visnu, is spiritual, as verified by the sastras. There is another spiritual potency, known as ksetra-jna, or the living entity. The third potency, which is known as nescience, makes the living entity godless and fills him with fruitive activity.
PURPORT
In the Bhagavad-gita, in Sri Krsna's discourse on the ksetra and the ksetra-jna, it is clearly stated that the ksetra-jna is the living entity who knows his field of activities. The living entities in the material world are forgetful of their eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This forgetfulness is called avidya, or nescience. The avidya-sakti, the avidya potency of the material world, provokes fruitive activity. Although this avidya-sakti (material energy, or nescience) is also an energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is especially intended to keep the living entities in a state of forgetfulness. This is due to their rebellious attitude toward the Lord. Thus although the living entities are constitutionally spiritual, they come under the influence of the potency of nescience. How this happens is described in the following verse.
TEXT 155
TEXT
yaya ksetra-jna-saktih sa
vestita nrpa sarva-ga
samsara-tapan akhilan
avapnoty atra santatan
SYNONYMS
yaya--by which; ksetra-jna-saktih--the living entities, known as the ksetra-jna potency; sa--that potency; vestita--covered; nrpa--O King; sarva-ga--capable of going anywhere in the spiritual or material worlds; samsara-tapan--miseries due to the cycle of repeated birth and death; akhilan--all kinds of; avapnoti--obtains; atra--in this material world; santatan--arising from suffering or enjoying various kinds of reactions to fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
" 'O King, the ksetra-jna-sakti is the living entity. Although he has the facility to live in either the material or the spiritual world, he suffers the threefold miseries of material existence because he is influenced by the avidya [nescience] potency, which covers his constitutional position.
TEXT 156
TEXT
taya tirohitatvac ca
saktih ksetra-jna-samjnita
sarva-bhutesu bhu-pala
taratamyena vartate
SYNONYMS
taya--by her; tirohitatvatha--from being freed from the influence; ca--also; saktih--the potency; ksetra-jna--ksetra-jna; samjnita--known by the name; sarva-bhutesu--in different types of bodies; bhu-pala--O King; taratamyena--in different degrees; vartate--exists.
TRANSLATION
" 'This living entity, covered by the influence of nescience, exists in different forms in the material condition. O King, he is thus proportionately freed from the influence of material energy, to a greater or lesser degree.'
PURPORT
The material energy acts on the living entity in different degrees, according to how he acquires the association of the three modes of material nature. There are 8,400,000 species of life, some inferior, some superior and some mediocre. The gradations of the bodies are calculated according to the covering of material energy. In the lower categories--including aquatics, trees, plants, insects, birds and so forth--spiritual consciousness is almost nonexistent. In the mediocre category--the human form of life--spiritual consciousness is comparatively awakened. In the superior life forms, spiritual consciousness is fully awakened. Then the living entity understands his real position and tries to escape the influence of material energy by developing Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 157
TEXT
hladini sandhini samvit
tvayy eka sarva-samsraye
hlada-tapa-kari misra
tvayi no guna-varjite
SYNONYMS
hladini--the pleasure potency; sandhini--the eternity potency; samvit--the knowledge potency; tvayi--in You; eka--one spiritual (cit) potency; sarva-samsraye--the shelter of everything; hlada--pleasure; tapa-kari--causing displeasure; misra--mixed; tvayi--in You; na u--not; guna-varjite--devoid of all material qualities.
TRANSLATION
" 'The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. This means that He originally has three potencies--the pleasure potency, the potency of eternality and the potency of knowledge. Together these are called the cit potency, and they are present in full in the Supreme Lord. For the living entities, who are part and parcel of the Lord, the pleasure potency in the material world is sometimes displeasing and sometimes mixed. This is not the case with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is not under the influence of the material energy or its modes.'
TEXT 158
TEXT
sac-cid-ananda-maya haya isvara-svarupa
tina amse cic-chakti haya tina rupa
SYNONYMS
sat-cit-ananda-maya--full of eternity, knowledge and bliss; haya--is; isvara--of the Supreme Lord; svarupa--the transcendental form; tina amse--in three parts; cit-sakti--the spiritual potency; haya--becomes; tina--three; rupa--forms.
TRANSLATION
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form is full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. The spiritual potency in these three portions [sat, cit and ananda] assumes three different forms.
PURPORT
According to the verdict of all Vedic literature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entity and the illusory energy (this material world) constitute the subject matter of knowledge. Everyone should try to understand the relationships among them. First of all, one should try to understand the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From the sastras we understand that the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the sum total of eternity, bliss and knowledge. As stated in verse 154 (visnu-saktih para prokta), the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all potencies, and His potencies are all spiritual.
TEXT 159
TEXT
anandamse 'hladini,' sad-amse 'sandhini'
cid-amse 'samvit', yare jnana kari mani
SYNONYMS
ananda-amse--in the part of bliss; hladini--the pleasure potency; sat-amse--in the part of eternity; sandhini--the sandhini potency; cit-amse--in the part of knowledge; samvit--the samvit potency; yare--which; jnana--as knowledge; kari mani--we accept.
TRANSLATION
"The three portions of the spiritual potency are called hladini [the bliss portion], sandhini [the eternity portion] and samvit [the knowledge portion]. We accept knowledge of these as full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
To acquire knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must take shelter of the samvit potency of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 160
TEXT
antaranga----cic-chakti, tatastha----jiva-sakti
bahiranga----maya,----tine kare prema-bhakti
SYNONYMS
antaranga--the internal potency; cit-sakti--the spiritual potency; tatastha--the marginal potency; jiva-sakti--the living entities; bahiranga--the external potency; maya--the illusory energy; tine--all three of them; kare--do; prema-bhakti--devotional service in love.
TRANSLATION
"The spiritual potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead also appears in three phases--internal, marginal and external. These are all engaged in His devotional service in love.
PURPORT
The spiritual potency of the Lord is manifested in three phases--the internal, or spiritual, potency, the marginal potency, which is the living entities, and the external potency, known as maya-sakti. We must understand that in each of these three phases the original spiritual potencies of pleasure, eternity and knowledge remain intact. When the potencies of spiritual pleasure and knowledge are both bestowed upon the conditioned souls, the conditioned souls can escape the clutches of the external potency, maya, which acts as a cover obscuring one's spiritual identity. When freed, the living entity awakens to Krsna consciousness and engages in devotional service with love and affection.
TEXT 161
TEXT
sad-vidha aisvarya----prabhura cic-chakti-vilasa
hena sakti nahi mana,----parama sahasa
SYNONYMS
sat-vidha--six kinds; aisvarya--of opulences; prabhura--of the Lord; cit-sakti-vilasa--enjoyment in the spiritual potency; hena sakti--such sublime potencies; nahi--not; mana--you accept; parama sahasa--great impudence.
TRANSLATION
"In His spiritual potency, the Supreme Lord enjoys six kinds of opulence. You do not accept this spiritual potency, and this is due to your great impudence.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full with six opulences. All of these potencies are on the transcendental platform. To understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as impersonal and devoid of potency is to go completely against Vedic information.
TEXT 162
TEXT
'mayadhisa' 'maya-vasa'----isvare-jive bheda
hena-jive isvara-saha kaha ta' abheda
SYNONYMS
maya-adhisa--the Lord of energy; maya-vasa--subjected to the influence of maya; isvare--in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jive--in the living entities; bheda--the difference; hena-jive--such living entities; isvara-saha--with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kaha--you say; ta'--indeed; abheda--one and the same.
TRANSLATION
"The Lord is the master of the potencies, and the living entity is the servant of them. That is the difference between the Lord and the living entity. However, you declare that the Lord and the living entities are one and the same.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature the master of all potencies. By nature, the living entities, being infinitesimal, are always under the influence of the Lord's potencies. According to the Mundaka Upanisad (3.1.1-2):
dva suparna sayuja sakhaya
samanam vrksam parisasvajate
tayor anyah pippalam svadv atty
anasnann anyo 'bhicakasiti
samane vrkse puruso nimagno
'nisaya socati muhyamanah
justam yada pasyaty anyam isam
asya mahimanam eti vita-sokah
The Mundaka Upanisad completely distinguishes the Lord from the living entities. The living entity is subjected to the reactions of fruitive activity, whereas the Lord simply witnesses such activity and bestows the results. According to the living entity's desires, he is wandering from one body to another and from one planet to another, under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma. However, when the living entity comes to his senses by the mercy of the Lord, he is awarded devotional service. Thus he is saved from the clutches of maya. At such a time he can see his eternal friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and become free from all lamentation and hankering. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (18.54), where the Lord says, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati: "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything." Thus it is definitely proved that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of all potencies and that the living entities are always subjected to these potencies. That is the difference between mayadhisa and maya-vasa.
TEXT 163
TEXT
gita-sastre jiva-rupa 'sakti' kari' mane
hena jive 'bheda' kara isvarera sane
SYNONYMS
gita-sastre--in the Bhagavad-gita; jiva-rupa--the identity of the living entity; sakti--potency; kari'--making; mane--accepts; hena--such; jive--living entity; bheda--different; kara--you make; isvarera--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sane--with.
TRANSLATION
"In the Bhagavad-gita the living entity is established as the marginal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yet you say that the living entity is completely different from the Lord.
PURPORT
The Brahma-sutra states that according to the principle of sakti-saktimatayor abhedah, the living entity is simultaneously one with and different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Qualitatively the living entity and the Supreme Lord are one, but in quantity they are different. According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy (acintya-bhedabheda-tattva), the living entity and the Supreme Lord are accepted as one and different at the same time.
TEXT 164
TEXT
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
SYNONYMS
bhumih--earth; apah--water; analah--fire; vayuh--air; kham--ether; manah--mind; buddhih--intelligence; eva--certainly; ca--and; ahankarah--false ego; iti--thus; iyam--this; me--My; bhinna--separated; prakrtih--energy; astadha--eightfold.
TRANSLATION
" 'Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego are My eightfold separated energies.
TEXT 165
TEXT
apareyam itas tv anyam
prakrtim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat
SYNONYMS
apara--inferior; iyam--this; itah--from this; tu--but; anyam--another; prakrtim--nature; viddhi--know; me--My; param--transcendental; jiva-bhutam--existing as the living entities; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; yaya--by which; idam--this; dharyate--is sustained; jagat--material world.
TRANSLATION
" 'Besides these inferior energies, which are material, there is another energy, a spiritual energy, and this is the living being, O mighty-armed one. The entire material world is sustained by the living entities.'
PURPORT
Verses 164 and 165 are quotations from the Bhagavad-gita (7.4-5).
TEXT 166
TEXT
isvarera sri-vigraha sac-cid-anandakara
se-vigrahe kaha sattva-gunera vikara
SYNONYMS
isvarera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sri-vigraha--the form; sat-cit-ananda-akara--complete in eternity, cognizance and bliss; se-vigrahe--about that form of the Lord; kaha--you say; sattva-gunera--of the quality of material goodness; vikara--transformation.
TRANSLATION
"The transcendental form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is complete in eternity, cognizance and bliss. However, you describe this transcendental form as a product of material goodness.
TEXT 167
TEXT
sri-vigraha ye na mane, sei ta' pasandi
adrsya asprsya, sei haya yama-dandi
SYNONYMS
sri-vigraha--the form of the Lord; ye--anyone who; na--not; mane--accepts; sei--he; ta'--indeed; pasandi--agnostic; adrsya--not to be seen; asprsya--untouchable; sei--he; haya--is; yama-dandi--subject to be punished by Yamaraja.
TRANSLATION
"One who does not accept the transcendental form of the Lord is certainly an agnostic. Such a person should be neither seen nor touched. Indeed, he is subject to be punished by Yamaraja.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic instructions, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has His eternal, transcendental form, which is always blissful and full of knowledge. Impersonalists think that "material" refers to the forms within our experience and that "spiritual" refers to an absence of form. However, one should know that beyond this material nature is another nature, which is spiritual. Just as there are material forms in this material world, there are spiritual forms in the spiritual world. This is confirmed by all Vedic literature. The spiritual forms in the transcendental world have nothing to do with the negative conception of formlessness. The conclusion is that a person is an agnostic when he does not agree to worship the transcendental form of the Lord.
Actually, at the present moment all systems of religion deny the worship of the form of the Lord due to ignorance of His transcendental form. The first-class materialists (the Mayavadis) imagine five specific forms of the Lord, but when they try to equate the worship of such imaginary forms with bhakti, they are immediately condemned. Lord Sri Krsna confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita (7.15), where He says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. Bereft of real knowledge due to agnosticism, the Mayavadi philosophers should not even be seen by the devotees of the Lord, nor touched, because those philosophers are liable to be punished by Yamaraja, the superintendent demigod who judges the activities of sinful men. The Mayavadi agnostics wander within this universe in different species of life due to their nondevotional activities. Such living entities are subjected to the punishments of Yamaraja. Only the devotees, who are always engaged in the service of the Lord, are exempt from the jurisdiction of Yamaraja.
