The Beḍā-kīrtana Pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu merged the entire world into the ocean of ecstatic love by performing His beautiful dances within the temple of Jagannātha. He danced exquisitely and jumped high.

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

The next day Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya requested Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to give him permission to submit a statement without fear.

The Lord gave the Bhaṭṭācārya assurance that he could speak without fear, but added that if his statement were suitable He would accept it, and if it were not, He would reject it.

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “There is a king named Pratāparudra Rāya. He is very anxious to meet You, and he wants Your permission.”

As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this proposal, He immediately covered His ears with His hands and said, “My dear Sārvabhauma, why are you requesting such an undesirable thing from Me?

“Since I am in the renounced order, it is as dangerous for Me to meet a king as to meet a woman. To meet either would be just like drinking poison.”

Greatly lamenting, the Lord then informed Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “ ‘Alas, for a person who is seriously desiring to cross the material ocean and engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without material motives, seeing a materialist engaged in sense gratification or seeing a woman who is similarly interested is more abominable than drinking poison willingly.’”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “My dear Lord, what You have said is correct, but this King is not an ordinary king. He is a great devotee and servant of Lord Jagannātha.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Although it is correct that the King is a great devotee, he is still to be considered a venomous snake. Similarly, even though a woman be made of wood, one becomes agitated simply by touching her form.

“ ‘Just as one is immediately frightened upon seeing a live serpent or even the form of a serpent, one endeavoring for self-realization should similarly fear a materialistic person and a woman. Indeed, he should not even glance at their bodily features.’

“Bhaṭṭācārya, if you continue to speak like this, you will never see Me here again. Therefore you should never let such a request come from your mouth.”

Being afraid, Sārvabhauma returned home and began to meditate on the matter.

At this time, Mahārāja Pratāparudra arrived at Jagannātha Purī, Puruṣottama, and, accompanied by his secretaries, ministers and military officers, went to visit the temple of Lord Jagannātha.

When King Pratāparudra returned to Jagannātha Purī, Rāmānanda Rāya came with him. Rāmānanda Rāya immediately went to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great pleasure.

Upon meeting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Rāmānanda Rāya offered his obeisances. The Lord embraced him, and both of them began to cry in the great ecstasy of love.

Seeing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s intimate dealings with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, all the devotees there were astonished.

Rāmānanda Rāya said, “I duly informed King Pratāparudra of Your order for me to retire from service. By Your grace, the King was pleased to relieve me of these material activities.

“I said, ‘Your Majesty, I am now not willing to engage in political activities. I desire only to stay at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kindly give me permission.’

“When I submitted this proposal, the King immediately became very pleased upon hearing Your name. Indeed, he instantly rose from his throne and embraced me.

“My dear Lord, as soon as the King heard Your holy name, he was immediately overwhelmed by great ecstatic love. Catching my hand, he displayed all the symptoms of love.

“As soon as he heard my petition, he immediately granted me a pension without reductions. Thus the King granted me a full salary as a pension and requested me to engage without anxiety in the service of Your lotus feet.

“Then Mahārāja Pratāparudra very humbly said, ‘I am most fallen and abominable, and I am unfit to receive an interview with the Lord. One’s life is successful if one engages in His service.’

“The King then said, ‘Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda. He is very merciful, and I hope that in a future birth He will allow me an interview.’

“My Lord, I don’t think that there is even a fraction of Mahārāja Pratāparudra’s loving ecstasy in me.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “My dear Rāmānanda Rāya, you are the foremost of all the devotees of Kṛṣṇa; therefore whoever loves you is certainly a very fortunate person.

“Because the King has shown so much love for you, Lord Kṛṣṇa will certainly accept him.

“[Lord Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna:] ‘Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My servant are factually My devotees.’

