Pastimes with Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī

Let me take shelter at the lotus feet of Lord Gauracandra. His mind became exhausted and His body very thin from the pain of separation from Kṛṣṇa, but when He felt ecstatic love for the Lord, He again became fully developed.

All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of the Lord!

In this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would taste various transcendental relationships of pure love in the company of Jagadānanda Paṇḍita.

The unhappiness of separation from Kṛṣṇa exhausted the Lord’s mind and reduced the structure of His body, but when He felt emotions of ecstatic love, He again became developed and healthy.

Because He was very thin, when He lay down to rest on the dry bark of plantain trees, it caused Him pain in His bones.

All the devotees felt very unhappy to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in pain. Indeed, they could not tolerate it. Then Jagadānanda Paṇḍita devised a remedy.

He acquired some fine cloth and colored it with red oxide. Then he filled it with cotton from a śimula tree.

In this way he made a quilt and a pillow, which he then gave to Govinda, saying, “Ask the Lord to lie on this.”

Jagadānanda said to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, “Today please personally persuade Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to lie down on the bed.”

When it was time for the Lord to go to bed, Svarūpa Dāmodara stayed nearby, but when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the quilt and pillow, He was immediately very angry.

The Lord inquired from Govinda, “Who has made this?” When Govinda named Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was somewhat fearful.

After asking Govinda to put aside the quilt and pillow, the Lord lay down on the dry plantain bark.

Svarūpa Dāmodara said to the Lord, “I cannot contradict Your supreme will, my Lord, but if You do not accept the bedding, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita will feel great unhappiness.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “You might as well bring a bedstead here for Me to lie on. Jagadānanda wants Me to enjoy material happiness.

“I am in the renounced order, and therefore I must lie on the floor. For Me to use a bedstead, quilt or pillow would be very shameful.”

When Svarūpa Dāmodara returned and related all these incidents, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita felt very unhappy.

Then Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī devised another method. First he secured a large quantity of dry banana leaves.

He then tore the leaves into very fine fibers with his nails and filled two of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s outer garments with the fibers.

In this way, Svarūpa Dāmodara made some bedding and a pillow, and after much endeavor by the devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted them.

Everyone was happy to see the Lord lie down on that bed, but Jagadānanda was inwardly angry, and externally he appeared very unhappy.

Formerly, when Jagadānanda Paṇḍita had desired to go to Vṛndāvana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had not given His permission, and therefore he could not go.

Now, concealing his anger and unhappiness, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita again asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for permission to go to Mathurā.

With great affection, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “If you are angry with Me when you go to Mathurā, you will merely become a beggar and criticize Me.”

Grasping the Lord’s feet, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita then said, “For a long time I have desired to go to Vṛndāvana.

“I could not go without Your Lordship’s permission. Now You must give me permission, and I shall certainly go there.”

Because of affection for Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would not permit him to depart, but Jagadānanda Paṇḍita repeatedly insisted that the Lord give him permission to go.

Jagadānanda then submitted a plea to Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī. “For a very long time,” he said, “I have wanted to go to Vṛndāvana.

“I cannot go there, however, without the Lord’s permission, which at present He denies me. He says, ‘You are going because you are angry at Me.’

“Naturally I have a desire to go to Vṛndāvana; therefore please humbly request Him to grant His permission.”

Thereafter, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī submitted this appeal at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: “Jagadānanda Paṇḍita intensely desires to go to Vṛndāvana.

“He begs for Your permission again and again. Therefore, please permit him to go to Mathurā and then return.

“You permitted him to go see mother Śacī in Bengal, and You may similarly permit him to go see Vṛndāvana and then return here.”

At the request of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu granted Jagadānanda Paṇḍita permission to go. The Lord sent for him and instructed him as follows.

“You may go as far as Vārāṇasī without encountering disturbances, but beyond Vārāṇasī you should be very careful to travel on the path in the company of the kṣatriyas.

