Performance of the Vṛndāvana Pastimes

Accompanied by His personal devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the festival known as Lakṣmī-vijayotsava. There He discussed the superexcellent love of the gopīs. Just by hearing about them, He became very pleased and danced in great ecstatic love for the Lord.

All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, known as Gauracandra! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya, who is so exalted!

All glories to all the devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! All glories to the readers who have taken Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as their life and soul!

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was resting in ecstatic love, Mahārāja Pratāparudra entered the garden.

Following Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s instructions, the King had given up his royal dress. He now entered the garden in the dress of a Vaiṣṇava.

Mahārāja Pratāparudra was so humble that with folded hands he first took permission from all the devotees. Then, with great courage, he fell down and touched the lotus feet of the Lord.

As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lay on the raised platform with His eyes closed in ecstatic love and emotion, the King very expertly began to massage His legs.

The King began to recite verses about the rāsa-līlā from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He recited the chapter beginning with the words “jayati te’dhikam.”

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these verses, He was pleased beyond limits, and He said again and again, “Go on reciting, go on reciting.”

As soon as the King recited the verse beginning with the words “tava kathāmṛtam,” the Lord arose in ecstatic love and embraced him.

Upon hearing the verse recited by the King, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You have given Me invaluable gems, but I have nothing to give you in return. Therefore I am simply embracing you.”

After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to recite the same verse again and again. Both the King and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were trembling, and tears were flowing from their eyes.

“ ‘My Lord, the nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those who are always aggrieved in this material world. These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Those who spread the message of Godhead are certainly the most munificent welfare workers.’”

After reciting this verse, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced the King and cried, “You are the most munificent! You are the most munificent!” At this point Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not know who the King was.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy was aroused because of the King’s previous service. Therefore, without even asking who he was, the Lord immediately bestowed His mercy upon him.

How powerful is the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! Without even inquiring about the King, the Lord made everything successful.

Finally Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Who are you? You have done so much for Me. All of a sudden you have come here and made Me drink the nectar of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

The King replied, “My Lord, I am the most obedient servant of Your servants. It is my ambition that You will accept me as the servant of Your servants.”

At that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu displayed some of His divine opulences to the King, and He forbade him to disclose this to anyone.

Although within His heart Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew everything that was happening, externally He did not disclose it. Nor did He disclose that He knew He was talking with King Pratāparudra.

Seeing the Lord’s special mercy upon King Pratāparudra, the devotees praised the King’s good fortune, and their minds became open and blissful.

Submissively offering prayers to the devotees with folded hands and offering obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the King went outside.

After this, Vāṇīnātha Rāya brought all kinds of prasādam, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted lunch with the devotees.

The King also sent a large quantity of prasādam through Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rāmānanda Rāya and Vāṇīnātha Rāya.

The prasādam sent by the King had been offered at the Balagaṇḍi festival and included uncooked milk products and fruits. It was all of the finest quality, and there was no end to the variety.

There were curd, fruit juice, coconut, mango, dried coconut, jackfruit, various kinds of bananas and palm-fruit seeds.

There were also oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, almonds, dried fruit, raisins and dates.

There were hundreds of different types of sweetmeats like manoharā-lāḍu, sweets like amṛta-guṭikā and various types of condensed milk.

There were also papayas and saravatī, a type of orange, and also crushed squash. There were also regular cream, fried cream and a type of purī made with cream.

There were also the sweets known as hari-vallabha and sweets made of seṅoti flowers, karpūra flowers and mālatī flowers. There were pomegranates, sweets made with black pepper, sweets made with fused sugar, and amṛti-jilipi.

There were lotus-flower sugar, a kind of bread made from urad dhal, crispy sweetmeats, sugar candy, fried-rice sweets, sesame-seed sweets and cookies made from sesame seeds.

There were sugar-candy sweetmeats formed into the shape of orange, lemon and mango trees and arranged with fruits, flowers and leaves.

There were yogurt, milk, butter, buttermilk, fruit juice, a preparation made of fried yogurt and sugar candy, and salty mung-dhal sprouts with shredded ginger.

There were also various types of pickles — lemon pickle, berry pickle and so on. Indeed, I am not able to describe the variety of food offered to Lord Jagannātha.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw half the garden filled with a variety of prasādam, He was very satisfied.

Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was fully satisfied just to see how Lord Jagannātha accepted all the food.

