The Loving Dealings Between Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Jagadānanda Paṇḍita

O devotees, may the transcendental life and characteristics of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu always be heard, chanted and meditated upon with great happiness.

All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is all-merciful! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu, who is an ocean of mercy!

All glories to Advaita Ācārya, who is also an ocean of mercy! All glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whose hearts are always filled with mercy!

The mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was always morose because of a continuously manifested feeling of separation from Kṛṣṇa.

The Lord would cry, “O My Lord Kṛṣṇa, My life and soul! O son of Mahārāja Nanda, where shall I go? Where shall I attain You? O Supreme Personality who play with Your flute to Your mouth!”

This was His situation day and night. Unable to find peace of mind, He passed His nights with great difficulty in the company of Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya.

Meanwhile, all the devotees journeyed from their homes in Bengal to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Headed by Śivānanda Sena, Advaita Ācārya and others, all the devotees assembled in Navadvīpa.

The inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma and Khaṇḍa village also assembled at Navadvīpa.

Because Nityānanda Prabhu was preaching in Bengal, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had ordered Him not to come to Jagannātha Purī. That year, however, He went with the rest of the party to see the Lord.

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura was also there with his three brothers and his wife, Mālinī. Ācāryaratna was similarly accompanied by his wife.

The wife of Śivānanda Sena also came, along with their three sons. Rāghava Paṇḍita joined them, carrying his famous bags of food.

Vāsudeva Datta, Murāri Gupta, Vidyānidhi and many other devotees went to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. All together, they numbered two or three hundred.

The devotees first saw Śacīmātā and took her permission. Then in great happiness they started for Jagannātha Purī, congregationally chanting the holy name of the Lord.

Śivānanda Sena managed the payment of tolls at different places. Maintaining everyone, he guided all the devotees in great happiness.

Śivānanda Sena took care of everyone and gave each devotee places to stay. He knew all the paths leading to Orissa.

One day when the party was being checked by a toll collector, the devotees were allowed to pass, and Śivānanda Sena remained behind alone to pay the taxes.

The party went into a village and waited beneath a tree because no one but Śivānanda Sena could arrange for their residential quarters.

Nityānanda Prabhu meanwhile became very hungry and upset. Because He had not yet obtained a suitable residence, He began calling Śivānanda Sena ill names.

“Śivānanda Sena has not arranged for My residence,” He complained, “and I am so hungry I could die. Because he has not come, I curse his three sons to die.”

Hearing this curse, Śivānanda Sena’s wife began to cry. Just then, Śivānanda returned from the toll station.

Crying, his wife informed him, “Lord Nityānanda has cursed our sons to die because His quarters have not been provided.”

Śivānanda Sena replied, “You crazy woman! Why are you needlessly crying? Let my three sons die for all the inconvenience we have caused Nityānanda Prabhu.”

After saying this, Śivānanda Sena went to Nityānanda Prabhu, who then stood up and kicked him.

Very pleased at being kicked, Śivānanda Sena quickly arranged for a milkman’s house to be the Lord’s residence.

Śivānanda Sena touched the lotus feet of Nityānanda Prabhu and led Him to His residence. After giving the Lord His quarters, Śivānanda Sena, being very pleased, spoke as follows.

“Today You have accepted me as Your servant and have properly punished me for my offense.

“My dear Lord, Your chastising me is Your causeless mercy. Who within the three worlds can understand Your real character?

“The dust of Your lotus feet is not attainable even by Lord Brahmā, yet Your lotus feet have touched my wretched body.

“Today my birth, my family and my activities have all become successful. Today I have achieved the fulfillment of religious principles, economic development, satisfaction of the senses and ultimately devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

When Lord Nityānanda heard this, He was very happy. He rose and embraced Śivānanda Sena in great love.

Being very much pleased by Nityānanda Prabhu’s behavior, Śivānanda Sena began to arrange residential quarters for all the Vaiṣṇavas, headed by Advaita Ācārya.

One of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu’s characteristics is His contradictory nature. When He becomes angry and kicks someone, it is actually for his benefit.

Śivānanda Sena’s nephew, Śrīkānta, the son of his sister, felt offended, and he commented on the matter when his uncle was absent.

“My uncle is well known as one of the associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but Lord Nityānanda Prabhu asserts His superiority by kicking him.”