“As soon as the plunderers on the road see a Bengali traveling alone, they take everything from him, arrest him and do not let him go.

“When you reach Mathurā, you should remain with Sanātana Gosvāmī and offer respectful obeisances to the feet of all the leading men there.

“Do not mix freely with the residents of Mathurā; show them respect from a distance. Because you are on a different platform of devotional service, you cannot adopt their behavior and practices.

“Visit all twelve forests of Vṛndāvana in the company of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Do not leave his association for even a moment.

“You should remain in Vṛndāvana for only a short time and then return here as soon as possible. Also, do not climb Govardhana Hill to see the Gopāla Deity.

“Inform Sanātana Gosvāmī that I am coming to Vṛndāvana for a second time and that he should therefore arrange a place for Me to stay.”

After saying this, the Lord embraced Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, who then worshiped the Lord’s lotus feet and started for Vṛndāvana.

He took permission from all the devotees and then departed. Traveling on the forest path, he soon reached Vārāṇasī.

When he met Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara in Vārāṇasī, they heard from him about topics concerning Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Finally Jagadānanda Paṇḍita reached Mathurā, where he met Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were very pleased to see each other.

After Sanātana Gosvāmī had taken Jagadānanda to see all twelve forests of Vṛndāvana, concluding with Mahāvana, the two of them remained in Gokula.

They stayed in Sanātana Gosvāmī’s cave, but Jagadānanda Paṇḍita would go to a nearby temple and cook for himself.

Sanātana Gosvāmī would beg alms from door to door in the vicinity of Mahāvana. Sometimes he would go to a temple and sometimes to a brāhmaṇa’s house.

Sanātana Gosvāmī attended to all of Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s needs. He begged in the area of Mahāvana and brought Jagadānanda all kinds of things to eat and drink.

One day Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, having invited Sanātana to the nearby temple for lunch, finished his routine duties and began to cook.

Previously, a great sannyāsī named Mukunda Sarasvatī had given Sanātana Gosvāmī an outer garment.

Sanātana Gosvāmī was wearing this cloth bound about his head when he came to Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s door and sat down.

Assuming the reddish cloth to be a gift from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita was overwhelmed with ecstatic love. Thus he questioned Sanātana Gosvāmī.

“Where did you get that reddish cloth on your head?” Jagadānanda asked.

Hearing this, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita immediately became very angry and took a cooking pot in his hand, intending to beat Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Sanātana Gosvāmī, however, knew Jagadānanda Paṇḍita very well and was consequently somewhat ashamed. Jagadānanda therefore left the cooking pot on the stove and spoke as follows.

“You are one of the chief associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Indeed, no one is dearer to Him than you.

“Still, you have bound your head with a cloth given to you by another sannyāsī. Who can tolerate such behavior?”

Sanātana Gosvāmī said, “My dear Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, you are a greatly learned saint. No one is dearer to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu than you.

“This faith in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu quite befits you. Unless you demonstrate it, how could I learn such faith?

“My purpose in binding my head with the cloth has now been fulfilled because I have personally seen your uncommon love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“This saffron cloth is unfit for a Vaiṣṇava to wear; therefore I have no use for it. I shall give it to a stranger.”

When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita finished cooking, he offered the food to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then he and Sanātana Gosvāmī sat down and ate the prasādam.

After eating the prasādam, they embraced each other and cried due to separation from Lord Caitanya.

They passed two months in Vṛndāvana in this way. Finally they could no longer tolerate the unhappiness of separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita therefore gave Sanātana Gosvāmī the message from the Lord: “I am also coming to Vṛndāvana; please arrange a place for Me to stay.”

When Sanātana Gosvāmī granted permission for Jagadānanda to return to Jagannātha Purī, he gave Jagadānanda some gifts for Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

The gifts consisted of some sand from the site of the rāsa-līlā, a stone from Govardhana Hill, dry ripened pīlu fruits and a garland of small conchshells.