TEXT 168
TEXT
veda na maniya bauddha haya ta' nastika
vedasraya nastikya-vada bauddhake adhika
SYNONYMS
veda--the Vedic literature; na--not; maniya--accepting; bauddha--the Buddhists; haya--are; ta'--indeed; nastika--agnostics; veda-asraya--taking shelter of Vedic civilization; nastikya-vada--agnosticism; bauddhake--even Buddhists; adhika--surpassing.
TRANSLATION
"The Buddhists do not recognize the authority of the Vedas; therefore they are considered agnostics. However, those who have taken shelter of the Vedic scriptures yet preach agnosticism in accordance with the Mayavada philosophy are certainly more dangerous than the Buddhists.
PURPORT
Although the Buddhists are directly opposed to Vaisnava philosophy, it can easily be understood that the Sankarites are more dangerous because they accept the authority of the Vedas yet act contrary to Vedic instruction. Vedasraya nastikya-vada means "agnosticism under the shelter of Vedic culture" and refers to the monistic philosophy of the Mayavadis. Lord Buddha abandoned the authority of the Vedic literature and therefore rejected the ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices recommended in the Vedas. His nirvana philosophy means stopping all material activities. Lord Buddha did not recognize the presence of transcendental forms and spiritual activities beyond the material world. He simply described voidism beyond this material existence. The Mayavadi philosophers offer lip service to Vedic authority but try to escape the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. They concoct some idea of a transcendental position and call themselves Narayana, or God. However, God's position is completely different from their concoction. Such Mayavadi philosophers consider themselves above the influence of karma-kanda (fruitive activities and their reactions). For them, the spiritual world is equated with the Buddhist voidism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism. Voidism can be directly understood, but the impersonalism enunciated by Mayavadi philosophers is not very easily understandable. Of course, Mayavadi philosophers accept a spiritual existence, but they do not know about the spiritual world and spiritual beings. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32):
ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
The intelligence of the Mayavadis is not purified; therefore even though they practice austerities for self-realization, they cannot remain within the impersonal brahmajyoti. Consequently, they fall down again into this material world.
The Mayavadis' conception of spiritual existence is almost identical to the negation of material existence. The Mayavadis believe that there is nothing positive in spiritual life. As a result, they cannot understand devotional service or the worship of the Supreme Person, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. The Mayavadi philosophers consider Deity worship in devotional service to be pratibimba-vada, or the worship of a form that is the reflection of a false material form. Thus the Lord's transcendental form, which is eternally blissful and full of knowledge, is unknown to Mayavadi philosophers. Although the term "Bhagavan" is explicitly described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, they cannot understand it. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate: "The Absolute Truth is called Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan." (Bhag. 1.2.11) The Mayavadis try to understand Brahman only, or, at the most, Paramatma. However, they are unable to understand Bhagavan. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, says: mayayapahrta-jnanah. Because of the Mayavadi philosophers' temperament, real knowledge is taken from them. Because they cannot receive the mercy of the Lord, they will always be bewildered by His transcendental form. Impersonal philosophy destroys the three phases of knowledge--jnana, jneya and jnata. As soon as one speaks of knowledge, there must be a person who is the knower, the knowledge itself and the object of knowledge. Mayavada philosophy combines these three categories; therefore the Mayavadis cannot understand how the spiritual potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead act. Because of their poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand the distinction in the spiritual world between knowledge, the knower and the object of knowledge. Because of this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu considers the Mayavadi philosophers more dangerous than the Buddhists.
TEXT 169
TEXT
jivera nistara lagi' sutra kaila vyasa
mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa
SYNONYMS
jivera--of the living entities; nistara--deliverance; lagi'--for the matter of; sutra--the Vedanta-sutra; kaila--made; vyasa--Srila Vyasadeva; mayavadi--of the impersonalists; bhasya--commentary; sunile--if hearing; haya--becomes; sarva-nasa--all destruction.
TRANSLATION
"Srila Vyasadeva presented Vedanta philosophy for the deliverance of conditioned souls, but if one hears the commentary of Sankaracarya, everything is spoiled.
PURPORT
Factually, the devotional service of the Lord is described in the Vedanta-sutra, but the Mayavadi philosophers, the Sankarites, prepared a commentary known as Sariraka-bhasya, in which the transcendental form of the Lord is denied. The Mayavadi philosophers think that the living entity is identical with the Supreme Soul, Brahman. Their commentaries on the Vedanta-sutra are completely opposed to the principle of devotional service. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore warns us to avoid these commentaries. If one indulges in hearing the Sankarite Sariraka-bhasya, he will certainly be bereft of all real knowledge.
The ambitious Mayavadi philosophers desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, and this may be accepted as sayujya-mukti. However, this form of mukti means denying one's individual existence. In other words, it is a kind of spiritual suicide. This is absolutely opposed to the philosophy of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga offers immortality to the individual conditioned soul. If one follows the Mayavadi philosophy, he misses his opportunity to become immortal after giving up the material body. The immortality of the individual person is the highest perfectional stage a living entity can attain.
TEXT 170
TEXT
'parinama-vada'----vyasa-sutrera sammata
acintya-sakti isvara jagad-rupe parinata
SYNONYMS
parinama-vada--the theory of transformation; vyasa-sutrera--of the Vedanta-sutra; sammata--purpose; acintya-sakti--inconceivable power; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; jagat-rupe--in the form of the cosmic manifestation; parinata--transformed.
TRANSLATION
"The Vedanta-sutra aims at establishing that the cosmic manifestation has come into being by the transformation of the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
For a further explanation of parinama-vada, refer to Adi-lila, Seventh Chapter, verses 121-133.
TEXT 171
TEXT
mani yaiche avikrte prasabe hema-bhara
jagad-rupa haya isvara, tabu avikara
SYNONYMS
mani--the touchstone; yaiche--just as; avikrte--without being transformed; prasabe--produces; hema-bhara--volumes of gold; jagat-rupa--the cosmic manifestation; haya--becomes; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tabu--still; avikara--unchanged.
TRANSLATION
"The touchstone, after touching iron, produces volumes of gold without being changed. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself as the cosmic manifestation by His inconceivable potency, yet He remains unchanged in His eternal, transcendental form.
PURPORT
According to the commentary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the purpose of the janmady asya verse in the Vedanta-sutra is to establish that the cosmic manifestation is the result of the transformation of the potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is the master of innumerable eternal energies, which are unlimited. Sometimes these energies are manifested, and sometimes they are not. In any case, all energies are under His control; therefore He is the original energetic, the abode of all energies. A common brain in the conditioned state cannot conceive of how these inconceivable energies abide in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, how He exists in His innumerable forms as the master of both spiritual and material energies, how He is the master of both manifest and potential powers, and how contradictory potencies can abide in Him. As long as the living entity is within this material world, in the condition of illusion, he cannot understand the activities of the inconceivable energies of the Lord. Thus the Lord's energies, though factual, are simply beyond the power of the common brain to understand.
When the atheistic philosophers or the Mayavadis, being unable to understand the inconceivable energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imagine an impersonal void, their imagination is only the counterpart of materialistic thinking. Within the material world, there is nothing inconceivable. High-thinking philosophers and scientists can tackle the material energy, but not being able to understand the spiritual energy, they can simply imagine an inactive state, such as the impersonal Brahman. This is simply the negative side of material life. By such imperfect knowledge, the Mayavadi philosophers conclude that the cosmic manifestation is a transformation of the Supreme. Thus they must necessarily also accept the theory of the illusion of the Supreme (vivarta-vada). However, if we accept the inconceivable potencies of the Lord, we can understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead can appear within this material world without being touched or contaminated by the three modes of material nature.
From the sastras we learn that there is a stone or jewel called a touchstone that can transform iron into gold. Although the touchstone turns iron into gold many times, it remains in its original condition. If such a material stone can maintain its inconceivable energy after producing volumes of gold, certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead can remain in His original sac-cid-ananda form after creating the cosmic world. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10), He acts only through His different energies. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih: Krsna directs the material energy, and that potency works in this material world. This is also confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.44):
srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka
chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga
icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
The durga-sakti (material energy) acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the universal creation, maintenance and destruction are being carried out by the durga-sakti. Krsna's direction is in the background. The conclusion is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains as He is, even though directing His energy, which makes the diverse cosmic manifestation work so wonderfully.
TEXT 172
TEXT
vyasa----bhranta bali' sei sutre dosa diya
'vivarta-vada' sthapiyache kalpana kariya
SYNONYMS
vyasa--Srila Vyasadeva; bhranta--mistaken; bali'--saying; sei--that; sutre--in the Vedanta-sutra; dosa--fault; diya--accusing; vivarta-vada--the theory of illusion; sthapiyache--has established; kalpana--imagination; kariya--doing.
TRANSLATION
"Sankaracarya's theory states that the Absolute Truth is transformed. By accepting this theory, the Mayavadi philosophers denigrate Srila Vyasadeva by accusing him of error. They thus find fault in the Vedanta-sutra and interpret it to try to establish the theory of illusion.
PURPORT
The first verse of the Brahma-sutra is athato brahma-jijnasa: "We must now inquire into the Absolute Truth." The second verse immediately answers, janmady asya yatah: "The Absolute Truth is the original source of everything." Janmady asya yatah does not suggest that the original person has been transformed. Rather, it clearly indicates that He produces this cosmic manifestation through His inconceivable energy. This is also clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gita (10.8), where Krsna says, mattah sarvam pravartate: "From Me, everything emanates.") This is also confirmed in the Taittiriya Upanisad (3.1.1): yato va imani bhutani jayante. "The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything is born." Similarly, in the Mundaka Upanisad (1.1.7) it is stated, yathorna-nabhih srjate grhnate ca: "[The Lord creates and destroys the cosmic manifestation] as a spider creates a web and draws it back within itself." All of these sutras indicate the transformation of the Lord's energy. It is not that the Lord undergoes direct transformation, which is called parinama-vada. However, being very anxious to protect Srila Vyasadeva from criticism, Sankaracarya became a pseudo gentleman and put forward his theory of illusion (vivarta-vada). Sankaracarya concocted this meaning of parinama-vada, and by word jugglery he endeavored very hard to establish parinama-vada as vivarta-vada.
TEXT 173
TEXT
jivera dehe atma-buddhi----sei mithya haya
jagat ye mithya nahe, nasvara-matra haya
SYNONYMS
jivera--of the living entities; dehe--in the body; atma-buddhi--considering as the self; sei--that; mithya--untruth; haya--is; jagat--the cosmic manifestation; ye--that; mithya--untruth; nahe--not; nasvara-matra--only temporary; haya--is.
TRANSLATION
"The theory of illusion can be applied only when the living entity identifies himself with the body. As far as the cosmic manifestation is concerned, it cannot be called false, although it is certainly temporary.
PURPORT
The living entity is the eternal servant of Krsna. Being part and parcel of the Lord, he is constitutionally pure, but due to his contact with material energy, he identifies himself with either the gross or the subtle material body. Such identification is certainly false and constitutes the genuine platform of the theory of illusion. The living entity is eternal: he can never be subjected to the limits of time, as are his gross and subtle bodies. The cosmic manifestation is never false, but it is subject to change by the influence of the time factor. For a living entity to accept this cosmic manifestation as the field for his sense enjoyment is certainly illusory. This material world is the manifestation of the material energy of the Lord. This is explained by Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita (7.4):
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
The material world is the inferior energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but it is not a fact that the Supreme Lord has been transformed into this material world. The Mayavadi philosophers, devoid of true understanding, have confused the theory of illusion and the theory of the cosmic manifestation by word jugglery. The theory of illusion can be applied to a person who identifies himself with the body. The living entity is the superior energy of the Supreme Lord, and the material world is the inferior energy. Both, however, are prakrti (energy). Although the energies are simultaneously one with the Lord and different from Him, the Lord never loses His personal form due to the transformation of His different energies.
TEXT 174
TEXT
'pranava' ye maha-vakya----isvarera murti
pranava haite sarva-veda, jagat-utpatti
SYNONYMS
pranava--omkara; ye--that which; maha-vakya--transcendental vibration; isvarera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; murti--the form; pranava--omkara; haite--from; sarva-veda--all Vedic literature; jagat--of the material world; utpatti--production.
TRANSLATION
"The transcendental vibration omkara is the sound form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All Vedic knowledge and this cosmic manifestation are produced from this sound representation of the Supreme Lord.
PURPORT
Omkara is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in sound. This form of His holy name is accepted as the transcendental vibration (maha-vakya), by virtue of which the temporary material manifestation has come into being. If one takes shelter of the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (omkara), he can realize his constitutional identity and engage in devotional service even though in conditional life.
