CHAPTER EIGHT
Rāmacandra Purī Criticizes the Lord
The following summary of the eighth chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. This chapter describes the history of the Lord’s dealings with Rāmacandra Purī. Although Rāmacandra Purī was one of the disciples of Mādhavendra Purī, he was influenced by dry Māyāvādīs, and therefore he criticized Mādhavendra Purī. Therefore Mādhavendra Purī accused him of being an offender and rejected him. Because Rāmacandra Purī had been rejected by his spiritual master, he became concerned only with finding faults in others and advising them according to dry Māyāvāda philosophy. For this reason he was not very respectful to the Vaiṣṇavas, and later he became so fallen that he began criticizing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for His eating. Hearing his criticisms, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reduced His eating, but after Rāmacandra Purī left Jagannātha Purī, the Lord resumed His usual behavior.
Text
rāmacandra-purī-bhayāt
laukikāhārataḥ svaṁ yo
bhikṣānnaṁ samakocayat
Synonyms
tam — to Him; vande — I offer my respectful obeisances; kṛṣṇacaitanyam — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; rāmacandra-purī-bhayāt — due to fear of Rāmacandra Purī; laukika — ordinary; āhārataḥ — from eating; svam — His own; yaḥ — who; bhikṣā-annam — quantity of food; samakocayat — reduced.
Translation
Let me offer my respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who reduced His eating due to fear of the criticism of Rāmacandra Purī.
Text
brahmā-śivādika bhaje caraṇa yāṅhāra
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the incarnation of the ocean of mercy! His lotus feet are worshiped by demigods like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva.
Text
jagat bāṅdhila yeṅha diyā prema-phāṅda
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu, the greatest of mendicants, who bound the entire world with a knot of ecstatic love for God!
Text
kṛṣṇa avatāri’ kaila jagat-nistāra
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Advaita Prabhu, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead! He induced Kṛṣṇa to descend and thus delivered the entire world.
Text
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu — yāṅra prāṇa-dhana
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to all the devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is their life and soul.
Text
nīlācale krīḍā kare kṛṣṇa-prema-taraṅge
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at Jagannātha Purī, performed His various pastimes with His devotees in the waves of love for Kṛṣṇa.
Text
paramānanda-purīre āra prabhure mililā
Synonyms
Translation
Then a sannyāsī named Rāmacandra Purī Gosāñi came to see Paramānanda Purī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
purī-gosāñi kaila tāṅre dṛḍha āliṅgana
Synonyms
Translation
Paramānanda Purī offered respects at the feet of Rāmacandra Purī, and Rāmacandra Purī strongly embraced him.
Purport
Because Rāmacandra Purī was a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī, both Paramānanda Purī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered him respectful obeisances. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that although Rāmacandra Purī was naturally very envious and although he was against the principles of Vaiṣṇavism — or, in other words, against the principles of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotees — common people nevertheless addressed him as Gosvāmī or Gosāñi because he was superficially in the renounced order and dressed like a sannyāsī. In the modern age the title gosvāmī is used by a caste of gṛhasthas, but formerly it was not. Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, for example, were called gosvāmī because they were in the renounced order. Similarly, because Paramānanda Purī was a sannyāsī, he was called Purī Gosvāmī. By careful scrutiny, therefore, one will find that gosvāmī is not the title for a certain caste; rather, it is properly the title for a person in the renounced order.
Text
āliṅgana kari’ teṅho kaila kṛṣṇa-smṛti
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also offered obeisances unto Rāmacandra Purī, who then embraced Him and thus remembered Kṛṣṇa.
Purport
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered obeisances to Rāmacandra Purī in consideration of his being a disciple of Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī, the spiritual master of His own spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. When a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī meets another Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, they both remember Kṛṣṇa. Even Māyāvādī sannyāsīs generally remember Nārāyaṇa, who is also Kṛṣṇa, by saying oṁ namo bhagavate nārāyaṇāya or namo nārāyaṇāya. Thus it is the duty of a sannyāsī to remember Kṛṣṇa. According to smṛti-śāstra, a sannyāsī does not offer obeisances or blessings to anyone. It is said, sannyāsī nirāśīr nirnamaskriyaḥ: a sannyāsī should not offer anyone blessings or obeisances.
