CHAPTER FIVE
The Activities of Sākṣi-gopāla
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the fifth chapter in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. After passing through Yājapura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu reached the town of Kaṭaka (Cuttack) and there went to see the temple of Sākṣi-gopāla. While there, He heard the story of Sākṣi-gopāla from the mouth of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.
Once there were two brāhmaṇas, one elderly and the other young, who were inhabitants of a place known as Vidyānagara. After touring many places of pilgrimage, the two brāhmaṇas finally reached Vṛndāvana. The elderly brāhmaṇa was very satisfied with the service of the young brāhmaṇa, and he wanted to offer him his youngest daughter in marriage. The young brāhmaṇa received the promise of his elder before the Gopāla Deity of Vṛndāvana. Thus the Gopāla Deity acted as a witness. When the two brāhmaṇas returned to Vidyānagara, the younger brāhmaṇa raised the question of this marriage, but the elderly brāhmaṇa, due to obligations to his friends and wife, answered that he could not remember his promise. Because of this, the younger brāhmaṇa returned to Vṛndāvana and narrated the whole story to Gopālajī. Thus Gopālajī, being obliged by the young man’s devotional service, accompanied him to southern India. Gopālajī followed the younger brāhmaṇa, who could hear the tinkling sound of Gopālajī’s ankle bells. When all the respectable gentlemen of Vidyānagara were assembled, Gopālajī testified to the promise of the elderly brāhmaṇa. Thus the marriage was performed. Later, the king of that country constructed a fine temple for Gopāla.
Afterwards, King Puruṣottama-deva of Orissa was insulted by the King of Vidyānagara, who refused to give him his daughter in marriage and called him a sweeper of Lord Jagannātha. With the help of Lord Jagannātha, King Puruṣottama-deva fought the King of Vidyānagara and defeated him. Thus he took charge of both the King’s daughter and his kingdom as well. At that time, Gopālajī, being very much obligated by the devotional service of King Puruṣottama-deva, was brought to the town of Kaṭaka.
After hearing this narration, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Gopāla in great ecstasy of love of God. From Kaṭaka He went to Bhuvaneśvara and saw the temple of Lord Śiva. In this way, He gradually arrived at Kamalapura, and on the banks of the Bhārgī River He came to the temple of Lord Śiva, where He entrusted His sannyāsa staff to Nityānanda Prabhu. However, Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff into three pieces and threw it into the Bhārgī River at a place known as Āṭhāranālā. Being angry at not getting His staff back, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left the company of Nityānanda Prabhu and went alone to see the Jagannātha temple.
Bengali
ব্রহ্মণ্যদেবো হি শতাহগম্যম্ ।
দেশং যযৌ বিপ্রকৃতেঽদ্ভুতেহং
তং সাক্ষিগোপালমহং নতোঽস্মি ॥ ১ ॥
Text
brahmaṇya-devo hi śatāha-gamyam
deśaṁ yayau vipra-kṛte ’dbhutehaṁ
taṁ sākṣi-gopālam ahaṁ nato ’smi
Synonyms
padbhyām — by the two legs; calan — walking; yaḥ — one who; pratimā — of the Deity; svarūpaḥ — in the form; brahmaṇya-devaḥ — the Supreme Lord of brahminical culture; hi — certainly; śata-āha — in one hundred days; gamyam — to be passed over; deśam — the country; yayau — went; vipra-kṛte — for the benefit of a brāhmaṇa; adbhuta — most wonderful; īham — activity; tam — unto that; sākṣi-gopālam — the Gopāla known as the witness Gopāla; aham — I; nataḥ asmi — offer respectful obeisances.
Translation
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of God [brahmaṇya-deva], who appeared as Sākṣi-gopāla to benefit a brāhmaṇa. For one hundred days He traveled through the country, walking on His own legs. Thus His activities are wonderful.
Bengali
জয়াদ্বৈতচন্দ্র জয় গৌরভক্তবৃন্দ ॥ ২ ॥
Text
jayādvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Synonyms
Translation
All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Śrī Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!
Bengali
বরাহ-ঠাকুর দেখি’ করিলা প্রণাম ॥ ৩ ॥
Text
varāha-ṭhākura dekhi’ karilā praṇāma
Synonyms
Translation
Walking and walking, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His party finally arrived at Yājapura, on the river Vaitaraṇī. There He saw the temple of Varāhadeva and offered His obeisances unto Him.
Bengali
যাজপুরে সে রাত্রি করিলা যাপন ॥ ৪ ॥
Text
yājapure se rātri karilā yāpana
Synonyms
Translation
In the temple of Varāhadeva, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in chanting and dancing and offered prayers. He passed that night in the temple.
Bengali
গোপাল-সৌন্দর্য দেখি’ হৈলা আনন্দিতে ॥ ৫ ॥
Text
gopāla-saundarya dekhi’ hailā ānandite
Synonyms
Translation
Afterwards, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the town of Kaṭaka to see the temple of the witness Gopāla. When He saw the Deity of Gopāla, He was very much pleased by His beauty.
Bengali
আবিষ্ট হঞা কৈল গোপাল স্তবন ॥ ৬ ॥
Text
āviṣṭa hañā kaila gopāla stavana
Synonyms
Translation
While there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in chanting and dancing for some time, and being overwhelmed, He offered many prayers to Gopāla.
Bengali
গোপালের পূর্বকথা শুনে বহু রঙ্গে ॥ ৭ ॥
Text
gopālera pūrva-kathā śune bahu raṅge
Synonyms
Translation
That night Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed in the temple of Gopāla, and along with all the devotees, He heard the narration of the witness Gopāla with great pleasure.
Bengali
সাক্ষিগোপাল দেখিবারে কটক আইলা ॥ ৮ ॥
Text
sākṣi-gopāla dekhibāre kaṭaka āilā
Synonyms
Translation
Previously, when Nityānanda Prabhu had toured all over India to see different places of pilgrimage, He also had come to see Sākṣi-gopāla at Kaṭaka.
Bengali
সেই কথা কহেন, প্রভু শুনে মহাসুখে ॥ ৯ ॥
Text
sei kathā kahena, prabhu śune mahā-sukhe
Synonyms
Translation
At that time, Nityānanda Prabhu had heard the story of Sākṣi-gopāla from the townspeople. He now recited this again, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard the narration with great pleasure.
Purport
The Sākṣi-gopāla temple is situated between the Khurdā Road railway station and the Jagannātha Purī station. The Deity is not presently situated in Kaṭaka, but when Nityānanda Prabhu traveled there, the Deity was present. Kaṭaka is a town in Orissa situated on the Mahānadī River. When Sākṣi-gopāla was brought from Vidyānagara in southern India, He stayed for some time at Kaṭaka. Thereafter, He was situated for some time in the Jagannātha temple. It seems that in the temple of Jagannātha there was some disagreement between Jagannātha and Sākṣi-gopāla, a disagreement called prema-kalaha, a quarrel of love. In order to settle this love quarrel, the King of Orissa constructed a village about eleven miles from Jagannātha Purī. The village was called Satyavādī, and Gopāla was stationed there. Thereafter, a new temple was constructed. Now there is a Sākṣi-gopāla station, and people go to Satyavādī to see the witness Gopāla.
Bengali
তীর্থ করিবারে দুঁহে করিলা গমন ॥ ১০ ॥
Text
tīrtha karibāre duṅhe karilā gamana
Synonyms
Translation
Formerly at Vidyānagara in South India there were two brāhmaṇas who made a long tour to see different places of pilgrimage.
Bengali
মথুরাতে আইলা দুঁহে আনন্দিত হঞা ॥ ১১ ॥
Text
mathurāte āilā duṅhe ānandita hañā
Synonyms
Translation
First of all they visited Gayā, then Kāśī, then Prayāga. Finally, with great pleasure, they came to Mathurā.
Bengali
দ্বাদশ-বন দেখি’ শেষে গেলা বৃন্দাবন ॥ ১২ ॥
Text
dvādaśa-vana dekhi’ śeṣe gelā vṛndāvana
Synonyms
Translation
After reaching Mathurā, they started visiting the different forests of Vṛndāvana and came to Govardhana Hill. They visited all twelve forests [vanas] and at last came to the town of Vṛndāvana.
Purport
The five forests situated on the eastern side of the river Yamunā are Bhadra, Bilva, Loha, Bhāṇḍīra and Mahāvana. The seven forests situated on the western side of the Yamunā are Madhu, Tāla, Kumuda, Bahulā, Kāmya, Khadira and Vṛndāvana. After visiting all these forests, these pilgrims went to a place known as Pañcakrośī Vṛndāvana. Out of the twelve forests, the Vṛndāvana forest extends from the town of Vṛndāvana up to Nanda-grāma and Varṣāṇā, a distance of thirty-two miles, within which the Pañcakrośī Vṛndāvana town is situated.
Bengali
সে মন্দিরে গোপালের মহাসেবা হয় ॥ ১৩ ॥
Text
se mandire gopālera mahā-sevā haya
Synonyms
Translation
In the village of Pañcakrośī Vṛndāvana, at the site where the Govinda temple is now situated, there was a great temple where gorgeous worship of Gopāla was performed.
Bengali
শ্রীগোপাল দেখি’ তাহাঁ করিলা বিশ্রাম ॥ ১৪ ॥
Text
śrī-gopāla dekhi’ tāhāṅ karilā viśrāma
Synonyms
keśī-tīrtha — the bathing place on the bank of the Yamunā known as Keśī-ghāṭa; kālīya-hrada — the bathing place on the bank of the Yamunā known as Kāliya-ghāṭa; ādike — in such different bathing places; kaila — did; snāna — bathing; śrī-gopāla dekhi’ — by visiting the temple of Gopāla; tāhāṅ — there; karilā — took; viśrāma — rest.
Translation
After taking baths at different bathing places along the river Yamunā, such as Keśī-ghāṭa and Kāliya-ghāṭa, the pilgrims visited the temple of Gopāla. Afterwards, they took rest in that temple.