There then arrived five or seven loads of plates made of the leaves of the ketakī tree. Each man was supplied ten of these plates, and in this way the leaf dishes were distributed.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu understood the labor of all the kīrtana chanters; therefore He was very eager to feed them sumptuously.

All the devotees sat down in lines, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally began to distribute the prasādam.

But the devotees would not accept the prasādam until Caitanya Mahāprabhu took it. Svarūpa Gosvāmī informed the Lord of this.

Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “My Lord, please sit down. No one will eat until You do.”

At that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down with His personal associates and had every one of them fed very sumptuously until they were filled to the necks.

After finishing, the Lord washed His mouth and sat down. There was so much extra prasādam that it was distributed to thousands.

Following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Govinda, His personal servant, called for all the poor beggars, who were unhappy due to their poverty, and fed them sumptuously.

Observing the beggars eating prasādam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted, “Haribol!” and instructed them to chant the holy name.

As soon as the beggars chanted the holy name, “Haribol,” they were immediately absorbed in ecstatic love of Godhead. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu performed wonderful pastimes.

Outside the garden, when it was time to pull Jagannātha’s car, all the workers called gauḍas tried to pull it, but it would not move forward.

When the gauḍas saw that they could not budge the car, they abandoned the attempt. Then the King arrived in great anxiety, and he was accompanied by his officers and friends.

The King then arranged for big wrestlers to try to pull the car, and even the King himself joined in, but the car could not be moved.

Becoming even more anxious to move the car, the King had very strong elephants brought forth and harnessed to it.

The strong elephants pulled with all their strength, but still the car remained at a standstill, not budging an inch.

As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this news, He went there with all His personal associates. They then stood there and watched the elephants try to pull the car.

The elephants, being beaten by the elephant-goad, were crying, but still the car would not move. The assembled people cried out, “Alas!”

At that time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu let all the elephants go free and placed the car’s ropes in the hands of His own men.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to the back of the car and began to push with His head. It was then that the car began to move and roll along, making a rattling sound.

Indeed, the car began to move automatically, and the devotees simply carried the ropes in their hands. Since it was moving effortlessly, they did not need to pull it.

When the car moved forward, everyone began to chant with great pleasure, “All glories! All glories!” and “All glories to Lord Jagannātha!” No one could hear anything else.

In a moment the car reached the door of the Guṇḍicā temple. Upon seeing the uncommon strength of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the people were struck with wonder.

The crowd made a tumultuous vibration, chanting “Jaya Gauracandra! Jaya Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya!” Then the people began to chant, “Wonderful! Wonderful!”

Seeing the greatness of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Pratāparudra Mahārāja and his ministers and friends were so moved by ecstatic love that the hair on their bodies stood on end.

All the servants of Lord Jagannātha then took Him down from the car, and the Lord went to sit on His throne.

Subhadrā and Balarāma also sat on their respective thrones. There followed the bathing of Lord Jagannātha and finally the offering of food.

While Lord Jagannātha, Lord Balarāma and Subhadrā sat on their respective thrones, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees began to perform saṅkīrtana with great pleasure, chanting and dancing in the yard of the temple.

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was chanting and dancing, He was overwhelmed with ecstatic love, and all the people who saw Him were also flooded in the ocean of love of Godhead.

In the evening, after finishing His dancing in the yard of the Guṇḍicā temple, the Lord observed the ārati ceremony. Thereafter He went to a place called Āiṭoṭā and took rest for the night.

For nine days, nine chief devotees, headed by Advaita Ācārya, got an opportunity to invite the Lord to their homes.

During the four months of the rainy season, the remaining devotees extended invitations to the Lord for one day each. In this way they shared invitations.

For the four-month period, all the daily invitations were shared among the important devotees. The rest of the devotees did not get an opportunity to extend an invitation to the Lord.

Since they could not get one day each, two or three devotees combined to extend an invitation. These are the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s acceptance of invitations.

After taking His bath early in the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would go see Lord Jagannātha in the temple. Then He would perform saṅkīrtana with His devotees.

By chanting and dancing, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu induced Advaita Ācārya to dance. Sometimes He induced Nityānanda Prabhu, Haridāsa Ṭhākura and Acyutānanda to dance.

Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged Vakreśvara and other devotees in chanting and dancing. Three times daily — morning, noon and evening — He would perform saṅkīrtana in the yard of the Guṇḍicā temple.