“ ‘My devotees take great care and respect in rendering Me service. They offer obeisances to Me with all their bodily limbs. They worship other devotees and find all living entities related to Me. For Me they engage the entire energy of their bodies. They engage the power of speech in the glorification of My qualities and form. They also dedicate their minds unto Me and try to give up all kinds of material desires. Thus My devotees are characterized.’

“[Lord Śiva told the goddess Durgā:] ‘My dear Devī, although the Vedas recommend worship of demigods, the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is topmost. However, above the worship of Lord Viṣṇu is the rendering of service to Vaiṣṇavas, who are related to Lord Viṣṇu.’

“ ‘Those whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees progressing on the path back to the kingdom of Godhead, the Vaikuṇṭhas. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.’”

Paramānanda Purī, Brahmānanda Bhāratī Gosāñi, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosāñi, Lord Nityānanda, Jagadānanda, Mukunda and others were present before the Lord at that time.

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya therefore offered his obeisances to all the Lord’s devotees, in particular to the four spiritual masters. Thus Rāmānanda Rāya suitably met all the devotees.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next asked Rāmānanda Rāya, “Have you already visited the temple of the lotus-eyed Lord Jagannātha?”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “What have you done, My dear Rāya? Why did you not first see Lord Jagannātha and then come here? Why have you come here first?”

Rāmānanda Rāya said, “The legs are like the chariot, and the heart is like the charioteer. Wherever the heart takes the living entity, the living entity is obliged to go.”

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya continued, “What shall I do? My mind has brought me here. I could not consider going first to Lord Jagannātha’s temple.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised, “Immediately go to Lord Jagannātha’s temple to see the Lord. Then go home and meet your family members.”

Having received Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s permission, Rāmānanda Rāya hastily went to the temple of Lord Jagannātha. Who can understand the devotional service of Rāya Rāmānanda?

When King Pratāparudra returned to Jagannātha Purī, he called for Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. When the Bhaṭṭācārya went to see the King, the King offered him respects and made the following inquiries.

The King asked, “Have you submitted my petition to the Lord?”

“Yet despite my great endeavor, the Lord would not agree to see a king. Indeed, He said that if He were asked again, He would quit Jagannātha Purī and go elsewhere.”

Hearing this, the King became very unhappy and, greatly lamenting, began to speak as follows.

The King said, “Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has descended just to deliver all kinds of sinful, lowborn persons. Consequently He has delivered sinners like Jagāi and Mādhāi.

“Alas, has Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu incarnated to deliver all kinds of sinners with the exception of a king named Mahārāja Pratāparudra?

“ ‘Alas, has Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made His advent deciding that He will deliver all others with the exception of me? He bestows His merciful glance upon many lower-class men who are usually not even to be seen.’”

Mahārāja Pratāparudra continued, “If Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is determined not to see me, then I am determined to give up my life if I do not see Him.

“If I do not receive Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy, my body and my kingdom are certainly useless.”

Hearing King Pratāparudra’s determination, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya became thoughtful. Indeed, he was very much astonished to see the King’s determination.

Finally Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “My dear King, do not worry. Because of your firm determination, I am sure that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy will definitely be bestowed upon you.”

As soon as the Bhaṭṭācārya saw the King’s firm determination, he declared, “The Supreme Lord is approached only by pure love. Your love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very, very deep; therefore without a doubt He will be merciful upon you.”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then suggested, “There is one means by which you can directly see Him.

“On the day of the car festival, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will dance before the Deity in great ecstatic love.

“On that Ratha-yātrā festival day, after dancing before the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will enter the Guṇḍicā garden. At that time you should go there alone, without your royal dress.

“When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enters the Guṇḍicā garden, you should also go there and read the five chapters of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about Lord Kṛṣṇa’s dancing with the gopīs. In this way you can catch hold of the Lord’s lotus feet.

“Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will be in a mood of ecstatic love, without external consciousness. At that time, as you recite those chapters from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, He will embrace you, knowing you to be a pure Vaiṣṇava.