TEXT 175
TEXT
'tat tvam asi'----jiva-hetu pradesika vakya
pranava na mani' tare kahe maha-vakya
SYNONYMS
tat tvam asi--you are the same; jiva-hetu--for the enlightenment of the conditioned soul; pradesika--subsidiary; vakya--vibration; pranava--the omkara incarnation; na--not; mani'--accepting; tare--that; kahe--says; maha-vakya--transcendental vibration.
TRANSLATION
"The subsidiary vibration tat tvam asi ["you are the same"] is meant for the understanding of the living entity, but the principal vibration is omkara. Not caring for omkara, Sankaracarya has stressed the vibration tat tvam asi."
PURPORT
Tat tvam asi is accepted as the primary vibration by one who does not accept pranava, the transcendental sound incarnation of the holy name of the Lord, as the chief principle in Vedic literature. By word jugglery, Sankaracarya tried to create an illusory presentation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His relationship with the living entities and the cosmic manifestation. Tat tvam asi is a warning to the living entity not to mistake the body for the self. Therefore tat tvam asi is especially meant for the conditioned soul. The chanting of omkara or the Hare Krsna mantra is meant for the liberated soul. Srila Rupa Gosvami has said, ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam (Namastaka 1). Thus the holy name of the Lord is chanted by the liberated souls. Similarly, Pariksit Maharaja says, nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat (Bhag. 10.1.4). The holy name of the Lord can be chanted by those who have fully satisfied their material desires or who are fully situated on the transcendental platform and devoid of material desire. The name of the Lord can be chanted by one who is completely freed from material contamination (anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam). Sankaracarya has indirectly minimized the value of the principal Vedic mantra (omkara) by accepting a subordinate vibration (tat tvam asi) as the most important Vedic mantra.
TEXT 176
TEXT
ei-mate kalpita bhasye sata dosa dila
bhattacarya purva-paksa apara karila
SYNONYMS
ei-mate--in this way; kalpita--imagined; bhasye--in the commentary; sata--hundreds; dosa--of faults; dila--gave; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; purva-paksa--opposing elements; apara--unlimitedly; karila--manifested.
TRANSLATION
Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Sankaracarya's Sariraka-bhasya as imaginary, and He pointed out hundreds of faults in it. To defend Sankaracarya, however, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya presented unlimited opposition.
TEXT 177
TEXT
vitanda, chala, nigrahadi aneka uthaila
saba khandi' prabhu nija-mata se sthapila
SYNONYMS
vitanda--counterarguments; chala--imaginary interpretations; nigraha-adi--repulses to the opposite party; aneka--various; uthaila--raised; saba--all; khandi'--refuting; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nija-mata--His own conviction; se--that; sthapila--established.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya presented various types of false arguments with pseudo logic and tried to defeat his opponent in many ways. However, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu refuted all these arguments and established His own conviction.
PURPORT
The word vitanda indicates that a debater, not touching the main point or establishing his own point, simply tries to refute the other person's argument. When one does not touch the direct meaning but tries to divert attention by misinterpretation, he engages in chala. The word nigraha also means always trying to refute the arguments of the other party.
TEXT 178
TEXT
bhagavan----'sambandha', bhakti----'abhidheya' haya
prema----'prayojana', vede tina-vastu kaya
SYNONYMS
bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sambandha--relationship; bhakti--devotional service; abhidheya--transcendental activities; haya--is; prema--love of Godhead; prayojana--the ultimate goal of life; vede--the Vedas; tina-vastu--three subject matters; kaya--describe.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the central point of all relationships, acting in devotional service to Him is one's real occupation, and the attainment of love of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life. These three subject matters are described in the Vedic literature.
PURPORT
The Bhagavad-gita (15.15) also confirms this statement: vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah. The actual purpose in reading the Vedas is to learn how to become a devotee of the Supreme Lord. The Lord Himself advises, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru (Bg. 9.34). Therefore, after studying the Vedas, one must then execute devotional service by thinking always of the Supreme Lord (man-mana), becoming His devotee, worshiping Him and always offering Him obeisances. This is called visnu-aradhana, and it is the supreme occupational duty of all human beings. It is properly discharged in the varnasrama-dharma system, which divides society into brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa, and brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra. This is the whole scheme of Vedic civilization. However, this institution is very difficult to establish in this age; therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that we not worry about the Vedic system of varnasrama-dharma. Rather, we should take directly to the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra and simply hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead from pure devotees. This is the process recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and this is the purpose for studying the Vedas.
TEXT 179
TEXT
ara ye ye-kichu kahe, sakala-i kalpana
svatah-pramana veda-vakye kalpena laksana
SYNONYMS
ara--except this; ye ye--whatever; kichu--something; kahe--says; sakala-i--all; kalpana--imagination; svatah-pramana--self-evident; veda-vakye--in the Vedic version; kalpena--he imagines; laksana--an interpretation.
TRANSLATION
"If one tries to explain the Vedic literature in a different way, he is indulging in imagination. Any interpretation of the self-evident Vedic version is simply imaginary.
PURPORT
When a conditioned soul is purified, he is called a devotee. A devotee has his relationship only with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and his only occupational duty is to execute devotional service to satisfy the Lord. This service is rendered through the Lord's representative, the spiritual master: yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau. When the devotee executes devotional service properly, he attains the highest perfection of life--love of Godhead: sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. The ultimate goal of understanding the Vedas is to be elevated to the platform of rendering loving service to the Lord. The Mayavadi philosophers, however, consider the central point of relationship to be the impersonal Brahman, the function of the living entity to be the acquisition of knowledge of Brahman, resulting in detachment from material activity, and the ultimate goal of life to be liberation, or merging into the existence of the Supreme. All of this, however, is simply due to the imagination of the conditioned soul. It simply opposes him to material activities. One should always remember that all Vedic scriptures are self-evident. No one is allowed to interpret the Vedic verses. If one does so, he indulges in imagination, and that has no value.
TEXT 180
TEXT
acaryera dosa nahi, isvara-ajna haila
ataeva kalpana kari' nastika-sastra kaila
SYNONYMS
acaryera--of Sankaracarya; dosa--fault; nahi--there is not; isvara-ajna--the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; haila--there was; ataeva--therefore; kalpana--imagination; kari'--making; nastika--atheistic; sastra--scriptures; kaila--prepared.
TRANSLATION
"Actually there is no fault on the part of Sankaracarya. He simply carried out the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He had to imagine some kind of interpretation, and therefore he presented a kind of Vedic scripture that is full of atheism.
TEXT 181
TEXT
svagamaih kalpitais tvam ca
janan mad-vimukhan kuru
mam ca gopaya yena syat
srstir esottarottara
SYNONYMS
sva-agamaih--with your own theses; kalpitaih--imagined; tvam--you; ca--also; janan--the people in general; mat-vimukhan--averse to Me and addicted to fruitive activities and speculative knowledge; kuru--make; mam--Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca--and; gopaya--just cover; yena--by which; syat--there may be; srstih--material advancement; esa--this; uttara-uttara--more and more.
TRANSLATION
" '[Addressing Lord Siva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said,] Please make the general populace averse to Me by imagining your own interpretation of the Vedas. Also, cover Me in such a way that people will take more interest in advancing material civilization just to propagate a population bereft of spiritual knowledge.'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda (62.31).
TEXT 182
TEXT
mayavadam asac-chastram
pracchannam bauddham ucyate
mayaiva vihitam devi
kalau brahmana-murtina
SYNONYMS
mayavadam--the philosophy of Mayavada; asat-sastram--false scriptures; pracchannam--covered; bauddham--Buddhism; ucyate--it is said; maya--by me; eva--only; vihitam--taught; devi--O goddess of the material world; kalau--in the Age of Kali; brahmana-murtina--having the body of a brahmana.
TRANSLATION
"[Lord Siva informed the Goddess Durga, the superintendent of the material world,] 'In the Age of Kali I take the form of a brahmana and explain the Vedas through false scriptures in an atheistic way, similar to Buddhist philosophy.' "
PURPORT
The word brahmana-murtina in this verse refers to the founder of Mayavada philosophy, Sankaracarya, who was born in the Malabara district of southern India. Mayavada philosophy states that the Supreme Lord, the living entities and the cosmic manifestation are all transformations of illusory energy. To support this atheistic theory, the Mayavadis cite false scriptures, which make people bereft of transcendental knowledge and addicted to fruitive activities and mental speculation.
This verse is a quotation from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda (25.7).
TEXT 183
TEXT
suni' bhattacarya haila parama vismita
mukhe na nihsare vani, ha-ila stambhita
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haila--became; parama--very much; vismita--astonished; mukhe--in the mouth; na--not; nihsare--vibrates; vani--words; ha-ila--became; stambhita--stunned.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became very astonished upon hearing this. He became stunned and said nothing.
TEXT 184
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----bhattacarya, na kara vismaya
bhagavane bhakti----parama-purusartha haya
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; bhattacarya--My dear Bhattacarya; na--not; kara--do; vismaya--astonishment; bhagavane--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhakti--devotional service; parama--the Supreme; purusa-artha--human interest; haya--is.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told him, "Do not be astonished. Actually, devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the highest perfection of human activity.
TEXT 185
TEXT
'atmarama' paryanta kare isvara bhajana
aiche acintya bhagavanera guna-gana
SYNONYMS
atma-arama--self-satisfied; paryanta--up to; kare--do; isvara bhajana--devotional service to the Lord; aiche--such; acintya--inconceivable; bhagavanera--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna-gana--transcendental qualities.
TRANSLATION
"Even the self-satisfied sages perform devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Such are the transcendental qualities of the Lord. They are full of inconceivable spiritual potency.
TEXT 186
TEXT
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
SYNONYMS
atma-aramah--persons who take pleasure in being transcendentally situated in the service of the Lord; ca--also; munayah--great saintly persons who have completely rejected material aspirations, fruitive activities and so forth; nirgranthah--without interest in any material desire; api--certainly; urukrame--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, whose activities are wonderful; kurvanti--do; ahaitukim--causeless, or without material desires; bhaktim--devotional service; ittham-bhuta--so wonderful as to attract the attention of the self-satisfied; gunah--who has transcendental qualities; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
" 'Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krsna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krsna because He has such transcendentally attractive features.' "
PURPORT
This is the famous atmarama verse (Bhag. 1.7.10).
TEXT 187
TEXT
suni' bhattacarya kahe,----'suna, mahasaya
ei slokera artha sunite vancha haya'
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; bhattacarya kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said; suna--please hear; maha-asaya--my dear Sir; ei slokera--of this verse; artha--the meaning; sunite--to hear; vancha--a desire; haya--there is.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the atmarama verse, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya addressed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "My dear Sir, please explain this verse. I have a great desire to hear Your explanation of it."
TEXT 188
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----'tumi ki artha kara, taha age suni'
pache ami kariba artha, yeba kichu jani'
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; tumi--you; ki--what; artha--meaning; kara--do; taha--that; age--first of all; suni'--hearing; pache--after that; ami--I; kariba--shall do; artha--meaning; yeba--whatever; kichu--something; jani--I know.
TRANSLATION
The Lord replied, "First let Me hear your explanation. After that, I shall try to explain what little I know."
TEXT 189
TEXT
suni' bhattacarya sloka karila vyakhyana
tarka-sastra-mata uthaya vividha vidhana
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; sloka--of the verse; karila--did; vyakhyana--explanation; tarka-sastra--scriptures dealing with logic; mata--according to; uthaya--raises; vividha--various; vidhana--propositions.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then began to explain the atmarama verse, and according to the principles of logic, he put forward various propositions.
TEXT 190
TEXT
nava-vidha artha kaila sastra-mata lana
suni' prabhu kahe kichu isat hasiya
SYNONYMS
nava-vidha--nine kinds; artha--meanings; kaila--did; sastra-mata--the principles of authorized scriptures; lana--taking; suni'--after hearing that; prabhu--Lord Caitanya; kahe--began to speak; kichu--something; isat--slightly; hasiya--smiling.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya explained the atmarama verse in nine different ways on the basis of scripture. After hearing his explanation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, smiling a little, began to speak.
PURPORT
The atmarama verse was discussed at Naimisaranya at a meeting of many great sages, headed by Saunaka Rsi. They questioned Srila Suta Gosvami, who presided at the meeting, about why Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, a paramahamsa already in the transcendental position, was attracted to a discussion of the qualities of Krsna. In other words, they wanted to know why Sri Sukadeva Gosvami engaged in the study of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
TEXT 191
TEXT
'bhattacarya', jani----tumi saksat brhaspati
sastra-vyakhya karite aiche karo nahi sakti
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya--My dear Bhattacarya; jani--I know; tumi--you; saksat--directly; brhaspati--the learned priest of the demigods named Brhaspati; sastra-vyakhya--explanation of the scriptures; karite--to do; aiche--such; karo--of anyone else; nahi--there is not; sakti--power.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Bhattacarya, you are exactly like Brhaspati, the priest of the heavenly kingdom. Indeed, no one within this world has the power to explain the scriptures in such a way.