Bengali
সুখ পাঞা রহে তাহাঁ দিন দুই-চারি ॥ ১৫ ॥
Text
sukha pāñā rahe tāhāṅ dina dui-cāri
Synonyms
Translation
The beauty of the Gopāla Deity stole away their minds, and feeling great happiness, they remained there for two or four days.
Bengali
আর বিপ্র — যুবা, তাঁর করেন সহায় ॥ ১৬ ॥
Text
āra vipra — yuvā, tāṅra karena sahāya
Synonyms
Translation
One of the two brāhmaṇas was an old man, and the other was young. The young man was assisting the old one.
Bengali
তাঁহার সেবায় বিপ্রের তুষ্ট হৈল মন ॥ ১৭ ॥
Text
tāṅhāra sevāya viprera tuṣṭa haila mana
Synonyms
Translation
Indeed, the young brāhmaṇa always rendered service to the older one, and the old man, being very satisfied with his service, was pleased with him.
Bengali
সহায় হঞা মোরে তীর্থ করাইলা ॥ ১৮ ॥
Text
sahāya hañā more tīrtha karāilā
Synonyms
Translation
The older man told the younger, “You have rendered various types of service to me. You have assisted me in traveling to all these places of pilgrimage.
Bengali
তোমার প্ৰসাদে আমি না পাইলাম শ্রম ॥ ১৯ ॥
Text
tomāra prasāde āmi nā pāilāma śrama
Synonyms
Translation
“Even my own son does not render such service. By your mercy, I did not become fatigued while on this tour.
Bengali
অতএব তোমায় আমি দিব কন্যাদান ॥ ২০ ॥
Text
ataeva tomāya āmi diba kanyā-dāna
Synonyms
Translation
“If I did not show you any respect, I would be ungrateful. Therefore, I promise to give you my daughter in charity.”
Bengali
অসম্ভব কহ কেনে, যেই নাহি হয় ॥ ২১ ॥
Text
asambhava kaha kene, yei nāhi haya
Synonyms
Translation
The younger brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear sir, please hear me. You are saying something very unusual. Such a thing never happens.
Bengali
আমি অকুলীন, আর ধন-বিদ্যা-হীন ॥ ২২ ॥
Text
āmi akulīna, āra dhana-vidyā-hīna
Synonyms
Translation
“You are a most aristocratic family man, well educated and very rich. I am not at all aristocratic, and I am without a decent education and have no wealth.
Purport
Due to pious activities, one can be enriched by four opulences: one may obtain birth in an aristocratic family, become highly educated, become very beautiful or get a sufficient quantity of riches. These are symptoms of pious activities performed in one’s past life. In India it is still current for an aristocratic family never to consider a marriage with a common family. Though the caste may be the same, to maintain the aristocracy such marriages are rejected. No poor man will dare marry the daughter of a rich man. Because of this, when the elderly brāhmaṇa offered the young brāhmaṇa his daughter, the young brāhmaṇa did not believe that it would be possible to marry her. Therefore he asked the elderly brāhmaṇa why he was proposing something unprecedented (asambhava). It was unheard of for an aristocratic person to offer his daughter to a person who was both uneducated and poor.
Bengali
কৃষ্ণপ্রীত্যে করি তোমার সেবা-ব্যবহার ॥ ২৩ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇa-prītye kari tomāra sevā-vyavahāra
Synonyms
Translation
“Sir, I am not a suitable bridegroom for your daughter. I render service to you only for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
Purport
Both brāhmaṇas were pure Vaiṣṇavas. The younger man took special care of the older one simply to please Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.21) Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā: “It is better to render service to My devotee.” Thus, according to the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is better to be a servant of the servant of God. One should not try to serve Kṛṣṇa directly. A pure Vaiṣṇava serves a servant of Kṛṣṇa and identifies himself as a servant of a servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is pleasing to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms this philosophy: chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra peyeche kebā. Unless one serves a liberated Vaiṣṇava, he cannot attain liberation by directly serving Kṛṣṇa. He must serve the servant of Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
তাঁহার সন্তোষ ভক্তি-সম্পদ্ বাড়য় ॥” ২৪ ॥
Text
tāṅhāra santoṣe bhakti-sampad bāḍaya”
Synonyms
Translation
“Lord Kṛṣṇa is very much pleased by service rendered to brāhmaṇas, and when the Lord is pleased, the opulence of one’s devotional service increases.”
Purport
In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments that the younger brāhmaṇa rendered service to the older one with the purpose of pleasing Kṛṣṇa. It was not a matter of ordinary worldly dealings. Kṛṣṇa is pleased when a Vaiṣṇava is rendered service. Because the younger brāhmaṇa served the older one, Lord Gopāla agreed to become a witness of the marriage negotiation in order to maintain the prestige of both devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would certainly not have liked to hear about marital dealings unless such dealings were exchanged between two Vaiṣṇavas. Marriage arrangements and ceremonies belong to ordinary material karma-kāṇḍa sections of the scriptures. The Vaiṣṇavas, however, are not interested in any kind of karma-kāṇḍa dealings. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa kevala viṣera bhāṇḍa. For a Vaiṣṇava, the karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa sections of the Vedas are unnecessary. Indeed, a real Vaiṣṇava takes these sections as a poison pot (viṣera bhāṇḍa). Sometimes we take part in a marriage ceremony for our disciples, but this does not mean that we are interested in karma-kāṇḍa activities. Sometimes, not knowing the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, an outsider criticizes such activity, maintaining that a sannyāsī should not take part in a marriage ceremony between a young boy and a young girl. However, this is not a karma-kāṇḍa activity, because our purpose is to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving all facility to the general populace to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and in order to fix the devotees in concentration on the service of the Lord, marriage is sometimes allowed. We have experienced that such married couples actually render very important service to the mission. Therefore, one should not misunderstand when a sannyāsī takes part in a marriage ceremony. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu took great pleasure in hearing about the marriage ceremony between the young brāhmaṇa and the daughter of the elderly brāhmaṇa.
Bengali
তোমাকে কন্যা দিব আমি, করিল নিশ্চয় ॥” ২৫ ॥
Text
tomāke kanyā diba āmi, karila niścaya”
Synonyms
Translation
The older brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear boy, do not doubt me. I will give you my daughter in charity. I have already decided this.”
Bengali
বহু জ্ঞাতি-গোষ্ঠি তোমার বহুত বান্ধব ॥ ২৬ ॥
Text
bahu jñāti-goṣṭhī tomāra bahuta bāndhava
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa said, “You have a wife and sons, and you have a large circle of relatives and friends.
Bengali
রুক্মিণীর পিতা ভীষ্মক তাহাতে প্রমাণ ॥ ২৭ ॥
Text
rukmiṇīra pitā bhīṣmaka tāhāte pramāṇa
Synonyms
Translation
“Without the consent of all your friends and relatives, it is not possible to give me your daughter in charity. Just consider the story of Queen Rukmiṇī and her father, Bhīṣmaka.
Bengali
পুত্রের বিরোধে কন্যা নারিল অর্পিতে ॥” ২৮ ॥
Text
putrera virodhe kanyā nārila arpite”
Synonyms
Translation
“King Bhīṣmaka wanted to give his daughter, Rukmiṇī, in charity to Kṛṣṇa, but Rukmī, his eldest son, objected. Therefore he could not carry out his decision.”
Purport
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.52.25):
tato nivārya kṛṣṇa-dviḍ rukmī caidyam amanyata
King Bhīṣmaka of Vidarbha wanted to offer Kṛṣṇa his daughter, Rukmiṇī, but Rukmī, the eldest of his five sons, objected. Therefore Bhīṣmaka withdrew his decision and decided to offer Rukmiṇī to the King of Cedi, Śiśupāla, who was a cousin of Kṛṣṇa’s. However, Rukmiṇī conceived of a trick: she sent a letter to Kṛṣṇa asking Him to kidnap her. Thus in order to please Rukmiṇī, who was His great devotee, Kṛṣṇa kidnapped her. There ensued a great fight between Kṛṣṇa and the opposing party, headed by Rukmiṇī’s brother Rukmī. Rukmī was defeated and, because of his harsh words against Kṛṣṇa, was about to be killed, but he was saved at the request of Rukmiṇī. However, Kṛṣṇa shaved off all of Rukmī’s hair with His sword. Śrī Balarāma did not like this, and so to please Rukmiṇī, Balarāma rebuked Kṛṣṇa.
Bengali
নিজ-ধন দিতে নিষেধিবে কোন্ জন ॥ ২৯ ॥
Text
nija-dhana dite niṣedhibe kon jana
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa said, “My daughter is my own property. If I choose to give my property to someone, who has the power to stop me?
Bengali
সংশয় না কর তুমি, করহ স্বীকার ॥” ৩০ ॥
Text
saṁśaya nā kara tumi, karaha svīkāra”
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear boy, I will give my daughter to you in charity, and I will neglect the position of all others. Don’t doubt me in this regard; just accept my proposal.”
Bengali
গোপালের আগে কহ এ সত্যবচন ॥” ৩১ ॥
Text
gopālera āge kaha e satya-vacana”
Synonyms
Translation
The younger brāhmaṇa replied, “If you have decided to give your young daughter to me, then say so before the Gopāla Deity.”
Bengali
“তুমি জান, নিজ-কন্যা ইহারে আমি দিল ॥” ৩২ ॥
Text
‘tumi jāna, nija-kanyā ihāre āmi dila’
Synonyms
Translation
Coming before Gopāla, the elderly brāhmaṇa said, “My dear Lord, please witness that I have given my daughter to this boy.”