“The Lord has already changed His mind due to Rāmānanda Rāya’s description of your pure love for Him.”

Mahārāja Pratāparudra took the Bhaṭṭācārya’s advice and firmly decided to follow his instructions. Thus he felt transcendental happiness.

When the King asked the Bhaṭṭācārya when the bathing ceremony [Snāna-yātrā] of Lord Jagannātha would take place, the Bhaṭṭācārya replied that there were only three days left before the ceremony.

After thus encouraging the King, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya returned home. On the day of Lord Jagannātha’s bathing ceremony, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very happy at heart.

Upon seeing the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy. But when Lord Jagannātha retired after the ceremony, Lord Caitanya became very unhappy because He could not see Him.

Due to separation from Lord Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt the same great anxiety the gopīs feel in separation from Kṛṣṇa. In this condition He gave up all association and went to Ālālanātha.

The devotees who had followed the Lord came into His presence and requested Him to return to Purī. They submitted that the devotees from Bengal were coming to Puruṣottama-kṣetra.

In this way Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya brought Lord Caitanya back to Jagannātha Purī. He then went to King Pratāparudra and informed him of the Lord’s arrival.

At this time, Gopīnātha Ācārya came there while Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was with King Pratāparudra. Being a brāhmaṇa, he offered his benediction to the King and addressed Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya as follows.

“About two hundred devotees are coming from Bengal. All of them are greatly advanced and specifically devoted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“All of them have already arrived on the bank of Lake Narendra and are waiting there. I desire residential quarters and prasādam arrangements for them.”

The King replied, “I shall give orders to the attendant in the temple. He will arrange for everyone’s residential quarters and prasādam, as you desire.

“Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, please show me, one after another, all of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees who are coming from Bengal.”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya requested the King, “Go up on the roof of the palace. Gopīnātha Ācārya knows every one of the devotees. He will identify them for you.

“Actually I do not know any of them, although I have a desire to know them. Since Gopīnātha Ācārya knows them all, he will give you their names.”

After Sārvabhauma said this, he went up to the top of the palace with the King and Gopīnātha Ācārya. At this time all the Vaiṣṇava devotees from Bengal drew closer to the palace.

Svarūpa Dāmodara and Govinda, taking the flower garlands and prasādam of Lord Jagannātha, proceeded to where all the Vaiṣṇavas were standing.

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first sent those two persons in advance. The King inquired, “Who are these two? Please let me know their identities.”

Śrī Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “Here is Svarūpa Dāmodara, who is practically the second expansion of the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“The second person is Govinda, Lord Caitanya’s personal servant. The Lord has sent garlands and remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food with these two persons simply to honor the devotees from Bengal.”

At the beginning, Svarūpa Dāmodara came forward and garlanded Advaita Ācārya. Govinda next came and offered a second garland to Advaita Ācārya.

When Govinda offered his obeisances by falling down flat before Advaita Ācārya, Advaita Ācārya asked Svarūpa Dāmodara about his identity, for He did not know Govinda at that time.

Svarūpa Dāmodara informed Him, “Govinda was the servant of Īśvara Purī. He is very highly qualified.

“Īśvara Purī ordered Govinda to serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus the Lord keeps him by His side.”

The King inquired, “To whom did Svarūpa Dāmodara and Govinda offer the two garlands? His bodily effulgence is so great that He must be a very great devotee. Please let me know who He is.”

Gopīnātha Ācārya replied, “His name is Advaita Ācārya. He is honored even by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He is therefore the topmost devotee.

“Here are Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, Vidyānidhi Ācārya and Gadādhara Paṇḍita.

“Here are Ācāryaratna, Purandara Paṇḍita, Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita and Śaṅkara Paṇḍita.

“Here are Murāri Gupta, Paṇḍita Nārāyaṇa and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the deliverer of the whole universe.

“Here is Hari Bhaṭṭa, and there is Nṛsiṁhānanda. Here are Vāsudeva Datta and Śivānanda Sena.

