CHAPTER FOUR
Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service
In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the fourth chapter. Passing along the path of Chatrabhoga and coming to Vṛddhamantreśvara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the border of Orissa. On His way He enjoyed transcendental bliss by chanting and begging alms in different villages. In this way He reached the celebrated village of Remuṇā, where there is a Deity of Gopīnātha. There He narrated the story of Mādhavendra Purī, as He had heard it from His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. The narration is as follows.
One night while in Govardhana, Mādhavendra Purī dreamed that the Gopāla Deity was within the forest. The next morning he invited his neighborhood friends to accompany him to excavate the Deity from the jungle. He then established the Deity of Śrī Gopālajī on top of Govardhana Hill with great pomp. Gopāla was worshiped, and the Annakūṭa festival was observed. This festival was known everywhere, and many people from the neighboring villages came to join. One night the Gopāla Deity again appeared to Mādhavendra Purī in a dream and asked him to go to Jagannātha Purī to collect some sandalwood pulp and smear it on the body of the Deity. Having received this order, Mādhavendra Purī immediately started for Orissa. Traveling through Bengal, he reached Remuṇā village and there received a pot of condensed milk (kṣīra) offered to the Deity of Gopīnāthajī. This pot of condensed milk was stolen by Gopīnātha and delivered to Mādhavendra Purī. Since then, the Gopīnātha Deity has been known as Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha, the Deity who stole the pot of condensed milk. After reaching Jagannātha Purī, Mādhavendra Purī received permission from the King to take out one maund of sandalwood and twenty tolas of camphor. Aided by two men, he brought these things to Remuṇā. Again he saw in a dream that Gopāla at Govardhana Hill desired that very sandalwood to be turned into pulp mixed with camphor and smeared over the body of Gopīnāthajī. Understanding that that would satisfy the Gopāla Deity at Govardhana, Mādhavendra Purī executed the order and returned to Jagannātha Purī.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu narrated this story for Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and other devotees and praised the pure devotional service of Mādhavendra Purī. When He recited some verses composed by Mādhavendra Purī, He went into an ecstatic mood. But when He saw that many people were assembled, He checked Himself and ate some sweet rice prasādam. Thus He passed that night, and the next morning He again started for Jagannātha Purī.
Bengali
গোপীনাথঃ ক্ষীরচোরাভিধোঽভূৎ ।
শ্রীগোপালঃ প্রাদুরাসীদ্বশঃ সন্
যৎপ্রেম্ণা তং মাধবেন্দ্রং নতোঽস্মি ॥ ১ ॥
Text
gopīnāthaḥ kṣīra-corābhidho ’bhūt
śrī-gopālaḥ prādurāsīd vaśaḥ san
yat-premṇā taṁ mādhavendraṁ nato ’smi
Synonyms
yasmai — unto whom; dātum — to deliver; corayan — stealing; kṣīra-bhāṇḍam — the pot of sweet rice; gopīnāthaḥ — Gopīnātha; kṣīra-corā — stealer of a pot of sweet rice; abhidhaḥ — celebrated; abhūt — became; śrī-gopālaḥ — Śrī Gopāla Deity; prādurāsīt — appeared; vaśaḥ — captivated; san — being; yat-premṇā — by his love; tam — unto him; mādhavendram — Mādhavendra Purī, who was in the Madhva-sampradāya; nataḥ asmi — I offer my respectful obeisances.
Translation
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Mādhavendra Purī, who was given a pot of sweet rice stolen by Śrī Gopīnātha, celebrated thereafter as Kṣīra-corā. Being pleased by Mādhavendra Purī’s love, Śrī Gopāla, the Deity at Govardhana, appeared to the public vision.
Purport
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura annotates that this Gopāla Deity was originally installed by Vajra, the great-grandson of Kṛṣṇa. Mādhavendra Purī rediscovered Gopāla and established Him on top of Govardhana Hill. This Gopāla Deity is now situated at Nāthadvāra and is under the management of descendants of Vallabhācārya. The worship of the Deity is very luxurious, and one who goes there can purchase varieties of prasādam by paying a small price.
Bengali
জয়াদ্বৈতচন্দ্র জয় গৌড়ভক্তবৃন্দ ॥ ২ ॥
Text
jayādvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
Bengali
সার্বভৌম ভট্টাচার্য-প্ৰভুর মিলন ॥ ৩ ॥
বিস্তারি’ করিয়াছেন উত্তম বর্ণন ॥ ৪ ॥
Text
sārvabhauma bhaṭṭācārya-prabhura milana
vistāri’ kariyāchena uttama varṇana
Synonyms
nīlādri-gamana — going to Jagannātha Purī; jagannātha-daraśana — visiting the temple of Lord Jagannātha; sārvabhauma bhaṭṭācārya — with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; prabhura — of the Lord; milana — meeting; e saba — all these; līlā — pastimes; prabhura — of the Lord; dāsa vṛndāvana — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura; vistāri’ — elaborating; kariyāchena — has done; uttama — very nice; varṇana — description.
Translation
The Lord went to Jagannātha Purī and visited Lord Jagannātha’s temple. He also met with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. All these pastimes have been very elaborately explained by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura in his book Caitanya-bhāgavata.
Bengali
বৃন্দাবনদাস-মুখে অমৃতের ধার ॥ ৫ ॥
Text
vṛndāvana-dāsa-mukhe amṛtera dhāra
Synonyms
Translation
By nature all the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are very wonderful and sweet, and when they are described by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, they become like a shower of nectar.
Bengali
দম্ভ করি’ বর্ণি যদি তৈছে নাহি শক্তি ॥ ৬ ॥
Text
dambha kari’ varṇi yadi taiche nāhi śakti
Synonyms
Translation
Therefore I very humbly submit that since these incidents have already been nicely described by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, I would be very proud to repeat the same thing, and this would not be very good. I do not have such powers.
Bengali
সূত্ররূপে সেই লীলা করিয়ে সূচন ॥ ৭ ॥
Text
sūtra-rūpe sei līlā kariye sūcana
Synonyms
Translation
I am therefore presenting only a synopsis of those events already described elaborately by Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura in his Caitanya-maṅgala [now known as Caitanya-bhāgavata].
Bengali
যথাকথঞ্চিত্ করি’ যে লীলা কথন ॥ ৮ ॥
Text
yathā-kathañcit kari’ se līlā kathana
Synonyms
Translation
Some of the incidents he did not describe elaborately but only summarized, and these I shall try to describe in this book.
Bengali
তাঁর পায় অপরাধ না হউক্ আমার ॥ ৯ ॥
Text
tāṅra pāya aparādha nā ha-uk āmāra
Synonyms
Translation
I thus offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. I hope that I will not offend his lotus feet by this action.
Bengali
চারি ভক্ত সঙ্গে কৃষ্ণকীর্তন-কুতূহলে ॥ ১০ ॥
Text
cāri bhakta saṅge kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-kutūhale
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu proceeded toward Jagannātha Purī with four of His devotees, and He chanted the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, with great eagerness.
Bengali
আপনে বহুত অন্ন আনিল মাগিয়া ॥ ১১ ॥
Text
āpane bahuta anna ānila māgiyā
Synonyms
Translation
Each day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally went to a village and collected a great quantity of rice and other grains for the preparation of prasādam.
Bengali
তা’ সবারে কৃপা করি’ আইলা রেমুণারে ॥ ১২ ॥
Text
tā’ sabāre kṛpā kari’ āilā remuṇāre
Synonyms
Translation
There were many rivers on the way, and at each river there was a tax collector. The tax collectors did not hinder the Lord, however, and He showed them mercy. Finally He reached the village of Remuṇā.
Purport
There is a railway station named Baleśvara, and five miles to the west is the village of Remuṇā. The temple of Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha still exists in this village, and within the temple the samādhi tomb of Rasikānanda Prabhu, the chief disciple of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, can still be found.
Bengali
ভক্তি করি’ কৈল প্রভু তাঁর দরশন ॥ ১৩ ॥
Text
bhakti kari’ kaila prabhu tāṅra daraśana
Synonyms
Translation
The Deity of Gopīnātha in the temple at Remuṇā was very attractive. Lord Caitanya visited the temple and offered His obeisances with great devotion.
Bengali
তাঁর পুষ্প-চূড়া পড়িল প্ৰভুর মাথাতে ॥ ১৪ ॥
Text
tāṅra puṣpa-cūḍā paḍila prabhura māthāte
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His obeisances at the lotus feet of the Gopīnātha Deity, the helmet of flowers on the head of Gopīnātha fell down and landed on the head of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Bengali
বহু নৃত্যগীত কৈল লঞা ভক্তগণ ॥ ১৫ ॥
Text
bahu nṛtya-gīta kaila lañā bhakta-gaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When the Deity’s helmet fell upon His head, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very pleased, and thus He chanted and danced in various ways with His devotees.
Bengali
বিস্মিত হইলা গোপীনাথের দাসগণ ॥ ১৬ ॥
Text
vismita ha-ilā gopīnāthera dāsa-gaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
All the servants of the Deity were struck with wonder due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s intense love, His exquisite beauty and His transcendental qualities.
Bengali
সেই রাত্রি তাহাঁ প্রভু করিলা বঞ্চন ॥ ১৭ ॥
Text
sei rātri tāhāṅ prabhu karilā vañcana
Synonyms
Translation
Because of their love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they served Him in many ways, and that night the Lord stayed at the temple of Gopīnātha.
Bengali
পূর্বে ঈশ্বরপুরী তাঁরে কহিয়াছেন কথা ॥ ১৮ ॥
Text
pūrve īśvara-purī tāṅre kahiyāchena kathā
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord remained there because He was very eager to receive the remnants of sweet rice offered to the Gopīnātha Deity, having heard a narration from His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, of what had once happened there.
Bengali
ভক্তগণে কহে প্রভু সেই ত’ আখ্যান ॥ ১৯ ॥
Text
bhakta-gaṇe kahe prabhu sei ta’ ākhyāna
Synonyms
Translation
That Deity was known widely as Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu told His devotees the story of how the Deity became so famous.
Bengali
অতএব নাম হৈল ‘ক্ষীরচোরা হরি’ ॥ ২০ ॥
Text
ataeva nāma haila ‘kṣīra-corā hari’
Synonyms
Translation
Formerly the Deity had stolen a pot of sweet rice for Mādhavendra Purī; therefore He became very famous as the Lord who stole the sweet rice.
Bengali
ভ্রমিতে ভ্রমিতে গেলা গিরি গোবর্ধন ॥ ২১ ॥
Text
bhramite bhramite gelā giri govardhana
Synonyms
Translation
Once, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī traveled to Vṛndāvana, where he came upon the hill known as Govardhana.
Bengali
ক্ষণে উঠে, ক্ষণে পড়ে, নাহি স্থানাস্থান ॥ ২২ ॥
Text
kṣaṇe uṭhe, kṣaṇe paḍe, nāhi sthānāsthāna
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī was almost mad in his ecstasy of love of Godhead, and he did not know whether it was day or night. Sometimes he stood up, and sometimes he fell to the ground. He could not discriminate whether he was in a proper place or not.
Bengali
স্নান করি, বৃক্ষতলে আছে সন্ধ্যায় বসি’ ॥ ২৩ ॥
Text
snāna kari, vṛkṣa-tale āche sandhyāya vasi’
Synonyms
Translation
After circumambulating the hill, Mādhavendra Purī went to Govinda-kuṇḍa and took his bath. He then sat beneath a tree to take his evening rest.
Bengali
আসি’ আগে ধরি’ কিছু বলিল হাসিয়া ॥ ২৪ ॥
Text
āsi’ āge dhari’ kichu balila hāsiyā
Synonyms
Translation
While he was sitting beneath a tree, an unknown cowherd boy came with a pot of milk, placed it before Mādhavendra Purī and, smiling, addressed him as follows.
Bengali
মাগি’ কেনে নাহি খাও, কিবা কর ধ্যান ॥ ২৫ ॥
Text
māgi’ kene nāhi khāo, kibā kara dhyāna
Synonyms
Translation
“O Mādhavendra Purī, please drink the milk I have brought. Why don’t you beg some food to eat? What kind of meditation are you undergoing?”
Bengali
তাহার মধুর-বাক্যে গেল ভোক-শোষ ॥ ২৬ ॥
Text
tāhāra madhura-vākye gela bhoka-śoṣa
Synonyms
Translation
When he saw the beauty of that boy, Mādhavendra Purī became very satisfied. Hearing His sweet words, he forgot all hunger and thirst.
Bengali
কেমতে জানিলে, আমি করি উপবাস ॥ ২৭ ॥
Text
ke-mate jānile, āmi kari upavāsa
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī said, “Who are You? Where do You reside? And how did You know that I was fasting?”
Bengali
আমার গ্রামেতে কেহ না রহে উপবাসী ॥ ২৮ ॥
Text
āmāra grāmete keha nā rahe upavāsī
Synonyms
Translation
The boy replied, “Sir, I am a cowherd boy, and I reside in this village. In My village, no one fasts.
Bengali
অযাচক-জনে আমি দিয়ে ত’ আহার ॥ ২৯ ॥
Text
ayācaka-jane āmi diye ta’ āhāra
Synonyms
Translation
“In this village a person can beg food from others and thus eat. Some people drink only milk, but if a person does not ask anyone for food, I supply him all his eatables.