Purport
In India it is still the custom for a daughter to be offered to someone simply by word. This is called vāg-datta. This means that the father, brother or guardian of a girl has given his word that she will be married to a certain man. Consequently, that daughter cannot be married to anyone else. She is reserved by virtue of the honest words of the father or guardian. There are many instances in which the parents of a female child have given someone a verbal promise that their daughter will be married to his son. Both parties agree to wait until the boy and girl are grown up, and then the marriage takes place. Following this custom, which is very old in India, the elderly brāhmaṇa promised to give his daughter to the younger brāhmaṇa in charity, and he promised this before the Gopāla Deity. In India the custom is to honor any promise made before the Deity. Such a promise cannot be canceled. In Indian villages, whenever there is a quarrel between two parties, they go to a temple to settle the quarrel. Whatever is spoken in front of the Deity is taken to be true, for no one would dare lie before the Deity. This same principle was followed in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Therefore in the very beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre.
By not becoming God conscious, human society is deteriorating to the lowest standard of animal life. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very essential to reviving God consciousness among the general populace. If people actually become God conscious, all quarrels can be settled outside of court, as happened in the case of the two brāhmaṇas whose disagreement was settled by the witness Gopāla.
Bengali
তোমা সাক্ষী বোলাইমু, যদি অন্যথা দেখি ॥” ৩৩ ॥
Text
tomā sākṣī bolāimu, yadi anyathā dekhi”
Synonyms
Translation
Then the younger brāhmaṇa addressed the Deity, saying, “My dear Lord, You are my witness. I shall call for You to testify if it is necessary later on.”
Bengali
গুরুবুদ্ধ্যে ছোট-বিপ্ৰ বহু সেবা করে ॥ ৩৪ ॥
Text
guru-buddhye choṭa-vipra bahu sevā kare
Synonyms
Translation
After these talks, the two brāhmaṇas started for home. As usual, the young brāhmaṇa accompanied the elderly brāhmaṇa as if the older brāhmaṇa were a guru [spiritual master] and rendered him service in various ways.
Bengali
কত দিনে বড়-বিপ্র চিন্তিত অন্তরে ॥ ৩৫ ॥
Text
kata dine baḍa-vipra cintita antare
Synonyms
Translation
After returning to Vidyānagara, each brāhmaṇa went to his respective home. After some time, the elderly brāhmaṇa became very anxious.
Bengali
স্ত্রী, পুত্র, জ্ঞাতি, বন্ধু জানিবে নিশ্চয় ॥ ৩৬ ॥
Text
strī, putra, jñāti, bandhu jānibe niścaya
Synonyms
Translation
He began to think, “I have given my word to a brāhmaṇa in a holy place, and what I promised will certainly come to pass. I must now disclose this to my wife, sons, other relatives and friends.”
Bengali
তা-সবার আগে সব বৃত্তান্ত কহিল ॥ ৩৭ ॥
Text
tā-sabāra āge saba vṛttānta kahila
Synonyms
Translation
Thus one day the elderly brāhmaṇa called for a meeting of all his relatives and friends, and before them all he narrated what had taken place in front of Gopāla.
Bengali
‘ঐছে বাত্ মুখে তুমি না আনিবে আর ॥ ৩৮ ॥
Text
‘aiche bāt mukhe tumi nā ānibe āra
Synonyms
Translation
When those who belonged to the family circle heard the narration of the old brāhmaṇa, they made exclamations showing their disappointment. They all requested that he not make such a proposal again.
Bengali
শুনিঞা সকল লোক করিবে উপহাস ॥’ ৩৯ ॥
Text
śuniñā sakala loka karibe upahāsa’
Synonyms
Translation
They unanimously agreed, “If you offer your daughter to a degraded family, your aristocracy will be lost. When people hear of this, they will make jokes and laugh at you.”
Bengali
যে হউক্, সে হউক, আমি দিব কন্যাদান ॥” ৪০ ॥
Text
ye ha-uk, se ha-uka, āmi diba kanyā-dāna”
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa said, “How can I undo the promise I made in a holy place while on pilgrimage? Whatever may happen, I must give him my daughter in charity.”
Bengali
স্ত্রী-পুত্র কহে, — ‘বিষ খাইয়া মরিব ॥’ ৪১ ॥
Text
strī-putra kahe, — ‘viṣa khāiyā mariba’
Synonyms
Translation
The relatives unanimously said, “If you give your daughter to that boy, we shall give up all connection with you.” Indeed, his wife and sons declared, “If such a thing happens, we shall take poison and die.”
Bengali
জিতি’ কন্যা লবে, মোর ব্যর্থ ধর্ম হয় ॥” ৪২ ॥
Text
jiti’ kanyā labe, mora vyartha dharma haya”
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa said, “If I do not give my daughter to the young brāhmaṇa, he will call Śrī Gopālajī as a witness. Thus he will take my daughter by force, and in that case my religious principles will become meaningless.”
Bengali
কে তোমার সাক্ষী দিবে, চিন্তা কর কিসে ॥ ৪৩ ॥
Text
ke tomāra sākṣī dibe, cintā kara kise
Synonyms
Translation
His son replied, “The Deity may be a witness, but He is in a distant country. How can He come to bear witness against you? Why are you so anxious over this?
Bengali
সবে কহিবে — ‘মোর কিছু নাহিক স্মরণ ॥’ ৪৪ ॥
Text
sabe kahibe — ‘mora kichu nāhika smaraṇa’
Synonyms
Translation
“You do not have to flatly deny that you spoke such a thing. There is no need to make a false statement. Simply say that you do not remember what you said.
Bengali
তবে আমি ন্যায় করি’ ব্রাহ্মণেরে জিনি ॥” ৪৫ ॥
Text
tabe āmi nyāya kari’ brāhmaṇere jini”
Synonyms
Translation
“If you simply say, ‘I do not remember,’ I shall take care of the rest. By argument, I shall defeat the young brāhmaṇa.”
Purport
The son of the elderly brāhmaṇa was an atheist and a follower of the Raghunātha-smṛti. He was very expert in dealing with pounds-shillings-pence, but he was fool number one. Consequently, he did not believe in the spiritual position of the Deity, nor did he have any faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, as a typical idol worshiper, he considered the form of the Lord to be made of stone or wood. Thus he assured his father that the witness was only a stone Deity and was not capable of speaking. Besides that, he assured his father that the Deity was situated far away and consequently could not come to bear witness. In essence, he was saying, “Have no anxiety. You do not have to lie directly, but you should speak like a diplomat, like King Yudhiṣṭhira when he spoke to Droṇācārya — aśvatthāmā hata iti gajaḥ. Following this principle, simply say that you do not remember anything and are completely unaware of the statements given by the young brāhmaṇa. If you make the background like that, I shall know how to fill in the argument and defeat him by word jugglery. Thus I shall save you from having to give your daughter to him. In this way, our aristocracy will be saved. You have nothing to worry about.”
Bengali
একান্ত-ভাবে চিন্তে বিপ্র গোপাল-চরণ ॥ ৪৬ ॥
Text
ekānta-bhāve cinte vipra gopāla-caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
When the elderly brāhmaṇa heard this, his mind became very much agitated. Feeling helpless, he simply turned his attention to the lotus feet of Gopāla.
Bengali
দুই রক্ষা কর, গোপাল, লইনু শরণ ॥’ ৪৭ ॥
Text
dui rakṣā kara, gopāla, lainu śaraṇa’
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa prayed, “My dear Lord Gopāla, I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet, and therefore I request You to please protect my religious principles from disturbance and at the same time save my kinsmen from dying.”
Bengali
আর দিন লঘুবিপ্র তাঁর ঘরে আইল ॥ ৪৮ ॥
Text
āra dina laghu-vipra tāṅra ghare āila
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, the elderly brāhmaṇa was thinking deeply about this matter when the young brāhmaṇa came to his house.
Bengali
বিনয় করিঞা কহে কর দুই যুড়ি’ ॥ ৪৯ ॥
Text
vinaya kariñā kahe kara dui yuḍi’
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa came to him and offered respectful obeisances. Then, very humbly folding his hands, he spoke as follows.
Bengali
এবে কিছু নাহি কহ, কি তোমার বিচার ॥’ ৫০ ॥
Text
ebe kichu nāhi kaha, ki tomāra vicāra’
Synonyms
Translation
“You have promised to give your daughter in charity to me. Now you do not say anything. What is your conclusion?”
Bengali
তাঁর পুত্র মারিতে আইল হাতে ঠেঙ্গা করি’ ॥ ৫১ ॥
Text
tāṅra putra mārite āila hāte ṭheṅgā kari’
Synonyms
Translation
After the young brāhmaṇa submitted this statement, the elderly brāhmaṇa remained silent. Taking this opportunity, his son immediately came out with a stick to strike the younger man.
Bengali
বামন হঞা চাঁদ যেন চাহ ত’ ধরিতে ॥’ ৫২ ॥
Text
vāmana hañā cāṅda yena cāha ta’ dharite’
Synonyms
Translation
The son said, “Oh, you are most degraded! You want to marry my sister, just like a dwarf who wants to catch the moon!”
Bengali
আর দিন গ্রামের লোক একত্র করিল ॥ ৫৩ ॥
Text
āra dina grāmera loka ekatra karila
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing a stick in the hand of the son, the younger brāhmaṇa fled. The next day, however, he gathered together all the people of the village.
Bengali
তবে সেই লঘুবিপ্র কহিতে লাগিল ॥ ৫৪ ॥
Text
tabe sei laghu-vipra kahite lāgila
Synonyms
Translation
All the people of the village then called for the elderly brāhmaṇa and brought him to their meeting place. The young brāhmaṇa then began to speak before them as follows.
Bengali
এবে যে না দেন, পুছ ইঁহার ব্যবহার ॥’ ৫৫ ॥
Text
ebe ye nā dena, pucha iṅhāra vyavahāra’
Synonyms
Translation
“This gentleman has promised to hand over his daughter to me, yet now he does not follow his promise. Please ask him about his behavior.”