After saying this, Śrīkānta, who was only a boy, left the group and traveled on alone to the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

When Śrīkānta offered obeisances to the Lord, he was still wearing his shirt and coat. Therefore Govinda told him, “My dear Śrīkānta, first take off these garments.”

As Govinda was warning Śrīkānta, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Don’t bother him. Let Śrīkānta do whatever he likes, for he has come here in a distressed state of mind.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from Śrīkānta about all the Vaiṣṇavas, and the boy informed the Lord about them, naming them one after another.

When Śrīkānta Sena heard the Lord say “He is distressed,” he could understand that the Lord is omniscient.

As he described the Vaiṣṇavas, therefore, he did not mention Lord Nityānanda’s kicking Śivānanda Sena. Meanwhile, all the devotees arrived and went to meet the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu received them all, just as He had in previous years. The women, however, saw the Lord from a distance.

The Lord again arranged for the residential quarters of all the devotees and thereafter called them to partake of the remnants of food offered to Lord Jagannātha.

Śivānanda Sena introduced his three sons to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because they were his sons, the Lord showed the boys great mercy.

Lord Caitanya asked the youngest son’s name, and Śivānanda Sena informed the Lord that his name was Paramānanda dāsa.

Once before when Śivānanda Sena had visited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at His residence, the Lord had told him, “When this son is born, give him the name Purī dāsa.”

The son was in the womb of Śivānanda’s wife, and when Śivānanda returned home the son was born.

The child was named Paramānanda dāsa in accordance with the Lord’s order, and the Lord jokingly called him Purī dāsa.

When Śivānanda Sena introduced the child to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord put His toe in the child’s mouth.

No one can cross over the ocean of Śivānanda Sena’s good fortune, for the Lord considered Śivānanda’s whole family His own.

The Lord ate lunch in the company of all the devotees, and after washing His hands and mouth He gave an order to Govinda.

“As long as Śivānanda Sena’s wife and children stay in Jagannātha Purī,” He said, “they must be given the remnants of My food.”

There was a resident of Nadia named Parameśvara, who was a confectioner living near the home of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

When the Lord was a boy, He would visit the house of Parameśvara Modaka again and again. The confectioner would supply the Lord milk and sweetmeats, and the Lord would eat them.

Parameśvara Modaka had been affectionate toward the Lord since His childhood, and he was one of those who came that year to see the Lord at Jagannātha Purī.

When he offered his obeisances to the Lord, he said, “I am the same Parameśvara.” Upon seeing him, the Lord asked him questions with great affection.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Parameśvara, may you be blessed. It is very good that you have come here.”

Hearing the name of Mukundāra Mātā, Lord Caitanya hesitated, but because of affection for Parameśvara, He did not say anything.

An intimate relationship sometimes makes a person overstep formal etiquette. Thus Parameśvara actually pleased the Lord in His heart by his simple and affectionate behavior.

All the devotees engaged in the cleansing ceremony of the Guṇḍicā temple and danced in front of the Ratha-yātrā chariot, just as they had done in the past.

For four consecutive months, the devotees observed all the festivals. The wives, such as Mālinī, extended invitations for lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

From Bengal the devotees had brought varieties of Bengali food that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu liked. They also cooked various grains and vegetables in their homes and offered them to the Lord.

During the day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in various activities with His devotees, but at night He felt great separation from Kṛṣṇa and used to cry.

In this way the Lord spent the four months of the rainy season in various pastimes, and then He ordered the Bengali devotees to return to their homes.

All the devotees from Bengal would regularly invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for lunch, and the Lord would speak to them in very sweet words.

“All of you come to see Me every year,” the Lord said. “To come here and then return must certainly give you great trouble.

“I would like to forbid you to do this, but I enjoy your company so much that My desire for your association only increases.

“I ordered Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu not to leave Bengal, but He has transgressed My order and come to see Me. What can I say?

“Out of His causeless mercy upon Me, Advaita Ācārya has also come here. I am indebted to Him for His affectionate behavior. This debt is impossible for Me to liquidate.

“All My devotees come here just for Me. Leaving aside their homes and families, they travel by very difficult paths to come here in great haste.

“There is no fatigue or trouble for Me, for I stay here at Nīlācala, Jagannātha Purī, and do not move at all. This is the favor of all of you.