Text
jagadānanda-paṇḍita tāṅre kailā nimantraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The three of them talked about Kṛṣṇa for some time, and then Jagadānanda came and extended an invitation to Rāmacandra Purī.
Text
yatheṣṭa bhikṣā karilā teṅho nindāra lāgiyā
Synonyms
Translation
A large quantity of the remnants of food from Lord Jagannātha was brought in for distribution. Rāmacandra Purī ate sumptuously, and then he wanted to find faults in Jagadānanda Paṇḍita.
Text
avaśeṣa prasāda tumi karaha bhakṣaṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
After finishing the meal, Rāmacandra Purī requested, “My dear Jagadānanda, please listen. You eat the food that is left.”
Text
āpane āgraha kari’ pariveśana kaila
Synonyms
Translation
With great eagerness Rāmacandra Purī seated Jagadānanda Paṇḍita and personally served him prasādam.
Text
ācamana kaile nindā karite lāgila
Synonyms
Translation
Encouraging him again and again, Rāmacandra Purī fed him sumptuously, but when Jagadānanda had washed his hands and mouth, Rāmacandra Purī began criticizing him.
Text
‘satya’ sei vākya, — sākṣāt dekhiluṅ ekhana
Synonyms
Translation
“I have heard,” he said, “that the followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu eat more than necessary. Now I have directly seen that this is true.
Text
vairāgī hañā eta khāya, vairāgyera nāhi ‘bhāsa’ ”
Synonyms
Translation
“Feeding a sannyāsī too much breaks his regulative principles, for when a sannyāsī eats too much, his renunciation is destroyed.”
Text
piche nindā kare, āge bahuta khāoyāñā
Synonyms
Translation
The characteristic of Rāmacandra Purī was that first he would induce someone to eat more than necessary and then he would criticize him.
Text
rāmacandra-purī tabe āilā tāṅra sthāna
Synonyms
pūrve — formerly; yabe — when; mādhavendra — Mādhavendra Purī; karena antardhāna — was about to die; rāmacandra-purī — Rāmacandra Purī; tabe — at that time; āilā — came; tāṅra sthāna — to his place.
Translation
Formerly, when Mādhavendra Purī was at the last stage of his life, Rāmacandra Purī came to where he was staying.
Text
‘mathurā nā pāinu’ bali’ karena krandana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī was chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, and sometimes he would cry, “O my Lord, I did not get shelter at Mathurā.”
Text
śiṣya hañā guruke kahe, bhaya nāhi kare
Synonyms
Translation
Then Rāmacandra Purī was so foolish that he fearlessly dared to instruct his spiritual master.
Text
brahmavit hañā kene karaha rodana?”
Synonyms
Translation
“If you are in full transcendental bliss,” he said, “you should now remember only Brahman. Why are you crying?”
Purport
As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: a Brahman realized person is always happy. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati: he neither laments nor aspires for anything. Not knowing why Mādhavendra Purī was crying, Rāmacandra Purī tried to become his advisor. Thus he committed a great offense, for a disciple should never try to instruct his spiritual master.
Text
‘dūra, dūra, pāpiṣṭha’ bali’ bhartsanā karila
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing this instruction, Mādhavendra Purī, greatly angry, rebuked him by saying, “Get out, you sinful rascal!