Thus Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, bearing all these gifts, started on his journey. Sanātana Gosvāmī, however, was very much agitated after bidding him farewell.

Soon afterward, Sanātana Gosvāmī selected a place where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could stay while in Vṛndāvana. It was a temple in the highlands named Dvādaśāditya-ṭilā.

Sanātana Gosvāmī kept the temple very clean and in good repair. In front of it he erected a small hut.

Meanwhile, traveling very quickly, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita soon arrived in Jagannātha Purī, much to the joy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees.

After offering prayers at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Jagadānanda Paṇḍita greeted everyone. Then the Lord embraced Jagadānanda very strongly.

Jagadānanda Paṇḍita offered obeisances to the Lord on behalf of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Then he gave the Lord the dust from the site of the rāsa dance, along with the other gifts.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu kept all the gifts except the pīlu fruits, which He distributed to the devotees. Because the fruits were from Vṛndāvana, everyone ate them with great happiness.

Those devotees who were familiar with pīlu fruits sucked on the seeds, but the Bengali devotees who did not know what they were chewed the seeds and swallowed them.

The hot chili-like taste burned the tongues of those who chewed the seeds. Thus the eating of pīlu fruits from Vṛndāvana became a pastime of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s.

When Jagadānanda Paṇḍita returned from Vṛndāvana, everyone was jubilant. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed His pastimes while residing at Jagannātha Purī.

One day when the Lord was going to the temple of Yameśvara, a female singer began to sing in the Jagannātha temple.

She sang a gujjarī tune in a very sweet voice, and because the subject was Jayadeva Gosvāmī’s Gīta-govinda, the song attracted the attention of the entire world.

Hearing the song from a distance, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately became ecstatic. He did not know whether it was a man or a woman singing.

As the Lord ran in ecstasy to meet the singer, thorny hedges pricked His body.

Govinda ran very quickly behind the Lord, who did not feel any pain from the pricking of the thorns.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was running very rapidly, and the girl was only a short distance away. Just then Govinda caught the Lord in his arms and cried, “It is a woman singing!”

As soon as He heard the word “woman,” the Lord became externally conscious and turned back.

“My dear Govinda,” He said, “you have saved My life. If I had touched the body of a woman, I would certainly have died.

“I shall never be able to repay My debt to you.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “My dear Govinda, you should stay with Me always. There is danger anywhere and everywhere; therefore you should protect Me very carefully.”

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned home. When Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and His other attendants heard about the incident, they became very much afraid.

During this time, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, the son of Tapana Miśra, gave up all his duties and left home, intending to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Accompanied by a servant carrying his baggage, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa started from Vārāṇasī and traveled along the path leading through Bengal.

In Bengal he met Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa, who belonged to the kāyastha caste. He was one of the king’s secretaries.

Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was very learned in all the revealed scriptures. He was a teacher of the famous book Kāvya-prakāśa and was known as an advanced devotee and worshiper of Raghunātha [Lord Rāmacandra].

Rāmadāsa had renounced everything and was going to see Lord Jagannātha. While traveling, he chanted the holy name of Lord Rāma twenty-four hours a day.

When he met Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa on the way, he took Raghunātha’s baggage on his head and carried it.

Rāmadāsa served Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa in various ways, even massaging his legs. Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa felt some hesitation in accepting all this service.

“You are a respectable gentleman, a learned scholar and a great devotee,” Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa said. “Please do not try to serve me. Just come with me in a happy mood.”

Rāmadāsa replied, “I am a śūdra, a fallen soul. To serve a brāhmaṇa is my duty and religious principle.

“Therefore please do not be hesitant. I am your servant, and when I serve you my heart becomes jubilant.”

Thus Rāmadāsa carried the baggage of Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa and served him sincerely. He constantly chanted the holy name of Lord Rāmacandra day and night.

Traveling in this way, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa soon arrived at Jagannātha Purī. There he met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great delight and fell at His lotus feet.

Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa fell straight as a rod at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the Lord embraced him, knowing well who he was.