At this time Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt that Lord Kṛṣṇa had returned to Vṛndāvana. Thinking this, His feelings of separation from Kṛṣṇa subsided.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was always thinking of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and He remained personally merged in this consciousness.

There were many gardens near the Guṇḍicā temple, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees used to perform the pastimes of Vṛndāvana in each of them. In the lake named Indradyumna, He sported in the water.

The Lord personally splashed all the devotees with water, and the devotees, surrounding Him on all sides, also splashed the Lord.

While in the water they sometimes formed one circle and sometimes many circles, and while in the water they used to play cymbals and imitate the croaking of frogs.

Sometimes two would pair off to fight in the water. One would emerge victorious and the other defeated, and the Lord would watch all this fun.

The first sporting took place between Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu, who threw water upon each other. Advaita Ācārya was defeated, and He later began to rebuke Nityānanda Prabhu, calling Him ill names.

Svarūpa Dāmodara and Vidyānidhi also threw water upon each other, and Murāri Gupta and Vāsudeva Datta also sported in that way.

Another duel took place between Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and Gadādhara Paṇḍita, and yet another between Rāghava Paṇḍita and Vakreśvara Paṇḍita. Thus they all engaged in throwing water.

Indeed, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya engaged in water sports with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, and they both lost their gravity and became like children.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the exuberance of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Rāmānanda Rāya, He smiled and spoke to Gopīnātha Ācārya.

“Tell the Bhaṭṭācārya and Rāmānanda Rāya to stop their childish play because they are both learned scholars and very grave and great personalities.”

Gopīnātha Ācārya replied, “I believe that one drop of the ocean of Your great mercy has swelled up upon them.

“A drop from the ocean of Your mercy can drown great mountains like Sumeru and Mandara. Since these two gentlemen are little hills by comparison, it is no wonder that they are being drowned in the ocean of Your mercy.

“Logic is like a dry oil cake from which all the oil has been extracted. The Bhaṭṭācārya passed his life in eating such dry cakes, but now You have made him drink the nectar of transcendental pastimes. It is certainly Your great mercy upon him.”

After Gopīnātha Ācārya finished talking, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and, calling for Advaita Ācārya, made Him act like the Śeṣa Nāga bed.

Lying down on Advaita Prabhu, who was floating on the water, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu demonstrated the pastime of Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu.

Manifesting His personal potency, Advaita Ācārya floated about on the water, carrying Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

After sporting in the water for some time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to His place at Āiṭoṭā, accompanied by His devotees.

Paramānanda Purī, Brahmānanda Bhāratī and all the other chief devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took lunch at the invitation of Advaita Ācārya.

Whatever extra prasādam was brought by Vāṇīnātha Rāya was taken by the other associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

In the afternoon, Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the Guṇḍicā temple to visit the Lord and dance. At night He went to the garden to take rest.

The next day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also went to the temple of Guṇḍicā and saw the Lord. He then chanted and danced in the yard for some time.

Accompanied by His devotees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went into the garden and enjoyed the pastimes of Vṛndāvana.

There were multifarious trees and creepers in the garden, and they were all jubilant to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Indeed, the birds were chirping, the bees were buzzing, and a cool breeze was blowing.

As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced beneath each and every tree, Vāsudeva Datta sang alone.

As Vāsudeva Datta sang a different song beneath each and every tree, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced there alone in great ecstasy.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then ordered Vakreśvara Paṇḍita to dance, and as he began to dance, the Lord began to sing.

Then devotees like Svarūpa Dāmodara and other kīrtana performers began to sing along with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Being inundated with ecstatic love, they lost all consideration of time and circumstance.

After thus performing pastimes in the garden for some time, they all went to a lake called Narendra-sarovara and there enjoyed sporting in the water.

After sporting in the water, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to the garden and accepted prasādam with the devotees.

For nine continuous days His Lordship Śrī Jagannātha-deva stayed at the Guṇḍicā temple. During this time Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also stayed there and performed the pastimes with His devotees that have already been described.

The garden of His pastimes was very large and was named Jagannātha-vallabha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His rest there for nine days.

Knowing that the Herā-pañcamī festival was drawing near, King Pratāparudra attentively talked with Kāśī Miśra.

“Tomorrow will be the function of Herā-pañcamī or Lakṣmī-vijaya. Hold this festival in a way that it has never been held before.”