Purport
Rāmacandra Purī could not understand that his spiritual master, Mādhavendra Purī, was feeling transcendental separation. His lamentation was not material. Rather, it proceeded from the highest stage of ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. When he was crying in separation, “I could not achieve Kṛṣṇa! I could not reach Mathurā!” this was not ordinary material lamentation. Rāmacandra Purī was not sufficiently expert to understand the feelings of Mādhavendra Purī, but nevertheless he thought himself very advanced. Therefore, regarding Mādhavendra Purī’s expressions as ordinary material lamentation, he advised him to remember Brahman because he was latently an impersonalist. Mādhavendra Purī understood Rāmacandra Purī’s position as a great fool and therefore immediately rebuked him. Such a reprimand from the spiritual master is certainly for the betterment of the disciple.
Text
āpana-duḥkhe maroṅ — ei dite āila jvālā
Synonyms
Translation
“O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, I could not reach You, nor could I reach Your abode, Mathurā. I am dying in my unhappiness, and now this rascal has come to give me more pain.
Text
tore dekhi’ maile mora habe asad-gati
Synonyms
Translation
“Don’t show your face to me! Go anywhere else you like. If I die seeing your face, I shall not achieve the destination of my life.
Text
more ‘brahma’ upadeśe ei chāra mūrkhe”
Synonyms
Translation
“I am dying without achieving the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore I am greatly unhappy. Now this condemned foolish rascal has come to instruct me about Brahman.”
Text
sei aparādhe iṅhāra ‘vāsanā’ janmila
Synonyms
Translation
Rāmacandra Purī was thus denounced by Mādhavendra Purī. Due to his offense, gradually material desire appeared within him.
Purport
The word vāsanā (“material desires”) refers to dry speculative knowledge. Such speculative knowledge is only material. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4), a person without devotional service who simply wants to know things (kevala-bodha-labdhaye) gains only dry speculative knowledge but no spiritual profit. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-sandarbha (111), wherein it is said:
yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ
“Even though one is liberated in this life, if one offends the Supreme Personality of Godhead he falls down in the midst of material desires, of which dry speculation about spiritual realization is one.”
In his Laghu-toṣaṇī commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), Jīva Gosvāmī says:
yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ
“Even if one is liberated in this life, he becomes addicted to material desires because of offenses to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
A similar quotation from one of the Purāṇas also appears in the Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya:
yogino na vilipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ
“Even liberated souls sometimes fall down to material desires, but those who fully engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not affected by such desires.”
These are references from authoritative revealed scriptures. If one becomes an offender to his spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he falls down to the material platform to merely speculate.
Text
sarva loka nindā kare, nindāte nirbandha
Synonyms
Translation
One who is attached to dry speculative knowledge has no relationship with Kṛṣṇa. His occupation is criticizing Vaiṣṇavas. Thus he is situated in criticism.
Purport
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has explained in his Anubhāṣya that the word nirbandha indicates that Rāmacandra Purī had a steady desire to criticize others. Impersonalist Māyāvādīs, who have no relationship with Kṛṣṇa, who cannot take to devotional service, and who simply engage in material arguments to understand Brahman, regard devotional service to Kṛṣṇa as karma-kāṇḍa, or fruitive activities. According to them, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is but another means for attaining dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Therefore they criticize the devotees for engaging in material activities. They think that devotional service is māyā and that Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is also māyā. Therefore they are called Māyāvādīs. Such a mentality awakens in a person who is an offender to Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.
Text
svahaste karena mala-mūtrādi mārjana
Synonyms
Translation
Īśvara Purī, the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, performed service to Mādhavendra Purī, cleaning up his stool and urine with his own hand.
Text
kṛṣṇa-nāma, kṛṣṇa-līlā śunāya anukṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Īśvara Purī was always chanting the holy name and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa for Mādhavendra Purī to hear. In this way he helped Mādhavendra Purī remember the holy name and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the time of death.
Text
vara dilā — ‘kṛṣṇe tomāra ha-uka prema-dhana’
Synonyms
Translation
Pleased with Īśvara Purī, Mādhavendra Purī embraced him and gave him the benediction that he would be a great devotee and lover of Kṛṣṇa.
Text
rāmacandra-purī haila sarva-nindākara
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Īśvara Purī became like an ocean of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, whereas Rāmacandra Purī became a dry speculator and a critic of everyone else.