“Here also are Govinda Ghoṣa, Mādhava Ghoṣa and Vāsudeva Ghoṣa. They are three brothers, and their saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting, pleases the Lord very much.

“Here is Rāghava Paṇḍita, here is Nandana Ācārya, there is Śrīmān Paṇḍita, and here are Śrīkānta and Nārāyaṇa.”

Gopīnātha Ācārya continued to point out the devotees: “Here is Śuklāmbara. See, there is Śrīdhara. Here is Vijaya, and there is Vallabha Sena. Here is Puruṣottama, and there is Sañjaya.

“And here are all the residents of Kulīna-grāma, such as Satyarāja Khān and Rāmānanda. Indeed, all of them are present here. Please see.

“Here are Mukunda dāsa, Narahari, Śrī Raghunandana, Cirañjīva and Sulocana, all residents of Khaṇḍa.

“How many names shall I speak to you? All the devotees you see here are associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is their life and soul.”

The King said, “Upon seeing all these devotees, I am very much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence.

“Indeed, their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord’s names chanted so melodiously.

“I have never before seen such ecstatic love, nor heard the vibration of the holy name of the Lord chanted in such a way, nor seen such dancing during saṅkīrtana.”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “This sweet transcendental sound is a special creation of the Lord known as prema-saṅkīrtana, congregational chanting in love of Godhead.

“In this Age of Kali, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has descended to preach the religion of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore the chanting of the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the religious principle for this age.

“Anyone who worships Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu by congregational chanting should be understood to be very intelligent. One who does not do so must be considered a victim of this age and bereft of all intelligence.

“ ‘In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.’”

The King said, “According to evidence given in the revealed scriptures, it is concluded that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Why, then, are learned scholars sometimes indifferent to Him?”

The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “A person who has received but a small fraction of mercy from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu can understand that He is Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one else can.

“If the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not bestowed upon a person — regardless of how learned a scholar that person may be and regardless of his seeing or listening — he cannot accept Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“[Lord Brahmā said:] ‘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 to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.’”

The King said, “Instead of visiting the temple of Lord Jagannātha, all the devotees are running toward the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “This is spontaneous love. All the devotees are very anxious to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

“First the devotees will meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and then take Him with them to the temple to see Lord Jagannātha.”

The King said, “The son of Bhavānanda Rāya named Vāṇīnātha, along with five or seven other men, went there to obtain the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food.

“Indeed, Vāṇīnātha has already gone to the residence of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and has taken a huge quantity of mahā-prasādam. Please let me know the reason for this.”

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Understanding that all the devotees have come, Lord Caitanya gave the sign, and therefore Vāṇīnātha and the others have brought such great quantities of mahā-prasādam.”

The King then asked the Bhaṭṭācārya, “Why have the devotees not observed the regulations for visiting the pilgrimage place, such as fasting, shaving and so on? Why have they first eaten prasādam?”

The Bhaṭṭācārya told the King, “What you have said is right according to the regulative principles governing the visiting of holy places, but there is another path, which is the path of spontaneous love. According to those principles, there are subtle intricacies involved in the execution of religious principles.

“The scriptural injunctions for shaving and fasting are indirect orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, when there is a direct order from the Lord to take prasādam, naturally the devotees take prasādam as their first duty.

“When mahā-prasādam is not available, there must be fasting, but when the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly orders one to take prasādam, neglecting such an opportunity is offensive.

“When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing prasādam with His transcendental hand, who will neglect such an opportunity and accept the regulative principle of fasting?

“Previously the Lord gave me mahā-prasādam rice one morning, and I ate it just sitting on my bed, without having even washed my mouth.

“The man to whom the Lord shows His mercy by inspiring him within the heart takes shelter only of Lord Kṛṣṇa and abandons all Vedic and social customs.