King Pratāparudra said, “Hold this festival in such a gorgeous way that upon seeing it Caitanya Mahāprabhu will be completely pleased and astonished.

“Take as many printed cloths, small bells, umbrellas and cāmaras as there are in my storehouse and in the Deity’s storehouse.

“Collect all kinds of small and large flags and ringing bells. Then decorate the carrier and have various musical and dancing parties accompany it. In this way decorate the carrier attractively.

“You should also double the quantity of prasādam. Make so much that it will even surpass the Ratha-yātrā festival.

“Arrange the festival in such a way that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu may freely go with His devotees to visit the Deity without difficulty.”

In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His personal associates with Him to see Lord Jagannātha at Sundarācala.

Then Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His personal devotees returned to Nīlācala with great eagerness to see the Herā-pañcamī festival.

Kāśī Miśra received Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great respect, and taking the Lord and His associates to a very nice place, he had them seated.

After taking His seat, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to hear about a particular mellow of devotional service; therefore, mildly smiling, He began to question Svarūpa Dāmodara.

“Although Lord Jagannātha enjoys His pastimes at Dvārakā-dhāma and naturally manifests sublime liberality there, still, once a year He becomes unlimitedly eager to see Vṛndāvana.”

Pointing out the neighboring gardens, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “All these gardens exactly resemble Vṛndāvana; therefore Lord Jagannātha is very eager to see them again.

“Externally He gives the excuse that He wants to participate in the Ratha-yātrā festival, but actually He wants to leave Jagannātha Purī to go to Sundarācala, the Guṇḍicā temple, a replica of Vṛndāvana.

“The Lord enjoys His pastimes day and night in various flower gardens there. But why does He not take Lakṣmīdevī, the goddess of fortune, with Him?”

Svarūpa Dāmodara replied, “My dear Lord, please hear the reason for this. Lakṣmīdevī, the goddess of fortune, cannot be admitted to the pastimes of Vṛndāvana.

“In the pastimes of Vṛndāvana, the only assistants are the gopīs. But for the gopīs, no one can attract the mind of Kṛṣṇa.”

The Lord said, “Using the car festival as an excuse, Kṛṣṇa goes there with Subhadrā and Baladeva.

“All the pastimes with the gopīs that take place in those gardens are very confidential ecstasies of Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one knows them.

“Since there is no fault at all in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, why does the goddess of fortune become angry?”

Svarūpa Dāmodara replied, “It is the nature of a girl afflicted by love to become immediately angry upon finding any neglect on the part of her lover.”

While Svarūpa Dāmodara and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were talking, the procession of the goddess of fortune came by. She was riding upon a golden palanquin carried by four men and bedecked with a variety of jewels.

The palanquin was also surrounded by people carrying umbrellas, cāmara whisks and flags, and it was preceded by musicians and dancing girls.

The maidservants were carrying water pitchers, cāmara whisks and boxes for betel nuts. There were hundreds of maidservants, all attractively dressed and wearing valuable necklaces.

In an angry mood, the goddess of fortune arrived at the main gate of the temple accompanied by many members of her family, all of whom exhibited uncommon opulence.

When the procession arrived, the maidservants of the goddess of fortune began to arrest all the principal servants of Lord Jagannātha.

The maidservants bound the servants of Jagannātha, handcuffed them and made them fall down at the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune. Indeed, they were arrested just like thieves who have all their riches taken away.

When the servants fell down before the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune, they almost fell unconscious. They were chastised and made the butt of jokes and loose language.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s associates saw such impudence exhibited by the maidservants of the goddess of fortune, they covered their faces with their hands and began to smile.

Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “There is no egoistic pride like this within the three worlds. At least I have never seen it or heard of it.

“When a woman is neglected and disappointed, out of egoistic pride she gives up her ornaments and morosely sits down on the ground, marking lines on it with her nails.

“I have heard of this kind of pride in Satyabhāmā, Kṛṣṇa’s proudest queen, and I have also heard of it in the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, who are the reservoirs of all transcendental mellows.

“But in the case of the goddess of fortune, I see a different kind of pride. She manifests her own opulences and even goes with her soldiers to attack her husband.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Please tell me of the varieties of egoistic pride manifested in Vṛndāvana.”

“The characteristics and modes of love are different in different women. Their jealous anger also takes on different varieties and qualities.

“It is not possible to give a complete statement about the different types of jealous anger manifest by the gopīs, but a few principles may serve as an indication.