TEXT 192
TEXT
kintu tumi artha kaile panditya-pratibhaya
iha va-i slokera ache aro abhipraya
SYNONYMS
kintu--but; tumi--you; artha--meaning; kaile--have shown; panditya--scholarly; pratibhaya--with prowess; iha va-i--besides this; slokera--of the verse; ache--there is; aro--another; abhipraya--purport.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Bhattacarya, you have certainly explained this verse by the prowess of your vast learning, but you should know that, besides this scholarly explanation, there is another purport to this verse."
TEXT 193
TEXT
bhattacaryera prarthanate prabhu vyakhya kaila
tanra nava artha-madhye eka na chunila
SYNONYMS
bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prarthanate--on the request; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; vyakhya--explanation; kaila--made; tanra--his; nava artha--of the nine different types of explanations; madhye--in the midst; eka--one; na--not; chunila--touched.
TRANSLATION
Upon the request of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to explain the verse, without touching upon the nine explanations given by the Bhattacarya.
TEXT 194
TEXT
atmaramas ca-sloke 'ekadasa' pada haya
prthak prthak kaila padera artha niscaya
SYNONYMS
atmaramas ca--known as such; sloke--in the verse; ekadasa--eleven; pada--words; haya--there are; prthak prthak--separately one after another; kaila--made; padera--of the words; artha--the meaning; niscaya--certainty.
TRANSLATION
There are eleven words in the atmarama verse, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained each word, one after the other.
PURPORT
The words in the atmarama verse are atmaramah, ca, munayah, nirgranthah, api, urukrame, kurvanti, ahaitukim, bhaktim, ittham-bhuta-gunah and harih.
TEXT 195
TEXT
tat-tat-pada-pradhanye 'atmarama' milana
astadasa artha kaila abhipraya lana
SYNONYMS
tat-tat-pada--all those items; pradhanye--principally; atmarama--the word atmarama; milana--causing to meet; astadasa--eighteen; artha--meanings; kaila--did; abhipraya--purpose; lana--accepting.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu took each word specifically and combined it with the word "atmarama." He thus explained the word "atmarama" in eighteen different ways.
TEXT 196
TEXT
bhagavan, tanra sakti, tanra guna-gana
acintya prabhava tinera na yaya kathana
SYNONYMS
bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tanra sakti--His potencies; tanra guna-gana--His transcendental qualities; acintya--inconceivable; prabhava--the influence; tinera--of the three; na--not; yaya--possible; kathana--to speak.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, His different potencies and His transcendental qualities all have inconceivable prowess. It is not possible to explain them fully.
TEXT 197
TEXT
anya yata sadhya-sadhana kari' acchadana
ei tine hare siddha-sadhakera mana
SYNONYMS
anya--other; yata--all; sadhya-sadhana--objectives and transcendental practices; kari'--doing; acchadana--covering; ei tine--these three; hare--take away; siddha--successful; sadhakera--of the student engaged in spiritual activities; mana--the mind.
TRANSLATION
"These three items attract the mind of a perfect student engaged in spiritual activities and overcome all other processes of spiritual activity."
PURPORT
Spiritual activities other than bhakti-yoga are divided into three categories--speculative activity conducted by the jnana-sampradaya (learned scholars), fruitive activity conducted by the general populace according to Vedic regulations, and the activities of transcendentalists not engaged in devotional service. There are many different branches of these categories, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His inconceivable potencies and transcendental qualities, attracts the mind of the student engaged in the activities of karma, jnana, yoga, and so forth. The Supreme Lord is full of inconceivable potencies, which are related to His person, His energies and His transcendental qualities. All of these are very attractive to the serious student. Consequently the Lord is known as Krsna, the all-attractive one.
TEXT 198
TEXT
sanakadi-sukadeva tahate pramana
ei-mata nana artha karena vyakhyana
SYNONYMS
sanaka-adi--the four Sanas; sukadeva--and Sukadeva Gosvami; tahate--in that; pramana--the evidence; ei-mata--in this way; nana--varieties; artha--meaning; karena--does; vyakhyana--explanation.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained the meaning of the verse by giving evidence concerning Sukadeva Gosvami and the four rsis Sanaka, Sanat-kumara, Sanatana and Sanandana. Thus the Lord gave various meanings and explanations.
PURPORT
That Krsna is all-attractive is verified by the activities of the four rsis and Sukadeva Gosvami. All of them were liberated persons, yet they were attracted by the qualities and pastimes of the Lord. It is therefore said: mukta api lilaya vigraham krtva bhagavantam bhajante. (Cc. Madhya 24.112) Even liberated persons are attracted by the pastimes of Lord Krsna and thus engage in devotional service. From the very beginning of their lives, Sukadeva Gosvami and the four Kumaras, known as catuh-sana, were liberated and self-realized on the Brahman platform. Nonetheless, they were attracted by the qualities of Krsna, and they engaged in His service. The four Kumaras were attracted by the aroma of the flowers offered at the lotus feet of Krsna, and in this way they became devotees. Sukadeva Gosvami heard Srimad-Bhagavatam by the mercy of his father, Vyasadeva, and he was consequently attracted to Krsna and became a great devotee. The conclusion is that the transcendental bliss experienced in the service of the Lord must be superior to brahmananda, the bliss derived from realizing the impersonal Brahman.
TEXT 199
TEXT
suni' bhattacaryera mane haila camatkara
prabhuke krsna jani' kare apana dhikkara
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing this; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mane--in the mind; haila--there was; camatkara--wonder; prabhuke--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krsna--Lord Krsna; jani'--accepting as; kare--does; apana--himself; dhikkara--condemnation.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing Caitanya Mahaprabhu's explanation of the atmarama verse, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was struck with wonder. He then understood Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be Krsna in person, and he thus condemned himself in the following words.
TEXT 200
TEXT
'inho ta' saksat krsna,----muni na janiya
maha-aparadha kainu garvita ha-iya'
SYNONYMS
inho--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ta'--indeed; saksat--directly; krsna--Lord Krsna; muni--I; na--not; janiya--knowing; maha-aparadha--a great offense; kainu--did; garvita--proud; ha-iya--being.
TRANSLATION
"Caitanya Mahaprabhu is certainly Lord Krsna Himself. Because I could not understand Him and was very proud of my own learning, I have committed many offenses."
TEXT 201
TEXT
atma-ninda kari' laila prabhura sarana
krpa karibare tabe prabhura haila mana
SYNONYMS
atma-ninda--self-indictment; kari'--doing; laila--took; prabhura--of the Lord; sarana--shelter; krpa--mercy; karibare--to do; tabe--then; prabhura--of the Lord; haila--it was; mana--the mind.
TRANSLATION
When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya denounced himself as an offender and took shelter of the Lord, the Lord desired to show him mercy.
TEXT 202
TEXT
nija-rupa prabhu tanre karaila darsana
catur-bhuja-rupa prabhu ha-ila takhana
SYNONYMS
nija-rupa--personal form; prabhu--the Lord; tanre--unto him; karaila--made; darsana--seeing; catuh-bhuja--four-handed; rupa--form; prabhu--the Lord; ha-ila--became; takhana--at that time.
TRANSLATION
To show him mercy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu allowed him to see His Visnu form. Thus He immediately assumed four hands.
TEXT 203
TEXT
dekhaila tanre age catur-bhuja-rupa
pache syama-vamsi-mukha svakiya svarupa
SYNONYMS
dekhaila--showed; tanre--unto him; age--at first; catur-bhuja-rupa--the form with four hands; pache--afterwards; syama--blackish; vamsi-mukha--with a flute to the mouth; svakiya--personal; svarupa--form.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first showed him the four-handed form and then appeared before him in His original form of Krsna, with a blackish complexion and a flute to His lips.
TEXT 204
TEXT
dekhi' sarvabhauma dandavat kari' padi'
punah uthi' stuti kare dui kara yudi'
SYNONYMS
dekhi'--seeing that; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; dandavat--obeisances; kari'--doing; padi'--falling flat; punah--again; uthi'--standing up; stuti--prayer; kare--does; dui--two; kara--hands; yudi'--folding.
TRANSLATION
When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya saw the form of Lord Krsna manifested in Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he immediately fell down flat to offer Him obeisances. Then he stood up and with folded hands began to offer prayers.
TEXT 205
TEXT
prabhura krpaya tanra sphurila saba tattva
nama-prema-dana-adi varnena mahattva
SYNONYMS
prabhura--of the Lord; krpaya--by the mercy; tanra--to him; sphurila--manifested; saba--all; tattva--truths; nama--the holy name; prema-dana--distribution of love of Godhead; adi--and so on; varnena--describes; mahattva--the importance.
TRANSLATION
By the mercy of the Lord, all truths were revealed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, and he could understand the importance of chanting the holy name and distributing love of Godhead everywhere.
TEXT 206
TEXT
sata sloka kaila eka danda na yaite
brhaspati taiche sloka na pare karite
SYNONYMS
sata--one hundred; sloka--verses; kaila--composed; eka--one; danda--a duration of twenty-four minutes; na--not; yaite--passing; brhaspati--Brhaspati, the priest of the heavenly planets; taiche--such; sloka--verses; na--not; pare--able; karite--to compose.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya composed one hundred verses in a very short time. Indeed, not even Brhaspati, the priest of the heavenly planets, could compose verses as quickly.
PURPORT
The name of the book of one hundred beautiful verses composed by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is Susloka-sataka.
TEXT 207
TEXT
suni' sukhe prabhu tanre kaila alingana
bhattacarya premavese haila acetana
SYNONYMS
suni'--hearing; sukhe--in happiness; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tanre--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kaila--did; alingana--embracing; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prema-avese--in the ecstasy of love of God; haila--became; acetana--unconscious.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the one hundred verses, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu happily embraced Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, who was immediately overwhelmed in ecstatic love of Godhead and fell unconscious.
TEXT 208
TEXT
asru, stambha, pulaka, sveda, kampa tharahari
nace, gaya, kande, pade prabhu-pada dhari'
SYNONYMS
asru--tears; stambha--a stunned condition; pulaka--standing of hair; sveda--perspiration; kampa--trembling; tharahari--with great shaking; nace--dances; gaya--sings; kande--cries; pade--falls down; prabhu-pada--the lotus feet of the Lord; dhari'--catching.
TRANSLATION
Out of ecstatic love of God, the Bhattacarya shed tears, and his body was stunned. He exhibited an ecstatic mood, and he perspired, shook and trembled. He sometimes danced, sometimes chanted, sometimes cried and sometimes fell down to touch the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 209
TEXT
dekhi' gopinathacarya harasita-mana
bhattacaryera nrtya dekhi' hase prabhura gana
SYNONYMS
dekhi'--seeing this; gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya; harasita-mana--a pleased mind; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; nrtya--dancing; dekhi'--seeing; hase--laughs; prabhura gana--the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
While Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was in this ecstasy. Gopinatha Acarya was very pleased, The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all laughed to see the Bhattacarya dance so.
TEXT 210
TEXT
gopinathacarya kahe mahaprabhura prati
'sei bhattacaryera prabhu kaile ei gati'
SYNONYMS
gopinatha-acarya--of the name Gopinatha Acarya; kahe--said; mahaprabhura--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; prati--to; sei bhattacaryera--of that Bhattacarya; prabhu--my Lord; kaile--You have made; ei gati--such a situation.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya told Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Sir, You have brought all this upon Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya."
TEXT 211
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----'tumi bhakta, tomara sanga haite
jagannatha inhare krpa kaila bhala-mate'
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; tumi bhakta--you are a devotee; tomara sanga haite--on account of your association; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; inhare--unto him; krpa--mercy; kaila--showed; bhala-mate--very well.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "You are a devotee. Because of your association, Lord Jagannatha has shown him mercy."
TEXT 212
TEXT
tabe bhattacarye prabhu susthira karila
sthira hana bhattacarya bahu stuti kaila
SYNONYMS
tabe--then; bhattacarye--unto Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; su-sthira--pacification; karila--did; sthira hana--being pacified; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; bahu--many; stuti--prayers; kaila--offered.
TRANSLATION
After this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pacified the Bhattacarya, and when he was quieted, he offered many prayers to the Lord.
TEXT 213
TEXT
'jagat nistarile tumi,----seha alpa-karya
ama uddharile tumi,----e sakti ascarya
SYNONYMS
jagat--the whole world; nistarile--have delivered; tumi--You; seha--that; alpa-karya--minor activity; ama--me; uddharile--have delivered; tumi--You; e--this; sakti--power; ascarya--wonderful.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya said, "My dear Sir, You have delivered the entire world, but that is not a very great task. However, You have also delivered me, and that is certainly the work of very wonderful powers.