Bengali
স্ত্রীসব দুগ্ধ দিয়া আমারে পাঠাইল ॥ ৩০ ॥
Text
strī-saba dugdha diyā āmāre pāṭhāila
Synonyms
Translation
“The women who come here to take water saw you, and they supplied Me with this milk and sent Me to you.”
Bengali
আরবার আসি আমি এই ভাণ্ড লইব ॥ ৩১ ॥
Text
āra-bāra āsi āmi ei bhāṇḍa la-iba
Synonyms
Translation
The boy continued, “I must go very soon to milk the cows, but I shall return and take back this milk pot from you.”
Bengali
মাধব-পুরীর চিত্তে হইল চমৎকার ॥ ৩২ ॥
Text
mādhava-purīra citte ha-ila camatkāra
Synonyms
Translation
Saying this, the boy left the place. Indeed, He suddenly could be seen no more, and Mādhavendra Purī’s heart was filled with wonder.
Bengali
বাট দেখে, সে বালক পুনঃ না আইল ॥ ৩৩ ॥
Text
bāṭa dekhe, se bālaka punaḥ nā āila
Synonyms
Translation
After drinking the milk, Mādhavendra Purī washed the pot and put it aside. He looked toward the path, but the boy never returned.
Bengali
শেষরাত্রে তন্দ্রা হৈল, — বাহ্যবৃত্তি-লয় ॥ ৩৪ ॥
Text
śeṣa-rātre tandrā haila, — bāhya-vṛtti-laya
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī could not sleep. He sat and chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and at the end of the night he dozed a little, and his external activities stopped.
Bengali
এক কুঞ্জে লঞা গেল হাতেতে ধরিঞা ॥ ৩৫ ॥
Text
eka kuñje lañā gela hātete dhariñā
Synonyms
Translation
In a dream Mādhavendra Purī saw the very same boy. The boy came before him and, holding his hand, took him to a bush in the jungle.
Bengali
শীত-বৃষ্টি-বাতাগ্নিতে মহা-দুঃখ পাই ॥ ৩৬ ॥
Text
śīta-vṛṣṭi-vātāgnite mahā-duḥkha pāi
Synonyms
Translation
The boy showed Mādhavendra Purī the bush and said, “I reside in this bush, and because of this I suffer very much from severe cold, rain showers, winds and scorching heat.
Bengali
পর্বত-উপরি লঞা রাখ ভালমতে ॥ ৩৭ ॥
Text
parvata-upari lañā rākha bhāla-mate
Synonyms
Translation
“Please bring the people of the village and get them to take Me out of this bush. Then have them situate Me nicely on top of the hill.
Bengali
বহু শীতল জলে কর শ্রীঅঙ্গ মার্জন ॥ ৩৮ ॥
Text
bahu śītala jale kara śrī-aṅga mārjana
Synonyms
Translation
“Please construct a temple on top of that hill,” the boy continued, “and install Me in that temple. After this, wash Me with large quantities of cold water so that My body may be cleansed.
Bengali
কবে আসি’ মাধব আমা করিবে সেবন ॥ ৩৯ ॥
Text
kabe āsi’ mādhava āmā karibe sevana
Synonyms
Translation
“For many days I have been observing you, and I have been wondering, ‘When will Mādhavendra Purī come here to serve Me?’
Bengali
দর্শন দিয়া নিস্তারিব সকল সংসার ॥ ৪০ ॥
Text
darśana diyā nistāriba sakala saṁsāra
Synonyms
Translation
“I have accepted your service due to your ecstatic love for Me. Thus I shall appear, and by My audience all fallen souls will be delivered.
Bengali
বজ্রের স্থাপিত, আমি ইহাঁ অধিকারী ॥ ৪১ ॥
Text
vajrera sthāpita, āmi ihāṅ adhikārī
Synonyms
Translation
“My name is Gopāla. I am the lifter of Govardhana Hill. I was installed by Vajra, and here I am the authority.
Bengali
ম্লেচ্ছ-ভয়ে সেবক মোর গেল পলাঞা ॥ ৪২ ॥
Text
mleccha-bhaye sevaka mora gela palāñā
Synonyms
Translation
“When the Muslims attacked, the priest who was serving Me hid Me in this bush in the jungle. Then he ran away out of fear of the attack.
Bengali
ভাল হৈল আইলা আমা কাঢ় সাবধানে ॥ ৪৩ ॥
Text
bhāla haila āilā āmā kāḍha sāvadhāne
Synonyms
Translation
“Since the priest went away, I have been staying in this bush. It is very good that you have come here. Now just remove Me with care.”
Bengali
জাগিয়া মাধবপুরী বিচার করিল ॥ ৪৪ ॥
Text
jāgiyā mādhava-purī vicāra karila
Synonyms
Translation
After saying this, the boy disappeared. Then Mādhavendra Purī woke up and began to consider his dream.
Bengali
এত বলি’ প্রেমাবেশে পড়িলা ভূমিতে ॥ ৪৫ ॥
Text
eta bali’ premāveśe paḍilā bhūmite
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī began to lament, “I saw Lord Kṛṣṇa directly, but I could not recognize Him!” Thus he fell down on the ground in ecstatic love.
Bengali
আজ্ঞা-পালন লাগি’ হইলা সুস্থির ॥ ৪৬ ॥
Text
ājñā-pālana lāgi’ ha-ilā susthira
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī cried for some time, but then he fixed his mind on executing the order of Gopāla. Thus he became tranquil.
Bengali
সব লোক একত্র করি’ কহিতে লাগিলা ॥ ৪৭ ॥
Text
saba loka ekatra kari’ kahite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
After taking his morning bath, Mādhavendra Purī entered the village and assembled all the people. Then he spoke as follows.
Bengali
কুঞ্জে আছে, চল, তাঁরে বাহির যে করি ॥ ৪৮ ॥
Text
kuñje āche, cala, tāṅre bāhira ye kari
Synonyms
Translation
“The proprietor of this village, Govardhana-dhārī, is lying in the bushes. Let us go there and rescue Him from that place.
Bengali
কুঠারি কোদালি লহ দ্বার করিতে ॥ ৪৯ ॥
Text
kuṭhāri kodāli laha dvāra karite
Synonyms
Translation
“The bushes are very dense, and we will not be able to enter the jungle. Therefore take choppers and spades to clear the way.”
Bengali
কুঞ্জ কাটি’ দ্বার করি’ করিলা প্ৰবেশে ॥ ৫০ ॥
Text
kuñja kāṭi’ dvāra kari’ karilā praveśe
Synonyms
Translation
After hearing this, all the people accompanied Mādhavendra Purī with great pleasure. According to his directions, they cut down bushes, cleared a path and entered the jungle.
Bengali
দেখি’ সব লোক হৈল আনন্দে বিস্মিত ॥ ৫১ ॥
Text
dekhi’ saba loka haila ānande vismita
Synonyms
Translation
When they saw the Deity covered with dirt and grass, they were all struck with wonder and pleasure.
Bengali
মহা-ভারী ঠাকুর — কেহ নারে চালাইতে ॥ ৫২ ॥
Text
mahā-bhārī ṭhākura — keha nāre cālāite
Synonyms
Translation
After they had cleansed the body of the Deity, some of them said, “The Deity is very heavy. No single person can move Him.”
Bengali
পর্বত-উপরি গেল পুরী ঠাকুর লঞা ॥ ৫৩ ॥
Text
parvata-upari gela purī ṭhākura lañā
Synonyms
Translation
Since the Deity was very heavy, some of the stronger men assembled to carry Him to the top of the hill. Mādhavendra Purī also went there.
Bengali
বড় এক পাথর পৃষ্ঠে অবলম্ব দিল ॥ ৫৪ ॥
Text
baḍa eka pāthara pṛṣṭhe avalamba dila
Synonyms
Translation
A big stone was made into a throne, and the Deity was installed upon it. Another big stone was placed behind the Deity for support.
Bengali
গোবিন্দ-কুণ্ডের জল আনিল ছানিঞা ॥ ৫৫ ॥
Text
govinda-kuṇḍera jala ānila chāniñā
Synonyms
Translation
All the brāhmaṇa priests of the village gathered together with nine waterpots, and water from Govinda-kuṇḍa lake was brought there and filtered.
Bengali
নানা বাদ্য-ভেরী বাজে, স্ত্রীগণ গায় গীত ॥ ৫৬ ॥
Text
nānā vādya-bherī bāje, strī-gaṇa gāya gīta
Synonyms
Translation
When the Deity was being installed, nine hundred pots of water were brought from Govinda-kuṇḍa. There were musical sounds of bugles and drums and the singing of women.
Bengali
দধি, দুগ্ধ, ঘৃত আইল গ্রামে যত ছিল ॥ ৫৭ ॥
Text
dadhi, dugdha, ghṛta āila grāme yata chila
Synonyms
Translation
During the festival at the installation ceremony, some people sang and some danced. All the milk, yogurt and clarified butter in the village were brought to the festival.
Bengali
নানা উপহার, তাহা কহিতে পারি কত ॥ ৫৮ ॥
Text
nānā upahāra, tāhā kahite pāri kata
Synonyms
Translation
Various foods and sweetmeats, as well as other kinds of presentations, were brought there. I am unable to describe all these.
Bengali
আপনে মাধবপুরী কৈল অভিষেক ॥ ৫৯ ॥
Text
āpane mādhava-purī kaila abhiṣeka
Synonyms
Translation
The villagers brought a large quantity of tulasī leaves, flowers and various kinds of garments. Then Śrī Mādhavendra Purī personally began the abhiṣeka [bathing ceremony].
Purport
In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (sixth vilāsa, verse 30) it is stated that the Deity should be bathed in water mixed with yogurt and milk, accompanied by the sounds of conchshells, bells and other instruments and the chanting of the mantra oṁ bhagavate vāsudevāya namaḥ, as well as the chanting of the Brahma-saṁhitā verses beginning cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam.
Bengali
বহু তৈল দিয়া কৈল শ্রীঅঙ্গ চিক্কণ ॥ ৬০ ॥
Text
bahu taila diyā kaila śrī-aṅga cikkaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
After all inauspicious things were driven away by the chanting of the mantra, the Deity’s bathing ceremony started. First the Deity was massaged with a large quantity of oil, so that His body became very glossy.
Bengali
মহাস্নান করাইল শত ঘট দিঞা ॥ ৬১ ॥
Text
mahā-snāna karāila śata ghaṭa diñā
Synonyms
Translation
After the first bathing, further bathings were conducted with pañca-gavya and then with pañcāmṛta. Then the mahā-snāna was performed with ghee and water, which had been brought in one hundred pots.
Purport
The ingredients of pañca-gavya are milk, yogurt, ghee (clarified butter), cow urine and cow dung. All these items come from the cow; therefore we can just imagine how important the cow is, since its urine and stool are required for bathing the Deity. The pañcāmṛta consists of five kinds of nectar — yogurt, milk, ghee, honey and sugar. The major portion of this preparation also comes from the cow. To make it more palatable, sugar and honey are added.
Bengali
শঙ্খ-গন্ধোদকে কৈল স্নান সমাধান ॥ ৬২ ॥
Text
śaṅkha-gandhodake kaila snāna samādhāna
Synonyms
Translation
After the mahā-snāna was finished, the Deity was again massaged with scented oil and His body made glossy. Then the last bathing ceremony was performed with scented water kept within a conchshell.
Purport
In his commentary on this occasion, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes from the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. Barley powder, wheat powder, vermilion powder, urad dhal powder and another powder preparation called āvāṭā (made by mixing banana powder and ground rice) are applied to the Deity’s body with a brush made from the hair at the end of a cow’s tail. This produces a nice finish. The oil smeared over the body of the Deity should be scented. To perform the mahā-snāna, at least two and a half mānas (about twenty-four gallons) of water are needed to pour over the body of the Deity.
Bengali
চন্দন, তুলসী, পুষ্প-মালা অঙ্গে দিল ॥ ৬৩ ॥
Text
candana, tulasī, puṣpa-mālā aṅge dila
Synonyms
Translation
After the body of the Deity was cleansed, He was dressed very nicely with new garments. Then sandalwood pulp, tulasī garlands and other fragrant flower garlands were placed upon the body of the Deity.
Bengali
দধি-দুগ্ধ-সন্দেশাদি যত কিছু আইল ॥ ৬৪ ॥
Text
dadhi-dugdha-sandeśādi yata kichu āila
Synonyms
Translation
After the bathing ceremony was finished, incense and lamps were burned and all kinds of food offered before the Deity. These foods included yogurt, milk and as many sweetmeats as were received.
Bengali
আচমন দিয়া সে তাম্বূল নিবেদিল ॥ ৬৫ ॥
Text
ācamana diyā se tāmbūla nivedila
Synonyms
Translation
The Deity was first offered many varieties of food, then scented drinking water in new pots, and then water for washing the mouth. Finally pan mixed with a variety of spices was offered.
Bengali
দণ্ডবৎ করি’ কৈল আত্ম-সমর্পণ ॥ ৬৬ ॥
Text
daṇḍavat kari’ kaila ātma-samarpaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
After the last offering of tāmbūla and pan, bhoga-ārātrika was performed. Finally everyone offered various prayers and then obeisances, falling flat before the Deity in full surrender.