“ ‘When one is inspired by the Lord, who is sitting in everyone’s heart, he does not care for social custom or Vedic regulative principles.’”

After this, King Pratāparudra came down from the top of his palace to the ground and called for Kāśī Miśra and the inspector of the temple.

Mahārāja Pratāparudra then told both Kāśī Miśra and the temple inspector, “Provide all the devotees and associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with comfortable residences, convenient eating facilities for prasādam and convenient visiting arrangements at the temple so that there will not be any difficulty.

“The orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be carefully carried out. Although the Lord may not give direct orders, you are still to carry out His desires simply by understanding His indications.”

Saying this, the King gave them permission to leave. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also went to see the assembly of all the Vaiṣṇavas.

From a distant place, Gopīnātha Ācārya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya watched the meeting of all the Vaiṣṇavas with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Beginning from the right side of the lion gate, or the main gate of the temple, all the Vaiṣṇavas began to proceed toward the house of Kāśī Miśra.

In the meantime, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, accompanied by His personal associates, met all the Vaiṣṇavas on the road with great jubilation.

First Advaita Ācārya offered prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord immediately embraced Him in ecstatic love.

Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Ācārya displayed agitation due to ecstatic love. Seeing the time and circumstance, however, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained patient.

After this, all the devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, offered prayers to the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord embraced each and every one of them in great love and ecstasy.

The Lord addressed all the devotees one after another and took all of them with Him into the house.

Since the residence of Kāśī Miśra was insufficient, all the assembled devotees were very much overcrowded.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made all the devotees sit at His side, and with His own hand He offered them garlands and sandalwood pulp.

After this, Gopīnātha Ācārya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya met all the Vaiṣṇavas at the place of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in a befitting manner.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu addressed Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, saying sweetly, “My dear Sir, today I have become perfect because of Your arrival.”

Advaita Ācārya Prabhu replied, “This is a natural characteristic of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although He is personally complete and full in all opulences, He takes transcendental pleasure in the association of His devotees, with whom He has a variety of eternal pastimes.”

As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Vāsudeva Datta, the older brother of Mukunda Datta, He immediately became very happy and, placing His hand on his body, began to speak.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Although Mukunda is My friend from childhood, I nonetheless take greater pleasure in seeing you than in seeing him.”

Vāsudeva replied, “Mukunda got Your association in the beginning. As such, he has taken shelter at Your lotus feet. That is his transcendental rebirth.”

Thus Vāsudeva Datta admitted his inferiority to Mukunda, his younger brother. “Although Mukunda is my junior,” he said, “he first received Your favor. Consequently he became transcendentally senior to me. Besides that, You very much favored Mukunda. Thus he is superior in all good qualities.”

The Lord said, “For your sake only, I have brought two books from South India.

“The books are being kept with Svarūpa Dāmodara, and you can get them copied.” Hearing this, Vāsudeva became very glad.

Indeed, each and every Vaiṣṇava copied the two books. By and by, the two books [the Brahma-saṁhitā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta] were broadcast all over India.

The Lord addressed Śrīvāsa and his brothers with great love and affection, saying, “I am so obliged that I am purchased by you four brothers.”

Śrīvāsa then replied to the Lord, “Why are You speaking in a contradictory way? Rather, we four brothers have been purchased by Your mercy.”

After seeing Śaṅkara, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told Dāmodara, “My affection for you is on the platform of awe and reverence.

“Therefore keep your younger brother Śaṅkara with you because he is connected to Me by pure unalloyed love.”

Dāmodara Paṇḍita replied, “Śaṅkara is my younger brother, but from today he becomes my elder brother because of Your special mercy upon him.”

Then turning toward Śivānanda Sena, the Lord said, “I know that from the very beginning your affection for Me has been very great.”

Immediately upon hearing this, Śivānanda Sena became absorbed in ecstatic love and fell down on the ground, offering obeisances to the Lord. He then began to recite the following verse.