Raghunātha offered respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on behalf of Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, and the Lord also inquired about them.

“It is very good that you have come here,” the Lord said. “Now go see the lotus-eyed Lord Jagannātha. Today you will accept prasādam here at My place.”

The Lord asked Govinda to arrange for Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa’s accommodations and then introduced him to all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Thus Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa lived with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continuously for eight months, and by the Lord’s mercy he felt increasing transcendental happiness every day.

He would periodically cook rice with various vegetables and invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home.

Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa was an expert cook. Whatever he prepared tasted just like nectar.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would accept with great satisfaction all the food he prepared. After the Lord was satisfied, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would eat His remnants.

When Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord did not show him any special mercy, although this was their first meeting.

Within his heart, Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was an impersonalist who desired to merge into the existence of the Lord, and he was very proud of his learning. Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can understand the heart of everyone, and thus He knew all these things.

Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa then took up residence in Jagannātha Purī and taught the Kāvya-prakāśa to the Paṭṭanāyaka family [the descendants of Bhavānanda Rāya].

After eight months, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade farewell to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, the Lord flatly forbade him to marry. “Do not marry,” the Lord said.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, “When you return home, serve your aged father and mother, who are devotees, and try to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a pure Vaiṣṇava who has realized God.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu concluded, “Come again to Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī].” After saying this, the Lord put His own neck beads on Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa’s neck.

Then the Lord embraced him and bade him farewell. Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa began to cry due to imminent separation from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

After taking permission from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa returned to Vārāṇasī.

In accordance with the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he continuously rendered service to his mother and father for four years. He also regularly studied Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a self-realized Vaiṣṇava.

Then his parents died at Kāśī [Vārāṇasī], and he became detached. He therefore returned to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, giving up all relationships with his home.

As previously, Raghunātha remained continuously with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for eight months. Then the Lord gave him the following order.

“My dear Raghunātha, on My order go to Vṛndāvana and live there under the care of Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs.

“In Vṛndāvana you should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours a day and read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam continuously. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will very soon bestow His mercy upon you.”

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, and by the Lord’s mercy Raghunātha was enlivened with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

At a festival Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had been given some unspiced betel and a garland of tulasī leaves fourteen cubits long. The garland had been worn by Lord Jagannātha.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave the garland and betel to Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, who accepted them as a worshipable Deity and preserved them very carefully.

Taking permission from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa then departed for Vṛndāvana. When he arrived there, he put himself under the care of Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmīs.

When reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the company of Rūpa and Sanātana, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

By the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he experienced the symptoms of ecstatic love — tears, trembling and faltering of the voice. His eyes filled with tears and his throat became choked, and thus he could not recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

His voice was as sweet as a cuckoo’s, and he would recite each verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in three or four tunes. Thus his recitations were very sweet to hear.

When he recited or heard about the beauty and sweetness of Kṛṣṇa, he would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love and become oblivious to everything.

Thus Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa surrendered fully at the lotus feet of Lord Govinda, and those lotus feet became his life and soul.

Subsequently Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa ordered his disciples to construct a temple for Govinda. He prepared various ornaments for Govinda, including a flute and shark-shaped earrings.

Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa would neither hear nor speak about anything of the material world. He would simply discuss Kṛṣṇa and worship the Lord day and night.

He would not listen to blasphemy of a Vaiṣṇava, nor would he listen to talk of a Vaiṣṇava’s misbehavior. He knew only that everyone was engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service; he did not understand anything else.

When Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was absorbed in remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he would take the tulasī garland and the prasādam of Lord Jagannātha given to him by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, bind them together and wear them on his neck.

Thus I have described the powerful mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by which Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī remained constantly overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa.

In this chapter I have spoken about three topics: Jagadānanda Paṇḍita’s visit to Vṛndāvana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s listening to the song of the deva-dāsī at the temple of Jagannātha, and how Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī achieved ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu [Gaurahari] bestows ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa upon anyone who hears all these topics with faith and love.

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.