Bengali
সকল আনিয়া দিল পর্বত হৈল পূর্ণ ॥ ৬৭ ॥
Text
sakala āniyā dila parvata haila pūrṇa
Synonyms
Translation
As soon as the people of the village had understood that the Deity was going to be installed, they had brought their entire stocks of rice, dhal and wheat flour. They brought such large quantities that the entire surface of the top of the hill was filled.
Bengali
সব আনাইল প্রাতে, চড়িল রন্ধন ॥ ৬৮ ॥
Text
saba ānāila prāte, caḍila randhana
Synonyms
Translation
When the villagers brought their stock of rice, dhal and flour, the potters of the village brought all kinds of cooking pots, and in the morning the cooking began.
Bengali
জনা-পাঁচ রান্ধে ব্যঞ্জনাদি নানা সূপ ॥ ৬৯ ॥
Text
janā-pāṅca rāndhe vyañjanādi nānā sūpa
Synonyms
Translation
Ten brāhmaṇas cooked the food grains, and five brāhmaṇas cooked both dry and liquid vegetables.
Bengali
কেহ বড়া-বড়ি-কড়ি করে বিপ্ৰগণ ॥ ৭০ ॥
Text
keha baḍā-baḍi-kaḍi kare vipra-gaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The vegetable preparations were made from various kinds of spinach, roots and fruits collected from the forest, and someone made baḍā and baḍi by mashing dhal. In this way the brāhmaṇas prepared all kinds of food.
Bengali
অন্ন-ব্যঞ্জন সব রহে ঘৃতে ভাসি’ ॥ ৭১ ॥
Text
anna-vyañjana saba rahe ghṛte bhāsi’
Synonyms
Translation
Five to seven men prepared a huge quantity of chapatis, which were completely covered with ghee [clarified butter], as were all the vegetables, rice and dhal.
Bengali
রান্ধি’ রান্ধি’ তার উপর রাশি কৈল ভাত ॥ ৭২ ॥
Text
rāndhi’ rāndhi’ tāra upara rāśi kaila bhāta
Synonyms
Translation
All the cooked rice was stacked on palāśa leaves, which were on new cloths spread over the ground.
Bengali
সূপ-আদি-ব্যঞ্জন-ভাণ্ড চৌদিকে ধরিল ॥ ৭৩ ॥
Text
sūpa-ādi-vyañjana-bhāṇḍa caudike dharila
Synonyms
Translation
Around the stack of cooked rice were stacks of chapatis, and all the vegetables and liquid vegetable preparations were placed in different pots and put around them.
Bengali
পায়স, মথনী, সর পাশে ধরি আনি’ ॥ ৭৪ ॥
Text
pāyasa, mathanī, sara pāśe dhari āni’
Synonyms
Translation
Pots of yogurt, milk, buttermilk and śikhariṇī, sweet rice, cream and solid cream were placed alongside the vegetables.
Purport
In this kind of ceremony, which is called Annakūṭa, cooked rice is stacked like a small mountain for prasādam distribution.
Bengali
পুরী-গোসাঞি গোপালেরে কৈল সমর্পণ ॥ ৭৫ ॥
Text
purī-gosāñi gopālere kaila samarpaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
In this way the Annakūṭa ceremony was performed, and Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī personally offered everything to Gopāla.
Bengali
বহুদিনের ক্ষুধায় গোপাল খাইল সকল ॥ ৭৬ ॥
Text
bahu-dinera kṣudhāya gopāla khāila sakala
Synonyms
Translation
Many waterpots were filled with scented water for drinking, and Lord Śrī Gopāla, who had been hungry for many days, ate everything offered to Him.
Bengali
তাঁর হস্ত-স্পর্শে পুনঃ তেমনি হইল ॥ ৭৭ ॥
Text
tāṅra hasta-sparśe punaḥ temani ha-ila
Synonyms
Translation
Although Śrī Gopāla ate everything offered, still, by the touch of His transcendental hand, everything remained as before.
Purport
The atheists cannot understand how the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing in the form of the Deity, can eat all the food offered by His devotees. In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) Kṛṣṇa says:
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.” The Lord is pūrṇa, complete, and therefore He eats everything offered by His devotees. However, by the touch of His transcendental hand, all the food remains exactly as before. It is the quality that is changed. Before the food was offered, it was something else, but after it is offered the food acquires a transcendental quality. Because the Lord is pūrṇa, He remains the same even after eating. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate. The food offered to Kṛṣṇa is qualitatively as good as Kṛṣṇa; just as Kṛṣṇa is avyaya, indestructible, the food eaten by Kṛṣṇa, being identical with Him, remains as before.
Apart from this, Kṛṣṇa can eat the food with any one of His transcendental senses. He can eat by seeing the food or by touching it. Nor should one think that it is necessary for Kṛṣṇa to eat. He does not become hungry like an ordinary human being; nonetheless, He presents Himself as being hungry, and as such, He can eat everything and anything, regardless of quantity. The philosophy underlying Kṛṣṇa’s eating is understandable by our transcendental senses. When our senses are purified by constantly being engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, we can understand Kṛṣṇa’s activities, names, forms, qualities, pastimes and entourage.
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
“No one can understand Kṛṣṇa by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234) The devotees understand Kṛṣṇa through revelation. It is not possible for a mundane scholar to understand Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes through research work on the nondevotional platform.
Bengali
তাঁর ঠাঞি গোপালের লুকান কিছু নাই ॥ ৭৮ ॥
Text
tāṅra ṭhāñi gopālera lukāna kichu nāi
Synonyms
Translation
How Gopāla ate everything while the food remained the same was transcendentally perceived by Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī; nothing remains a secret to the devotees of the Lord.
Bengali
গোপাল-প্রভাবে হয়, অন্যে না জানিল ॥ ৭৯ ॥
Text
gopāla-prabhāve haya, anye nā jānila
Synonyms
Translation
The wonderful festival and installation of Śrī Gopālajī was arranged in one day. Certainly all this was accomplished by the potency of Gopāla. No one but a devotee can understand this.
Purport
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has spread all over the world within a very short time (within five years), and mundane people are very much astonished at this. However, by the grace of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we understand that everything is possible by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Why does Kṛṣṇa have to take five years? In five days He can spread His name and fame all over the world like wildfire. Those who have faith in and devotion to Kṛṣṇa can understand that these things happen so wonderfully by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We are simply the instruments. In the fierce Battle of Kurukṣetra, Arjuna was victorious within eighteen days simply because Kṛṣṇa’s grace was on his side.
tatra śrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama
“Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power and morality. That is my opinion.” (Bg. 18.78)
If the preachers in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are sincere devotees of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will always be with them because He is very kind and favorable to all His devotees. Just as Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa were victorious in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will surely emerge victorious if we but remain sincere devotees of the Lord and serve the Lord according to the advice of the predecessors (the six Gosvāmīs and other devotees of the Lord). As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has stated: tāṅdera caraṇa sevi bhakta-sane vāsa, janame janame haya ei abhilāṣa. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness devotees must always desire to remain in the society of devotees. Bhakta-sane vāsa: they cannot go outside the Kṛṣṇa consciousness society or movement. Within the society we must try to serve the predecessors by preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s cult and spreading His name and fame all over the world. If we attempt this seriously within the society, it will be successfully done. There is no question of estimating how this will happen in the mundane sense. But without a doubt, it happens by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
আরতি করিল লোকে, করে জয় জয় ॥ ৮০ ॥
Text
ārati karila loke, kare jaya jaya
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī offered water to Gopāla for washing His mouth, and he gave Him betel nuts to chew. Then, while ārati was performed, all the people chanted, “Jaya, Jaya!” [“All glories to Gopāla!”].
Bengali
নব বস্ত্র আনি’ তার উপরে পাতিয়া ॥ ৮১ ॥
Text
nava vastra āni’ tāra upare pātiyā
Synonyms
Translation
Arranging for the Lord’s rest, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī brought a new cot, and over this he spread a new bedspread and thus made the bed ready.
Bengali
উপরেতে এক টাটি দিয়া আচ্ছাদিল ॥ ৮২ ॥
Text
uparete eka ṭāṭi diyā ācchādila
Synonyms
Translation
A temporary temple was constructed by covering the bed all around with a straw mattress. Thus there was a bed and a straw mattress to cover it.
Bengali
আ-বাল-বৃদ্ধ গ্রামের লোক করাহ ভোজনে ॥ ৮৩ ॥
Text
ā-bāla-vṛddha grāmera loka karāha bhojane
Synonyms
Translation
After the Lord was laid down to rest on the bed, Mādhavendra Purī gathered all the brāhmaṇas who had prepared the prasādam and said to them, “Now feed everyone sumptuously, from the children on up to the aged!”
Bengali
ব্রাহ্মণ-ব্রাহ্মণীগণে আগে খাওয়াইল ॥ ৮৪ ॥
Text
brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇī-gaṇe āge khāoyāila
Synonyms
Translation
All the people gathered there sat down to honor the prasādam, and by and by they took food. All the brāhmaṇas and their wives were fed first.
Purport
According to the varṇāśrama system, the brāhmaṇas are always honored first. Thus at the festival, the brāhmaṇas and their wives were first offered the remnants of food, and then the others (kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). This has always been the system, and it is still prevalent in India, even though the caste brāhmaṇas are not qualified. The system is still current due to the varṇāśrama institutional rules and regulations.
Bengali
গোপাল দেখিয়া সবে প্রসাদ খাইল ॥ ৮৫ ॥
Text
gopāla dekhiyā saba prasāda khāila
Synonyms
Translation
Those who took prasādam included not only the people of Govardhana village but also those who came from other villages. They also saw the Deity of Gopāla and were offered prasādam to eat.
Bengali
পূর্ব অন্নকূট যেন হৈল সাক্ষাৎকার ॥ ৮৬ ॥
Text
pūrva annakūṭa yena haila sākṣātkāra
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing the influence of Mādhavendra Purī, all the people gathered there were struck with wonder. They saw that the Annakūṭa ceremony, which had been performed before during the time of Kṛṣṇa, was now taking place again by the mercy of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī.
Purport
Formerly, at the end of Dvāpara-yuga, all the cowherd men of Vṛndāvana had arranged to worship King Indra, but they gave this worship up, following the advice of Kṛṣṇa. Instead, they performed a ceremony whereby they worshiped the cows, brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill. At that time Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself and declared, “I am Govardhana Hill.” In this way He accepted all the paraphernalia and food offered to Govardhana Hill. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.24.26, 31-33):
saṁyāvā-pūpa-śaṣkulyaḥ sarva-dohaś ca gṛhyatām
proktaṁ niśamya nandādyāḥ sādhv agṛhṇanta tad-vacaḥ
vācayitvā svasty-ayanaṁ tad-dravyeṇa giri-dvijān
go-dhanāni puras-kṛtya giriṁ cakruḥ pradakṣiṇam
“ ‘Prepare very nice foods of all descriptions from the grains and ghee collected for the yajña. Prepare rice, dhal, then halavah, pakorā, purī and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweetballs, sandeśa, rasagullā and lāḍḍu.’
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, therefore advised the cowherd men to stop the Indra-yajña and begin the Govardhana-pūjā to chastise Indra, who was very much puffed up at being the supreme controller of the heavenly planets. The honest and simple cowherd men, headed by Nanda Mahārāja, accepted Kṛṣṇa’s proposal and executed in detail everything He advised. They performed Govardhana worship and circumambulation of the hill. According to the instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja and the cowherd men called in learned brāhmaṇas and began to worship Govardhana Hill by chanting Vedic hymns and offering prasādam. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana assembled together, decorated their cows and gave them grass. Keeping the cows in front, they began to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.”
Bengali
সেই সেই সেবা-মধ্যে সবা নিয়োজিল ॥ ৮৭ ॥
Text
sei sei sevā-madhye sabā niyojila
Synonyms
Translation
All the brāhmaṇas present on that occasion were initiated by Mādhavendra Purī into the Vaiṣṇava cult, and Mādhavendra Purī engaged them in different types of service.
Purport
In the scriptures it is stated, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A qualified brāhmaṇa must be expert in the occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa. His duties are mentioned as six brahminical engagements. Paṭhana means that a brāhmaṇa must be conversant with the Vedic scriptures. He must also be able to teach others to study the Vedic literatures. This is pāṭhana. He must also be expert in worshiping different deities and in performing the Vedic rituals (yajana). On account of this yajana, the brāhmaṇa, being the head of society, performs all the Vedic rituals for kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. This is called yājana, assisting others in performing ceremonies. The remaining two items are dāna and pratigraha. The brāhmaṇa accepts all kinds of contributions (pratigraha) from his followers (namely, the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras). But he does not keep all the money. He keeps only as much as required and gives the balance to others in charity (dāna).