“I am a mendicant and have no money. How can I clear My debt for the favor you have shown Me?

“I have only this body, and therefore I surrender it unto you. Now, if you wish, you may sell it anywhere you like. It is your property.”

When all the devotees heard these sweet words of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, their hearts melted, and they began to shed incessant tears.

Catching hold of His devotees, the Lord embraced them all and began to cry and cry.

Unable to leave, everyone remained there, and five to seven more days thus passed by.

Advaita Prabhu and Lord Nityānanda Prabhu submitted these words at the lotus feet of the Lord: “The entire world is naturally obligated to You for Your transcendental attributes.

“Yet You bind Your devotees again with Your sweet words. Under these circumstances, who can go anywhere?”

Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu peacefully calmed them all and bade each of them farewell.

The Lord specifically advised Nityānanda Prabhu, “You should not come here again and again. You will have My association in Bengal.”

The devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began their journey crying, while the Lord remained morosely at His residence.

The Lord bound everyone by His transcendental mercy. Who can repay his debt for the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the fully independent Personality of Godhead and makes everyone dance as He likes. Leaving His company, therefore, all the devotees returned to their homes in different parts of the country.

As a wooden doll dances to the will of a puppeteer, everything is accomplished by the will of the Lord. Who can understand the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

The previous year, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, following the Lord’s order, had returned to the city of Nadia to see Śacīmātā.

When he arrived, he offered prayers at her lotus feet and then offered her the cloth and prasādam of Lord Jagannātha.

He offered obeisances to Śacīmātā in the name of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and informed her of all the Lord’s submissive prayers to her.

Jagadānanda’s coming pleased mother Śacī very much. As he talked of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, she listened day and night.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita said, “My dear mother, sometimes the Lord comes here and eats all the food you have offered.

“After eating the food, the Lord says, ‘Today Mother has fed Me up to My neck.

“ ‘I go there and eat the food My mother offers, but she cannot understand that I am eating it directly. She thinks that this is a dream.’”

Śacīmātā said, “I wish Nimāi would eat all the nice vegetables I cook. That is my desire.

“Sometimes I think that Nimāi has eaten them, but afterwards I think that I was only dreaming.”

In this way, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and mother Śacī talked day and night about the happiness of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita met all the other devotees in Nadia. They were all very happy to have him present.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita thereafter went to meet Advaita Ācārya, who also was very happy to have him.

Vāsudeva Datta and Murāri Gupta were so pleased to see Jagadānanda Paṇḍita that they kept him at their homes and would not allow him to leave.

They heard confidential narrations about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu from the mouth of Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and forgot themselves in the great happiness of hearing about the Lord.

Whenever Jagadānanda Paṇḍita went to visit a devotee’s house, that devotee immediately forgot himself in great happiness.

All glories to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita! He is so favored by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that anyone who meets him thinks, “Now I have gotten the association of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu directly.”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita stayed at the house of Śivānanda Sena for some time, and they prepared about sixteen seers of scented sandalwood oil.

They filled a large earthen pot with the aromatic oil, and with great care Jagadānanda Paṇḍita brought it to Nīlācala, Jagannātha Purī.

This oil was placed in the care of Govinda, and Jagadānanda requested him, “Please rub this oil on the body of the Lord.”

Govinda therefore told Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Jagadānanda Paṇḍita has brought some scented sandalwood oil.

“It is his desire that Your Lordship apply a little of this oil on Your head so that blood pressure due to bile and air will be considerably diminished.

“He prepared a large jug of it in Bengal, and with great care he has brought it here.”

The Lord replied, “A sannyāsī has no use for oil, especially perfumed oil such as this. Take it out immediately.”

“Deliver this oil to the temple of Jagannātha, where it may be burned in the lamps. In this way, Jagadānanda’s labor in manufacturing the oil will be perfectly successful.”

When Govinda informed Jagadānanda Paṇḍita of this message, Jagadānanda remained silent, not saying even a word.

When ten days had passed, Govinda again told Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “It is the desire of Jagadānanda Paṇḍita that Your Lordship accept the oil.”

When the Lord heard this, He angrily said, “Why not keep a masseur to massage Me?

“Have I taken sannyāsa for such happiness? Accepting this oil would bring My ruination, and all of you would laugh.