TEXT 214
TEXT
tarka-sastre jada ami, yaiche lauha-pinda
ama dravaile tumi, pratapa pracanda'
SYNONYMS
tarka-sastre--due to logical scriptures; jada--dull; ami--I; yaiche--just like; lauha-pinda--an iron bar; ama--me; dravaile--melted; tumi--You; pratapa--power; pracanda--very great.
TRANSLATION
"I had become dull-headed due to reading too many books on logic. Consequently I had become like an iron bar. Nonetheless, You have melted me, and therefore Your influence is very great."
TEXT 215
TEXT
stuti suni' mahaprabhu nija vasa aila
bhattacarya acarya-dvare bhiksa karaila
SYNONYMS
stuti suni'--after hearing the prayers; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nija--own; vasa--to the residence; aila--returned; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; acarya-dvare--through Gopinatha Acarya; bhiksa--luncheon; karaila--induced to take.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the prayers offered by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to His residence, and the Bhattacarya, through Gopinatha Acarya, induced the Lord to accept lunch there.
TEXT 216
TEXT
ara dina prabhu gela jagannatha-darasane
darsana karila jagannatha-sayyotthane
SYNONYMS
ara dina--the next day; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gela--went; jagannatha-darasane--to see Jagannatha in the temple; darsana karila--saw; jagannatha-sayya-utthane--the Lord's rising from bed early in the morning.
TRANSLATION
Early the following morning, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to see Lord Jagannatha in the temple, and He saw the Lord rise from His bed.
TEXT 217
TEXT
pujari aniya mala-prasadanna dila
prasadanna-mala pana prabhu harsa haila
SYNONYMS
pujari--the priest; aniya--bringing; mala--garlands; prasada-anna--remnants of food; dila--offered; prasada-anna--the prasada; mala--and garlands; pana--getting; prabhu--Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; harsa--pleased; haila--became.
TRANSLATION
The priest there presented Him with garlands and prasada that had been offered to Lord Jagannatha. This pleased Caitanya Mahaprabhu very much.
TEXT 218
TEXT
sei prasadanna-mala ancale bandhiya
bhattacaryera ghare aila tvarayukta hana
SYNONYMS
sei prasada-anna--those remnants of food; mala--and garlands; ancale--in the end of His cloth; bandhiya--binding; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; ghare--to the house; aila--went; tvara-yukta--hasty; hana--being.
TRANSLATION
Carefully tying the prasada and garlands in a cloth, Caitanya Mahaprabhu hastened to the house of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
TEXT 219
TEXT
arunodaya-kale haila prabhura agamana
sei-kale bhattacaryera haila jagarana
SYNONYMS
aruna-udaya--before sunrise; kale--at the time; haila--there was; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; agamana--the coming; sei-kale--at that time; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haila--there was; jagarana--arising from bed.
TRANSLATION
He arrived at the Bhattacarya's house a little before sunrise, just when the Bhattacarya was arising from bed.
TEXT 220
TEXT
'krsna' 'krsna' sphuta kahi' bhattacarya jagila
krsna-nama suni' prabhura ananda badila
SYNONYMS
krsna krsna--chanting the name of Krsna; sphuta--distinctly; kahi'--saying; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; jagila--got up from the bed; krsna-nama--the holy name of Lord Krsna; suni'--hearing; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; ananda--pleasure; badila--increased.
TRANSLATION
As Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya arose from bed, he distinctly chanted, "Krsna, Krsna." Lord Caitanya was very pleased to hear him chant the holy name of Krsna.
TEXT 221
TEXT
bahire prabhura tenho paila darasana
aste-vyaste asi' kaila carana vandana
SYNONYMS
bahire--outside the house; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tenho--he; paila--got; darasana--sight; aste-vyaste--with great haste; asi'--coming there; kaila--did; carana vandana--worshiping the lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya noticed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu outside, and with great haste he went to Him and offered prayers unto His lotus feet.
TEXT 222
TEXT
vasite asana diya dunheta vasila
prasadanna khuli' prabhu tanra hate dila
SYNONYMS
vasite--to sit; asana--carpet; diya--offering; dunheta--both of them; vasila--sat down; prasada-anna--the prasada; khuli'--opening; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; tanra--his; hate--in the hand; dila--offered.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya offered a carpet for the Lord to sit upon, and both of them sat there. Then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu opened the prasada and placed it in the hands of the Bhattacarya.
TEXT 223
TEXT
prasadanna pana bhattacaryera ananda haila
snana, sandhya, danta-dhavana yadyapi na kaila
SYNONYMS
prasada-anna--the remnants of food; pana--getting; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; ananda--pleasure; haila--there was; snana--bathing; sandhya--morning duties; danta-dhavana--washing the teeth; yadyapi--although; na--not; kaila--finished.
TRANSLATION
At that time the Bhattacarya had not even washed his mouth, nor had he taken his bath or finished his morning duties. Nonetheless, he was very pleased to receive the prasada of Lord Jagannatha.
TEXT 224
TEXT
caitanya-prasade manera saba jadya gela
ei sloka padi' anna bhaksana karila
SYNONYMS
caitanya-prasade--by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; manera--of the mind; saba--all; jadya--dullness; gela--went away; ei sloka--these verses; padi'--reciting; anna--remnants of food; bhaksana--eating; karila--did.
TRANSLATION
By the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the dullness in the mind of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was eradicated. After reciting the following two verses, he ate the prasada offered to him.
TEXT 225
TEXT
suskam paryusitam vapi
nitam va dura-desatah
prapti-matrena bhoktavyam
natra kala-vicarana
SYNONYMS
suskam--dry; paryusitam--stale; va--or; api--although; nitam--brought; va--or; dura-desatah--from a distant country; prapti-matrena--only with the receiving; bhoktavyam--to be eaten; na--not; atra--in this; kala-vicarana--consideration of time or place.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya said, " 'One should eat the maha-prasada of the Lord immediately upon receiving it, even though it is dried up, stale or brought from a distant country. One should consider neither time nor place.
TEXT 226
TEXT
na desa-niyamas tatra
na kala-niyamas tatha
praptam annam drutam sistair
bhoktavyam harir abravit
SYNONYMS
na--not; desa--of the country; niyamah--regulation; tatra--in that; na--not; kala--of time; niyamah--regulation; tatha--so also; praptam--received; annam--prasada; drutam--hastily; sistaih--by gentlemen; bhoktavyam--to be eaten; harih--the Lord; abravit--has said.
TRANSLATION
" 'The prasada of Lord Krsna is to be eaten by gentlemen as soon as it is received; there should be no hesitation. There are no regulative principles concerning time and place. This is the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.' "
PURPORT
These verses are quoted from the Padma Purana.
TEXT 227
TEXT
dekhi' anandita haila mahaprabhura mana
premavista hana prabhu kaila alingana
SYNONYMS
dekhi'--seeing this; anandita--very much pleased; haila--was; mahaprabhura--of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mana--the mind; prema-avista--absorbed in the ecstasy of love of God; hana--becoming; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; kaila--did; alingana--embracing.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased to see this. He became ecstatic in love of Godhead and embraced Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
TEXT 228
TEXT
dui-jane dhari' dunhe karena nartana
prabhu-bhrtya dunha sparse, donhara phule mana
SYNONYMS
dui-jane--both of them; dhari'--embracing; dunhe--both; karena--do; nartana--dancing; prabhu-bhrtya--the master and the servant; dunha--both; sparse--by touching each other; donhara--of both of them; phule--were excited; mana--minds.
TRANSLATION
The Lord and the servant embraced each other and began to dance. Simply by touching each other, they became ecstatic.
TEXT 229
TEXT
sveda-kampa-asru dunhe anande bhasila
premavista hana prabhu kahite lagila
SYNONYMS
sveda--perspiration; kampa--trembling; asru--tears; dunhe--both of them; anande--in transcendental bliss; bhasila--floated; prema-avista--absorbed in ecstatic love of Godhead; hana--being; prabhu--the Lord; kahite--to speak; lagila--began.
TRANSLATION
As they danced and embraced, spiritual symptoms manifested in their bodies. They perspired, trembled and shed tears, and the Lord began to speak in His ecstasy.
TEXT 230
TEXT
"aji muni anayase jininu tribhuvana
aji muni karinu vaikuntha arohana
SYNONYMS
aji--today; muni--I; anayase--very easily; jininu--conquered; tri-bhuvana--the three worlds; aji--today; muni--I; karinu--did; vaikuntha--to the spiritual world; arohana--ascending.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Today I have conquered the three worlds very easily. Today I have ascended to the spiritual world."
PURPORT
The goal of human perfection is stated here in brief. One has to surpass all the planetary systems of the material universe, pierce through the covering of the universe and reach the spiritual world, known as Vaikunthaloka. The Vaikunthalokas are variegated spiritual planets situated in the Lord's impersonal bodily effulgence, known as the brahmajyoti. One may aspire to elevate himself to a heavenly planet within the material world, such as the moon, the sun or Venus, but if one is spiritually advanced in Krsna consciousness, he does not wish to remain within the material universe, even in a higher planetary system. Rather, he prefers to penetrate the covering of the universe and attain the spiritual world. He can then be situated in one of the Vaikuntha planets there. However, the devotees under the guidance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu aspire to reach the topmost spiritual planet, known as Goloka Vrndavana, the residence of Lord Sri Krsna and His eternal associates.
TEXT 231
TEXT
aji mora purna haila sarva abhilasa
sarvabhaumera haila maha-prasade visvasa
SYNONYMS
aji--today; mora--My; purna--satisfied; haila--became; sarva--all; abhilasa--desires; sarvabhaumera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haila--there was; maha-prasade--in the remnants of the Lord's food; visvasa--faith.
TRANSLATION
Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "I think that today all My desires have been fulfilled because I see that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya has acquired faith in the maha-prasada of Lord Jagannatha.
TEXT 232
TEXT
aji tumi niskapate haila krsnasraya
krsna aji niskapate toma haila sadaya
SYNONYMS
aji--today; tumi--you; niskapate--without a doubt; haila--have become; krsna-asraya--under the shelter of Lord Krsna; krsna--Lord Krsna; aji--today; niskapate--without reservation; toma--unto you; haila--has become; sa-daya--very merciful.
TRANSLATION
"Indeed, today you have undoubtedly taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, and Krsna, without reservation, has become very merciful toward you.
TEXT 233
TEXT
aji se khandila tomara dehadi-bandhana
aji tumi chinna kaile mayara bandhana
SYNONYMS
aji--today; se--that; khandila--dismantled; tomara--your; deha-adi-bandhana--material bondage due to the bodily concept of life; aji--today; tumi--you; chinna--cut to pieces; kaile--did; mayara--of illusory energy; bandhana--the shackles.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Bhattacarya, today you have been released from material bondage in the bodily conception of life; you have cut to pieces the shackles of the illusory energy.
TEXT 234
TEXT
aji krsna-prapti-yogya haila tomara mana
veda-dharma langhi' kaile prasada bhaksana"
SYNONYMS
aji--today; krsna-prapti--for attainment of the lotus feet of Krsna; yogya--fit; haila--has become; tomara--your; mana--mind; veda--of the four Vedas; dharma--the principles; langhi'--surpassing; kaile--you have done; prasada--the remnants of food offered to Krsna; bhaksana--eating.
TRANSLATION
"Today your mind has become fit to take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna because, surpassing the Vedic regulative principles, you have eaten the remnants of food offered to the Lord.
TEXT 235
TEXT
yesam sa esa bhagavan dayayed anantah
sarvatmanasrita-pado yadi nirvyalikam
te dustaram atitaranti ca deva-mayam
naisam mamaham iti dhih sva-srgala-bhaksye
SYNONYMS
yesam--unto those who are fully surrendered souls; sah--He; esah--this; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dayayet--may show mercy; anantah--the unlimited; sarva-atmana--fully, without reservation; asrita-padah--those who have taken shelter of the Lord; yadi--if; nirvyalikam--without duplicity; te--such persons; dustaram--insurmountable; atitaranti--surpass; ca--also; deva-mayam--the illusory material energy; na--not; esam--this; mama aham--"my" and "I"; iti--such; dhih--intelligence; sva-srgala-bhaksye--in the body, which is to be eaten by dogs and jackals.
TRANSLATION
" 'When a person unreservedly takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the unlimited, merciful Lord bestows His causeless mercy upon him. Thus he can pass over the insurmountable ocean of nescience. Those whose intelligence is fixed in the bodily conception, who think, "I am this body," are fit food for dogs and jackals. The Supreme Lord never bestows His mercy upon such people.' "
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord never bestows His benediction upon those fixed in the bodily conception. As Krsna clearly states in the Bhagavad-gita (18.66):
sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."