In order for such a qualified brāhmaṇa to worship the Deity, he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Thus the Vaiṣṇava’s position is superior to that of the brāhmaṇa. This example given by Mādhavendra Purī confirms that even though a brāhmaṇa may be very expert, he cannot become a priest or servitor of the viṣṇu-mūrti unless he is initiated in vaiṣṇava-mantra. After installing the Deity of Gopāla, Mādhavendra Purī initiated all the brāhmaṇas into Vaiṣṇavism. He then allotted the brāhmaṇas different types of service to the Deity. From four in the morning until ten at night (from maṅgala-ārātrika to śayana-ārātrika), there must be at least five or six brāhmaṇas to take care of the Deity. Six ārātrikas are performed in the temple, and food is frequently offered to the Deity and the prasādam distributed. This is the method of worshiping the Deity according to the rules and regulations set by the predecessors. Our sampradāya belongs to the disciplic succession of Mādhavendra Purī, who belonged to the Madhva-sampradāya. We are in the disciplic succession of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was initiated by Śrī Īśvara Purī, a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī’s. Our sampradāya is therefore called the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. As such, we must carefully follow in the footsteps of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī and observe how he installed the Gopāla Deity on top of Govardhana Hill, how he arranged and performed the Annakūṭa ceremony in only one day, and so forth. Our installation of Deities in America and in the wealthy countries of Europe should be carried out in terms of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s activities. All the servitors of the Deity must be strictly qualified as brāhmaṇas and, specifically, must engage in the Vaiṣṇava custom of offering as much prasādam as possible and distributing it to the devotees who visit the temple to see the Lord.
Bengali
কিছু ভোগ লাগাইল করাইল জলপান ॥ ৮৮ ॥
Text
kichu bhoga lāgāila karāila jala-pāna
Synonyms
Translation
After taking rest, the Deity must be awakened at the end of the day, and immediately some food and some water must be offered to Him.
Purport
This offering is called vaikāli-bhoga, food offered at the end of the day.
Bengali
আশ-পাশ গ্রামের লোক দেখিতে আইল ॥ ৮৯ ॥
Text
āśa-pāśa grāmera loka dekhite āila
Synonyms
Translation
When it was advertised throughout the country that Lord Gopāla had appeared atop Govardhana Hill, all the people from neighboring villages came to see the Deity.
Bengali
অন্নকূট করে সবে হরষিত হঞা ॥ ৯০ ॥
Text
anna-kūṭa kare sabe haraṣita hañā
Synonyms
Translation
One village after another was pleased to beg Mādhavendra Purī to allot them one day to perform the Annakūṭa ceremony. Thus, day after day, the Annakūṭa ceremony was performed for some time.
Bengali
পুরী-গোসাঞি কৈল কিছু গব্য ভোজন ॥ ৯১ ॥
Text
purī-gosāñi kaila kichu gavya bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Mādhavendra Purī did not eat anything throughout the day, but at night, after laying the Deity down to rest, he took a milk preparation.
Bengali
অন্ন লঞা একগ্রামের আইল লোকগণ ॥ ৯২ ॥
Text
anna lañā eka-grāmera āila loka-gaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The next morning, the rendering of service to the Deity began again, and people from one village arrived with all kinds of food grains.
Bengali
গোপালের আগে লোক আনিয়া ধরিল ॥ ৯৩ ॥
Text
gopālera āge loka āniyā dharila
Synonyms
Translation
The inhabitants of the village brought to the Deity of Gopāla as much food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk as they had in their village.
Purport
Anna, ghṛta, dadhi and dugdha are food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk. Actually these are the basis of all food. Vegetables and fruits are subsidiary. Hundreds and thousands of preparations can be made out of grains, vegetables, ghee, milk and yogurt. The food offered to Gopāla in the Annakūṭa ceremony contained only these five ingredients. Only demoniac people are attracted to other types of food, which we will not even mention in this connection. We should understand that in order to prepare nutritious food, we require only grains, ghee, yogurt and milk. We cannot offer anything else to the Deity. The Vaiṣṇava, the perfect human being, does not accept anything not offered to the Deity. People are often frustrated with national food policies, but from the Vedic scriptures we find that if there are sufficient cows and grains, the entire food problem is solved. The vaiśyas (people engaged in agriculture and commerce) are therefore recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā to produce grains and give protection to cows. Cows are the most important animal because they produce the miracle food, milk, from which we can prepare ghee and yogurt.
The perfection of human civilization depends on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which recommends Deity worship. Preparations made from vegetables, grains, milk, ghee and yogurt are offered to the Deity and then distributed. Here we can see the difference between the East and the West. The people who came to see the Deity of Gopāla brought all kinds of food to offer the Deity. They brought all the food they had in stock, and they came before the Deity not only to accept prasādam for themselves but to distribute it to others. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement vigorously approves this practice of preparing food, offering it to the Deity and distributing it to the general population. This activity should be extended universally to stop sinful eating habits as well as other behavior befitting only demons. A demoniac civilization will never bring peace within the world. Since eating is the first necessity in human society, those engaged in solving the problems of preparing and distributing food should take lessons from Mādhavendra Purī and execute the Annakūṭa ceremony. When the people take to eating only prasādam offered to the Deity, all the demons will be turned into Vaiṣṇavas. When the people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally the government will be so also. A Kṛṣṇa conscious man is always a very liberal well-wisher of everyone. When such men head the government, the people will certainly be sinless. They will no longer be disturbing demons. It is then and then only that a peaceful condition can prevail in society.
Bengali
তৈছে অন্নকূট গোপাল করিল ভোজন ॥ ৯৪ ॥
Text
taiche anna-kūṭa gopāla karila bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, almost as before, there was an Annakūṭa ceremony. All the brāhmaṇas prepared foods and Gopāla accepted them.
Bengali
গোপালের সহজ-প্রীতি ব্রজবাসি-প্রতি ॥ ৯৫ ॥
Text
gopālera sahaja-prīti vraja-vāsi-prati
Synonyms
Translation
The ideal place to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness is Vrajabhūmi, or Vṛndāvana, where the people are naturally inclined to love Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is naturally inclined to love them.
Purport
In the Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) it is said, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. There is a responsive cooperation between the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. The more a devotee sincerely loves Kṛṣṇa, the more Kṛṣṇa reciprocates, so much so that a highly advanced devotee can talk with Kṛṣṇa face to face. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.10):
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te
“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” The actual mission of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa and return home, back to Godhead. Therefore one who is sincerely engaged in the service of the Lord with love and faith can talk with Kṛṣṇa and receive instructions by which he can speedily return home, back to Godhead. Today many scholars defend the science of religion, and they have some conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but religion without practical experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no religion at all. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes this as a form of cheating. Religion means abiding by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is not qualified to talk with Him and take lessons from Him, how can one understand the principles of religion? Thus talks of religion or religious experience without Kṛṣṇa consciousness are a useless waste of time.
Bengali
গোপাল দেখিয়া সবার খণ্ডে দুঃখ-শোক ॥ ৯৬ ॥
Text
gopāla dekhiyā sabāra khaṇḍe duḥkha-śoka
Synonyms
Translation
Throngs of people came from different villages to see the Deity of Gopāla, and they took mahā-prasādam sumptuously. When they saw the superexcellent form of Lord Gopāla, all their lamentation and unhappiness disappeared.
Bengali
এক এক দিন সবে করে মহোৎসব ॥ ৯৭ ॥
Text
eka eka dina sabe kare mahotsava
Synonyms
Translation
All the villages in neighboring Vrajabhūmi [Vṛndāvana] became aware of the appearance of Gopāla, and all the people from these villages came to see Him. Day after day they all performed the Annakūṭa ceremony.
Bengali
নানা দ্রব্য লঞা লোক লাগিল আসিতে ॥ ৯৮ ॥
Text
nānā dravya lañā loka lāgila āsite
Synonyms
Translation
In this way not only the neighboring villages but all the other provinces came to know of Gopāla’s appearance. Thus people came from all over, bringing a variety of presentations.
Bengali
ভক্তি করি’ নানা দ্রব্য ভেট দেয় আনি’ ॥ ৯৯ ॥
Text
bhakti kari’ nānā dravya bheṭa deya āni’
Synonyms
Translation
The people of Mathurā, who are very big capitalists, also brought various presentations and offered them before the Deity in devotional service.
Bengali
অসংখ্য আইসে, নিত্য বাড়িল ভাণ্ডার ॥ ১০০ ॥
Text
asaṅkhya āise, nitya bāḍila bhāṇḍāra
Synonyms
Translation
Thus countless presentations of gold, silver, garments, scented articles and eatables arrived. The store of Gopāla increased daily.
Bengali
কেহ পাক-ভাণ্ডার কৈল, কেহ ত’ প্রাচীর ॥ ১০১ ॥
Text
keha pāka-bhāṇḍāra kaila, keha ta’ prācīra
Synonyms
Translation
One very rich kṣatriya of the royal order constructed a temple, someone made cooking utensils, and someone constructed boundary walls.
Bengali
সহস্র সহস্র গাভী গোপালের হৈল ॥ ১০২ ॥
Text
sahasra sahasra gābhī gopālera haila
Synonyms
Translation
Each and every family residing in the land of Vrajabhūmi contributed one cow. In this way, thousands of cows became the property of Gopāla.
Purport
This is the way to install the Deity, construct the temple and increase the property of the temple. Everyone should be enthusiastic to contribute to the construction of the temple for the Deity, and everyone should also contribute food for the distribution of prasādam. The devotees should preach the gospel of devotional service and thus engage people in practical service to the Deity. Wealthy people can also be attracted to take part in these activities. In this way everyone will become spiritually inclined, and the entire society will be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The desire to satisfy the material senses will automatically diminish, and the senses will become so purified that they will be able to engage in bhakti (devotional service to the Lord). Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. By serving the Lord, one’s senses are gradually purified. The engagement of one’s purified senses in the service of Lord Hṛṣīkeśa is called bhakti. When the dormant propensity for bhakti is awakened, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. (Bg. 18.55) This is the process of giving humanity the chance to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus people can perfect their lives in all respects.
Bengali
পুরী-গোসাঞি রাখিল তারে করিয়া যতন ॥ ১০৩ ॥
Text
purī-gosāñi rākhila tāre kariyā yatana
Synonyms
Translation
Eventually two brāhmaṇas in the renounced order arrived from Bengal, and Mādhavendra Purī, who liked them very much, kept them in Vṛndāvana and gave them all kinds of comforts.
Bengali
রাজ-সেবা হয়, — পুরীর আনন্দ বাড়িল ॥ ১০৪ ॥
Text
rāja-sevā haya, — purīra ānanda bāḍila
Synonyms
Translation
These two were then initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, and he entrusted them with the daily service of the Lord. This service was performed continuously, and the worship of the Deity became very gorgeous. Thus Mādhavendra Purī was very pleased.
Purport
The six Gosvāmīs and their followers started many temples, including the temples of Govinda, Gopīnātha, Madana-mohana, Rādhā-Dāmodara, Śyāmasundara, Rādhā-ramaṇa and Gokulānanda. The disciples of the Gosvāmīs were entrusted with the sevā-pūjā (Deity worship) of these temples. It was not that the disciples were family members of the original Gosvāmīs. All the Gosvāmīs were in the renounced order of life, and Jīva Gosvāmī in particular was a lifelong brahmacārī. At present, sevāitas assume the title of gosvāmī on the basis of their being engaged as sevāitas of the Deity. The sevāitas who have inherited their positions now assume proprietorship of the temples, and some of them are selling the Deities’ property as if it were their own. However, the temples did not originally belong to these sevāitas.
Bengali
একদিন পুরী-গোসাঞি দেখিল স্বপন ॥ ১০৫ ॥
Text
eka-dina purī-gosāñi dekhila svapana
Synonyms
Translation
In this way the Deity worship in the temple was very gorgeously performed for two years. Then one day Mādhavendra Purī had a dream.
Bengali
মলয়জ-চন্দন লেপ’, তবে সে জুড়ায় ॥ ১০৬ ॥
Text
malayaja-candana lepa’, tabe se juḍāya
Synonyms
Translation
In his dream, Mādhavendra Purī saw Gopāla, who said, “My bodily temperature still has not decreased. Please bring sandalwood from the Malaya province and smear the pulp over My body to cool Me.
Purport
The Deity of Gopāla had been buried within the jungle for many years, and although He was installed and was offered thousands of pots of water, He still felt very hot. He therefore asked Mādhavendra Purī to bring sandalwood from the Malaya province. Sandalwood produced in Malaya is very popular. That province is situated on the western ghāṭa, and the hill Nīlagiri is sometimes known as Malaya Hill. The word malaya-ja is used to indicate the sandalwood produced in Malaya Province. Sometimes the word Malaya refers to the modern country of Malaysia. Formerly this country also produced sandalwood, but now they have found it profitable to produce rubber trees. Although the Vedic culture was once prevalent in Malaysia, now all the inhabitants are Muslims. The Vedic culture is now lost in Malaysia, Java and Indonesia.
Bengali
অন্যে হৈতে নহে, তুমি চলহ ত্বরিতে ॥ ১০৭ ॥
Text
anye haite nahe, tumi calaha tvarite
Synonyms
Translation
“Bring sandalwood pulp from Jagannātha Purī. Kindly go quickly. Since no one else can do it, you must.”
Bengali
প্রভু-আজ্ঞা পালিবারে গেলা পূর্বদেশ ॥ ১০৮ ॥
Text
prabhu-ājñā pālibāre gelā pūrva-deśa
Synonyms
Translation
After having this dream, Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī became very glad due to ecstasy of love of Godhead, and in order to execute the command of the Lord, he started east toward Bengal.