Text
ei dui-dvāre śikhāilā jaga-jane
Synonyms
Translation
Īśvara Purī received the blessing of Mādhavendra Purī, whereas Rāmacandra Purī received a rebuke from him. Therefore these two persons, Īśvara Purī and Rāmacandra Purī, are examples of the objects of a great personality’s benediction and punishment. Mādhavendra Purī instructed the entire world by presenting these two examples.
Text
ei śloka paḍi’ teṅho kaila antardhāna
Synonyms
Translation
His Divine Grace Mādhavendra Purī, the spiritual master of the entire world, thus distributed ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. While passing away from the material world, he chanted the following verse.
Text
mathurā-nātha kadāvalokyase
hṛdayaṁ tvad-aloka-kātaraṁ
dayita bhrāmyati kiṁ karomy aham
Synonyms
ayi — O My Lord; dīna — on the poor; dayā-ārdra — compassionate; nātha — O master; he — O; mathurā-nātha — the master of Mathurā; kadā — when; avalokyase — I shall see You; hṛdayam — My heart; tvat — of You; aloka — without seeing; kātaram — very much aggrieved; dayita — O most beloved; bhrāmyati — becomes overwhelmed; kim — what; karomi — shall do; aham — I.
Translation
“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathurā! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?”
Text
kṛṣṇera virahe bhaktera bhāva-viśeṣa
Synonyms
Translation
In this verse Mādhavendra Purī teaches how to achieve ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. By feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, one becomes spiritually situated.
Text
sei premāṅkurera vṛkṣa — caitanya-ṭhākura
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī sowed the seed of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa within this material world and then departed. That seed later became a great tree in the form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
yei ihā śune, sei baḍa bhāgyavān
Synonyms
Translation
I have incidentally described the passing away of Mādhavendra Purī. Anyone who hears this must be considered very fortunate.
Text
virakta svabhāva, kabhu rahe kona sthale
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Rāmacandra Purī stayed at Jagannātha Purī. As is customary for those in the renounced order, he would sometimes stay someplace and then go away.
Text
anyera bhikṣāra sthitira layena niścaya
Synonyms
Translation
There was no certainty of where Rāmacandra Purī would take his meal, for he would do so even uninvited. Nevertheless, he was very particular about keeping account of how others were taking their meals.
Text
kabhu kāśīśvara, govinda khāna tina jana
Synonyms
Translation
To invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would cost 320 kauḍis [small conchshells]. This would provide lunch for three people, including Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and sometimes Kāśīśvara and Govinda.
Text
keha yadi mūlya āne, cāri-paṇa-nirṇaya
Synonyms
Translation
Every day the Lord would take His meal at a different place, and if someone was prepared to pay for a meal, the price was fixed at only four paṇas.
Text
rāmacandra-purī kare sarvānusandhāna
Synonyms
Translation
Rāmacandra Purī concerned himself with gathering all sorts of information about how Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was situated, including His regulative principles, His lunch, His sleep and His movements.
Text
chidra cāhi’ bule, kāṅhā chidra nā pāila
Synonyms
Translation
Because Rāmacandra Purī was interested only in finding faults, he could not understand the transcendental qualities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. His only concern was finding faults, but still he could not find any.
Text
ei bhoge haya kaiche indriya-vāraṇa’?
Synonyms
Translation
At last he found a fault. “How can a person in the renounced order eat so many sweetmeats?” he said. “If one eats sweets, controlling the senses is very difficult.”
Text
prabhure dekhiteha avaśya āise prati-dine
Synonyms
Translation
In this way Rāmacandra Purī blasphemed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu before everyone, but nevertheless he would regularly come to see the Lord every day.
Text
teṅho chidra cāhi’ bule, — ei tāra kāma
Synonyms
Translation
When they met, the Lord would offer him respectful obeisances, considering him a Godbrother of His spiritual master. Rāmacandra Purī’s business, however, was to search for faults in the Lord.