Bengali
‘কন্যা কেনে না দেহ, যদি দিয়াছ বচন ॥’ ৫৬ ॥
Text
‘kanyā kene nā deha, yadi diyācha vacana’
Synonyms
Translation
All the people gathered there asked the elderly brāhmaṇa, “If you have already promised to give him your daughter in charity, why are you not fulfilling your promise? You have given your word of honor.”
Bengali
কবে কি বলিয়াছি, মোর নাহিক স্মরণ ॥’ ৫৭ ॥
Text
kabe ki baliyāchi, mora nāhika smaraṇa’
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa said, “My dear friends, please hear what I have to submit. I do not exactly remember making a promise like that.”
Bengali
প্রগল্ভ হইয়া কহে সম্মুখে আসিঞা ॥ ৫৮ ॥
Text
pragalbha ha-iyā kahe sammukhe āsiñā
Synonyms
Translation
When the elderly brāhmaṇa’s son heard this, he took the opportunity to juggle some words. Becoming very impudent, he stood before the assembly and spoke as follows.
Bengali
ধন দেখি এই দুষ্টের লৈতে হৈল মন ॥ ৫৯ ॥
Text
dhana dekhi ei duṣṭera laite haila mana
Synonyms
Translation
“While touring various holy places of pilgrimage, my father carried much money. Seeing the money, this rogue decided to take it away.
Bengali
ধুতুরা খাওয়াঞা বাপে করিল পাগল ॥ ৬০ ॥
Text
dhuturā khāoyāñā bāpe karila pāgala
Synonyms
Translation
“There was no one besides this man with my father. Giving him an intoxicant known as dhuturā to eat, this rogue made my father mad.
Bengali
‘কন্যা দিতে চাহিয়াছে’ — উঠাইল বচন ॥ ৬১ ॥
Text
‘kanyā dite cāhiyāche’ — uṭhāila vacana
Synonyms
Translation
“Having taken all my father’s money, this rogue claimed that it was taken by some thief. Now he is claiming that my father has promised to give him his daughter in charity.
Bengali
‘মোর পিতার কন্যা দিতে যোগ্য কি ইহারে ॥’ ৬২ ॥
Text
‘mora pitāra kanyā dite yogya ki ihāre’
Synonyms
Translation
“All of you assembled here are gentlemen. Please judge whether it is befitting to offer this poor brāhmaṇa my father’s daughter.”
Bengali
‘সম্ভবে, — ধনলোভে লোক ছাড়ে ধর্মভয় ॥’ ৬৩ ॥
Text
‘sambhave, — dhana-lobhe loka chāḍe dharma-bhaya’
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing all these statements, all the people gathered there became a little doubtful. They thought it quite possible that because of attraction for riches one might give up his religious principles.
Bengali
ন্যায় জিনিবারে কহে অসত্য-বচন ॥ ৬৪ ॥
Text
nyāya jinibāre kahe asatya-vacana
Synonyms
Translation
At that time the young brāhmaṇa said, “My dear gentlemen, please hear. Just to gain victory in an argument, this man is lying.
Bengali
‘তোরে আমি কন্যা দিব’ আপনে কহিলা ॥ ৬৫ ॥
Text
‘tore āmi kanyā diba’ āpane kahilā
Synonyms
Translation
“Being very satisfied with my service, this brāhmaṇa said to me of his own accord, ‘I promise to hand over my daughter to you.’
Bengali
তোমার কন্যার যোগ্য নহি মুঞি বর ॥ ৬৬ ॥
Text
tomāra kanyāra yogya nahi muñi vara
Synonyms
Translation
“At that time I forbade him to do this, telling him, ‘O best of the brāhmaṇas, I am not a fit husband for your daughter.
Bengali
কাহাঁ মুঞি দরিদ্র, মূর্খ, নীচ, কুলহীন ॥ ৬৭ ॥
Text
kāhāṅ muñi daridra, mūrkha, nīca, kula-hīna
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘Whereas you are a learned scholar, a rich man belonging to an aristocratic family, I am a poor man, uneducated and with no claim to aristocracy.’
Bengali
তোরে কন্যা দিলুঁ, তুমি করহ স্বীকার ॥ ৬৮ ॥
Text
tore kanyā diluṅ, tumi karaha svīkāra
Synonyms
Translation
“Still this brāhmaṇa insisted. Again and again he asked me to accept his proposal, saying, ‘I have given you my daughter. Please accept her.’
Bengali
তোমার স্ত্রী-পুত্র-জ্ঞাতির না হবে সম্মতি ॥ ৬৯ ॥
Text
tomāra strī-putra-jñātira nā habe sammati
Synonyms
Translation
“I then said, ‘Please hear. You are a learned brāhmaṇa. Your wife, friends and relatives will never agree to this proposal.
Bengali
পুনরপি কহে বিপ্র করিয়া যতন ॥ ৭০ ॥
Text
punarapi kahe vipra kariyā yatana
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘My dear sir, you will not be able to fulfill your promise. Your promise will be broken.’ Yet, again and again the brāhmaṇa emphasized his promise.
Bengali
আত্মকন্যা দিব, কেবা পারে নিষেধিতে ॥ ৭১ ॥
Text
ātma-kanyā diba, kebā pāre niṣedhite
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘I have offered you my daughter. Do not hesitate. She is my daughter, and I shall give her to you. Who can forbid me?’
Bengali
গোপালের আগে কহ এ-সত্য বচন ॥ ৭২ ॥
Text
gopālera āge kaha e-satya vacana
Synonyms
Translation
“At that time I concentrated my mind and requested the brāhmaṇa to make the promise before the Gopāla Deity.
Bengali
তুমি জান, এই বিপ্রে কন্যা আমি দিল ॥ ৭৩ ॥
Text
tumi jāna, ei vipre kanyā āmi dila
Synonyms
Translation
“Then this gentleman said in front of the Gopāla Deity, ‘My dear Lord, please bear witness. I have offered my daughter to this brāhmaṇa in charity.’
Bengali
কহিলাঙ তাঁর পদে মিনতি করিঞা ॥ ৭৪ ॥
Text
kahilāṅ tāṅra pade minati kariñā
Synonyms
Translation
“Accepting the Gopāla Deity as my witness, I then submitted the following at His lotus feet.
Bengali
সাক্ষী বোলাইমু তোমায়, হইও সাবধান ॥ ৭৫ ॥
Text
sākṣī bolāimu tomāya, ha-io sāvadhāna
Synonyms
Translation
“ ‘If this brāhmaṇa later hesitates to give me his daughter, my dear Lord, I shall call on You as a witness. Please note this with care and attention.’
Bengali
যাঁর বাক্য সত্য করি মানে ত্রিভুবন ॥” ৭৬ ॥
Text
yāṅra vākya satya kari māne tribhuvana”
Synonyms
Translation
“Thus I have called upon a great personality in this transaction. I have asked the Supreme Godhead to be my witness. The entire world accepts the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Purport
Although the young brāhmaṇa described himself as having no claims to aristocracy and being an uneducated common man, still he had one good qualification: he believed that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was the topmost authority, he accepted the words of Lord Kṛṣṇa without hesitation, and he had firm faith in the Lord’s consistency. According to Prahlāda Mahārāja, another authority on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such a staunch and faithful devotee of the Lord must be understood to be a most learned scholar: tan manye ’dhītam uttamam (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.24). A pure devotee who has firm faith in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be considered a most learned scholar, the topmost aristocrat and the richest man in the whole world. All godly qualities automatically exist in such a devotee. In the preaching work of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fully believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa and His servants, the disciplic succession. In this way we are presenting the words of Kṛṣṇa throughout the world. Even though we are neither a rich man nor a very learned scholar, and even though we do not belong to any aristocracy, this movement is still being welcomed and is very easily spreading all over the world. Although we are very poor and have no professional source of income, Kṛṣṇa supplies money whenever we need it. Whenever we need some men, Kṛṣṇa supplies them. Thus it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (6.22): yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. Actually, if we can attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, we do not need anything else. We certainly do not need those things which a mundane person considers to be material assets.
Bengali
গোপাল যদি সাক্ষী দেন, আপনে আসি’ এথা ॥ ৭৭ ॥
তাঁর পুত্র কহে, — ‘এই ভাল বাত হয় ॥’ ৭৮ ॥
Text
gopāla yadi sākṣī dena, āpane āsi’ ethā
tāṅra putra kahe, — ‘ei bhāla bāta haya’
Synonyms
tabe — at that time; baḍa-vipra — the elderly brāhmaṇa; kahe — says; ei satya kathā — this is true; gopāla — the Gopāla Deity; yadi — if; sākṣī — witness; dena — gives; āpane — personally; āsi’ — coming; ethā — here; tabe — at that time; kanyā — daughter; diba — must give in charity; āmi — I; jāniha — you all know it; niścaya — certainly; tāṅra — his; putra — son; kahe — says; ei — this; bhāla — nice; bāta — statement; haya — is.
Translation
Taking this opportunity, the elderly brāhmaṇa immediately confirmed that this was really true. He said, “If Gopāla personally comes here to serve as a witness, I shall surely give my daughter to the young brāhmaṇa.”
Purport
The elderly brāhmaṇa’s son immediately confirmed this, saying, “Yes, this is a very nice settlement.”
As the Supersoul within the heart of all living entities, Kṛṣṇa knows everyone’s desire, everyone’s request and everyone’s prayer. Although all these may be contradictory, the Lord has to create a situation in which everyone will be pleased. This is an instance of a marriage negotiation between an elderly brāhmaṇa and a youthful one. The elderly brāhmaṇa was certainly willing to give his daughter in charity to the young brāhmaṇa, but his son and relatives became impediments to this transaction. The elderly brāhmaṇa considered how to get out of this situation and still offer his daughter to the young brāhmaṇa. His son, an atheist and a very cunning fellow, was thinking of how to stop the marriage. The father and son were thinking in a contradictory way, yet Kṛṣṇa created a situation wherein they agreed. They both agreed that if the Gopāla Deity would come and serve as a witness, the daughter would be given to the young brāhmaṇa.