Bengali
আজ্ঞা মাগি’ গৌড়-দেশে করিল গমন ॥ ১০৯ ॥
Text
ājñā māgi’ gauḍa-deśe karila gamana
Synonyms
Translation
Before leaving, Mādhavendra Purī made all arrangements for regular Deity worship, and he engaged different people in various duties. Then, taking up the order of Gopāla, he started for Bengal.
Bengali
পুরীর প্রেম দেখি’ আচার্য আনন্দ অন্তরে ॥ ১১০ ॥
Text
purīra prema dekhi’ ācārya ānanda antare
Synonyms
Translation
When Mādhavendra Purī arrived at the house of Advaita Ācārya in Śāntipura, the Ācārya became very pleased upon seeing the ecstatic love of Godhead manifest in Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
চলিলা দক্ষিণে পুরী তাঁরে দীক্ষা দিঞা ॥ ১১১ ॥
Text
calilā dakṣiṇe purī tāṅre dīkṣā diñā
Synonyms
Translation
Advaita Ācārya begged to be initiated by Mādhavendra Purī. After initiating Him, Mādhavendra Purī started for South India.
Purport
In this connection, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that Advaita Ācārya took initiation from Mādhavendra Purī, who was a sannyāsī in the disciplic succession of the Madhva-sampradāya. According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya
“A person may be a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, a śūdra or whatever, but if he is well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become a guru.” (Cc. Madhya 8.128) This statement is supported by Śrī Mādhavendra Purī. According to the pañcarātra injunction, only a householder brāhmaṇa can initiate. Others cannot. When a person is initiated, it is assumed that he has become a brāhmaṇa; without being initiated by a proper brāhmaṇa, one cannot be converted into a brāhmaṇa. In other words, unless one is a brāhmaṇa, he cannot make another a brāhmaṇa. A gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa partaking of the varṇāśrama-dharma institution can secure various types of paraphernalia to worship Lord Viṣṇu through his honest labor. Actually, people beg to be initiated by these householder brāhmaṇas just to become successful in the varṇāśrama institution or to become free from material desires. It is therefore necessary for a spiritual master in the gṛhastha-āśrama to be a strict Vaiṣṇava. A spiritual master from the sannyāsa order has very little opportunity to perform arcana, Deity worship, but when one accepts a spiritual master from the transcendental sannyāsīs, the principle of Deity worship is not at all neglected. To implement this conclusion, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave us His opinion in the verse kibā vipra kibā nyāsī, etc. This indicates that the Lord understood the weakness of society in its maintaining that only a gṛhastha-brāhmaṇa should be a spiritual master. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu indicated that it does not matter whether the spiritual master is a gṛhastha (householder), a sannyāsī or even a śūdra. A spiritual master simply must be conversant in the essence of the śāstra; he must understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only then can one become a spiritual master. Dīkṣā actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.
Bengali
তাঁর রূপ দেখিঞা হৈল বিহ্বল-মন ॥ ১১২ ॥
Text
tāṅra rūpa dekhiñā haila vihvala-mana
Synonyms
Translation
Going into South India, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī visited Remuṇā, where Gopīnātha is situated. Upon seeing the beauty of the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī was overwhelmed.
Bengali
‘ক্যা ক্যা ভোগ লাগে?’ ব্রাহ্মণে পুছিলা ॥ ১১৩ ॥
Text
‘kyā kyā bhoga lāge?’ brāhmaṇe puchilā
Synonyms
Translation
In the corridor of the temple, from which people generally viewed the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī chanted and danced. Then he sat down there and asked a brāhmaṇa what kinds of foods they offered to the Deity.
Bengali
উত্তম ভোগ লাগে — এথা বুঝি অনুমানে ॥ ১১৪ ॥
Text
uttama bhoga lāge — ethā bujhi anumāne
Synonyms
Translation
From the excellence of the arrangements, Mādhavendra Purī understood by deduction that only the best food was offered.
Bengali
তৈছে ভিয়ানে ভোগ গোপালে লাগাইব ॥ ১১৫ ॥
Text
taiche bhiyāne bhoga gopāle lāgāiba
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī thought, “I shall inquire from the priest what foods are offered to Gopīnātha so that by making arrangements in our kitchen, we can offer similar foods to Śrī Gopāla.”
Bengali
ব্রাহ্মণ কহিল সব ভোগ-বিবরণে ॥ ১১৬ ॥
Text
brāhmaṇa kahila saba bhoga-vivaraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
When the brāhmaṇa priest was questioned about this matter, he explained in detail what kinds of foods were offered to the Deity of Gopīnātha.
Bengali
দ্বাদশ মৃৎপাত্রে ভরি’ অমৃত-সমান ॥ ১১৭ ॥
Text
dvādaśa mṛt-pātre bhari’ amṛta-samāna
Synonyms
Translation
The brāhmaṇa priest said, “In the evening the Deity is offered sweet rice in twelve earthen pots. Because the taste is as good as nectar [amṛta], it is named amṛta-keli.
Bengali
পৃথিবীতে ঐছে ভোগ কাহাঁ নাহি আর ॥ ১১৮ ॥
Text
pṛthivīte aiche bhoga kāhāṅ nāhi āra
Synonyms
Translation
“This sweet rice is celebrated throughout the world as gopīnātha-kṣīra. It is not offered anywhere else in the world.”
Bengali
শুনি’ পুরী-গোসাঞি কিছু মনে বিচারিল ॥ ১১৯ ॥
Text
śuni’ purī-gosāñi kichu mane vicārila
Synonyms
Translation
While Mādhavendra Purī was talking with the brāhmaṇa priest, the sweet rice was placed before the Deity as an offering. Hearing this, Mādhavendra Purī thought as follows.
Bengali
স্বাদ জানি’ তৈছে ক্ষীর গোপালে লাগাই ॥ ১২০ ॥
Text
svāda jāni’ taiche kṣīra gopāle lāgāi
Synonyms
Translation
“If, without my asking, a little sweet rice is given to me, I can then taste it and make a similar preparation to offer my Lord Gopāla.”
Bengali
হেনকালে ভোগ সরি’ আরতি বাজিল ॥ ১২১ ॥
Text
hena-kāle bhoga sari’ ārati bājila
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī became greatly ashamed when he desired to taste the sweet rice, and he immediately began to think of Lord Viṣṇu. While he was thus thinking of Lord Viṣṇu, the offering was completed, and the ārati ceremony began.
Bengali
বাহিরে আইলা, কারে কিছু না কহিল আর ॥ ১২২ ॥
Text
bāhire āilā, kāre kichu nā kahila āra
Synonyms
Translation
After the ārati was finished, Mādhavendra Purī offered his obeisances to the Deity and then left the temple. He did not say anything more to anyone.
Bengali
অযাচিত পাইলে খা’ন, নহে উপবাস ॥ ১২৩ ॥
Text
ayācita pāile khā’na, nahe upavāsa
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī avoided begging. He was completely unattached and indifferent to material things. If, without his begging, someone offered him some food, he would eat; otherwise he would fast.
Purport
This is the paramahaṁsa stage, the highest stage for a sannyāsī. A sannyāsī can beg from door to door just to collect food, but a paramahaṁsa who has taken ayācita-vṛtti, or ājagara-vṛtti, does not ask anyone for food. If someone offers him food voluntarily, he eats. Ayācita-vṛtti means being accustomed to refrain from begging, and ājagara-vṛtti indicates one who is compared to a python, the big snake that makes no effort to acquire food but rather allows food to come automatically within its mouth. In other words, a paramahaṁsa simply engages exclusively in the service of the Lord without caring even for eating or sleeping. It was stated about the six Gosvāmīs: nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. In the paramahaṁsa stage one conquers the desire for sleep, food and sense gratification. One remains a humble, meek mendicant engaged in the service of the Lord day and night. Mādhavendra Purī had attained this paramahaṁsa stage.
Bengali
ক্ষীর-ইচ্ছা হৈল, তাহে মানে অপরাধে ॥ ১২৪ ॥
Text
kṣīra-icchā haila, tāhe māne aparādhe
Synonyms
Translation
A paramahaṁsa like Mādhavendra Purī is always satisfied in the loving service of the Lord. Material hunger and thirst cannot impede his activities. When he desired to taste a little sweet rice offered to the Deity, he considered that he had committed an offense by desiring to eat what was being offered to the Deity.
Purport
It is advisable that food being offered to the Deity be covered when taken from the kitchen to the Deity room. In that way, others may not see it. Those who are not accustomed to following the advanced regulative devotional principles may desire to eat the food, and that is an offense. Therefore no one should be given a chance to even see it. However, when it is brought before the Deity, it must be uncovered. Seeing the food uncovered before the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī desired to taste a little of it so that he could prepare a similar sweet rice for his Gopāla. Mādhavendra Purī was so strict, however, that he considered this to be an offense. Consequently he left the temple without saying anything to anyone. The paramahaṁsa is therefore called vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa. He must conquer the six material qualities — kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya and kṣudhā-tṛṣṇā (lust, anger, greed, illusion, enviousness and hunger and thirst).
Bengali
এথা পূজারী করাইল ঠাকুরে শয়ন ॥ ১২৫ ॥
Text
ethā pūjārī karāila ṭhākure śayana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant. In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest.
Purport
Although Mādhavendra Purī was not interested in eating and sleeping, his interest in chanting the mahā-mantra was as acute as if he were an aspiring transcendentalist rather than a paramahaṁsa. This means that even in the paramahaṁsa stage, one cannot give up chanting. Haridāsa Ṭhākura and the Gosvāmīs were all engaged in chanting a fixed number of rounds; therefore chanting on beads is very important for everyone, even though one may become a paramahaṁsa. This chanting can be executed anywhere, either inside or outside the temple. Mādhavendra Purī even sat down in a vacant marketplace to perform his chanting. As stated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya in his prayers to the Gosvāmīs: nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. A paramahaṁsa devotee is always engaged in chanting and rendering loving service to the Lord. Chanting the Lord’s holy names and engaging in His service are identical. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23), there are nine kinds of devotional service: hearing (śravaṇam), chanting (kīrtanam), remembering (viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam), serving (pāda-sevanam), worship of the Deity (arcanam), praying (vandanam), carrying out orders (dāsyam), serving Him as a friend (sakhyam) and sacrificing everything for the Lord (ātma-nivedanam). Although each process appears distinct, when one is situated on the absolute platform he can see that they are identical. For instance, hearing is as good as chanting, and remembering is as good as chanting or hearing. Similarly, engaging in Deity worship is as good as chanting, hearing or remembering. The devotee is expected to accept all nine processes of devotional service, but even if only one process is properly executed, he can still attain the highest position (paramahaṁsa) and go back home, back to Godhead.
Bengali
স্বপনে ঠাকুর আসি’ বলিলা বচন ॥ ১২৬ ॥
Text
svapane ṭhākura āsi’ balilā vacana
Synonyms
Translation
Finishing his daily duties, the priest went to take rest. In a dream he saw the Gopīnātha Deity come to talk to him, and He spoke as follows.
Bengali
ক্ষীর এক রাখিয়াছি সন্ন্যাসি-কারণ ॥ ১২৭ ॥
Text
kṣīra eka rākhiyāchi sannyāsi-kāraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“O priest, please get up and open the door of the temple. I have kept one pot of sweet rice for the sannyāsī Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
তোমরা না জানিলা তাহা আমার মায়ায় ॥ ১২৮ ॥
Text
tomarā nā jānilā tāhā āmāra māyāya
Synonyms
Translation
“This pot of sweet rice is just behind My cloth curtain. You did not see it because of My tricks.
Bengali
তাহাকে ত’ এই ক্ষীর শীঘ্র দেহ লঞা ॥ ১২৯ ॥
Text
tāhāke ta’ ei kṣīra śīghra deha lañā
Synonyms
Translation
“A sannyāsī named Mādhavendra Purī is sitting in the vacant marketplace. Please take this pot of sweet rice from behind Me and deliver it to him.”
Bengali
স্নান করি’ কপাট খুলি, মুক্ত কৈল দ্বার ॥ ১৩০ ॥
Text
snāna kari’ kapāṭa khuli, mukta kaila dvāra
Synonyms
Translation
Awaking from the dream, the priest immediately rose from bed and thought it wise to take a bath before entering the Deity’s room. He then opened the temple door.
Bengali
স্থান লেপি’ ক্ষীর লঞা হইল বাহির ॥ ১৩১ ॥
Text
sthāna lepi’ kṣīra lañā ha-ila bāhira
Synonyms
Translation
According to the Deity’s directions, the priest found the pot of sweet rice behind the cloth curtain. He removed the pot and mopped up the place where it had been kept. He then went out of the temple.
Bengali
হাটে হাটে বুলে মাধবপুরীকে চাহিঞা ॥ ১৩২ ॥
Text
hāṭe hāṭe bule mādhava-purīke cāhiñā
Synonyms
Translation
Closing the door of the temple, he went to the village with the pot of sweet rice. He called out in every stall in search of Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
তোমা লাগি’ গোপীনাথ ক্ষীর কৈল চুরি ॥ ১৩৩ ॥
Text
tomā lāgi’ gopīnātha kṣīra kaila curi
Synonyms
Translation
Holding the pot of sweet rice, the priest called, “Will he whose name is Mādhavendra Purī please come and take this pot! Gopīnātha has stolen this pot of sweet rice for you!”