Text
tathāpi ādara kare baḍa-i sambhrame
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew that Rāmacandra Purī was criticizing Him before everyone, but whenever Rāmacandra Purī came to see Him, the Lord offered him respects with great attention.
Text
pipīlikā dekhi’ kichu kahena uttara
Synonyms
Translation
One day Rāmacandra Purī came in the morning to the abode of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Seeing many ants, he said something to criticize the Lord.
Text
pipīlikāḥ sañcaranti aho! viraktānāṁ
sannyāsinām iyam indriya-lālaseti
bruvann utthāya gataḥ.”
Synonyms
rātrau — at night; atra — here; aikṣavam — sugar candy; āsīt — was; tena — by that; pipīlikāḥ — ants; sañcaranti — wander about; aho — alas; viraktānām — renounced; sannyāsinām — of sannyāsīs; iyam — this; indriya — to the senses; lālasa — attachment; iti — thus; bruvan — speaking; utthāya — getting up; gataḥ — left.
Translation
“Last night there was sugar candy here,” he said. “Therefore ants are wandering about. Alas, this renounced sannyāsī is attached to such sense gratification!” After speaking in this way, he got up and left.
Text
ebe sākṣāt śunilena ‘kalpita’ nindana
Synonyms
prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; paramparāya — by hearsay; nindā — blasphemy; kairāchena śravaṇa — had heard; ebe — now; sākṣāt — directly; śunilena — He heard; kalpita — imaginary; nindana — blasphemy.
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had heard rumors about Rāmacandra Purī’s blasphemy. Now He directly heard his fanciful accusations.
Purport
Rāmacandra Purī could find no faults in the character of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for He is situated in a transcendental position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ants are generally found everywhere, but when Rāmacandra Purī saw ants crawling in the abode of the Lord, he took it for granted that they must have been there because Caitanya Mahāprabhu had been eating sweetmeats. He thus discovered imaginary faults in the Lord and then left.
Text
tāhāte tarka uṭhāñā doṣa lāgāya
Synonyms
Translation
Ants generally crawl about here, there and everywhere, but Rāmacandra Purī, imagining faults, criticized Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by alleging that there had been sweetmeats in His room.
Text
govinde bolāñā kichu kahena vacane
Synonyms
Translation
After hearing this criticism, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was doubtful and apprehensive. Therefore He called Govinda and instructed him as follows.
Text
piṇḍā-bhogera eka cauṭhi, pāṅca-gaṇḍāra vyañjana
Synonyms
Translation
“From today on it will be a rule that I shall accept only one-fourth of a pot of Lord Jagannātha’s prasādam and five gaṇḍās’ worth of vegetables.
Text
adhika ānile āmā ethā nā dekhibā”
Synonyms
Translation
“If you bring any more than this, you will not see Me here anymore.”
Text
śuni’ sabāra māthe yaiche haila vajrāghāta
Synonyms
Translation
Govinda relayed this message to all the devotees. When they heard it, they felt as if their heads had been struck by thunderbolts.
Text
‘ei pāpiṣṭha āsi’ prāṇa la-ila sabāra’
Synonyms
Translation
All the devotees condemned Rāmacandra Purī, saying, “This sinful man has come here and taken our lives.”
Text
eka-cauṭhi bhāta, pāṅca-gaṇḍāra vyañjana
māthāya ghā māre vipra, kare hāhākāra
Synonyms
sei-dina — that day; eka-vipra — one brāhmaṇa; kaila nimantraṇa — invited; eka-cauṭhi bhāta — one-fourth of a pot of rice; pāṅca-gaṇḍāra vyañjana — vegetables worth only five gaṇḍās; ei-mātra — only this; govinda — the servant of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kaila aṅgīkāra — accepted; māthāya — his head; ghā māre — struck; vipra — the brāhmaṇa; kare hāhā-kāra — began to say, “alas, alas.”