Bengali
অবশ্য মোর বাক্য তেঁহো করিবে প্রমাণ ॥’ ৭৯ ॥
Text
avaśya mora vākya teṅho karibe pramāṇa’
Synonyms
Translation
The elderly brāhmaṇa thought, “Since Lord Kṛṣṇa is very merciful, He will certainly come to prove my statement.”
Bengali
এই বুদ্ধ্যে দুইজন হইলা সম্মতে ॥ ৮০ ॥
Text
ei buddhye dui-jana ha-ilā sammate
Synonyms
Translation
The atheistic son thought, “It is not possible for Gopāla to come and bear witness.” Thinking thus, the father and son agreed.
Bengali
পুনঃ যেন নাহি চলে এসব বচন ॥’ ৮১ ॥
Text
punaḥ yena nāhi cale e-saba vacana’
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa took this opportunity to speak: “Please write this down on paper in black and white so that you may not again change your word of honor.”
Bengali
দুঁহার সম্মতি লঞা মধ্যস্থ রাখিল ॥ ৮২ ॥
Text
duṅhāra sammati lañā madhyastha rākhila
Synonyms
Translation
All the assembled people got this statement down in black and white and, taking the signatures of agreement from both of them, served as the mediators.
Bengali
এই বিপ্র — সত্য-বাক্য, ধর্মপরায়ণ ॥ ৮৩ ॥
Text
ei vipra — satya-vākya, dharma-parāyaṇa
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa then said, “Will all you gentlemen present please hear me? This elderly brāhmaṇa is certainly truthful and is following religious principles.
Bengali
স্বজন-মৃত্যু-ভয়ে কহে অসত্য-বচন ॥ ৮৪ ॥
Text
svajana-mṛtyu-bhaye kahe asatya-vacana
Synonyms
Translation
“He had no desire to break his promise, but fearing that his kinsmen would commit suicide, he deviated from the truth.
Bengali
তবে এই বিপ্রের সত্য-প্রতিজ্ঞা রাখিব ॥ ৮৫ ॥
Text
tabe ei viprera satya-pratijñā rākhiba
Synonyms
Translation
“By the piety of the elderly brāhmaṇa, I shall call the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a witness. Thus I shall keep his truthful promise intact.”
Bengali
কেহ বলে, ঈশ্বর — দয়ালু, আসিতেই পারে ॥ ৮৬ ॥
Text
keha bale, īśvara — dayālu, āsiteha pāre
Synonyms
Translation
Hearing the emphatic statement of the younger brāhmaṇa, some atheists in the meeting began to cut jokes. However, someone else said, “After all, the Lord is merciful, and if He likes, He can come.”
Bengali
দণ্ডবৎ করি’ কহে সব বিবরণ ॥ ৮৭ ॥
Text
daṇḍavat kari’ kahe saba vivaraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
After the meeting, the young brāhmaṇa started for Vṛndāvana. Upon arriving there, he first offered his respectful obeisances to the Deity and then narrated everything in full detail.
Bengali
দুই বিপ্রের ধর্ম রাখ হঞা সদয় ॥ ৮৮ ॥
Text
dui viprera dharma rākha hañā sadaya
Synonyms
Translation
He said, “My Lord, You are the protector of brahminical culture, and You are also very merciful. Therefore, kindly show Your great mercy by protecting the religious principles of us two brāhmaṇas.
Bengali
ব্রাহ্মণের প্রতিজ্ঞা যায় — এই বড় দুঃখ ॥ ৮৯ ॥
Text
brāhmaṇera pratijñā yāya — ei baḍa duḥkha
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear Lord, I am not thinking to become happy by getting the daughter as a bride. I am simply thinking that the brāhmaṇa has broken his promise, and that is giving me great pain.”
Purport
It was not at all the intention of the young brāhmaṇa to get the daughter of the elderly brāhmaṇa in marriage and thus enjoy material happiness and sense gratification. It was not for that reason that the young brāhmaṇa went to Vṛndāvana to ask the Supreme Personality of Godhead to act as a witness. His only concern was that the elderly brāhmaṇa had promised something, and if Gopāla did not bear witness to that transaction, then the older brāhmaṇa would incur a spiritual blemish. Therefore, the young brāhmaṇa wanted protection and help from the Deity. The young brāhmaṇa was thus a pure Vaiṣṇava, and he had no desire for sense gratification. He wanted only to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the older brāhmaṇa, who was also a Vaiṣṇava and very much devoted to the Lord.
Bengali
জানি’ সাক্ষী নাহি দেয়, তার পাপ হয় ॥ ৯০ ॥
Text
jāni’ sākṣī nāhi deya, tāra pāpa haya
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa continued, “My dear Sir, You are very merciful and You know everything. Therefore, kindly be a witness in this case. A person who knows things as they are and still does not bear witness becomes involved in sinful activities.”
Purport
The dealings between a devotee and the Lord are very simple. The young brāhmaṇa said to the Lord, “You know everything, but if You do not bear witness, You will be involved in sinful activities.” There is no possibility, however, of the Lord’s being involved in sinful activities. A pure devotee, even though he knows everything of the Supreme Lord, can speak with the Lord exactly as if He were a common man. Although the dealings between the Lord and His devotee are always very simple and open, there is formality. All these things happen because of the connection between the Lord and the devotee.
Bengali
সভা করি’ মোরে তুমি করিহ স্মরণে ॥ ৯১ ॥
Text
sabhā kari’ more tumi kariha smaraṇe
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “My dear brāhmaṇa, go back to your home and call a meeting of all the men. In that meeting, just try to remember Me.
Bengali
তবে দুই বিপ্রের সত্য প্রতিজ্ঞা রাখিব ॥ ৯২ ॥
Text
tabe dui viprera satya pratijñā rākhiba
Synonyms
Translation
“I shall certainly appear there, and at that time I shall protect the honor of both you brāhmaṇas by bearing witness to the promise.”
Bengali
তবু তোমার বাক্যে কারু না হবে প্রতীতি ॥ ৯৩ ॥
Text
tabu tomāra vākye kāru nā habe pratīti
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear sir, even if You appear there as a four-handed Viṣṇu Deity, still, none of those people will believe in Your words.
Bengali
সাক্ষী দেহ যদি — তবে সর্বলোক শুনে ॥” ৯৪ ॥
Text
sākṣī deha yadi — tabe sarva-loka śune”
Synonyms
Translation
“Only if You go there in this form of Gopāla and speak the words from Your beautiful face will Your testimony be heard by all the people.”
Bengali
বিপ্র বলে, — “প্রতিমা হঞা কহ কেনে বাণী ॥ ৯৫ ॥
Text
vipra bale, — “pratimā hañā kaha kene vāṇī
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa said, “I’ve never heard of a Deity’s walking from one place to another.”
Purport
The brāhmaṇa replied, “That is true, but how is it that You are speaking to me, although You are a Deity?
Bengali
বিপ্র লাগি’ কর তুমি অকার্য-করণ ॥” ৯৬ ॥
Text
vipra lāgi’ kara tumi akārya-karaṇa”
Synonyms
Translation
“My dear Lord, You are not a statue; You are directly the son of Mahārāja Nanda. Now, for the sake of the old brāhmaṇa, You can do something You have never done before.”
Bengali
তোমার পাছে পাছে আমি করিব গমন ॥ ৯৭ ॥
Text
tomāra pāche pāche āmi kariba gamana
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Gopālajī then smiled and said, “My dear brāhmaṇa, just listen to Me. I shall walk behind you, and in this way I shall go with you.”
Purport
The conversation between Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the brāhmaṇa is proof that the Lord in His arcā-mūrti, or form made of material elements, is not material, for those elements, although separated from the Lord, are also a part of the Lord’s energy, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Because the elements are the Lord’s own energy and because there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, the Lord can appear through any element. Just as the sun can act through the sunshine and thus distribute its heat and light, so Kṛṣṇa, by His inconceivable power, can appear in His original spiritual form in any material element, including stone, wood, paint, gold, silver and jewels, because the material elements are all His energy. The śāstras warn, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ . . . nārakī saḥ: one should never think of the arcā-mūrti, the Deity within the temple, as stone, wood or any other material element. Because of his advanced devotional position, the younger brāhmaṇa knew that although the Deity of Gopāla appeared to be stone, He was not stone. He was the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Vrajendra-nandana Himself. As such, the Deity could act exactly as the Lord does in His original form as Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Kṛṣṇa was talking to the young brāhmaṇa just to test his knowledge about the arcā-vigraha. In other words, those who have understood the science of Kṛṣṇa — Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and so forth — can also talk with the Deity. To an ordinary person, however, the Deity will appear to be made of stone, wood or some other material. In the higher sense, since all material elements ultimately emanate from the supreme spiritual entity, nothing is really material. Being omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, Kṛṣṇa can deal with His devotee in any form without difficulty. By the mercy of the Lord, the devotee knows perfectly well about the Lord’s dealings. Indeed, he can talk face to face with the Lord.
Bengali
আমাকে দেখিলে, আমি রহিব সেই স্থানে ॥ ৯৮ ॥
Text
āmāke dekhile, āmi rahiba sei sthāne
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord continued, “Do not try to see Me by turning around. As soon as you see Me, I shall remain stationary in that very place.
Bengali
সেই শব্দে আমার গমন প্রতীতি করিবা ॥ ৯৯ ॥
Text
sei śabde āmāra gamana pratīti karibā
Synonyms
Translation
“You will know that I am walking behind you by the sound of My ankle bells.
Bengali
তাহা খাঞা তোমার সঙ্গে করিব গমন ॥” ১০০ ॥
Text
tāhā khāñā tomāra saṅge kariba gamana
Synonyms
Translation
“Cook one kilo of rice daily and offer it. I shall eat that rice and follow behind you.”