“There are three types of women experiencing jealous anger: sober women, restless women and women both restless and sober.

“When a sober heroine sees her hero approaching from a distance, she immediately stands up to receive him. When he comes near, she immediately offers him a place to sit.

“The sober heroine conceals her anger within her heart and externally speaks sweet words. When her lover embraces her, she returns his embrace.

“The sober heroine is very simple in her behavior. She keeps her jealous anger within her heart, but with mild words and smiles she rejects the advances of her lover.

“The restless heroine, however, sometimes chastises her lover with cruel words, sometimes pulls his ear and sometimes binds him with a flower garland.

“The heroine who is a combination of sobriety and restlessness always jokes with equivocal words. She sometimes praises her lover, sometimes blasphemes him and sometimes remains indifferent.

“Heroines may also be classified as captivated, intermediate and impudent. The captivated heroine does not know very much about the cunning intricacies of jealous anger.

“The captivated heroine simply covers her face and goes on crying. When she hears sweet words from her lover, she is very satisfied.

“Both the intermediate and impudent heroines can be classified as sober, restless and both sober and restless. All their characteristics can be further classified in three divisions.

“Some of these heroines are very talkative, some are mild, and some are equipoised. Each heroine, according to her own character, increases Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s loving ecstasy.

“Although some of the gopīs are talkative, some mild and some equipoised, all of them are transcendental and faultless. They please Kṛṣṇa by their unique characteristics.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt unlimited happiness upon hearing these descriptions, and He again and again requested Svarūpa Dāmodara to continue speaking.

Dāmodara Gosvāmī said, “Kṛṣṇa is the master of all transcendental mellows and the taster of all transcendental mellows, and His body is composed of transcendental bliss.

“Kṛṣṇa is full of ecstatic love and always subordinate to the love of His devotees. The gopīs are very much experienced in pure love and in the dealings of transcendental mellows.

“There is no flaw or adulteration in the love of the gopīs; therefore they give Kṛṣṇa the highest pleasure.

“ ‘Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the Absolute Truth, enjoyed His rāsa dance every night during the autumn season. He performed this dance in the moonlight and with full transcendental mellows. He used poetic words and surrounded Himself with women who were very much attracted to Him.’

“The gopīs can be divided into a left wing and a right wing. Both wings induce Kṛṣṇa to taste transcendental mellows by various manifestations of ecstatic love.

“Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the chief. She is a jewel mine of ecstatic love and the source of all purified transcendental conjugal mellows.

“Rādhārāṇī is grown up, and Her character is equipoised. She is always deeply absorbed in ecstatic love and always feeling in the mood of a left-wing gopī.

“Because She is a left-wing gopī, Her womanly anger is always awakening, but Kṛṣṇa derives transcendental bliss from Her activities.

“ ‘The progress of loving affairs between a young boy and a young girl is by nature crooked, like the movement of a snake. Because of this, two types of anger arise between a young boy and girl — anger with a cause and anger without a cause.’”

As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these talks, His ocean of transcendental bliss increased. He therefore told Svarūpa Dāmodara, “Go on speaking, go on speaking.” And thus Svarūpa Dāmodara continued.

“Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s love is a highly advanced ecstasy. All Her dealings are completely pure and devoid of material tinge. Indeed, Her dealings are ten times purer than gold.

“As soon as Rādhārāṇī gets a chance to see Kṛṣṇa, Her body is suddenly decorated with various ecstatic ornaments.

“The transcendental ornaments of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s body include the eight sāttvikas, or transcendental symptoms, the thirty-three vyabhicārī-bhāvas, beginning with harṣa, or jubilation in natural love, and the twenty bhāvas, or ecstatic emotional ornaments.

“Some of the symptoms critically explained in the following verses are kila-kiñcita, kuṭṭamita, vilāsa, lalita, vivvoka, moṭṭāyita, maugdhya and cakita.

“When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s body manifests the ornaments of many ecstatic symptoms, the ocean of Kṛṣṇa’s happiness immediately displays transcendental waves.

“Now hear a description of different ecstasies, beginning with kila-kiñcita. With these ecstatic ornaments, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī enchants the mind of Kṛṣṇa.

“When Śrī Kṛṣṇa sees Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and wants to touch Her body, He prohibits Her from going to the spot where one can cross the river Yamunā.

“Approaching Her, Kṛṣṇa prohibits Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī from picking flowers. He may also touch Her in front of Her friends.