In this verse that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.42), the meaning of Sri Krsna's statement is explained. Krsna bestowed His causeless mercy upon Arjuna just to get him out of the bodily conception. This was done at the very beginning of the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita (2.13), where Krsna says, dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara. In this body, there is an owner, and one should not consider the body to be the self. This is the first instruction to be assimilated by a devotee. If one is under the bodily conception, he is unable to realize his true identity and engage in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Unless one comes to the transcendental position, he cannot expect the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, nor can he cross over the vast ocean of material nescience. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.14): mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. Without surrendering unto the lotus feet of Krsna, one cannot expect release from the clutches of maya, the illusory energy. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32), Mayavadi sannyasis who falsely think of themselves as liberated from the clutches of maya are called vimukta-maninah. Actually, they are not liberated, but they think that they have become liberated and have become Narayana Himself. Although they have apparently realized that they are not the material body but spirit soul, they nonetheless neglect the duty of the spirit soul, which is to render service to the Supreme Soul. Therefore their intelligence remains unsanctified. Unless one's intelligence is sanctified, one cannot apply it to understanding devotional service. Devotional service begins when the mind, intelligence and ego are completely purified. Mayavadi sannyasis do not purify their intelligence, mind and ego, and consequently they cannot engage in the service of the Lord or expect the causeless mercy of the Lord. Although they rise to a very high position by executing severe austerities and penances, they still hover in the material world without the benediction of the lotus feet of the Lord. Sometimes they rise to the Brahman effulgence, but because their minds are not completely purified, they must return to material existence.
The karmis are fully under the bodily conception of life, and the jnanis, although theoretically understanding that they are not the body, also have no information about the lotus feet of the Lord because they overly stress impersonalism. Consequently both karmis and jnanis are unfit for receiving the mercy of the Lord and becoming devotees. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, karma-kanda jnana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda: those who have taken to the process of karma-kanda (fruitive activity) and jnana-kanda (speculation on the science of transcendence) have simply eaten from poisoned pots. They are condemned to remain in material existence life after life until they take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. This is confirmed in Srimad Bhagavad-gita (7.19):
bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhah
"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."
TEXT 236
TEXT
eta kahi' mahaprabhu aila nija-sthane
sei haite bhattacaryera khandila abhimane
SYNONYMS
eta kahi'--speaking in this way; mahaprabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--returned; nija-sthane--to His own residence; sei haite--from that time; bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; khandila--was dismantled; abhimane--false pride.
TRANSLATION
After speaking to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya in this way, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned to His residence. From that day on, the Bhattacarya was free because his false pride had been dismantled.
TEXT 237
TEXT
caitanya-carana vine nahi jane ana
bhakti vinu sastrera ara na kare vyakhyana
SYNONYMS
caitanya-carana--the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya; vine--except; nahi--not; jane--knows; ana--other; bhakti--devotional service; vinu--except; sastrera--of the scripture; ara--any other; na--not; kare--does; vyakhyana--explanation.
TRANSLATION
From that day on, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya did not know anything but the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and from that day he could explain the revealed scriptures only in accordance with the process of devotional service.
TEXT 238
TEXT
gopinathacarya tanra vaisnavata dekhiya
'hari' 'hari' bali' nace hate tali diya
SYNONYMS
gopinatha-acarya--Gopinatha Acarya, the brother-in-law of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tanra--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; vaisnavata--firm faith in Vaisnavism; dekhiya--seeing; hari hari--the holy name of the Lord; bali'--saying; nace--dances; hate tali diya--clapping his two hands.
TRANSLATION
Seeing that Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was firmly fixed in the cult of Vaisnavism, Gopinatha Acarya, his brother-in-law, began to dance, clap his hands and chant "Hari! Hari!"
TEXT 239
TEXT
ara dina bhattacarya aila darsane
jagannatha na dekhi' aila prabhu-sthane
SYNONYMS
ara dina--the next day; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; aila--came; darsane--to see Lord Jagannatha; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; na dekhi'--without seeing; aila--came; prabhu-sthane--to the place of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
The next day, the Bhattacarya went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannatha, but before he reached the temple, he went to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 240
TEXT
dandavat kari' kaila bahu-vidha stuti
dainya kari' kahe nija purva-durmati
SYNONYMS
dandavat kari'--after offering obeisances by falling flat on the ground; kaila--he did; bahu-vidha--various types of; stuti--prayers; dainya kari'--in great humbleness; kahe--describes; nija--his personal; purva-durmati--previous bad disposition.
TRANSLATION
When he met Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Bhattacarya fell down flat to offer Him respects. After offering various prayers to Him, he spoke of his previous bad disposition with great humility.
TEXT 241
TEXT
bhakti-sadhana-srestha sunite haila mana
prabhu upadesa kaila nama-sankirtana
SYNONYMS
bhakti-sadhana--in the execution of devotional service; srestha--the most important item; sunite--to hear; haila--it was; mana--the mind; prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; upadesa--advice; kaila--gave; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Then the Bhattacarya asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?" The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
PURPORT
There are nine items to be executed in devotional service. These are enumerated in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23):
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
Hearing the glories of the Lord, chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, becoming a servant of the Lord, becoming the Lord's friend, and sarvatma-nivedana, offering oneself fully at the lotus feet of the Lord--these are the nine devotional processes. In The Nectar of Devotion, When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya asked the Lord which item was most important, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately answered that the most important item is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. He then quoted the following verse from the Brhan-naradiya Purana (Thirty-eighth Chapter, verse 126) to confirm His statement.
TEXT 242
TEXT
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
SYNONYMS
hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord Hari; hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord Hari; hareh nama--the holy name of the Lord; eva--certainly; kevalam--only; kalau--in this Age of Kali; na asti--there is not; eva--certainly; na asti--there is not; eva--certainly; na asti--there is not; eva--certainly; gatih--means; anyatha--other.
TRANSLATION
" 'In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverence is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.' "
PURPORT
Because the people of this age are so fallen, they can simply chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. In this way they can rid themselves of the bodily conception of life and become eligible to engage in the Lord's devotional service. One cannot engage in the devotional service of the Lord without being purified of all contamination. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.28):
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination." Sometimes people are surprised to see young men and women take so seriously to the Krsna consciousness movement. By giving up sinful activity--illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling--and strictly following the injunctions given by the spiritual master, they have become purified of all contamination. They can therefore fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord.
In this Age of Kali, hari-kirtana is very, very important. The importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord is stated in the following verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51-52):
kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya
mukta-sangah param vrajet
krte yad dhyayato visnum
tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam
kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
"The most important factor in this Age of Kali, which is an ocean of faults, is that one can be free from all contamination and become eligible to enter the kingdom of God simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. The self-realization that was achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation, in the Treta millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the Dvapara millennium by worship of Lord Krsna can be achieved in the Age of Kali simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Krsna." ()
TEXT 243
TEXT
ei slokera artha sunaila kariya vistara
suni' bhattacarya-mane haila camatkara
SYNONYMS
ei slokera--of this verse; artha--the meaning; sunaila--made hear; kariya--doing; vistara--extensive description; suni'--hearing; bhattacarya--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; mane--in the mind; haila--there was; camatkara--wonder.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very elaborately explained the harer nama verse of the Brhan-naradiya Purana, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was struck with wonder to hear His explanation.
TEXT 244
TEXT
gopinathacarya bale,----'ami purve ye kahila
suna, bhattacarya, tomara sei ta' ha-ila'
SYNONYMS
gopinatha-acarya--of the name Gopinatha Acarya; bale--says; ami--I; purve--previously; ye--what; kahila--said; suna--hear; bhattacarya--my dear Bhattacarya; tomara--your; sei--that; ta'--indeed; ha-ila--has happened.
TRANSLATION
Gopinatha Acarya reminded Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, "My dear Bhattacarya, what I foretold to you has now taken place."
PURPORT
Previously Gopinatha Acarya had informed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya that when he would be blessed by the Lord he would thoroughly understand the transcendental process of devotional service. This prediction was now fulfilled. The Bhattacarya was fully converted to the cult of Vaisnavism, and he was following the principles automatically, without being pressured. in the Bhagavad-gita (2.40) it is therefore said, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: "Simply by performing a little devotional service, one can escape the greatest danger." Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya had been in the greatest danger because he had adhered to Mayavada philosophy. Somehow or other he came into contact with Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and became a perfect devotee. In this way he was saved from the great falldown of impersonalism.
TEXT 245
TEXT
bhattacarya kahe tanre kari' namaskare
tomara sambandhe prabhu krpa kaila more
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya kahe--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied; tanre--unto Gopinatha Acarya; kari'--doing; namaskare--obeisances; tomara sambandhe--on account of your relationship; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; krpa--mercy; kaila--showed; more--unto me.
TRANSLATION
Offering his obeisances to Gopinatha Acarya, the Bhattacarya said, "Because I am related to you and you are a devotee, by your mercy the Lord has shown mercy to me.
TEXT 246
TEXT
tumi----mahabhagavata, ami----tarka-andhe
prabhu krpa kaila more tomara sambandhe
SYNONYMS
tumi--you; maha-bhagavata--a first-class devotee; ami--I; tarka-andhe--in the darkness of logical arguments; prabhu--the Lord; krpa--mercy; kaila--showed; more--unto me; tomara--your; sambandhe--by the relationship.
TRANSLATION
"You are a first-class devotee, whereas I am in the darkness of logical arguments. Because of your relationship with the Lord, the Lord has bestowed His benediction upon me."
TEXT 247
TEXT
vinaya suni' tustye prabhu kaila alingana
kahila,----yana karaha isvara darasana
SYNONYMS
vinaya suni'--upon hearing this humbleness of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; tustye--in satisfaction; prabhu--the Lord; kaila--did; alingana--embracing; kahila--said; yana--going; karaha--do; isvara darasana--visiting the temple of Lord Jagannatha.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very pleased with this humble statement. After embracing the Bhattacarya, He said, "Now go see Lord Jagannatha in the temple."
TEXT 248
TEXT
jagadananda damodara,----dui sange lana
ghare aila bhattacarya jagannatha dekhiya
SYNONYMS
jagadananda--of the name Jagadananda; damodara--of the name Damodara; dui--two persons; sange--with him; lana--taking; ghare--to his home; aila--returned; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; jagannatha--Lord Jagannatha; dekhiya--seeing in the temple.
TRANSLATION
After visiting the temple of Lord Jagannatha, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya returned home with Jagadananda and Damodara.
TEXT 249
TEXT
uttama uttama prasada bahuta anila
nija-vipra-hate dui jana sange dila
SYNONYMS
uttama uttama--very first-class; prasada--remnants of food offered to Jagannatha; bahuta--in great quantity; anila--brought; nija-vipra--of his own brahmana servant; hate--in the hand; dui--two; jana--persons; sange--with him; dila--gave.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya brought large quantities of excellent food remnants blessed by Lord Jagannatha. All this prasada was given to his own brahmana servant, along with Jagadananda and Damodara.
TEXT 250
TEXT
nija krta dui sloka likhiya tala-pate
'prabhuke diha' bali' dila jagadananda-hate
SYNONYMS
nija--by him; krta--composed; dui--two; sloka--verses; likhiya--writing; tala-pate--on a leaf of a palm tree; prabhuke diha--give to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bali'--saying this; dila--gave it; jagadananda-hate--in the hands of Jagadananda.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya then composed two verses on the leaf of a palm tree. Giving the palm leaf to Jagadananda Prabhu, the Bhattacarya requested him to deliver it to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 251
TEXT
prabhu-sthane aila dunhe prasada-patri lana
mukunda datta patri nila tara hate pana
SYNONYMS
prabhu-sthane--to the place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was residing; aila--went back; dunhe--both Jagadananda and Damodara; prasada--the remnants of food; patri--the leaf of a palm tree; lana--taking; mukunda datta--of the name Mukunda Datta; patri--the leaf of a palm tree; nila--took; tara--of Jagadananda; hate--in the hand; pana--receiving.
TRANSLATION
Jagadananda and Damodara then returned to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, bringing Him both the prasada and the palm leaf on which the verses were composed. But Mukunda Datta took the palm leaf from the hands of Jagadananda before he could deliver it to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 252
TEXT
dui sloka bahira-bhite likhiya rakhila
tabe jagadananda patri prabhuke lana dila
SYNONYMS
dui--two; sloka--verses; bahira--outside; bhite--on the wall; likhiya--writing; rakhila--kept; tabe--thereafter; jagadananda--Jagadananda Prabhu; patri--the palm leaf; prabhuke--to the Lord; lana--taking; dila--delivered.