“ ‘O my Lord! O unlimited one! Although I was merged in the ocean of nescience, I have now, after a long time, attained You, just as one may attain the seashore. My dear Lord, by getting me, You have obtained the right person upon whom to bestow Your causeless mercy.’”

Murāri Gupta at first did not meet the Lord but rather remained outside the door, falling down like a stick to offer obeisances.

When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could not see Murāri amongst the devotees, He inquired about him. Thereupon many people immediately went to Murāri, running to take him to the Lord.

Thus Murāri Gupta, catching two bunches of straw in his teeth, went before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with humility and meekness.

Upon seeing Murāri come to meet Him, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went up to him, but Murāri began to run away and speak as follows.

“My Lord, please do not touch me. I am most abominable and am not fit for You to touch because my body is sinful.”

The Lord said, “My dear Murāri, please restrain your unnecessary humility. My mind is disturbed to see your meekness.”

Saying this, the Lord embraced Murāri and had him sit down by His side. The Lord then began to cleanse his body with His own hands.

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then again and again embraced all the devotees, including Ācāryaratna, Vidyānidhi, Paṇḍita Gadādhara, Gaṅgādāsa, Hari Bhaṭṭa and Ācārya Purandara. The Lord described their good qualities and glorified them again and again.

After thus offering respect to each and every devotee, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very jubilant. However, not seeing Haridāsa Ṭhākura, He inquired, “Where is Haridāsa?”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then saw in the distance that Haridāsa Ṭhākura was lying down flat on the road offering obeisances.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura did not come to the Lord’s meeting place but remained fallen flat on the common road at a distance.

All the devotees then went to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, saying, “The Lord wants to meet you. Please come immediately.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, “I cannot go near the temple because I am a low-caste, abominable person. I have no authority to go there.”

Haridāsa Ṭhākura then expressed his desire: “If I could just get a solitary place near the temple, I could stay there alone and pass my time.

“I do not wish the servants of Lord Jagannātha to touch me. I would remain there in the garden alone. That is my desire.”

When this message was relayed to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by the people, the Lord became very happy to hear it.

At this time, Kāśī Miśra, along with the superintendent of the temple, came and offered his respects unto the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Upon seeing all the Vaiṣṇavas together, Kāśī Miśra and the superintendent became very happy. With great happiness they met with the devotees in a befitting manner.

Both submitted to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Please give us orders so that we may make proper arrangements to accommodate all the Vaiṣṇavas.

“Accommodations have been arranged for all the Vaiṣṇavas. Now let us distribute mahā-prasādam to all of them.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately told Gopīnātha Ācārya, “Please go with the Vaiṣṇavas and accommodate them in whatever residences Kāśī Miśra and the temple superintendent offer.”

Then the Lord told Kāśī Miśra and the temple superintendent, “As for the remnants of food left by Jagannātha, let them be delivered to Vāṇīnātha Rāya’s charge, for he can take care of all the Vaiṣṇavas and distribute mahā-prasādam to them.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “Nearby My place, in this garden of flowers, is a single room that is very solitary.

“Please give that room to Me, for I have a need for it. Indeed, I shall remember the lotus feet of the Lord sitting in that solitary place.”

Kāśī Miśra then told Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: “Everything belongs to You. What is the use of Your begging? By Your own will You can take whatever You like.

“My Lord, we are Your two servants and are here just to carry out Your orders. By Your mercy, please tell us to do whatever You want.”

Saying this, Kāśī Miśra and the temple inspector took their leave, and Gopīnātha and Vāṇīnātha went with them.

Gopīnātha was then shown all the residential places, and Vāṇīnātha was given large quantities of food [mahā-prasādam] left by Lord Jagannātha.

Thus Vāṇīnātha Rāya returned with large quantities of Lord Jagannātha’s food remnants, including cakes and other good eatables. Gopīnātha Ācārya also returned after cleansing all the residential quarters.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then addressed all the Vaiṣṇavas and requested that they listen to Him. He said, “Now you can go to your respective residential quarters.