“At such times, the ecstatic symptoms of kila-kiñcita are awakened. First there is jubilation in ecstatic love, which is the root cause of these symptoms.

“ ‘Pride, ambition, weeping, smiling, envy, fear and anger are the seven ecstatic loving symptoms manifested by a jubilant shrinking away, and these symptoms are called kila-kiñcita-bhāva.’

“There are seven other transcendental ecstatic symptoms, and when they combine on the platform of jubilation, the combination is called mahā-bhāva.

“The seven combined ingredients of mahā-bhāva are pride, ambition, fear, dry artificial crying, anger, envy and mild smiling.

“There are eight symptoms of ecstatic love on the platform of transcendental jubilation, and when they are combined and tasted by Kṛṣṇa, the Lord’s mind is completely satisfied.

“Indeed, they are compared to a combination of yogurt, candy, ghee, honey, black pepper, camphor and cardamom, which, when mixed together, are very tasty and sweet.

“Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is thousands upon thousands of times more satisfied when He sees Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s face light up from this combination of ecstatic love than He is by direct union with Her.

“ ‘May the sight of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s kila-kiñcita ecstasy, which is like a bouquet, bring good fortune to all. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa blocked Rādhārāṇī’s way to the dāna-ghāṭi, there was laughter within Her heart. Her eyes grew bright, and fresh tears flowed from Her eyes, reddening them. Due to Her sweet relationship with Kṛṣṇa, Her eyes were enthusiastic, and when Her crying subsided, She appeared even more beautiful.’

“ ‘Agitated by tears, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s eyes were tinged with red, just like the eastern horizon at sunrise. Her lips began to move with jubilation and lusty desire. Her eyebrows curved, and Her lotuslike face smiled mildly. Seeing Rādhārāṇī’s face exhibit such emotion, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa felt a million times happier than when He embraced Her. Indeed, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s happiness is not at all mundane.’”

Upon hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy, and being absorbed in this happiness, He embraced Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then asked Svarūpa Dāmodara, “Please speak of the ecstatic ornaments decorating the body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, by which She enchants the mind of Śrī Govinda.”

Being thus requested, Svarūpa Dāmodara began to speak. All the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were very happy to hear him.

“Sometimes when Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is sitting or when She is going to Vṛndāvana, She sees Kṛṣṇa.

“The symptoms of various ecstasies that become manifest at that time are called vilāsa.

“ ‘The various symptoms manifested in a woman’s face, eyes and the other parts of her body and the way she moves, stands or sits when she meets her beloved are called vilāsa.’”

Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “Timidity, jubilation, ambition, respect, fear and the characteristics of the left-wing gopīs are all ecstatic symptoms that combine to agitate Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

“ ‘When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī saw Lord Kṛṣṇa just before Her, Her progress stopped and She assumed an attitude of opposition. Although Her face was slightly covered by a blue garment, Her two starry eyes were agitated, being wide and curved. Thus She was decorated with the ornaments of vilāsa, and Her beauty increased to give pleasure to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.’

“When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī stands before Kṛṣṇa, She stands bent in three places — Her neck, waist and legs — and Her eyebrows dance.

“When there is an awakening of the various ecstatic features on Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s face and in Her eyes that are appropriate to a charming feminine attitude, the lalita ornament is manifest.

“ ‘When the bodily features are delicate and expertly curved, and when the eyebrows are very beautifully agitated, the ornament of feminine charm, called lalita alaṅkāra, is manifest.’

“When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa happens to see Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī decorated with these lalita ornaments, They both eagerly want to meet each other.

“ ‘When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was decorated with the ornament of lalita alaṅkāra, just to increase Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s love, an attractive curve was manifested by Her neck, knees and waist. This was brought about by Her timidity and apparent desire to avoid Kṛṣṇa. The flickering movements of Her eyebrows could conquer the powerful bow of Cupid. To increase the joy of Her beloved, Her body was decorated with the ornaments of lalita alaṅkāra.’

“When Kṛṣṇa comes forward and greedily snatches at the border of Her sari, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is actually very pleased within, but still She tries to stop Him.

“This ecstatic attitude of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s is called kuṭṭamita. When this ecstatic ornament is manifested, Rādhārāṇī externally tries to avoid Kṛṣṇa, and She apparently becomes angry, although She is very happy within.