Translation
That day, a brāhmaṇa extended an invitation to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When Govinda accepted only five gaṇḍās’ worth of vegetables and a fourth of a pot of rice, the brāhmaṇa, in great despair, struck his head with his hand and cried, “Alas! Alas!”
Text
ye kichu rahila, tāhā govinda pāila
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate only half of the rice and vegetables, and whatever remained was taken by Govinda.
Text
saba bhakta-gaṇa tabe chāḍila bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
Thus both Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Govinda ate only half the food they needed. Because of this, all the other devotees gave up eating.
Text
‘duṅhe anyatra māgi’ kara udara bharaṇa’
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered Govinda and Kāśīśvara, “You may both take alms elsewhere to fill your bellies.”
Text
śuni’ rāmacandra-purī prabhu-pāśa āila
Synonyms
Translation
In this way, some days passed in great unhappiness. Hearing of all this, Rāmacandra Purī went to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Text
prabhure kahaye kichu hāsiyā vacana
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His obeisances to Rāmacandra Purī, worshiping his feet. Then Rāmacandra Purī smiled and spoke to the Lord.
Text
yaiche taiche kare mātra udara bharaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Rāmacandra Purī advised, “It is not the business of a sannyāsī to gratify his senses. He should fill his belly some way or other.
Text
ei ‘śuṣka-vairāgya’ nahe sannyāsīra ‘dharma’
Synonyms
Translation
“I have heard that You have cut Your eating in half. Indeed, I see that You are skinny. Such dry renunciation is also not the religion of a sannyāsī.
Text
sannyāsīra tabe siddha haya jñāna-yoga
Synonyms
Translation
“A sannyāsī eats as much as necessary to maintain his body, but he does not enjoy satisfying his senses materially. Thus a sannyāsī becomes perfect in his spiritual advancement in knowledge.
Text
na caikāntam anaśnataḥ
na cāti-svapna-śīlasya
jāgrato naiva cārjuna
yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya
yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā”
Synonyms
na — not; ati-aśnataḥ — of one who eats too much; api — certainly; yogaḥ — linking with the Supreme; asti — there is; na — not; ca — also; ekāntam — solely; anaśnataḥ — of one who abstains from eating; na — not; ca — also; ati-svapna-śīlasya — of one who dreams too much in sleep; jāgrataḥ — of one who keeps awake; na — not; eva — certainly; ca — also; arjuna — O Arjuna; yukta — as much as necessary; āhāra — eating; vihārasya — of one whose sense enjoyment; yukta — proper; ceṣṭasya — of one whose endeavor; karmasu — in executing duties; yukta — as much as necessary; svapna — dreaming while asleep; avabodhasya — of one whose keeping awake; yogaḥ — practice of yoga; bhavati — is; duḥkha-hā — diminishing sufferings.
Translation
“[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] ‘My dear Arjuna, one cannot perform mystic yoga if he eats more than necessary or needlessly fasts, sleeps and dreams too much or does not sleep enough. One should eat and enjoy his senses as much as necessary, one should properly endeavor to execute his duties, and one should regulate his sleep and wakefulness. Thus one can become freed from material pains by executing mystic yoga.’ ”
Purport
This is a quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā (6.16-17).
Text
more śikṣā deha’, — ei bhāgya āmāra”
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then humbly submitted, “I am just like an ignorant boy and am like your disciple. It is My great fortune that you are instructing Me.”
Text
bhakta-gaṇa ardhāśana kare, — purī gosāñi śunilā
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing this, Rāmacandra Purī got up and left. He also heard from various sources that all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were eating half as much as usual.
Text
prabhu-pāśe nivedilā dainya-vinaya kari’
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, Paramānanda Purī and other devotees approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great humility and submission.
Text
tāra bole anna chāḍi’ kibā habe lābha?
Synonyms
Translation
Paramānanda Purī said, “My Godbrother Rāmacandra Purī is by nature a bad critic. If You give up eating because of his words, what will be the profit?