“Go to the sea and bathe and look at the top of the temple. After so doing, please come back here and take your lunch.”

After offering obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the devotees departed for their residences, and Gopīnātha Ācārya showed them their respective quarters.

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to meet Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and He saw him engaged in chanting the mahā-mantra with ecstatic love. Haridāsa chanted, “Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.”

As soon as Haridāsa Ṭhākura saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he immediately fell down like a stick to offer Him obeisances, and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu raised him up and embraced him.

Then both the Lord and His servant began to cry in ecstatic love. Indeed, the Lord was transformed by the qualities of His servant, and the servant was transformed by the qualities of his master.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, “My dear Lord, please do not touch me, for I am most fallen and untouchable and am the lowest among men.”

The Lord said, “I wish to touch you just to be purified, for your purified activities do not exist in Me.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exalted Haridāsa Ṭhākura, stating, “At every moment you take your bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage, and at every moment you perform great sacrifices, austerity and charity.

“You are constantly studying the four Vedas, and you are far better than any brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then recited the following verse: “ ‘My dear Lord, one who always keeps Your holy name on his tongue becomes greater than an initiated brāhmaṇa. Although he may be born in a family of dog-eaters and therefore by material calculation may be the lowest among men, he is still glorious. This is the wonderful effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord. It is therefore concluded that one who chants the holy name of the Lord should be understood to have performed all kinds of austerities and great sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas. He has already taken his bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage. He has studied all the Vedas, and he is actually an Āryan.’”

Saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took Haridāsa Ṭhākura within the flower garden, and there, in a very secluded place, He showed him his residence.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested Haridāsa Ṭhākura, “Remain here and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. I shall personally come here to meet you daily.

“Remain here peacefully and look at the cakra on the top of the temple and offer obeisances. As far as your prasādam is concerned, I shall arrange to have that sent here.”

When Nityānanda Prabhu, Jagadānanda Prabhu, Dāmodara Prabhu and Mukunda Prabhu met Haridāsa Ṭhākura, they all became very pleased.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to His residence after taking a bath in the sea, all the devotees, headed by Advaita Prabhu, went to bathe in the sea.

After bathing in the sea, Advaita Prabhu and all the other devotees returned, and on their return they saw the top of the Jagannātha temple. They then went to the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take their luncheon.

One after the other, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made all the devotees sit in their proper places. He then began to distribute prasādam with His own transcendental hand.

All the devotees were served prasādam on plantain leaves, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributed on each leaf a quantity suitable for two or three men to eat, for His hand could not distribute less than that.

All the devotees kept their hands raised over the prasādam distributed to them, for they did not want to eat without seeing the Lord eat first.

Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī then informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “Unless You sit and take prasādam, no one will accept it.

“Gopīnātha Ācārya has invited all the sannyāsīs who remain with You to come and take prasādam.

“Gopīnātha Ācārya has already come, bringing sufficient remnants of food to distribute to all the sannyāsīs, and sannyāsīs like Paramānanda Purī and Brahmānanda Bhāratī are waiting for You.

“You may sit down and accept the luncheon with Nityānanda Prabhu, and I shall distribute the prasādam to all the Vaiṣṇavas.”

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu carefully delivered some prasādam into the hands of Govinda to be given to Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally sat down to accept lunch with the other sannyāsīs, and Gopīnātha Ācārya began to distribute the prasādam with great pleasure.

Then Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, Dāmodara Paṇḍita and Jagadānanda all began to distribute prasādam to the devotees with great pleasure.

They ate all kinds of cakes and sweet rice, filling themselves up to their throats, and at intervals they vibrated the holy name of the Lord in great jubilation.

After everyone had finished his lunch and washed his mouth and hands, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally decorated everyone with flower garlands and sandalwood pulp.