TRANSLATION
Mukunda Datta then copied the two verses on the wall outside the room. After this, Jagadananda took the palm leaf from Mukunda Datta and delivered it to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 253
TEXT
prabhu sloka padi' patra chindiya phelila
bhittye dekhi' bhakta saba sloka kanthe kaila
SYNONYMS
prabhu--the Lord; sloka--verses; padi'--reading; patra--the palm leaf; chindiya--tearing to pieces; phelila--threw; bhittye--on the outside wall; dekhi'--seeing; bhakta--the devotees; saba--all; sloka--verses; kanthe--within the throat; kaila--kept.
TRANSLATION
As soon as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu read the two verses, He immediately tore up the palm leaf. However, all the devotees read these verses on the outside wall, and they all kept them within their hearts. The verses read as follows.
TEXT 254
TEXT
vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
SYNONYMS
vairagya--detachment from everything that does not help develop Krsna consciousness; vidya--knowledge; nija--own; bhakti-yoga--devotional service; siksa-artham--just to instruct; ekah--the single person; purusah--the Supreme Person; puranah--very old, or eternal; sri-krsna-caitanya--of Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; sarira-dhari--accepting the body; krpa-ambudhih--the ocean of transcendental mercy; yah--who; tam--unto Him; aham--I; prapadye--surrender.
TRANSLATION
"Let me take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, who has descended in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach us real knowledge, His devotional service and detachment from whatever does not foster Krsna consciousness. He has descended because He is an ocean of transcendental mercy. Let me surrender unto His lotus feet.
PURPORT
This verse and the following verse are included in the Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka (6.74), by Sri Kavi-karnapura.
TEXT 255
TEXT
kalan nastam bhakti-yogam nijam yah
praduskartum krsna-caitanya-nama
avirbhutas tasya padaravinde
gadham gadham liyatam citta-bhrngah
SYNONYMS
kalat--from misuse of material propensities and attachment to fruitive activities and speculative knowledge over the course of time; nastam--destroyed; bhakti-yogam--the science of devotional service; nijam--which is applicable to Him only; yah--one who; praduskartum--to revive; krsna-caitanya-nama--named Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avirbhutah--who has appeared; tasya--His; pada-aravinde--in the lotus feet; gadham gadham--very deeply; liyatam--let it be merged; citta-bhrngah--my consciousness, like a honeybee.
TRANSLATION
"Let my consciousness, which is like a honeybee, take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has just now appeared as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach the ancient system of devotional service to Himself. This system had almost been lost due to the influence of time."
PURPORT
As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (4.7):
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham
"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion--at that time I descend Myself." (Bg. 4.7)
This is also the case with Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in this world as a disguised incarnation of Krsna, but His appearance is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Mahabharata and other Vedic scriptures. He appeared in order to teach the fallen souls in this material world, for in this Age of Kali almost everyone has become attached to fruitive and ritualistic activities and mental speculation. Consequently there was a great need to revive the system of devotional service. The Lord Himself personally came down disguised as a devotee so that the fallen populace might take advantage of the Lord's example.
At the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna advised complete surrender unto Him, promising all protection to His devotee. Unfortunately, people are so fallen that they cannot accept the instructions of Lord Krsna; therefore Krsna returned with the same mission, but He executed it in a different way. As Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He ordered us to surrender unto Himself, but as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He taught us how to surrender to Krsna. Therefore He is praised by the Gosvamis: namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaye te. Lord Sri Krsna is certainly the Personality of Godhead, but He is not as magnanimous as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Krsna simply gave orders for one to become His devotee (man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah), but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu actually taught the process of Krsna consciousness. If one wants to become a devotee of Krsna, he must first take shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, following in the footsteps of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and other exalted devotees.
TEXT 256
TEXT
ei dui sloka----bhakta-kanthe ratna-hara
sarvabhaumera kirti ghose dhakka-vadyakara
SYNONYMS
ei dui sloka--these two verses; bhakta-kanthe--on the necks of the devotees; ratna-hara--pearl necklaces; sarvabhaumera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kirti--reputation; ghose--declare; dhakka--of a drum; vadya--of the sound; akara--in the form.
TRANSLATION
These two verses composed by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya will always declare his name and fame as loudly as a pounding drum because they have become pearl necklaces around the necks of all devotees.
TEXT 257
TEXT
sarvabhauma haila prabhura bhakta ekatana
mahaprabhura seva-vina nahi jane ana
SYNONYMS
sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; haila--became; prabhura--of the Lord; bhakta--a devotee; ekatana--without deviation; mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; seva--service; vina--except; nahi--not; jane--knows; ana--anything else.
TRANSLATION
Indeed, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya became an unalloyed devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu; he did not know anything but the service of the Lord.
TEXT 258
TEXT
'sri-krsna-caitanya saci-suta guna-dhama'
ei dhyana, ei japa, laya ei nama
SYNONYMS
sri-krsna-caitanya--Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu; saci-suta--the son of mother Saci; guna-dhama--the reservoir of all good qualities; ei--this; dhyana--meditation; ei--this; japa--chanting; laya--he takes; ei--this; nama--holy name.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya always chanted the holy name of Sri Krsna Caitanya, son of mother Saci and reservoir of all good qualities. Indeed, chanting the holy names became his meditation.
TEXT 259
TEXT
eka-dina sarvabhauma prabhu-age aila
namaskara kari' sloka padite lagila
SYNONYMS
eka-dina--one day; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; prabhu-age--in front of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; aila--came; namaskara kari'--after offering obeisances; sloka--a verse; padite lagila--began to recite.
TRANSLATION
One day Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya came before Caitanya Mahaprabhu and, after offering obeisances, began to recite a verse.
TEXT 260
TEXT
bhagavatera 'brahma-stave'ra sloka padila
sloka-sese dui aksara-patha phiraila
SYNONYMS
bhagavatera--from Srimad-Bhagavatam; brahma-stavera--of the prayers of Lord Brahma; sloka--a verse; padila--recited; sloka-sese--at the end of the verse; dui aksara--of two syllables; patha--the reading; phiraila--changed.
TRANSLATION
He began to quote one of Lord Brahma's prayers from Srimad-Bhagavatam, but he changed two syllables at the end of the verse.
TEXT 261
TEXT
tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo bhakti-pade sa daya-bhak
SYNONYMS
tat--therefore; te--Your; anukampam--compassion; su-samiksamanah--hoping for; bhunjanah--enduring; eva--certainly; atma-krtam--done by himself; vipakam--fruitive results; hrt--with the heart; vak--words; vapurbhih--and body; vidadhan--offering; namah--obeisances; te--unto You; jiveta--may live; yah--anyone who; bhakti-pade--in devotional service; sah--he; daya-bhak--a bona fide candidate.
TRANSLATION
[The verse read:] "One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances unto You is certainly a bona fide candidate for becoming Your unalloyed devotee."
PURPORT
When reading this verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.8), Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya changed the original reading from mukti-pade to bhakti-pade. Mukti means liberation and merging into the impersonal Brahman effulgence. Bhakti means rendering transcendental service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of having developed pure devotional service, the Bhattacarya did not like the word mukti-pade, which refers to the impersonal Brahman feature of the Lord. However, he was not authorized to change a word in Srimad-Bhagavatam, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will explain. Although the Bhattacarya changed the word in his devotional ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not approve of it.
TEXT 262
TEXT
prabhu kahe, 'mukti-pade'----iha patha haya
'bhakti-pade' kene pada, ki tomara asaya
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; mukti-pade--the word mukti-pade; iha--this; patha--the reading; haya--is; bhakti-pade--the word bhakti-pade; kene--why; pada--you read; ki--what; tomara--your; asaya--intention.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately pointed out, "In that verse the word is 'mukti-pade,' but you have changed it to 'bhakti-pade.' What is your intention?"
TEXT 263
TEXT
bhattacarya kahe,----'bhakti'-sama nahe mukti-phala
bhagavad-bhakti-vimukhera haya danda kevala
SYNONYMS
bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kahe--said; bhakti--devotional service; sama--equal to; nahe--not; mukti--of liberation; phala--the result; bhagavat-bhakti--to the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimukhera--of one who is averse to; haya--it is; danda--the punishment; kevala--only.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "The awakening of pure love of Godhead, which is the result of devotional service, far surpasses liberation from material bondage. For those averse to devotional service, merging into the Brahman effulgence is a kind of punishment."
PURPORT
In the Brahmanda Purana it is said:
siddha-lokas tu tamasah
pare yatra vasanti hi
siddha brahma-sukhe magna
daityas ca harina hatah
"In Siddhaloka [Brahmaloka] there live two kinds of living entities--those who are killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead due to their having been demons in their previous lives and those who are very fond of enjoying the impersonal effulgence of the Lord." The word tamasah means "the coverings of the universe." Layers of material elements cover the universe, and outside these coverings is the impersonal Brahman effulgence. If one is destined to remain in the Lord's impersonal effulgence, he misses the opportunity to render service to the Personality of Godhead. Therefore devotees consider remaining in the impersonal Brahman effulgence a kind of punishment. Sometimes devotees think of merging into the Brahman effulgence, and consequently they are promoted to Siddhaloka. Because of their impersonal understanding, they are actually punished. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya continues to explain the distinction between mukti-pada and bhakti-pada in the following verses.
TEXTS 264-265
TEXT
krsnera vigraha yei satya nahi mane
yei ninda-yuddhadika kare tanra sane
sei duira danda haya----'brahma-sayujya-mukti'
tara mukti phala nahe, yei kare bhakti
SYNONYMS
krsnera--of Lord Sri Krsna; vigraha--the transcendental form; yei--anyone who; satya--as truth; nahi--not; mane--accepts; yei--anyone who; ninda--blaspheming; yuddha-adika--fighting and so forth; kare--does; tanra sane--with Him, Sri Krsna; sei--these; duira--of the two; danda haya--there is punishment; brahma-sayujya-mukti--merging into the Brahman effulgence; tara--of him; mukti--such liberation; phala--the result; nahe--not; yei--who; kare--executes; bhakti--devotional service.
TRANSLATION
The Bhattacarya continued, "The impersonalists, who do not accept the transcendental form of Lord Sri Krsna, and the demons, who are always engaged in blaspheming and fighting with Him, are punished by being merged into the Brahman effulgence. But that does not happen to the person engaged in the devotional service of the Lord.
TEXT 266
TEXT
yadyapi se mukti haya panca-parakara
salokya-samipya-sarupya-sarsti-sayujya ara
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; se--that; mukti--liberation; haya--is; panca-parakara--of five different varieties; salokya--of the name salokya; samipya--of the name samipya; sarupya--of the name sarupya; sarsti--of the name sarsti; sayujya--of the name sayujya; ara--and.
TRANSLATION
"There are five kinds of liberation: salokya, samipya, sarupya, sarsti and sayujya.
PURPORT
Salokya means that after material liberation one is promoted to the planet where the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides. Samipya means remaining an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarupya means attaining a four-handed form exactly like that of the Lord. Sarsti means attaining opulences like those of the Supreme Lord, and sayujya means merging into the Brahman effulgence of the Lord. These are the five types of liberation.
TEXT 267
TEXT
'salokyadi' cari yadi haya seva-dvara
tabu kadacit bhakta kare angikara
SYNONYMS
salokya-adi--beginning with salokya; cari--four kinds of liberation; yadi--if; haya--are; seva-dvara--a means of rendering service to the Lord; tabu--still; kadacit--occasionally; bhakta--a pure devotee; kare--makes; angikara--acceptance.
TRANSLATION
"If there is a chance to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a pure devotee sometimes accepts the salokya, sarupya, samipya or sarsti forms of liberation, but never sayujya.
TEXT 268
TEXT
'sayujya' sunite bhaktera haya ghrna-bhaya
naraka vanchaye, tabu sayujya na laya
SYNONYMS
sayujya--liberation by merging into the effulgence; sunite--even to hear; bhaktera--of the devotee; haya--there is; ghrna--hatred; bhaya--fear; naraka--a hellish condition of life; vanchaye--he desires; tabu--still; sayujya--merging into the effulgence of the Lord; na laya--never accepts.
TRANSLATION
"A pure devotee does not like even to hear about sayujya-mukti, which inspires him with fear and hatred. Indeed, the pure devotee would rather go to hell than merge into the effulgence of the Lord."
PURPORT
Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati has sung: kaivalyam narakayate. The impersonalist's conception of becoming one with the effulgence of the Lord is exactly like hell. Therefore, of the five types of liberation, the first four (salokya, samipya, sarupya and sarsti) are not so undesirable because they can be avenues of service to the Lord. Nonetheless, a pure devotee of Lord Krsna rejects even these types of liberation; he aspires only to serve Krsna birth after birth. He is not very interested in stopping the repetition of birth, for he simply desires to serve the Lord, even in hellish circumstances. Consequently the pure devotee hates and fears sayujya-mukti, merging into the effulgence of the Lord. This merging is due to an offense committed against the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and therefore it is not at all desirable for a pure devotee.