“ ‘When the border of Her sari and the cloth veiling Her face are caught, She externally appears offended and angry, but within Her heart She is very happy. Learned scholars call this attitude kuṭṭamita.’

“Although Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was checking Kṛṣṇa with Her hand, internally She was thinking, ‘Let Kṛṣṇa satisfy His desires.’ In this way She was very pleased within, although She externally displayed opposition and anger.

“Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī externally displays a kind of dry crying, as if She is offended. Then She mildly smiles and admonishes Lord Kṛṣṇa.

“ ‘Actually She has no desire to stop Kṛṣṇa’s endeavor to touch Her body with His hands, yet Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, whose thighs are like the trunk of a baby elephant, protests His advances and, sweetly smiling, admonishes Him. At such times She cries without tears on Her charming face.’

“In this way, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is ornamented and decorated with various ecstatic symptoms, which attract the mind of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

“It is not at all possible to describe the unlimited pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, even though He Himself describes them in His incarnation of Sahasra-vadana, the thousand-mouthed Śeṣa Nāga.”

At this time, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura smiled and told Svarūpa Dāmodara, “My dear sir, please hear! Just see how opulent my goddess of fortune is!

“As far as Vṛndāvana’s opulence is concerned, it consists of a few flowers and twigs, some minerals from the hills, a few peacock feathers and the plant known as guñjā.

“When Jagannātha decided to see Vṛndāvana, He went there, and upon hearing this, the goddess of fortune experienced restlessness and jealousy.

“She wondered, ‘Why did Lord Jagannātha give up so much opulence and go to Vṛndāvana?’ To make Him a laughingstock, the goddess of fortune made arrangements for much decoration.

“Then the maidservants of the goddess of fortune said to the servants of Lord Jagannātha, ‘Why did your Lord Jagannātha abandon the great opulence of the goddess of fortune and, for the sake of a few leaves, fruits and flowers, go see the flower garden of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī?

“ ‘Your master is so expert at everything, but why does He do such things? Now bring your master before the goddess of fortune.’

“In this way all the maidservants of the goddess of fortune arrested the servants of Jagannātha, bound them around the waist and brought them before the goddess of fortune.

“When all the maidservants brought Lord Jagannātha’s servants before the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune, the Lord’s servants were fined and forced to submit.

“All the maidservants began to beat the Ratha car with sticks, and they treated the servants of Lord Jagannātha almost like thieves.

“Finally all of Lord Jagannātha’s servants submitted to the goddess of fortune with folded hands, assuring her that they would bring Lord Jagannātha before her the very next day.

“Being thus pacified, the goddess of fortune returned to her apartment. Just see! My goddess of fortune is opulent beyond all description.”

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura continued to address Svarūpa Dāmodara: “Your gopīs are engaged in boiling milk and churning yogurt, but my mistress, the goddess of fortune, sits on a throne made of jewels and gems.”

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, who was enjoying the mood of Nārada Muni, thus made jokes. Hearing him, all the personal servants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to smile.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, “My dear Śrīvāsa, your nature is exactly like that of Nārada Muni. The Supreme Personality of Godhead’s opulence is having a direct influence upon you.

“Svarūpa Dāmodara is a pure devotee of Vṛndāvana. He does not even know what opulence is, for he is simply absorbed in pure devotional service.”

Svarūpa Dāmodara then retorted, “My dear Śrīvāsa, please hear me with attention. You have forgotten the transcendental opulence of Vṛndāvana.

“The natural opulence of Vṛndāvana is just like an ocean. The opulence of Dvārakā and Vaikuṇṭha is not even to be compared to a drop.

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full of all opulences, and His complete opulences are exhibited only in Vṛndāvana-dhāma.

“Vṛndāvana-dhāma is made of transcendental touchstone. Its entire surface is the source of all valuable jewels, and the cintāmaṇi stone is used to decorate the lotus feet of the maidservants of Vṛndāvana.

“Vṛndāvana is a natural forest of desire trees and creepers, and the inhabitants do not want anything but the fruits and flowers of those desire trees.

“In Vṛndāvana there are cows that fulfill all desires [kāma-dhenus], and their number is unlimited. They graze from forest to forest and deliver only milk. The people want nothing else.

“In Vṛndāvana, the natural speech of the people sounds like music, and their natural motion resembles a dance.

“The water in Vṛndāvana is nectar, and the brahmajyoti effulgence, which is full of transcendental bliss, is directly perceived there in its form.