Text
ye nā khāya, tāre khāoyāya yatana kariyā
Synonyms
Translation
“It is the nature of Rāmacandra Purī that first he lets one eat as much as desired, and if one does not eat more than necessary, with great attention he makes him eat more.
Text
‘eta anna khāo, — tomāra kata āche dhana?
Synonyms
Translation
“In this way he induces one to eat more than necessary, and then he directly criticizes him, saying, ‘You eat so much. How much money do you have in your treasury?
Text
ataeva jāninu, — tomāra kichu nāhi bhāsa’
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘Also, by inducing sannyāsīs to eat so much, you spoil their religious principles. Therefore I can understand that you have no advancement.’
Text
ei anusandhāna teṅho karaya sadāya
Synonyms
Translation
“It is Rāmacandra Purī’s business to inquire always about how others are eating and conducting their daily affairs.
Text
sei karma nirantara iṅhāra karaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“The two kinds of activities rejected in the revealed scriptures constitute his daily affairs.
Text
na praśaṁsen na garhayet
viśvam ekātmakaṁ paśyan
prakṛtyā puruṣeṇa ca
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘One should see that because of the meeting of material nature and the living entity, the universe is acting uniformly. Thus one should neither praise nor criticize the characteristics or activities of others.’
Purport
This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.28.1) was spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava.
Text
para-vidhi ‘nindā’ kare ‘baliṣṭha’ jāniyā
Synonyms
Translation
“Of the two rules, Rāmacandra Purī obeys the first by abandoning praise, but although he knows that the second is more prominent, he neglects it by criticizing others.
Purport
The above-mentioned verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives two injunctions. The first, called pūrva-vidhi, is that one should not praise, and the second, para-vidhi, is that one should not criticize. As will be apparent from the following verse, the injunction against praise is less important than the injunction against blasphemy. One should carefully observe the para-vidhi, although one may neglect the pūrva-vidhi. Thus the actual injunction is that one may praise but should not criticize. This is called śleṣokti, or a statement having two meanings. Rāmacandra Purī, however, acted in just the opposite way, for he neglected the para-vidhi but strictly observed the pūrva-vidhi. Since he avoided following the principle of not criticizing, Rāmacandra Purī broke both the rules.
Text
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘Between the former rule and the latter rule, the latter is more important.’
Purport
This is a verse from the nyāya literatures.
Text
guṇa-madhye chale kare doṣa-āropaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“Even where there are hundreds of good qualities, a critic does not consider them. Rather, he attempts by some trick to point out a fault in those attributes.
Text
tathāpi kahiye kichu marma-duḥkha pāya
Synonyms
Translation
“One should not, therefore, follow the principles of Rāmacandra Purī. Nevertheless, I have to say something against him because he is making our hearts unhappy.
Text
pūrvavat nimantraṇa māna’, — sabāra bola dhara”
Synonyms
Translation
“Why have You given up proper eating due to the criticism of Rāmacandra Purī? Please accept invitations as before. This is the request of us all.”
Text
‘sahaja’ dharma kahe teṅho, tāṅra kibā doṣa?
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Why are all of you angry at Rāmacandra Purī? He is expounding the natural principles of sannyāsa life. Why are you accusing him?
Text
yatira dharma, — prāṇa rākhite āhāra-mātra khāya”
Synonyms
Translation
“For a sannyāsī to indulge in satisfying the tongue is a great offense. The duty of a sannyāsī is to eat only as much as needed to keep body and soul together.”
Text
sabāra āgrahe prabhu ardheka rākhilā
Synonyms
Translation
When they all requested very fervently that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu take a full meal, He still would not do so. Instead, He responded to their request by accepting half as much as usual.
Text
kabhu dui-jana bhoktā, kabhu tina-jane
Synonyms
Translation
The cost for the food needed to invite Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was fixed at two paṇas of kauḍis [160 conchshells], and that food would be taken by two men and sometimes three.
Text
prasāda-mūlya la-ite lāge kauḍi dui-paṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When a brāhmaṇa at whose home an invitation could not be accepted invited the Lord, he would pay two paṇas of conchshells to purchase the prasādam.