Purport
The difference between the Absolute Truth and relative truth is explained here. Lord Gopīnātha has openly declared herein that He is a thief. He had stolen the pot of sweet rice, and this was not kept a secret because His act of stealing is a source of great transcendental bliss. In the material world, theft is criminal, but in the spiritual world the Lord’s stealing is a source of transcendental bliss. Mundane rascals, who cannot understand the absolute nature of the Personality of Godhead, sometimes call Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa immoral, but they do not know that His seemingly immoral activities, which are not kept secret, afford pleasure to the devotees. Not understanding the transcendental behavior of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, these rascals slur His character and immediately fall into the category of miscreants (rascals, lowest among men, demons and those whose knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy). Kṛṣṇa explains in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.15):
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
“Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me.” (Bg. 7.15)
Mundane rascals cannot understand that whatever Kṛṣṇa does, being absolute in nature, is all-good. This quality of the Lord is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.29). One may consider certain acts of a supremely powerful person to be immoral by mundane calculations, but this is not actually the case. For example, the sun absorbs water from the surface of the earth, but it does not absorb water only from the sea. It also absorbs water from filthy sewers and ditches containing urine and other impure substances. The sun is not polluted by absorbing such water. Rather, the sun makes the filthy place pure. If a devotee approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for an immoral or improper purpose, he nonetheless becomes purified; the Lord does not become infected. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.15) it is stated that if one approaches the Supreme Lord even out of lust, anger or fear (kāmaṁ krodhaṁ bhayam), he is purified. The gopīs, being young girls, approached Kṛṣṇa because He was a beautiful young boy. From the external point of view, they approached the Lord out of lust, and the Lord danced with them at midnight. From the mundane point of view, these activities may appear immoral because a married or unmarried young girl cannot leave home to mix with a young boy and dance with him. Although this is immoral from the mundane viewpoint, the activities of the gopīs are accepted as the highest form of worship because it was Lord Kṛṣṇa whom they approached with lusty desires in the dead of night.
But these things cannot be understood by nondevotees. One must understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva (truth). One should use his common sense and consider that if simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy name one is purified, how then can the person Kṛṣṇa be immoral? Unfortunately, mundane fools are accepted as educational leaders and are offered exalted posts for teaching irreligious principles to the general populace. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.31): andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Blind men are trying to lead other blind men. Due to the immature understanding of such rascals, common men should not discuss Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs. A nondevotee should not even discuss His stealing sweet rice for His devotees. It is warned that one should not even think about these things. Although Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure, mundane people, thinking of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes that appear immoral, themselves become polluted. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore never publicly discussed Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with the gopīs. He used to discuss these dealings only with three confidential friends. He never discussed rāsa-līlā publicly, as the professional reciters do, although they do not understand Kṛṣṇa or the nature of the audience. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu encouraged the public chanting of the holy name on a huge scale for as many hours as possible.
Bengali
তোমা-সম ভাগ্যবান্ নাহি ত্রিভুবনে ॥ ১৩৪ ॥
Text
tomā-sama bhāgyavān nāhi tribhuvane
Synonyms
Translation
The priest continued, “Would the sannyāsī whose name is Mādhavendra Purī please come and take this pot of sweet rice and enjoy the prasādam with great happiness! You are the most fortunate person within these three worlds!”
Purport
Here is an example of a personal benediction by Kṛṣṇa’s immoral activity. By Gopīnātha’s stealing for His devotee, the devotee becomes the most fortunate person within the three words. Thus even the Lord’s criminal activities make His devotee the most fortunate person. How can a mundane rascal understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and judge whether He is moral or immoral? Since Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, there are no mundane distinctions such as moral and immoral. Whatever He does is good. This is the real meaning of “God is good.” He is good in all circumstances because He is transcendental, outside the jurisdiction of this material world. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by those who are already living in the spiritual world. This is corroborated in the Bhagavad-gītā (14.26):
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”
One who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service to the Lord is already situated in the spiritual world (brahma-bhūyāya kalpate). In all circumstances, his activities and dealings with Kṛṣṇa are transcendental and thus not understandable by mundane moralists. It is therefore better not to discuss such activities among mundane people. It is better to give them the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra so that they will be gradually purified and then come to understand the transcendental activities of Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
ক্ষীর দিয়া পূজারী তাঁরে দণ্ডবৎ হৈল ॥ ১৩৫ ॥
Text
kṣīra diyā pūjārī tāṅre daṇḍavat haila
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing this invitation, Mādhavendra Purī came out and identified himself. The priest then delivered the pot of sweet rice and offered his obeisances, falling flat before him.
Purport
A brāhmaṇa is not supposed to offer his obeisances by falling flat before anyone because a brāhmaṇa is considered to be in the highest caste. However, when a brāhmaṇa sees a devotee, he offers his daṇḍavats. This brāhmaṇa priest did not ask Mādhavendra Purī whether he was a brāhmaṇa, but when he saw that Mādhavendra Purī was such a bona fide devotee that Kṛṣṇa would even steal for him, he immediately understood the position of the saint. As stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya/ yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya. (Cc. Madhya 8.128) Had the brāhmaṇa priest been an ordinary brāhmaṇa, Gopīnātha would not have talked with him in a dream. Since the Deity spoke to both Mādhavendra Purī and the brāhmaṇa priest in dreams, practically speaking they were on the same platform. However, because Mādhavendra Purī was a senior sannyāsī Vaiṣṇava, a paramahaṁsa, the priest immediately fell flat before him and offered obeisances.
Bengali
শুনি’ প্রেমাবিষ্ট হৈল শ্রীমাধবপুরী ॥ ১৩৬ ॥
Text
śuni’ premāviṣṭa haila śrī-mādhava-purī
Synonyms
Translation
When the story about the pot of sweet rice was explained to him in detail, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī at once became absorbed in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
কৃষ্ণ যে ইঁহার বশ, — হয় যথোচিত ॥ ১৩৭ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇa ye iṅhāra vaśa, — haya yathocita
Synonyms
Translation
Upon seeing the ecstatic loving symptoms manifest in Mādhavendra Purī, the priest was struck with wonder. He could understand why Kṛṣṇa had become so much obliged to him, and he saw that Kṛṣṇa’s action was befitting.
Purport
A devotee can bring Kṛṣṇa perfectly under his control. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.3): ajita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām. Kṛṣṇa is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee can conquer Him through devotional service. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33): vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa simply by reading Vedic literature. Although all Vedic literature is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without being a lover of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore along with the reading of Vedic literature (svādhyāya), one must engage in devotional worship of the Deity (arcana-vidhi). Together these will enhance the devotee’s transcendental understanding of devotional service. Śravaṇādi śuddha-citte karaye udaya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). Love of Godhead is dormant within everyone’s heart, and if one simply follows the standard process of devotional service, it is awakened. But foolish mundane people who simply read about Kṛṣṇa mistakenly think that He is immoral or criminal.
Bengali
আবেশে করিলা পুরী সে ক্ষীর ভক্ষণ ॥ ১৩৮ ॥
Text
āveśe karilā purī se kṣīra bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The priest offered his obeisances to Mādhavendra Purī and returned to the temple. Then, in ecstasy, Mādhavendra Purī ate the sweet rice offered to him by Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
বহির্বাসে বান্ধি’ সেই ঠিকারি রাখিল ॥ ১৩৯ ॥
Text
bahir-vāse bāndhi’ sei ṭhikāri rākhila
Synonyms
Translation
After this, Mādhavendra Purī washed the pot and broke it into pieces. He then bound all the pieces in his outer cloth and kept them nicely.
Bengali
খাইলে প্রেমাবেশ হয়, — অদ্ভুত কথন ॥ ১৪০ ॥
Text
khāile premāveśa haya, — adbhuta kathana
Synonyms
Translation
Each day, Mādhavendra Purī would eat one piece of that earthen pot, and after eating it he would immediately be overwhelmed with ecstasy. These are wonderful stories.
Bengali
দিনে লোক-ভিড় হবে মোর প্রতিষ্ঠা জানি’ ॥ ১৪১ ॥
Text
dine loka-bhiḍa habe mora pratiṣṭhā jāni’
Synonyms
Translation
Having broken the pot and bound the pieces in his cloth, Mādhavendra Purī began to think, “The Lord has given me a pot of sweet rice, and when the people hear of this tomorrow morning, there will be great crowds.”
Bengali
সেইখানে গোপীনাথে দণ্ডবৎ করি’ ॥ ১৪২ ॥
Text
sei-khāne gopīnāthe daṇḍavat kari’
Synonyms
Translation
Thinking this, Śrī Mādhavendra Purī offered his obeisances to Gopīnātha on the spot and left Remuṇā before morning.
Bengali
জগন্নাথ দেখি’ হৈলা প্রেমেতে বিহ্বল ॥ ১৪৩ ॥
Text
jagannātha dekhi’ hailā premete vihvala
Synonyms
Translation
Walking and walking, Mādhavendra Purī finally reached Jagannātha Purī, which is also known as Nīlācala. There he saw Lord Jagannātha and was overwhelmed with loving ecstasy.
Bengali
জগন্নাথ-দরশনে মহাসুখ পায় ॥ ১৪৪ ॥
Text
jagannātha-daraśane mahā-sukha pāya
Synonyms
Translation
When Mādhavendra Purī was overwhelmed in the ecstasy of love of Godhead, he sometimes stood up and sometimes fell to the ground. Sometimes he laughed, danced and sang. In this way he enjoyed transcendental bliss by seeing the Jagannātha Deity.
Bengali
সব লোক আসি’ তাঁরে করে বহু ভক্তি ॥ ১৪৫ ॥
Text
saba loka āsi’ tāṅre kare bahu bhakti
Synonyms
Translation
When Mādhavendra Purī came to Jagannātha Purī, people were aware of his transcendental reputation. Therefore crowds of people came and offered him all sorts of respect in devotion.
Bengali
যে না বাঞ্ছে, তার হয় বিধাতা-নির্মিত ॥ ১৪৬ ॥
Text
ye nā vāñche, tāra haya vidhātā-nirmita
Synonyms
Translation
Even though one may not like it, reputation, as ordained by providence, comes to him. Indeed, one’s transcendental reputation is known throughout the entire world.
Bengali
কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমে প্রতিষ্ঠা চলে সঙ্গে গড়াঞা ॥ ১৪৭ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇa-preme pratiṣṭhā cale saṅge gaḍāñā
Synonyms
Translation
Being afraid of his reputation [pratiṣṭhā], Mādhavendra Purī fled from Remuṇā. But the reputation brought by love of Godhead is so sublime that it goes along with the devotee, as if following him.
Purport
Almost all the conditioned souls within the material world are envious. Jealous people generally turn against one who automatically attains some reputation. This is natural for jealous people. Consequently, when a devotee is fit to receive worldly reputation, he is envied by many people. This is quite natural. When a person, out of humility, does not desire fame, people generally think him quite humble and consequently give him all kinds of fame. Actually a Vaiṣṇava does not hanker after fame or a great reputation. Mādhavendra Purī, the king of Vaiṣṇavas, bore his reputation, but he wanted to keep himself outside of the vision of the general populace. He wanted to cover his real identity as a great devotee of the Lord, but when people saw him overwhelmed in the ecstasy of love of Godhead, they naturally gave credit to him. Actually a first-class reputation is due Mādhavendra Purī because he was a most confidential devotee of the Lord. Sometimes a sahajiyā presents himself as being void of desires for reputation (pratiṣṭhā) in order to become famous as a humble man. Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaiṣṇavas.
Bengali
ঠাকুরের চন্দন-সাধন হইল বন্ধন ॥ ১৪৮ ॥
Text
ṭhākurera candana-sādhana ha-ila bandhana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī wanted to leave Jagannātha Purī because the people were honoring him as a great devotee; however, this threatened to hinder his collecting sandalwood for the Gopāla Deity.
Bengali
সবাকে কহিল পুরী গোপাল বৃত্তান্ত ॥ ১৪৯ ॥
Text
sabāke kahila purī gopāla-vṛttānta
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Mādhavendra Purī told all the servants of Lord Jagannātha and all the great devotees there the story of the appearance of Śrī Gopāla.
Bengali
আনন্দে চন্দন লাগি’ করিল যতন ॥ ১৫০ ॥
Text
ānande candana lāgi’ karila yatana
Synonyms
Translation
When all the devotees at Jagannātha Purī heard that the Gopāla Deity wanted sandalwood, in great pleasure they all endeavored to collect it.
Bengali
তারে মাগি’ কর্পূর-চন্দন করিলা সঞ্চয় ॥ ১৫১ ॥
Text
tāre māgi’ karpūra-candana karilā sañcaya
Synonyms
Translation
Those who were acquainted with government officers met with them and begged for camphor and sandalwood, which they collected.
Purport
It appears that malayaja-candana (sandalwood) and camphor were used for the Jagannātha Deity. The camphor was used in His ārātrika, and the sandalwood was used to smear His body. Both these items were under government control; therefore the devotees had to meet with the government officials. Informing them of all the details, they attained permission to take the sandalwood and camphor outside Jagannātha Purī.