“The gopīs there are also goddesses of fortune, and they surpass the goddess of fortune who abides in Vaikuṇṭha. In Vṛndāvana, Lord Kṛṣṇa is always playing His transcendental flute, which is His dear companion.

“ ‘The damsels of Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, are super goddesses of fortune. The enjoyer in Vṛndāvana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The trees there are all wish-fulfilling trees, and the land is made of transcendental touchstone. The water is all nectar, the talking is singing, the walking is dancing, and the constant companion of Kṛṣṇa is His flute. The effulgence of transcendental bliss is experienced everywhere. Therefore Vṛndāvana-dhāma is the only relishable abode.’

“ ‘The anklets on the damsels of Vraja-bhūmi are made of cintāmaṇi stone. The trees are wish-fulfilling trees, and they produce flowers with which the gopīs decorate themselves. There are also wish-fulfilling cows [kāma-dhenus], which deliver unlimited quantities of milk. These cows constitute the wealth of Vṛndāvana. Thus Vṛndāvana’s opulence is blissfully exhibited.’”

Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura then began to dance in ecstatic love. He vibrated sounds by slapping his armpits with the palms of his hands, and he laughed very loudly.

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these discussions about the pure transcendental mellow of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Absorbed in transcendental ecstasy, the Lord began to dance.

While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing in ecstatic love and Svarūpa Dāmodara was singing, the Lord said, “Go on singing! Go on singing!” The Lord then extended His own ears.

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love was awakened by hearing the songs of Vṛndāvana. In this way He inundated Puruṣottama, Jagannātha Purī, with love of Godhead.

Finally the goddess of fortune returned to her apartment. In due course of time, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing, afternoon arrived.

After much singing, all four saṅkīrtana parties grew fatigued, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love increased twofold.

While dancing absorbed in Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in Her very form. Seeing this from a distant place, Nityānanda Prabhu offered prayers.

Seeing the ecstatic love of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu did not approach but remained a little distance away.

Only Nityānanda Prabhu could catch Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but the ecstatic mood of the Lord would not stop. At the same time, kīrtana could not be continued.

Svarūpa Dāmodara then informed the Lord that all the devotees were fatigued. Seeing this situation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to His external senses.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then entered the flower garden with all His devotees. After resting there for some time, He took His afternoon bath.

Then there arrived in large quantities a variety of food that had been offered to Śrī Jagannātha and a variety that had been offered to the goddess of fortune.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finished His afternoon lunch, and after His evening bath He went to see Lord Jagannātha.

As soon as He saw Lord Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to chant and dance. Afterward, accompanied by His devotees, the Lord enjoyed sporting in the lake called Narendra-sarovara.

Then, entering the flower garden, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His meal. In this way He continuously performed all kinds of pastimes for eight days.

The next day Lord Jagannātha came out from the temple and, riding on the car, returned to His own abode.

As previously, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees chanted and danced with great pleasure.

During the Pāṇḍu-vijaya, Lord Jagannātha was carried, and while He was being carried, a bunch of silken ropes broke.

When the Jagannātha Deity is carried, at intervals He is placed on cotton pads. When the ropes broke, the cotton pads also broke due to the weight of Lord Jagannātha, and the cotton floated into the air.

Rāmānanda Vasu and Satyarāja Khān were present from Kulīna-grāma, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, with great respect, gave them the following orders.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Rāmānanda Vasu and Satyarāja Khān to become the worshipers of these ropes and every year bring silken ropes from their village.

After telling them this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed them the broken silken ropes, saying, “Just look at this sample. You must make ropes that are much stronger.”

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then informed Rāmānanda Vasu and Satyarāja Khān that this rope was the abode of Lord Śeṣa, who expands Himself into ten forms and serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

After receiving orders from the Lord for the rendering of service, the fortunate Satyarāja and Rāmānanda Vasu were highly pleased.

Every year thereafter, when the Guṇḍicā temple was being cleansed, Satyarāja and Rāmānanda Vasu would come with the other devotees and with great pleasure bring silken rope.

Thus Lord Jagannātha returned to His temple and sat on His throne while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to His residence with His devotees.

Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed the Ratha-yātrā ceremony to His devotees and performed the Vṛndāvana pastimes with them.

The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are unlimited and endless. Even Sahasra-vadana, Lord Śeṣa, cannot reach the limits of His pastimes.

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.