TEXT 269
TEXT
brahme, isvare sayujya dui ta' prakara
brahma-sayujya haite isvara-sayujya dhikkara
SYNONYMS
brahme--in the Brahman effulgence; isvare--in the body of the Lord; sayujya--merging; dui--two; ta'--indeed; prakara--varieties; brahma-sayujya--merging into the Brahman effulgence; haite--than; isvara-sayujya--merging into the body of the Lord; dhikkara--more abominable.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya continued, "There are two kinds of sayujya-mukti: merging into the Brahman effulgence and merging into the personal body of the Lord. Merging into the Lord's body is even more abominable than merging into His effulgence."
PURPORT
According to the opinion of the Mayavadi Vedantists, the living entity's ultimate success is to merge into the impersonal Brahman. The impersonal Brahman, or bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord, is known as Brahmaloka or Siddhaloka. According to the Brahma-samhita (5.40), yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti: the material universes are generated from the bodily rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yogis who follow the principles of Patanjali accept the personality of the Absolute Truth, but they want to merge into the transcendental body of the Supreme Lord. That is their desire. Being the greatest authority, the Supreme Lord can easily allow many millions of living entities to merge into His body. The origin of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, and His bodily effulgence is known as the brahmajyoti, Brahmaloka or Siddhaloka. Thus Brahmaloka or Siddhaloka is a place where many sparklike living entities, parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, are assembled. Because these living entities do not wish to keep their individual existences, they are combined and allowed to remain in Brahmaloka like so many atomic particles of sunshine emanating from the sun.
The word siddha is very significant. Siddha refers to one who has realized the Brahman effulgence and who has complete knowledge that the living entity is not a material atom but a spiritual spark. This understanding is described in the Bhagavad-gita as brahma-bhuta. In the conditioned state, the living entity is known as jiva-bhuta, or "the living force within matter." Brahma-bhuta living entities are allowed to stay in Brahmaloka or Siddhaloka, but unfortunately they sometimes again fall into the material world because they are not engaged in devotional service. This is supported by Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32): ye 'nye 'ravindaksa. These semi-liberated souls falsely claim to be liberated, but unless one engages in devotional service to the Lord, he is still materially contaminated. Therefore these living entities have been described as vimukta-maninah, meaning that they falsely consider themselves liberated although their intelligence is not yet purified. Although these living entities undergo severe austerities to rise to the platform of Siddhaloka, they cannot remain there perpetually, for they are bereft of ananda (bliss). Even though these living entities attain the brahma-bhuta stage and realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His bodily effulgence, they nonetheless fall down due to neglecting the Lord's service. They do not properly utilize whatever little knowledge they have of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not attaining ananda, or bliss, they come down to the material world to enjoy. This is certainly a falldown for one who is actually liberated. The bhaktas consider such a falldown equal to achieving a place in hell.
The followers of the Patanjali yoga system actually want to merge into the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This indicates that they do not want to engage in His service despite their knowledge of Him, and thus their position is even more abominable than that of those who want to merge into the Lord's effulgence. These yogis meditate on the four-handed Visnu form of the Lord in order to merge into His body. The Patanjali system describes the form of the Lord as klesa-karma-vipakasayair aparamrstah purusa-visesa isvarah: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is a person who does not partake of a miserable material life." The yogis accept the eternity of the Supreme Person in one of their mantras--sa purvesam api guruh kalanavac-chedat: "Such a person is always supreme and is not influenced by the element of time." The followers of the Patanjali system therefore accept the eternity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet, according to them: purusartha-sunyanam pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti. They believe that in the perfectional stage, the conception of purusa is vanquished. According to their description: citi-saktir iti. They believe that when one becomes perfect, he cannot remain a person. This yoga system is therefore abominable because its final conception is impersonal. In the beginning, these yogis accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they ultimately give up this idea in order to become impersonal. They are most unfortunate because although they have a personal conception of the Absolute Truth, they neglect to render devotional service to the Lord and thus fall down again into the material world. This is supported by Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32). Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: due to neglecting the lotus feet of the Lord, these yogis again fall down into the material existence (patanty adhah). Consequently this path of yoga is more abominable than the impersonalists' path. This conclusion is also supported by Lord Kapiladeva in the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.29.13).
TEXT 270
TEXT
salokya-sarsti-samipya-
sarupyaikatvam apy uta
diyamanam na grhnanti
vina mat-sevanam janah
SYNONYMS
salokya--the liberation of living in the same planet as the Lord; sarsti--to have opulence exactly like that of the Lord; samipya--to associate always with the Lord; sarupya--to achieve a body like that of the Lord; ekatvam--to merge into the body of the Lord; api--although; uta--it is said; diyamanam--being offered; na--not; grhnanti--do accept; vina--without; mat--My; sevanam--service; janah--the pure devotees.
TRANSLATION
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya concluded, " 'Even though he is offered all kinds of liberation, the pure devotee does not accept them. He is fully satisfied engaging in the service of the Lord.' "
TEXT 271
TEXT
prabhu kahe,----'mukti-pade'ra ara artha haya
mukti-pada-sabde 'saksat isvara' kahaya
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe--the Lord said; mukti-padera--of the term mukti-pade; ara--another; artha--meaning; haya--there is; mukti-pada-sabde--by the word mukti-pada; saksat--directly; isvara--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kahaya--is said.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "The word 'mukti-pade' has another meaning. Mukti-pada directly refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 272
TEXT
mukti pade yanra, sei 'mukti-pada' haya
kimva navama padartha 'muktira' samasraya
SYNONYMS
mukti--liberation; pade--at the lotus feet; yanra--of whom; sei--such a person; mukti-pada haya--is known as mukti-pada; kimva--or; navama--ninth; pada-artha--subject matter; muktira--of liberation; samasraya--shelter.
TRANSLATION
"All kinds of liberation exist under the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is known as mukti-pada. According to another meaning, mukti is the ninth subject, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the shelter of liberation.
PURPORT
Lord Sri Krsna is also known as Mukunda, or He who gives transcendental bliss by offering all kinds of mukti. Srimad-Bhagavatam is divided into twelve cantos, and in the Ninth Canto different kinds of mukti are described. But the Tenth Canto is the actual center of all discussions of mukti because the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, who is the tenth subject discussed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, is the exclusive subject of the Tenth Canto. Since all types of muktis reside at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, He may be called mukti-pada.
TEXT 273
TEXT
dui-arthe 'krsna' kahi, kene patha phiri
sarvabhauma kahe,----o-patha kahite na pari
SYNONYMS
dui-arthe--by two interpretations; krsna--Lord Sri Krsna; kahi--I accept; kene--why; patha--reading; phiri--changing; sarvabhauma kahe--Sarvabhauma replied; o-patha--such a reading; kahite--to say; na--not; pari--am able.
TRANSLATION
"Since I can understand Krsna according to these two meanings," Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "what point is there in changing the verse?" Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya replied, "I was not able to give that reading to the verse.
TEXT 274
TEXT
yadyapi tomara artha ei sabde kaya
tathapi 'aslisya-dose' kahana na yaya
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; tomara--Your; artha--meaning; ei--this; sabde--by the word; kaya--is said; tathapi--still; aslisya-dose--by the fault of ambiguity; kahana--to say; na--not; yaya--possible.
TRANSLATION
"Although Your explanation is correct, it should not be used because there is ambiguity in the word 'mukti-pada.'
TEXT 275
TEXT
yadyapi 'mukti'-sabdera haya panca vrtti
rudhi-vrttye kahe tabu 'sayujye' pratiti
SYNONYMS
yadyapi--although; mukti--liberation; sabdera--of the word; haya--there is; panca vrtti--five meanings; rudhi-vrttye--by the chief or direct meaning; kahe--it says; tabu--still; sayujye--to become one with the Supreme; pratiti--the conception.
TRANSLATION
"The word 'mukti' refers to five kinds of liberation. Usually its direct meaning conveys the idea of becoming one with the Lord.
TEXT 276
TEXT
mukti-sabda kahite mane haya ghrna-trasa
bhakti-sabda kahite mane haya ta' ullasa
SYNONYMS
mukti-sabda--the word mukti; kahite--by pronouncing; mane--in the mind; haya--there is; ghrna--hatred; trasa--and fear; bhakti-sabda--the word bhakti; kahite--to speak; mane--in the mind; haya--there is; ta'--indeed; ullasa--transcendental joy.
TRANSLATION
"The very sound of the word 'mukti' immediately induces hate and fear, but when we say the word 'bhakti,' we naturally feel transcendental bliss within the mind."
TEXT 277
TEXT
suniya hasena prabhu anandita-mane
bhattacarya kaila prabhu drdha alingane
SYNONYMS
suniya--hearing this explanation; hasena--laughs; prabhu--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; anandita-mane--with great pleasure in His mind; bhattacarya--unto Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kaila--did; prabhu--the Lord; drdha--firm; alingane--embracing.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing this explanation, the Lord began to laugh and, with great pleasure, immediately embraced Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya very firmly.
TEXT 278
TEXT
yei bhattacarya pade padaya mayavade
tanra aiche vakya sphure caitanya-prasade
SYNONYMS
yei--that; bhattacarya--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; pade--reads; padaya--teaches; mayavade--the philosophy of Mayavada impersonalism; tanra--his; aiche--such; vakya--explanation; sphure--manifested; caitanya-prasade--by the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Indeed, that very person who was accustomed to reading and teaching Mayavada philosophy was now even hating the word "mukti." This was possible only by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TEXT 279
TEXT
lohake yavat sparsi' hema nahi kare
tavat sparsa-mani keha cinite na pare
SYNONYMS
lohake--iron; yavat--as long as; sparsi'--touching; hema--gold; nahi--not; kare--transforms; tavat--until then; sparsa-mani--the touchstone; keha--someone; cinite--to recognize; na--not; pare--is able.
TRANSLATION
As long as it does not turn iron into gold by its touch, no one can recognize an unknown stone to be a touchstone.
TEXT 280
TEXT
bhattacaryera vaisnavata dekhi' sarva-jana
prabhuke janila----'saksat vrajendra-nandana'
SYNONYMS
bhattacaryera--of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; vaisnavata--clear understanding of Vaisnava philosophy; dekhi'--seeing; sarva-jana--all persons; prabhuke--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; janila--knew; saksat--directly; vrajendra-nandana--Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda.
TRANSLATION
Upon seeing transcendental Vaisnavism in Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, everyone could understand that Lord Caitanya was none other than Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja.
TEXT 281
TEXT
kasi-misra-adi yata nilacala-vasi
sarana la-ila sabe prabhu-pade asi'
SYNONYMS
kasi-misra--of the name Kasi Misra; adi--heading the list; yata--all; nilacala-vasi--the residents of Jagannatha Puri; sarana--shelter; la-ila--took; sabe--all; prabhu-pade--to the lotus feet of the Lord; asi'--coming.
TRANSLATION
After this incident, all the inhabitants of Jagannatha Puri, headed by Kasi Misra, came to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 282
TEXT
sei saba katha age kariba varnana
sarvabhauma kare yaiche prabhura sevana
SYNONYMS
sei saba--all these; katha--narrations; age--later; kariba--I shall make; varnana--description; sarvabhauma--Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; kare--does; yaiche--as; prabhura--of the Lord; sevana--service.
TRANSLATION
Later I shall describe how Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya always engaged in the service of the Lord.
TEXT 283
TEXT
yaiche paripati kare bhiksa-nirvahana
vistariya age taha kariba varnana
SYNONYMS
yaiche--how; paripati--perfectly; kare--does; bhiksa--of offering alms; nirvahana--the execution; vistariya--in full detail; age--later; taha--that; kariba varnana--I shall describe.
TRANSLATION
I shall also describe in full detail how Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya perfectly rendered service to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by offering Him alms.
TEXTS 284-285
TEXT
ei mahaprabhura lila----sarvabhauma-milana
iha yei sraddha kari' karaye sravana
jnana-karma-pasa haite haya vimocana
acire milaye tanre caitanya-carana
SYNONYMS
ei--this; mahaprabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lila--pastime; sarvabhauma-milana--meeting with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; iha--this; yei--anyone who; sraddha--faith; kari'--having; karaye--does; sravana--hearing; jnana-karma--of speculation and fruitive activities; pasa--the net; haite--from; haya--there is; vimocana--liberation; acire--very soon; milaye--meets; tanre--such a devotee; caitanya-carana--the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya.
TRANSLATION
If one hears with faith and love these pastimes concerning Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's meeting with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he very soon is freed from the net of speculation and fruitive activity and attains the shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet.
TEXT 286
TEXT
sri-rupa-raghunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsnadasa
SYNONYMS
sri-rupa--Srila Rupa Gosvami; raghunatha--Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami; pade--at the lotus feet; yara--whose; asa--expectation; caitanya-caritamrta--the book named Caitanya-caritamrta; kahe--describes; krsnadasa--Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja 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, Madhya-lila, Sixth Chapter, describing the liberation of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.