Bengali
পুরী-গোসাঞির সঙ্গে দিল সম্বল-সহিতে ॥ ১৫২ ॥
Text
purī-gosāñira saṅge dila sambala-sahite
Synonyms
Translation
One brāhmaṇa and one servant were given to Mādhavendra Purī just to carry the sandalwood. He was also given the necessary traveling expenses.
Bengali
রাজলেখা করি’ দিল পুরী-গোসাঞির করে ॥ ১৫৩ ॥
Text
rāja-lekhā kari’ dila purī-gosāñira kare
Synonyms
Translation
To get past the toll collectors along the way, Mādhavendra Purī was supplied with the necessary release papers from government officers. The papers were placed in his hand.
Bengali
কতদিনে রেমুণাতে উত্তরিল গিয়া ॥ ১৫৪ ॥
Text
kata-dine remuṇāte uttarila giyā
Synonyms
Translation
In this way Mādhavendra Purī started for Vṛndāvana with the burden of sandalwood, and after some days he again reached the village of Remuṇā and the Gopīnātha temple there.
Bengali
প্রেমাবেশে নৃত্য-গীত করিলা অপার ॥ ১৫৫ ॥
Text
premāveśe nṛtya-gīta karilā apāra
Synonyms
Translation
When Mādhavendra Purī reached the temple of Gopīnātha, he offered his respectful obeisances many times at the lotus feet of the Lord. In the ecstasy of love, he began to dance and sing without cessation.
Bengali
ক্ষীরপ্রসাদ দিয়া তাঁরে ভিক্ষা করাইল ॥ ১৫৬ ॥
Text
kṣīra-prasāda diyā tāṅre bhikṣā karāila
Synonyms
Translation
When the priest of Gopīnātha saw Mādhavendra Purī again, he offered all respects to him and, giving him the sweet rice prasādam, made him eat.
Bengali
শেষরাত্রি হৈলে পুরী দেখিল স্বপন ॥ ১৫৭ ॥
Text
śeṣa-rātri haile purī dekhila svapana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī took rest that night in the temple, but toward the end of the night he had another dream.
Bengali
কর্পূর-চন্দন আমি পাইলাম সব ॥ ১৫৮ ॥
Text
karpūra-candana āmi pāilāma saba
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī dreamed that Gopāla came before him and said, “O Mādhavendra Purī, I have already received all the sandalwood and camphor.
Bengali
গোপীনাথের অঙ্গে নিত্য করহ লেপন ॥ ১৫৯ ॥
Text
gopīnāthera aṅge nitya karaha lepana
Synonyms
Translation
“Now just grind all the sandalwood together with the camphor and then smear the pulp on the body of Gopīnātha daily until it is finished.
Bengali
ইঁহাকে চন্দন দিলে হবে মোর তাপ-ক্ষয় ॥ ১৬০ ॥
Text
iṅhāke candana dile habe mora tāpa-kṣaya
Synonyms
Translation
“There is no difference between My body and Gopīnātha’s body. They are one and the same. Therefore if you smear the sandalwood pulp on the body of Gopīnātha, you will naturally also smear it on My body. Thus the temperature of My body will be reduced.
Purport
Gopāla was situated in Vṛndāvana, which was far from Remuṇā. In those days, one had to pass through provinces governed by the Muslims, who sometimes hindered travelers. Considering the trouble of His devotee, Lord Gopāla, the greatest well-wisher of His devotees, ordered Mādhavendra Purī to smear the sandalwood pulp on the body of Gopīnātha, which was nondifferent from the body of Gopāla. In this way the Lord relieved Mādhavendra Purī from trouble and inconvenience.
Bengali
বিশ্বাস করি’ চন্দন দেহ আমার বচনে ॥ ১৬১ ॥
Text
viśvāsa kari’ candana deha āmāra vacane
Synonyms
Translation
“You should not hesitate to act according to My order. Believing in Me, just do what is needed.”
Bengali
গোপীনাথের সেবকগণে ডাকিয়া আনিলা ॥ ১৬২ ॥
Text
gopīnāthera sevaka-gaṇe ḍākiyā ānilā
Synonyms
Translation
After giving these instructions, Gopāla disappeared, and Mādhavendra Purī awoke. He immediately called for all the servants of Gopīnātha, and they came before him.
Bengali
গোপীনাথের অঙ্গে নিত্য করহ লেপন ॥ ১৬৩ ॥
Text
gopīnāthera aṅge nitya karaha lepana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī said, “Smear the body of Gopīnātha with this camphor and sandalwood I have brought for Gopāla in Vṛndāvana. Do this regularly every day.
Bengali
স্বতন্ত্র ঈশ্বর — তাঁর আজ্ঞা সে প্রবল ॥ ১৬৪ ॥
Text
svatantra īśvara — tāṅra ājñā se prabala
Synonyms
Translation
“If the sandalwood pulp is smeared over the body of Gopīnātha, then Gopāla will be cooled. After all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely independent; His order is all-powerful.”
Bengali
শুনি’ আনন্দিত হৈল সেবকের মন ॥ ১৬৫ ॥
Text
śuni’ ānandita haila sevakera mana
Synonyms
Translation
The servants of Gopīnātha became very pleased to hear that in the summer all the sandalwood pulp would be used to anoint the body of Gopīnātha.
Bengali
আর জনা-দুই দেহ, দিব যে বেতন ॥ ১৬৬ ॥
Text
āra janā-dui deha, diba ye vetana
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī said, “These two assistants will regularly grind the sandalwood, and you should also get two other people to help. I shall pay their salaries.”
Bengali
পরায় সেবক সব আনন্দ করিয়া ॥ ১৬৭ ॥
Text
parāya sevaka saba ānanda kariyā
Synonyms
Translation
In this way Gopīnāthajī was supplied ground sandalwood pulp daily. The servants of Gopīnātha were very pleased with this.
Bengali
তথায় রহিল পুরী তাবৎ পর্যন্ত ॥ ১৬৮ ॥
Text
tathāya rahila purī tāvat paryanta
Synonyms
Translation
In this way the sandalwood pulp was smeared over the body of Gopīnātha until the whole stock was finished. Mādhavendra Purī stayed there until that time.
Bengali
নীলাচলে চাতুর্মাস্য আনন্দে রহিলা ॥ ১৬৯ ॥
Text
nīlācale cāturmāsya ānande rahilā
Synonyms
Translation
At the end of summer Mādhavendra Purī returned to Jagannātha Purī, where he remained with great pleasure during the whole period of Cāturmāsya.
Purport
The Cāturmāsya period begins in the month of Āṣāḍha (June-July) from the day of Ekādaśī called Śayanā-ekādaśī, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. The period ends in the month of Kārttika (October-November) on the Ekādaśī day known as Utthānā-ekādaśī, in the fortnight of the waxing moon. This four-month period is known as Cāturmāsya. Some Vaiṣṇavas also observe it from the full-moon day of Āṣāḍha until the full-moon day of Kārttika. That is also a period of four months. This period, calculated by the lunar months, is called Cāturmāsya, but others also observe Cāturmāsya according to the solar month from Śrāvaṇa to Kārttika. The whole period, either lunar or solar, takes place during the rainy season. Cāturmāsya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does not matter whether one is a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī. The observance is obligatory for all āśramas. The real purpose behind the vow taken during these four months is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification. This is not very difficult. In the month of Śrāvaṇa one should not eat spinach, in the month of Bhādra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Āśvina one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian food during the month of Kārttika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish and meat. Similarly, masūra dhal and urad dhal are also considered nonvegetarian. These two dhals contain a great amount of protein, and food rich in protein is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during the four-month period of Cāturmāsya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense enjoyment.
Bengali
ভক্তগণে শুনাঞা প্রভু করে আস্বাদিত ॥ ১৭০ ॥
Text
bhakta-gaṇe śunāñā prabhu kare āsvādita
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally praised the nectarean characteristics of Mādhavendra Purī, and while He related all this to the devotees, He personally relished it.
Bengali
পুরী-সম ভাগ্যবান্ জগতে নাহি আর ॥ ১৭১ ॥
Text
purī-sama bhāgyavān jagate nāhi āra
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Nityānanda Prabhu to judge whether there was anyone within the world as fortunate as Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
তিনবারে স্বপ্নে আসি’ যাঁরে আজ্ঞা কৈল ॥ ১৭২ ॥
Text
tina-bāre svapne āsi’ yāṅre ājñā kaila
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Mādhavendra Purī was so fortunate that Kṛṣṇa personally appeared before him on the plea of delivering milk. Three times the Lord gave orders to Mādhavendra Purī in dreams.
Bengali
সেবা অঙ্গীকার করি’ জগত তারিলা ॥ ১৭৩ ॥
Text
sevā aṅgīkāra kari’ jagata tārilā
Synonyms
Translation
“Being obliged because of the loving affairs of Mādhavendra Purī, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as the Gopāla Deity, and, accepting his service, He liberated the whole world.
Bengali
অতএব নাম হৈল ‘ক্ষীরচোরা’ করি’ ॥ ১৭৪ ॥
Text
ataeva nāma haila ‘kṣīra-corā’ kari’
Synonyms
Translation
“On account of Mādhavendra Purī, Lord Gopīnātha stole the pot of sweet rice. Thus He became famous as Kṣīra-corā [the thief who stole the sweet rice].
Bengali
আনন্দে পুরী-গোসাঞির প্রেম উথলিল ॥ ১৭৫ ॥
Text
ānande purī-gosāñira prema uthalila
Synonyms
Translation
“Mādhavendra Purī smeared the sandalwood pulp over the body of Gopīnātha, and in this way he was overpowered with love of Godhead.
Bengali
পুরী দুঃখ পাবে ইহা জানিয়া গোপাল ॥ ১৭৬ ॥
Text
purī duḥkha pābe ihā jāniyā gopāla
Synonyms
Translation
“In the provinces of India governed by the Muslims, there was much inconvenience in traveling with sandalwood and camphor. Because of this, Mādhavendra Purī might have gotten into trouble. This became known to the Gopāla Deity.
Bengali
চন্দন পরি’ ভক্তশ্রম করিল সফল ॥ ১৭৭ ॥
Text
candana pari’ bhakta-śrama karila saphala
Synonyms
Translation
“The Lord is very merciful and attached to His devotees, so when Gopīnātha was covered with sandalwood pulp, Mādhavendra Purī’s labor became successful.”
Bengali
অলৌকিক প্রেম চিত্তে লাগে চমৎকার ॥ ১৭৮ ॥
Text
alaukika prema citte lāge camatkāra
Synonyms
Translation
Caitanya Mahāprabhu placed the standard of Mādhavendra Purī’s intense love before Nityānanda Prabhu for judgment. “All his loving activities are uncommon,” Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. “Indeed, one is struck with wonder to hear of his activities.”
Purport
When the living entity feels spiritual separation from Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-viraha), he has achieved the prime success of life. When one becomes disinterested in material things, he is simply experiencing the other side of attraction for material things. However, feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa and engaging in the service of the Lord to fulfill His mission constitute the best example of love of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to point out this intense love of Kṛṣṇa exhibited by Mādhavendra Purī. All Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees later followed in the footsteps of Mādhavendra Purī, serving the Lord without personal considerations.
Bengali
গ্রাম্যবার্তা-ভয়ে দ্বিতীয়-সঙ্গ-হীন ॥ ১৭৯ ॥
Text
grāmya-vārtā-bhaye dvitīya-saṅga-hīna
Synonyms
Translation
Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Śrī Mādhavendra Purī used to remain alone. He was completely renounced and always very silent. He was uninterested in everything material, and for fear of talking about mundane things, he always lived without a companion.
Bengali
সহস্র ক্রোশ আসি’ বুলে চন্দন মাগিঞা ॥ ১৮০ ॥
Text
sahasra krośa āsi’ bule candana māgiñā
Synonyms
Translation
“After receiving the transcendental orders of Gopāla, this great personality traveled thousands of miles just to collect sandalwood by begging.
Bengali
হেন-জন-চন্দন-ভার বহি’ লঞা যায় ॥ ১৮১ ॥
Text
hena-jana candana-bhāra vahi’ lañā yāya
Synonyms
Translation
“Although Mādhavendra Purī was hungry, he would not beg food to eat. This renounced person carried a load of sandalwood for the sake of Śrī Gopāla.
Bengali
গোপালে পরাইব’ — এই আনন্দ প্রচুর ॥ ১৮২ ॥
Text
gopāle parāiba’ — ei ānanda pracura
Synonyms
Translation
“Without considering his personal comforts, Mādhavendra Purī carried one maund [about eighty-two pounds] of sandalwood and twenty tolās [about eight ounces] of camphor to smear over the body of Gopāla. This transcendental pleasure was sufficient for him.
Bengali
তাহাঁ এড়াইল রাজপত্র দেখাঞা ॥ ১৮৩ ॥
Text
tāhāṅ eḍāila rāja-patra dekhāñā
Synonyms
Translation
“Since there were restrictions against taking the sandalwood out of the Orissa province, the toll official confiscated the stock, but Mādhavendra Purī showed him the release papers given by the government and consequently escaped difficulties.
Bengali
কেমতে চন্দন নিব — নাহি এ বিচার ॥ ১৮৪ ॥
Text
ke-mate candana niba — nāhi e vicāra
Synonyms
Translation
“Mādhavendra Purī was not at all anxious during the long journey to Vṛndāvana through the provinces governed by the Muslims and filled with unlimited numbers of watchmen.