“If someone passing on the road smelled this oil on My head, he would think Me a dārī sannyāsī, a tantric sannyāsī who keeps women.”

Hearing these words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Govinda remained silent. The next morning, Jagadānanda went to see the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, “My dear Paṇḍita, you have brought Me some oil from Bengal, but since I am in the renounced order, I cannot accept it.

“Deliver the oil to the temple of Jagannātha so that it may be burned in the lamps. Thus your labor in preparing the oil will be fruitful.”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita replied, “Who tells You all these false stories? I never brought any oil from Bengal.”

After saying this, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita took the jug of oil from the room and threw it down before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the courtyard and broke it.

After breaking the jug, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita returned to his residence, bolted the door and lay down.

Three days later, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the door of his room and said, “My dear Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, please get up.

“I want you personally to cook My lunch today. I am going now to see the Lord in the temple. I shall return at noon.”

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said this and left, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita got up from his bed, bathed and began to cook varieties of vegetables.

After finishing His noontime ritualistic duties, the Lord arrived for lunch. Jagadānanda Paṇḍita washed the Lord’s feet and gave the Lord a sitting place.

He had cooked fine rice, mixed it with ghee and piled it high on a banana leaf. There were also varieties of vegetables, placed all around in pots made of banana tree bark.

On the rice and vegetables were tulasī flowers, and in front of the Lord were cakes, sweet rice and other prasādam of Jagannātha.

The Lord said, “Spread another leaf with a helping of rice and vegetables so that today you and I may take lunch together.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kept His hands raised and would not accept the prasādam until Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, with great affection and love, spoke the following words.

“Please first take prasādam Yourself, and I shall eat later. I shall not refuse Your request.”

In great happiness, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then accepted the lunch. When He had tasted the vegetables, He again began to speak.

“Even when you cook in an angry mood,” He said, “the food is very delicious. This shows how pleased Kṛṣṇa is with you.

“Because He will personally eat the food, Kṛṣṇa makes you cook so nicely.

“You offer such nectarean rice to Kṛṣṇa. Who can estimate the limit of your fortune?”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita replied, “He who will eat has cooked this. As far as I am concerned, I simply collect the ingredients.”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita continued to offer the Lord varieties of vegetables. Out of fear, the Lord said nothing but continued eating happily.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita eagerly forced the Lord to eat so much that He ate ten times more than on other days.

Again and again when the Lord wished to get up, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita would feed Him more vegetables.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dared not forbid him to feed Him more. He just continued eating, fearful that Jagadānanda would fast if He stopped.

At last the Lord respectfully submitted, “My dear Jagadānanda, you have already made Me eat ten times more than I am used to. Now please stop.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stood up and washed His hands and mouth, while Jagadānanda Paṇḍita brought spices, a garland and sandalwood pulp.

Accepting the sandalwood pulp and garland, the Lord sat down and said, “Now, in front of Me, you must eat.”

Jagadānanda replied, “My Lord, You go take rest. I shall take prasādam after I finish making some arrangements.

“Rāmāi Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa did the cooking, and I want to give them some rice and vegetables.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Govinda, “You remain here. When the Paṇḍita has taken his food, come inform Me.”

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had said this and left, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita spoke to Govinda.

“Go quickly and massage the Lord’s feet,” he said. “You may tell Him, ‘The Paṇḍita has just sat down to take his meal.’

“I shall keep some remnants of the Lord’s food for you. When He is asleep, come and take your portion.”

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita thus distributed remnants of the Lord’s food to Rāmāi, Nandāi, Govinda and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa.

He also personally ate the remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the Lord again sent Govinda.

The Lord told him, “Go see whether Jagadānanda Paṇḍita is eating. Then quickly return and let Me know.”

Seeing that Jagadānanda Paṇḍita was indeed eating, Govinda informed the Lord, who then became peaceful and went to sleep.

The affectionate loving exchanges between Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued in this manner, exactly like the exchanges between Satyabhāmā and Lord Kṛṣṇa related in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Who can estimate the limit of Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s fortune? He himself is the example of his own great fortune.

Anyone who hears about the loving exchanges between Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or who reads Jagadānanda’s book Prema-vivarta, can understand what love is. Moreover, he achieves ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.

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