Text
kichu ‘prasāda’ āne, kichu pāka kare ghare
Synonyms
Translation
When a brāhmaṇa at whose home an invitation could be accepted invited Him, the brāhmaṇa would purchase part of the prasādam and cook the rest at home.
Text
nimantraṇera dine yadi kare nimantraṇa
tāhāṅ prabhura svātantrya nāi, yaiche tāṅra mana
Synonyms
paṇḍita-gosāñi — Gadādhara Paṇḍita; bhagavān-ācārya — Bhagavān Ācārya; sārvabhauma — Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; nimantraṇera dine — on the day on which Lord Caitanya was invited by others; yadi — if; kare nimantraṇa — they would invite; tāṅ-sabāra — of all of them; icchāya — by the desire; prabhu — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; karena bhojana — would accept His meal; tāhāṅ — in that case; prabhura — of Lord Caitanya; svātantrya nāi — there was no independence; yaiche — as; tāṅra — of them; mana — the mind.
Translation
Even on a day when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was invited to dine by others, if Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Bhagavān Ācārya or Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya invited Him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had no independence. He would accept their invitations as they desired.
Text
yāhāṅ yaiche yogya, tāhāṅ karena vyavahāra
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu actually descended to give happiness to the devotees. Thus He behaved in whatever way fit the time and circumstances.
Text
kabhu svatantra, karena ‘aiśvarya’ prakaṭana
Synonyms
Translation
Because of His full independence, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sometimes behaved like a common man and sometimes manifested His godly opulence.
Text
kabhu tāre nāhi māne, dekhe tṛṇa-prāya
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sometimes accepted Rāmacandra Purī as His master and considered Himself a servant, and sometimes the Lord, not caring for him, would see him as being just like a straw.
Text
yabe yei karena, sei saba — manohara
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu behaved exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, beyond the restriction of anyone’s intelligence. He did whatever He liked, but all His activities were very beautiful.
Text
dina kata rahi’ gelā ‘tīrtha’ karibāre
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Rāmacandra Purī stayed for some days at Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī]. Then he left to visit various holy places of pilgrimage.
Text
śirera pāthara yena paḍila ācambita
Synonyms
Translation
The devotees considered Rāmacandra Purī to be like a great burden on their heads. When he left Jagannātha Purī, everyone felt extremely happy, as if a great stone burden had suddenly fallen from their heads to the ground.
Text
svacchande karena sabe prasāda bhojana
Synonyms
svacchande — freely; nimantraṇa — invitation; prabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kīrtana-nartana — chanting and dancing; svacchande — in full independence; karena sabe — everyone did; prasāda bhojana — accepting prasādam.
Translation
After his departure, everything was happy once again. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted invitations as usual and led congregational chanting and dancing. Everyone else also accepted prasādam without hindrances.
Text
krame īśvara-paryanta aparādhe ṭhekaya
Synonyms
Translation
If one’s spiritual master rejects him, one becomes so fallen that he, like Rāmacandra Purī, commits offenses even to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text
tāra phala-dvārā loke śikṣā karāila
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not consider the offenses of Rāmacandra Purī, for the Lord considered him His spiritual master. However, his character instructed everyone about the result of offending the spiritual master.
Text
śunite śravaṇe mane lāgaye madhura
Synonyms
Translation
The character of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is full of nectar. Hearing about it is pleasing to the ear and mind.
Text
anāyāse pābe prema śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
I write about the character of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. O readers, please hear with attention, for thus you will easily receive ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Text
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
Synonyms
śrī-rūpa — Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; raghunātha — Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī; pade — at the lotus feet; yāra — whose; āśa — expectation; caitanya-caritāmṛta — the book named Caitanya-caritāmṛta; kahe — describes; kṛṣṇadāsa — Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
Translation
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.
Purport
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, eighth chapter, describing how the Lord reduced His eating in fear of the criticism of Rāmacandra Purī.