Bengali
তথাপি উৎসাহ বড় চন্দন লঞা যাইতে ॥ ১৮৫ ॥
Text
tathāpi utsāha baḍa candana lañā yāite
Synonyms
Translation
“Although Mādhavendra Purī did not have a farthing with him, he was not afraid to pass by the toll officers. His only enjoyment was in carrying the load of sandalwood to Vṛndāvana for Gopāla.
Bengali
নিজ-দুঃখ-বিঘ্নাদির না করে বিচার ॥ ১৮৬ ॥
Text
nija-duḥkha-vighnādira nā kare vicāra
Synonyms
Translation
“This is the natural result of intense love of Godhead. The devotee does not consider personal inconveniences or impediments. In all circumstances he wants to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Purport
It is natural for those who have developed intense love for Kṛṣṇa not to care for personal inconvenience and impediments. Such devotees are simply determined to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, the spiritual master. In all circumstances, even amidst the greatest dangers, they undeviatingly carry on with the greatest determination. This definitely proves the intense love of the servitor. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.8), tat te ’nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ: those who seriously desire to get free from the clutches of material existence, who have developed intense love for Kṛṣṇa, are worthy candidates for going back home, back to Godhead. An intense lover of Kṛṣṇa does not care for any number of material discomforts, scarcity, impediments or unhappiness. It is said that when one sees apparent unhappiness or distress in a perfect Vaiṣṇava, it is not at all unhappiness for him; rather, it is transcendental bliss. In the Śikṣāṣṭaka (8), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also instructed, āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām. The intense lover of Kṛṣṇa is never deviated from his service, despite all difficulties and impediments brought before him.
Bengali
গোপাল তাঁরে আজ্ঞা দিল চন্দন আনিতে ॥ ১৮৭ ॥
Text
gopāla tāṅre ājñā dila candana ānite
Synonyms
Translation
“Śrī Gopāla wanted to show how intensely Mādhavendra Purī loved Kṛṣṇa; therefore He asked him to go to Nīlācala to fetch sandalwood and camphor.
Bengali
আনন্দ বাড়িল মনে, দুঃখ না গণিল ॥ ১৮৮ ॥
Text
ānanda bāḍila mane, duḥkha nā gaṇila
Synonyms
Translation
“With great trouble and after much labor, Mādhavendra Purī brought the load of sandalwood to Remuṇā. However, he was still very pleased; he discounted all the difficulties.
Bengali
পরীক্ষা করিয়া শেষে হৈল দয়াবান্ ॥ ১৮৯ ॥
Text
parīkṣā kariyā śeṣe haila dayāvān
Synonyms
Translation
“To test the intense love of Mādhavendra Purī, Gopāla, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ordered him to bring sandalwood from Nīlācala, and when Mādhavendra Purī passed this examination, the Lord became very merciful to him.
Bengali
বুঝিতেও আমা-সবার নাহি অধিকার ॥ ১৯০ ॥
Text
bujhiteo āmā-sabāra nāhi adhikāra
Synonyms
Translation
“Such behavior exhibited in loving service between the devotee and the devotee’s lovable object, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is transcendental. It is not possible for a common man to understand. Common men do not even have the capacity.”
Bengali
যেই শ্লোক-চন্দ্রে জগৎ কর্যাছে আলোক ॥ ১৯১ ॥
Text
yei śloka-candre jagat karyāche āloka
Synonyms
Translation
After saying this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu read the famous verse of Mādhavendra Purī. That verse is just like the moon. It has spread illumination all over the world.
Bengali
গন্ধ বাড়ে, তৈছে এই শ্লোকের বিচার ॥ ১৯২ ॥
Text
gandha bāḍe, taiche ei ślokera vicāra
Synonyms
Translation
Continuous rubbing increases the aroma of Malaya sandalwood. Similarly, consideration of this verse increases one’s understanding of its importance.
Bengali
রসকাব্য-মধ্যে তৈছে এই শ্লোক গণি ॥ ১৯৩ ॥
Text
rasa-kāvya-madhye taiche ei śloka gaṇi
Synonyms
Translation
As the Kaustubha-maṇi is considered the most precious of valuable stones, this verse is similarly considered the best of poems dealing with the mellows of devotional service.
Bengali
তাঁর কৃপায় স্ফুরিয়াছে মাধবেন্দ্র-বাণী ॥ ১৯৪ ॥
Text
tāṅra kṛpāya sphuriyāche mādhavendra-vāṇī
Synonyms
ei — this; śloka — verse; kahiyāchena — has spoken; rādhā-ṭhākurāṇī — Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; tāṅra — Her; kṛpāya — by the mercy; sphuriyāche — has manifested; mādhavendra — of Mādhavendra Purī; vāṇī — the words.
Translation
Actually this verse was spoken by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself, and by Her mercy only was it manifest in the words of Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
ইহা আস্বাদিতে আর নাহি চৌঠজন ॥ ১৯৫ ॥
Text
ihā āsvādite āra nāhi cauṭha-jana
Synonyms
Translation
Only Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No fourth man is capable of understanding it.
Purport
This indicates that only Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Mādhavendra Purī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu are capable of understanding the purport of this verse.
Bengali
সিদ্ধিপ্রাপ্তি হৈল পুরীর শ্লোকের সহিতে ॥ ১৯৬ ॥
Text
siddhi-prāpti haila purīra ślokera sahite
Synonyms
Translation
Mādhavendra Purī recited this verse again and again at the end of his material existence. Thus uttering this verse, he attained the ultimate goal of life.
Bengali
হৃদয়ং ত্বদলোককাতরং দয়িত ভ্রাম্যতি কিং করোম্যহম্ ॥ ১৯৭ ॥
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?”
Purport
The uncontaminated devotees who strictly depend on the Vedānta philosophy are divided into four sampradāyas, or transcendental parties. Out of the four sampradāyas, the Śrī Madhvācārya-sampradāya was accepted by Mādhavendra Purī. Thus he took sannyāsa according to paramparā, the disciplic succession. Beginning from Madhvācārya down to the spiritual master of Mādhavendra Purī, the ācārya named Lakṣmīpati, there was no realization of devotional service in conjugal love. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī introduced the conception of conjugal love for the first time in the Madhvācārya-sampradāya, and this conclusion of the Madhvācārya-sampradāya was revealed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He toured southern India and met the Tattvavādīs, who supposedly belonged to the Madhvācārya-sampradāya.
When Śrī Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana and accepted the kingdom of Mathurā, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, out of ecstatic feelings of separation, expressed how Kṛṣṇa can be loved in separation. Thus devotional service in separation is central to this verse. Worship in separation is considered by the Gauḍīya-Madhva-sampradāya to be the topmost level of devotional service. According to this conception, the devotee thinks of himself as very poor and neglected by the Lord. Thus he addresses the Lord as dīna-dayārdra nātha, as did Mādhavendra Purī. Such an ecstatic feeling is the highest form of devotional service. Because Kṛṣṇa had gone to Mathurā, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was very much affected, and She expressed Herself thus: “My dear Lord, because of Your separation My mind has become overly agitated. Now tell Me, what can I do? I am very poor and You are very merciful, so kindly have compassion upon Me and let Me know when I shall see You.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was always expressing the ecstatic emotions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī that She exhibited when She saw Uddhava at Vṛndāvana. Similar feelings, experienced by Mādhavendra Purī, are expressed in this verse. Therefore, Vaiṣṇavas in the Gauḍīya-Madhva-sampradāya say that the ecstatic feelings experienced by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu during His appearance came from Śrī Mādhavendra Purī through Īśvara Purī. All the devotees in the line of the Gauḍīya-Madhva-sampradāya accept these principles of devotional service.
Bengali
প্রেমেতে বিবশ হঞা পড়িল ভূমিতে ॥ ১৯৮ ॥
Text
premete vivaśa hañā paḍila bhūmite
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recited this verse, He immediately fell to the ground unconscious. He was overwhelmed and had no control over Himself.
Bengali
ক্রন্দন করিয়া তবে উঠে গৌরচন্দ্র ॥ ১৯৯ ॥
Text
krandana kariyā tabe uṭhe gauracandra
Synonyms
Translation
When Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell to the ground in ecstatic love, Lord Nityānanda quickly took Him on His lap. Crying, Caitanya Mahāprabhu then got up again.
Bengali
হুঙ্কার করয়ে, হাসে, কান্দে, নাচে, গায় ॥ ২০০ ॥
Text
huṅkāra karaye, hāse, kānde, nāce, gāya
Synonyms
Translation
Exhibiting ecstatic emotions, the Lord began to run here and there, making resounding noises. Sometimes He laughed, and sometimes He cried, and sometimes He danced and sang.
Bengali
কণ্ঠে না নিঃসরে বাণী, নেত্রে অশ্রুধার ॥ ২০১ ॥
Text
kaṇṭhe nā niḥsare vāṇī, netre aśru-dhāra
Synonyms
Translation
Caitanya Mahāprabhu could not recite the whole verse. He simply said, “Ayi dīna! Ayi dīna!” repeatedly. Thus He could not speak, and profuse tears were in His eyes.
Bengali
নির্বেদ, বিষাদ, জাড্য, গর্ব, হর্ষ, দৈন্য ॥ ২০২ ॥
Text
nirveda, viṣāda, jāḍya, garva, harṣa, dainya
Synonyms
Translation
Trembling, perspiration, jubilant tears, shock, fading of the bodily luster, disappointment, moroseness, loss of memory, pride, joy and humility were all visible in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s body.
Purport
In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, jāḍya is explained as loss of memory brought about by severe shock due to separation from the beloved. In that state of mind, one loses all concern for loss and gain, hearing and seeing, as well as all other considerations. This marks the preliminary appearance of illusion.
Bengali
গোপীনাথ-সেবক দেখে প্ৰভুর প্রেমনাট ॥ ২০৩ ॥
Text
gopīnātha-sevaka dekhe prabhura prema-nāṭa
Synonyms
Translation
This verse uncovered the door of ecstatic love, and when it was exhibited, all the servants of Gopīnātha saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu dance in ecstasy.
Bengali
ঠাকুরের ভোগ সরি’ আরতি বাজিল ॥ ২০৪ ॥
Text
ṭhākurera bhoga sari’ ārati bājila
Synonyms
Translation
When many people crowded around Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He regained His external senses. In the meantime, the offering to the Deity had been finished, and there was a resounding ārati performance.
Bengali
প্রভুর আগে আনি’ দিল প্রসাদ বার ক্ষীর ॥ ২০৫ ॥
Text
prabhura āge āni’ dila prasāda bāra kṣīra
Synonyms
Translation
When the Deities were laid down to rest, the priest came out of the temple and offered all twelve pots of sweet rice to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Bengali
ভক্তগণে খাওয়াইতে পঞ্চ ক্ষীর লৈল ॥ ২০৬ ॥
Text
bhakta-gaṇe khāoyāite pañca kṣīra laila
Synonyms
Translation
When all the pots of sweet rice, remnants left by Gopīnātha, were placed before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He became very pleased. In order to feed the devotees, He accepted five of them.
Bengali
পঞ্চক্ষীর পঞ্চজনে বাঁটিয়া খাইল ॥ ২০৭ ॥
Text
pañca-kṣīra pañca-jane vāṅṭiyā khāila
Synonyms
Translation
The seven remaining pots were pushed forward and delivered to the priest. Then the five pots of sweet rice the Lord had accepted were distributed among the five devotees, and they ate the prasādam.
Bengali
ভক্তি দেখাইতে কৈল প্রসাদ ভক্ষণ ॥ ২০৮ ॥
Text
bhakti dekhāite kaila prasāda bhakṣaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
Being identical with the Gopīnātha Deity, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had already tasted and eaten the pots of sweet rice. Yet just to manifest devotional service, He again ate the pots of sweet rice as a devotee.
Bengali
মঙ্গল-আরতি দেখি’ প্রভাতে চলিলা ॥ ২০৯ ॥
Text
maṅgala-ārati dekhi’ prabhāte calilā
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that night at the temple engaged in congregational chanting. In the morning, after seeing the maṅgala-ārati performance, He departed.
Bengali
ভক্ত-সঙ্গে শ্রীমুখে প্রভু কৈলা আস্বাদন ॥ ২১০ ॥
Text
bhakta-saṅge śrī-mukhe prabhu kailā āsvādana
Synonyms
Translation
In this way, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally tasted with His own mouth the transcendental qualities of Gopālajī, Gopīnātha and Śrī Mādhavendra Purī.
Bengali
প্রভুর ভক্তবাৎসল্য, আর ভক্তপ্রেম-সীমা ॥ ২১১ ॥
Text
prabhura bhakta-vātsalya, āra bhakta-prema-sīmā
Synonyms
Translation
Thus I have described both the transcendental glories of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s affection for His devotees and the highest limit of ecstatic love of God.
Bengali
শ্রীকৃষ্ণ-চরণে সেই পায় প্রেমধন ॥ ২১২ ॥
Text
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇe sei pāya prema-dhana
Synonyms
Translation
One who hears this narration with faith and devotion attains the treasure of love of Godhead at the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
চৈতন্যচরিতামৃত কহে কৃষ্ণদাস ॥ ২১৩ ॥
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, Madhya-līlā, fourth chapter, describing Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s devotional service.