After thus accepting prasādam, they all went to take rest at their respective residences, and in the evening they again came to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

At this time Rāmānanda Rāya also came to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord took the opportunity to introduce him to all the Vaiṣṇavas.

The great Personality of Godhead, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then took all of them to the temple of Jagannātha and began the congregational chanting of the holy name there.

After seeing the dhūpa-ārati of the Lord, they all began congregational chanting. Then the paḍichā, the superintendent of the temple, came and offered flower garlands and sandalwood pulp to everyone.

Four parties were then distributed in four directions to perform saṅkīrtana, and in the middle of them the Lord Himself, known as the son of mother Śacī, began to dance.

In the four groups there were eight mṛdaṅgas and thirty-two cymbals. All together they began to vibrate the transcendental sound, and everyone said, “Very good! Very good!”

When the tumultuous vibration of saṅkīrtana resounded, all good fortune immediately awakened, and the sound penetrated the whole universe through the fourteen planetary systems.

When the congregational chanting began, ecstatic love immediately overflooded everything, and all the residents of Jagannātha Purī came running.

Everyone was astonished to see such a performance of saṅkīrtana, and they all agreed that never before had kīrtana been so performed and ecstatic love of God so exhibited.

At this time Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu circumambulated the temple of Jagannātha and continuously danced about the whole area.

As the circumambulation was performed, the four kīrtana parties sang in front and in the rear. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down to the ground, Śrī Nityānanda Rāya Prabhu lifted Him up.

While kīrtana was going on, there was a transformation of ecstatic love and much tears, jubilation, trembling, perspiration and deep resounding in the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Upon seeing this transformation, all the people present became very much astonished.

The tears from the eyes of the Lord came out with great force, like water from a syringe. Indeed, all the people who surrounded Him were moistened by His tears.

After circumambulating the temple, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for some time remained at the rear of the temple and continued His saṅkīrtana.

On all four sides the four saṅkīrtana groups chanted very loudly, and in the middle Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced, jumping high.

After dancing for a long time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became still and ordered four great personalities to begin to dance.

In one group Nityānanda Prabhu began to dance, and in another group Advaita Ācārya began to dance.

Vakreśvara Paṇḍita began to dance in another group, and in yet another group Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura began to dance.

While this dancing was going on, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu watched them and performed a miracle.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stood in the middle of the dancers, and all the dancers in all directions perceived that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was looking at them.

Wanting to see the dancing of the four great personalities, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited this miracle of seeing everyone simultaneously.

Everyone who saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could understand that He was performing a miracle, but they did not know how it was that He could see on all four sides.

In His own pastimes in Vṛndāvana, when Kṛṣṇa used to eat on the bank of the Yamunā and sit in the center of His friends, every one of the cowherd boys would perceive that Kṛṣṇa was looking at him. In the same way, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu observed the dancing, everyone saw that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was facing him.

When someone came nearby while dancing, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would tightly embrace him.

Upon seeing the great dancing, great love and great saṅkīrtana, all the people of Jagannātha Purī floated in an ecstatic ocean of love.

Hearing the greatness of the saṅkīrtana, King Pratāparudra went up to the top of his palace and watched the performance with his personal associates.

The King was very much astonished to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s kīrtana, and the King’s anxiety to meet Him increased unlimitedly.

After the saṅkīrtana ended, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu watched the offering of flowers to the Lord Jagannātha Deity. Then He and all the Vaiṣṇavas returned to His residence.

The superintendent of the temple then brought large quantities of prasādam, which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally distributed to all the devotees.

Finally they all departed to rest in bed. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of Śacīmātā, performed His pastimes.

As long as the devotees remained at Jagannātha Purī with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the pastime of saṅkīrtana was performed with great jubilation every day.

In this way I have explained the Lord’s pastime of saṅkīrtana, and I bless everyone with this benediction: By listening to this description, one will surely become a servant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

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.