Bengali
তার পাছে পাছে গোপাল করিলা গমন ॥ ১০১ ॥
Text
tāra pāche pāche gopāla karilā gamana
Synonyms
Translation
The next day, the brāhmaṇa begged permission from Gopāla and started for his country. Gopāla followed him, step by step.
Bengali
উত্তমান্ন পাক করি’ করায় ভোজন ॥ ১০২ ॥
Text
uttamānna pāka kari’ karāya bhojana
Synonyms
Translation
While Gopāla followed the young brāhmaṇa, the tinkling sound of His ankle bells could be heard. The brāhmaṇa became very pleased, and he cooked first-class rice for Gopāla to eat.
Bengali
গ্রামের নিকট আসি’ মনেতে চিন্তিলা ॥ ১০৩ ॥
Text
grāmera nikaṭa āsi’ manete cintilā
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa walked and walked in this way until he eventually arrived in his own country. When he neared his own village, he began to think as follows.
Bengali
লোকেরে কহিব গিয়া সাক্ষীর আগমন ॥ ১০৪ ॥
Text
lokere kahiba giyā sākṣīra āgamana
Synonyms
Translation
“I have now come to my village, and I shall go to my home and tell all the people that the witness has arrived.”
Bengali
ইহাঁ যদি রহেন, তবু নাহি কিছু ভয় ॥’ ১০৫ ॥
Text
ihāṅ yadi rahena, tabu nāhi kichu bhaya’
Synonyms
Translation
The brāhmaṇa then began to think that if the people didn’t directly see the Gopāla Deity, they would not believe that He had arrived. “But even if Gopāla stays here,” he thought, “there is still nothing to fear.”
Bengali
হাসিঞা গোপাল-দেব তথায় রহিল ॥ ১০৬ ॥
Text
hāsiñā gopāla-deva tathāya rahila
Synonyms
Translation
Thinking this, the brāhmaṇa turned to look back, and He saw that Gopāla, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was standing there smiling.
Bengali
এথায় রহিব আমি, না যাব অতঃপর ॥” ১০৭ ॥
Text
ethāya rahiba āmi, nā yāba ataḥpara”
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord told the brāhmaṇa, “Now you can go home. I shall stay here and shall not leave.”
Bengali
শুনিঞা সকল লোক চমৎকার হৈল ॥ ১০৮ ॥
Text
śuniñā sakala loka camatkāra haila
Synonyms
Translation
The young brāhmaṇa then went to the town and informed all the people about Gopāla’s arrival. Hearing this, the people were struck with wonder.
Bengali
গোপাল দেখিঞা লোক দণ্ডবৎ করে ॥ ১০৯ ॥
Text
gopāla dekhiñā loka daṇḍavat kare
Synonyms
Translation
All the townspeople went to see the witness Gopāla, and when they saw the Lord actually standing there, they all offered their respectful obeisances.
Bengali
প্রতিমা চলিঞা আইলা, — শুনিঞা বিস্মিত ॥ ১১০ ॥
Text
pratimā caliñā āilā, — śuniñā vismita
Synonyms
Translation
When the people arrived, they were very pleased to see the beauty of Gopāla, and when they heard that He had actually walked there, they were all surprised.
Bengali
গোপালের আগে পড়ে দণ্ডবৎ হঞা ॥ ১১১ ॥
Text
gopālera āge paḍe daṇḍavat hañā
Synonyms
Translation
Then the elderly brāhmaṇa, being very pleased, came forward and immediately fell like a stick in front of Gopāla.
Bengali
বড়বিপ্র ছোটবিপ্রে কন্যাদান কৈল ॥ ১১২ ॥
Text
baḍa-vipra choṭa-vipre kanyā-dāna kaila
Synonyms
Translation
Thus in the presence of all the townspeople, Lord Gopāla bore witness that the elderly brāhmaṇa had offered his daughter in charity to the young brāhmaṇa.
Bengali
“তুমি-দুই — জন্মে জন্মে আমার কিঙ্কর ॥ ১১৩ ॥
Text
“tumi-dui — janme-janme āmāra kiṅkara
Synonyms
Translation
After the marriage ceremony was performed, the Lord informed both brāhmaṇas, “You two brāhmaṇas are My eternal servants, birth after birth.”
Purport
Like these two brāhmaṇas of Vidyānagara, there are many devotees who are eternal servants of the Lord. They are specifically known as nitya-siddha, eternally perfect. Although the nitya-siddhas appear in the material world and seem to be common members of the world, they never forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead in any condition. This is the symptom of a nitya-siddha.
There are two kinds of living entities — nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha. The nitya-siddha never forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality, whereas the nitya-baddha is always conditioned, even before the creation. He always forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the Lord informs the two brāhmaṇas that they are His servants birth after birth. The phrase birth after birth refers to the material world because in the spiritual world there is no birth, death, old age or disease. By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the nitya-siddha remains within this material world like an ordinary man, but the only business of the nitya-siddha is to broadcast the glories of the Lord. This incident appears to be an ordinary story about a marriage transaction involving two ordinary people. However, Kṛṣṇa accepted the two brāhmaṇas as His eternal servants. Both brāhmaṇas took much trouble in these negotiations, just like mundane people, yet they were acting as eternal servants of the Lord. All nitya-siddhas within this material world may appear to toil like ordinary men, but they never forget their position as servants of the Lord.
Another point: The elderly brāhmaṇa belonged to an aristocratic family and was learned and wealthy. The young brāhmaṇa belonged to an ordinary family and was uneducated. But these mundane qualifications do not concern a nitya-siddha engaged in the service of the Lord. We have to accept the fact that the nitya-siddhas are completely distinct from the nitya-baddhas, who are ordinary human beings. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms this statement:
se yāya vrajendra-suta pāśa
śrī-gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāne cintāmaṇi
tāra haya vraja-bhūme vāsa
One who accepts the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as nitya-siddhas is certain to be elevated to the spiritual kingdom to become an associate of the Supreme Lord. One should also know that Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi — those places in Bengal where Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed — are equal to Vrajabhūmi, or Vṛndāvana. There is no difference between the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana and those of Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, or Śrīdhāma Māyāpur.
Bengali
দুইবিপ্র বর মাগে আনন্দ-অন্তর ॥ ১১৪ ॥
Text
dui-vipra vara māge ānanda-antara
Synonyms
Translation
The Lord continued, “I have become very much pleased by the truthfulness of you both. Now you can ask for a benediction.” Thus with great pleasure the two brāhmaṇas begged for a benediction.
Bengali
কিঙ্করেরে দয়া তব সর্বলোকে জানে ॥” ১১৫ ॥
Text
kiṅkarere dayā tava sarva-loke jāne”
Synonyms
Translation
The brāhmaṇas said, “Please remain here so that people all over the world will know how merciful You are to Your servants.”
Bengali
দেখিতে আইলা সব দেশের লোক-জন ॥ ১১৬ ॥
Text
dekhite āilā saba deśera loka-jana
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Gopāla stayed, and the two brāhmaṇas engaged in His service. After hearing of the incident, many people from different countries began to come to see Gopāla.
Bengali
পরম সন্তোষ পাইল গোপালে দেখিঞা ॥ ১১৭ ॥
Text
parama santoṣa pāila gopāle dekhiñā
Synonyms
Translation
Eventually the King of that country heard this wonderful story, and he also came to see Gopāla and thus became very satisfied.
Bengali
‘সাক্ষিগোপাল’ বলি’ তাঁর নাম খ্যাতি হৈল ॥ ১১৮ ॥
Text
‘sākṣi-gopāla’ bali’ tāṅra nāma khyāti haila
Synonyms
Translation
The King constructed a nice temple, and regular service was executed. Gopāla became very famous under the name of Sākṣi-gopāla [the witness Gopāla].
Bengali
সেবা অঙ্গীকার করি’ আছেন চিরকাল ॥ ১১৯ ॥
Text
sevā aṅgīkāra kari’ āchena cira-kāla
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Sākṣi-gopāla stayed in Vidyānagara and accepted service for a very long time.
Purport
This city of Vidyānagara is situated in Trailaṅga-deśa, South India, on the bank of the river Godāvarī. The place where the Godāvarī flows into the Bay of Bengal is called Koṭadeśa. The Orissa kingdom was very powerful, and Koṭadeśa was the capital of Orissa. It was then known as Vidyānagara. Formerly this city was situated on the southern side of the river Godāvarī. At that time King Puruṣottama-deva managed to control Orissa and appoint a government. The present city of Vidyānagara is on the southeast side of the river, only twenty to twenty-five miles from Rajahmundry. During the time of Mahārāja Pratāparudra, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was the governor there. Vijaya-nagara is not identical with Vidyānagara.
Bengali
সেই দেশ জিনি’ নিল করিয়া সংগ্রাম ॥ ১২০ ॥
Text
sei deśa jini’ nila kariyā saṅgrāma
Synonyms
Translation
Later there was a fight, and this country was conquered by King Puruṣottama-deva of Orissa.
Bengali
‘মাণিক্য-সিংহাসন’ নাম অনেক রতন ॥ ১২১ ॥
Text
‘māṇikya-siṁhāsana’ nāma aneka ratana
Synonyms
Translation
That King was victorious over the King of Vidyānagara, and he took possession of his throne, the Māṇikya-siṁhāsana, which was bedecked with many jewels.
Bengali
গোপাল-চরণে মাগে, — ‘চল মোর রাজ্য ॥’ ১২২ ॥
Text
gopāla-caraṇe māge, — ‘cala mora rājya’
Synonyms
Translation
King Puruṣottama-deva was a great devotee and was advanced in the civilization of the Āryans. He begged at the lotus feet of Gopāla, “Please come to my kingdom.”
Bengali
গোপাল লইয়া সেই কটকে আইল ॥ ১২৩ ॥
Text
gopāla la-iyā sei kaṭake āila
Synonyms
Translation
When the King begged Him to come to his kingdom, Gopāla, who was already obliged for his devotional service, accepted his prayer. Thus the King took the Gopāla Deity and went back to Kaṭaka.
Bengali
কটকে গোপাল-সেবা করিল স্থাপন ॥ ১২৪ ॥
Text
kaṭake gopāla-sevā karila sthāpana
Synonyms
Translation
After winning the Māṇikya throne, King Puruṣottama-deva took it to Jagannātha Purī and presented it to Lord Jagannātha. In the meantime, he also established regular worship of the Gopāla Deity at Kaṭaka.
Bengali
ভক্তি করি’ বহু অলঙ্কার কৈল সমর্পণে ॥ ১২৫ ॥
Text
bhakti kari’ bahu alaṅkāra kaila samarpaṇe
Synonyms
Translation
When the Gopāla Deity was installed at Kaṭaka, the Queen of Puruṣottama-deva went to see Him and, with great devotion, presented various kinds of ornaments.
Bengali
তাহা দিতে ইচ্ছা হৈল, মনেতে চিন্তয় ॥ ১২৬ ॥
Text
tāhā dite icchā haila, manete cintaya
Synonyms
Translation
The Queen had a very valuable pearl, which she wore on her nose, and she wished to give it to Gopāla. She then began to think as follows.
Bengali
তবে এই দাসী মুক্তা নাসায় পরাইত ॥ ১২৭ ॥
Text
tabe ei dāsī muktā nāsāya parāita
Synonyms
Translation
“If there were a hole in the Deity’s nose, I could transfer the pearl to Him.”
Bengali
রাত্রিশেষে গোপাল তাঁরে কহেন স্বপনে ॥ ১২৮ ॥
Text
rātri-śeṣe gopāla tāṅre kahena svapane
Synonyms
Translation
Considering this, the Queen offered her obeisances to Gopāla and returned to her palace. That night she dreamed that Gopāla appeared and began to speak to her as follows.
Bengali
মুক্তা পরাঞাছিল বহু যত্ন করি’ ॥ ১২৯ ॥
Text
muktā parāñāchila bahu yatna kari’
Synonyms
Translation
“During My childhood My mother made a hole in My nose and with great endeavor set a pearl there.
Bengali
সেই মুক্তা পরাহ, যাহা চাহিয়াছ দিতে ॥” ১৩০ ॥
Text
sei muktā parāha, yāhā cāhiyācha dite”
Synonyms
Translation
“That very hole is still there, and you can use it to set the pearl you desired to give Me.”
Bengali
রাজাসহ মুক্তা লঞা মন্দিরে আইল ॥ ১৩১ ॥
Text
rājā-saha muktā lañā mandire āila
Synonyms
Translation
After dreaming this, the Queen explained it to her husband, the King. Both the King and the Queen then went to the temple with the pearl.
Bengali
মহামহোৎসব কৈল আনন্দিত হঞা ॥ ১৩২ ॥
Text
mahā-mahotsava kaila ānandita hañā
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing the hole in the nose of the Deity, they set the pearl there and, being very pleased, held a great festival.
Bengali
এই লাগি ‘সাক্ষিগোপাল, নাম হৈল খ্যাতি ॥ ১৩৩ ॥
Text
ei lāgi ‘sākṣi-gopāla’ nāma haila khyāti
Synonyms
Translation
Since then, Gopāla has been situated in the city of Kaṭaka [Cuttack], and He has been known ever since as Sākṣi-gopāla.
Bengali
তুষ্ট হৈলা মহাপ্ৰভু স্বভক্ত-সহিত ॥ ১৩৪ ॥
Text
tuṣṭa hailā mahāprabhu svabhakta-sahita
Synonyms
Translation
Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard the narration of Gopāla’s activities. Both He and His personal devotees became very pleased.
Bengali
ভক্তগণে দেখে — যেন দুঁহে একমূর্তি ॥ ১৩৫ ॥
Text
bhakta-gaṇe dekhe — yena duṅhe eka-mūrti
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was sitting before the Gopāla Deity, all the devotees saw Him and the Deity as being of the same form.
Bengali
দুঁহে — রক্তাম্বর, দুঁহার স্বভাব — গম্ভীর ॥ ১৩৬ ॥
Text
duṅhe — raktāmbara, duṅhāra svabhāva — gambhīra
Synonyms
Translation
They were of the same complexion, and both had gigantic bodies. Both wore saffron cloth, and both were very grave.
Bengali
দুঁহার ভাবাবেশ, দুঁহে — চন্দ্রবদন ॥ ১৩৭ ॥
Text
duṅhāra bhāvāveśa, duṅhe — candra-vadana
Synonyms
Translation
The devotees saw that both Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Gopāla were brilliantly effulgent and had eyes like lotuses. They were both absorbed in ecstasy, and both Their faces resembled full moons.
Bengali
ঠারাঠারি করি’ হাসে ভক্তগণ-সঙ্গে ॥ ১৩৮ ॥
Text
ṭhārāṭhāri kari’ hāse bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge
Synonyms
Translation
When Nityānanda saw the Gopāla Deity and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in that way, He began to exchange remarks with the devotees, all of whom were smiling.
Bengali
প্ৰভাতে চলিলা মঙ্গল-আরতি দেখিঞা ॥ ১৩৯ ॥
Text
prabhāte calilā maṅgala-ārati dekhiñā
Synonyms
Translation
Thus with great pleasure Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that night in the temple. After seeing the maṅgala-ārati ceremony in the morning, He started on His journey.
Bengali
বিস্তারি’ বর্ণিয়াছেন দাস-বৃন্দাবন ॥ ১৪০ ॥
Text
vistāri’ varṇiyāchena dāsa-vṛndāvana
Synonyms
bhuvaneśvara-pathe — on the way to Bhuvaneśvara; yaiche — as; kaila — He did; daraśana — visiting; vistāri’ — vividly; varṇiyāchena — has described; dāsa-vṛndāvana — Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.
Translation
[In his book Caitanya-bhāgavata] Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has very vividly described the places visited by the Lord on the way to Bhuvaneśvara.
Purport
In his book Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has very nicely described the Lord’s journey en route to Kaṭaka (Cuttack). On that journey, the Lord visited a place known as Bālihastā, or Bālakāṭīcaṭi. He then visited the city of Bhuvaneśvara, where Lord Śiva’s temple is located. The temple of Bhuvaneśvara is situated about five to six miles from Bālakāṭīcaṭi. The temple of Lord Śiva is mentioned in the Skanda Purāṇa, in the narration about the Lord’s garden and the one mango tree. A king named Kāśirāja wanted to fight with Lord Kṛṣṇa, and consequently he took shelter of Lord Śiva to acquire the power to fight the Lord. Being pleased with his worship, Lord Śiva helped him fight Kṛṣṇa. Lord Śiva’s name is Āśutoṣa, which indicates that he is very easily satisfied when one worships him, regardless of the purpose, and he gives his devotee whatever benediction the devotee wants. Therefore, people are generally very fond of worshiping Lord Śiva. Thus Kāśirāja was helped by Lord Śiva, but in the fight with Lord Kṛṣṇa he was not only defeated but killed. In this way the weapon known as Pāśupata-astra was baffled, and Kṛṣṇa set fire to the city of Kāśī. Later Lord Śiva became conscious of his mistake in helping Kāśirāja, and he begged Lord Kṛṣṇa’s forgiveness. As a benediction from Lord Kṛṣṇa, he received a place known as Ekāmra-kānana. Later, the kings of the Keśarī dynasty established their capital there, and for many hundreds of years they reigned over the state of Orissa.
Bengali
নিত্যানন্দ-হাতে প্রভু দণ্ড ধরিল ॥ ১৪১ ॥
Text
nityānanda-hāte prabhu daṇḍa dharila
Synonyms
Translation
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at Kamalapura, He took His bath in the Bhārgīnadī River and left His sannyāsa staff in the hands of Lord Nityānanda.
Purport
In the Caitanya-bhāgavata (Antya-khaṇḍa, chapter two) it is said that when Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at Śrī Bhuvaneśvara, He visited the temple of Lord Śiva known as Gupta-kāśī (the concealed Vārāṇasī). Lord Śiva established this as a place of pilgrimage by bringing water from all holy places and creating the lake known as Bindu-sarovara. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in this lake, feeling a great regard for Lord Śiva. From the spiritual point of view, people still go to take a bath in this lake. Actually, by taking a bath there, one becomes very healthy even from the material viewpoint. Taking a bath and drinking the water of this lake can cure any disease of the stomach. Regular bathing certainly cures indigestion. The river Bhārgī, or Bhārgīnadī, came to be known as the Daṇḍa-bhāṅgā-nadī after Lord Caitanya bathed in its waters. It is situated six miles north of Jagannātha Purī. The reason for the change in names is given as follows.
Bengali
এথা নিত্যানন্দপ্রভু কৈল দণ্ড-ভঙ্গে ॥ ১৪২ ॥
ভক্ত-সঙ্গে আইলা প্রভু মহেশ দেখিঞা ॥ ১৪৩ ॥
Text
ethā nityānanda-prabhu kaila daṇḍa-bhaṅge
bhakta-saṅge āilā prabhu maheśa dekhiñā
Synonyms
kapoteśvara — the Śiva temple of the name Kapoteśvara; dekhite — to see; gelā — went; bhakta-gaṇa saṅge — with the devotees; ethā — here; nityānanda-prabhu — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; kaila — did; daṇḍa — of the sannyāsa staff; bhaṅge — breaking; tina khaṇḍa — three parts; kari’ — making; daṇḍa — the staff; dila — threw in; bhāsāñā — washing away; bhakta-saṅge — with the devotees; āilā — returned; prabhu — Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; maheśa dekhiñā — having seen the temple of Lord Śiva.
Translation
When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the temple of Lord Śiva known as Kapoteśvara, Nityānanda Prabhu, who was keeping His sannyāsa staff in custody, broke the staff in three parts and threw it into the river Bhārgīnadī. Later this river became known as Daṇḍa-bhāṅgā-nadī.
Purport
The mystery of the sannyāsa-daṇḍa (staff) of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has been explained by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the order of sannyāsa from a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs generally carry one staff, or daṇḍa. Taking advantage of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s absence, Śrīla Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff into three parts and threw it into the river later known as the Daṇḍa-bhāṅgā-nadī. In the sannyāsa order there are four divisions — kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, haṁsa and paramahaṁsa. Only when the sannyāsī remains on the kuṭīcaka and bahūdaka platforms can he carry a staff. However, when one is elevated to the status of haṁsa or paramahaṁsa, after touring and preaching the bhakti cult, he must give up the sannyāsa staff.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is therefore said, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya: “Two personalities — Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Śrī Kṛṣṇa — are combined in the incarnation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.” Therefore, considering Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to be an extraordinary person, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu did not wait for the paramahaṁsa stage. He reasoned that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is automatically on the paramahaṁsa stage; therefore He does not need to carry the sannyāsa-daṇḍa. This is the reason Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff into three pieces and threw it into the water.
Bengali
দণ্ডবৎ করি প্রেমে নাচিতে লাগিলা ॥ ১৪৪ ॥
Text
daṇḍavat kari preme nācite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
After seeing the temple of Jagannātha from a distant place, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately became ecstatic. After offering obeisances to the temple, He began to dance in the ecstasy of love of God.
Purport
The word deula refers to the temple where the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated. The present temple of Jagannātha Purī was constructed by King Anaṅga-bhīma. Historians say this temple must have been constructed at least two thousand years ago. During the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the small buildings surrounding the original temple had not been constructed. Nor was the high platform in front of the temple present during the time of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Bengali
প্রেমাবেশে প্রভু-সঙ্গে রাজমার্গে যায় ॥ ১৪৫ ॥
Text
premāveśe prabhu-saṅge rāja-mārge yāya
Synonyms
Translation
All the devotees became ecstatic in the association of Lord Caitanya, and thus absorbed in love of God, they were dancing and singing while going along the main road.
Bengali
তিনক্রোশ পথ হৈল — সহস্র যোজন ॥ ১৪৬ ॥
Text
tina-krośa patha haila — sahasra yojana
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu laughed, cried, danced and made many ecstatic vibrations and sounds. Although the temple was only six miles away, to Him the distance seemed thousands of miles.
Purport
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in ecstasy, He considered one moment to last as long as twelve years. After seeing the Jagannātha temple from a distant place, the Lord became so ecstatic that He considered the six-mile path many thousands of miles long.
Bengali
তাহাঁ আসি’ প্রভু কিছু বাহ্য প্রকাশিলা ॥ ১৪৭ ॥
Text
tāhāṅ āsi’ prabhu kichu bāhya prakāśilā
Synonyms
Translation
Thus walking and walking, the Lord eventually arrived at the place known as Āṭhāranālā. Arriving there, He expressed His external consciousness, speaking to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.
Purport
At the entrance to Jagannātha Purī is a bridge with eighteen arches called Āṭhāranālā. (Āṭhāra means eighteen.)
Bengali
নিত্যানন্দ বলে, — “দণ্ড হৈল তিন খণ্ড ॥ ১৪৮ ॥
Text
nityānanda bale, — daṇḍa haila tina khaṇḍa
Synonyms
Translation
When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had thus regained external consciousness, He asked Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, “Please return My staff.”
Purport
Nityānanda Prabhu then replied, “It has been broken into three parts.”
Bengali
তোমা-সহ সেই দণ্ড-উপরে পড়িনু ॥ ১৪৯ ॥
Text
tomā-saha sei daṇḍa-upare paḍinu
Synonyms
Translation
Nityānanda Prabhu said, “When You fell down in ecstasy, I caught You, but both of Us together fell upon the staff.
Bengali
সেই খণ্ড কাঁহা পড়িল, কিছু না জানিল ॥ ১৫০ ॥
Text
sei khaṇḍa kāṅhā paḍila, kichu nā jānila
Synonyms
Translation
“Thus the staff broke under Our weight. Where the pieces have gone, I cannot say.
Bengali
যে উচিত হয়, মোর কর তার দণ্ড ॥” ১৫১ ॥
Text
ye ucita haya, mora kara tāra daṇḍa”
Synonyms
Translation
“It is certainly because of My offense that Your staff was broken. Now You can punish Me on this account as You think proper.”
Bengali
ঈষৎ ক্রোধ করি’ কিছু কহিতে লাগিলা ॥ ১৫২ ॥
Text
īṣat krodha kari’ kichu kahite lāgilā
Synonyms
Translation
After hearing the story about how His staff had been broken, the Lord expressed a little sadness and, displaying a bit of anger, began to speak as follows.
Purport
Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu considered Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s acceptance of sannyāsa to be useless. He therefore relieved the Lord of the trouble of carrying the staff. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expressed anger because He wanted to teach all other sannyāsīs that they should not give up the staff before attaining the platform of paramahaṁsa. Seeing that the regulative principles could be slackened by such action, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to carry the staff personally. However, Nityānanda broke it. For this reason Caitanya Mahāprabhu displayed a little anger. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā (3.21), yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: Whatever great people do, others follow. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to follow the Vedic principles strictly in order to save inexperienced neophytes who try to imitate paramahaṁsas.
Bengali
সবে দণ্ডধন ছিল, তাহা না রাখিলা ॥ ১৫৩ ॥
Text
sabe daṇḍa-dhana chila, tāhā nā rākhilā
Synonyms
Translation
Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You have all benefited Me by bringing Me to Nīlācala. However, My only possession was that one staff, and you have not kept it.
Bengali
কিবা আমি আগে যাই, না যাব সহিতে ॥” ১৫৪ ॥
Text
kibā āmi āge yāi, nā yāba sahite
Synonyms
Translation
“So all of you should go before or behind Me to see Lord Jagannātha. I shall not go with you.”
Bengali
আমি-সব পাছে যাব, না যাব তোমার সঙ্গে ॥” ১৫৫ ॥
Text
āmi-saba pāche yāba, nā yāba tomāra saṅge
Synonyms
Translation
Mukunda Datta told Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “My Lord, You should go ahead and allow all the others to follow. We shall not go with You.”
Bengali
বুঝিতে না পারে কেহ দুই প্রভুর মতি ॥ ১৫৬ ॥
Text
bujhite nā pāre keha dui prabhura mati
Synonyms
Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then began to walk very swiftly before all the other devotees. No one could understand the real purpose of the two Lords, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu.
Bengali
ভাঙ্গাঞা ক্রোধে তেঁহো ইঁহাকে দোষায় ॥ ১৫৭ ॥
Text
bhāṅgāñā krodhe teṅho iṅhāke doṣāya
Synonyms
Translation
The devotees could not understand why Nityānanda Prabhu broke the staff, why Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu permitted Him to do so, or why, after permitting Him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became angry.
Bengali
সেই বুঝে, দুঁহার পদে যাঁর ভক্তি ধীর ॥ ১৫৮ ॥
Text
sei bujhe, duṅhāra pade yāṅra bhakti dhīra
Synonyms
Translation
The pastime of the breaking of the staff is very deep. Only one whose devotion is fixed upon the lotus feet of the two Lords can understand it.
Purport
One who understands Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu in reality can understand Their identity as well as the breaking of the staff. All the previous ācāryas, being induced to engage themselves fully in the service of the Lord, gave up attachment for material life and thus accepted the staff, which signifies full engagement of the mind, speech and body in the service of the Lord. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the regulative principles of the renounced order of life. That is completely clear. However, in the paramahaṁsa stage there is no need to accept a daṇḍa (staff), and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was certainly in the paramahaṁsa stage. Nonetheless, to indicate that everyone should take sannyāsa at the end of life in order to engage fully in the service of the Lord, even paramahaṁsas like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His confidential devotees follow the regulative principles unfailingly. Indeed, that was His purpose. Nityānanda Prabhu, who was His eternal servitor, believed that there was no need for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to carry the staff, and to declare to the world that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was above all regulations, He broke it into three pieces. The pastime known as daṇḍa-bhaṅga-līlā is thus explained by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
Bengali
নিত্যানন্দ — বক্তা যার, শ্রোতা — শ্রীচৈতন্য ॥ ১৫৯ ॥
Text
nityānanda — vaktā yāra, śrotā — śrī-caitanya
Synonyms
brahmaṇya-deva — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is merciful to the brāhmaṇas; gopālera — of Gopāla; mahimā — glories; ei — these; dhanya — glorified; nityānanda — Lord Nityānanda Prabhu; vaktā — the speaker; yāra — of the narration; śrotā — the hearer; śrī-caitanya — Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Translation
The glories of Lord Gopāla, who is merciful to brāhmaṇas, are very great. The narration of Sākṣi-gopāla was spoken by Nityānanda Prabhu and heard by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Purport
There are four points of instruction one should consider in the story of Sākṣi-gopāla. First, the Deity (arcā-vigraha) of Śrī Gopāla is eternally sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, the transcendental form of the Lord. Second, the Deity surpasses material regulative principles and extends the reality of transcendental principles. Third, one can be situated in a transcendental position after becoming a brāhmaṇa, but as a brāhmaṇa, one has to follow the regulative principles very strictly. Lastly, brahmaṇya-deva indicates Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, who is worshiped thus: namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca/ jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ. This indicates that a devotee who is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa is automatically situated as a brāhmaṇa, and such a brāhmaṇa is not illusioned. This is factual.
Bengali
অচিরে মিলয়ে তারে গোপাল-চরণ ॥ ১৬০ ॥
Text
acire milaye tāre gopāla-caraṇa
Synonyms
Translation
One who hears this narration of Lord Gopāla with faith and love very soon attains the lotus feet of Lord Gopāla.
Bengali
চৈতন্যচরিতামৃত কহে কৃষ্ণদাস ॥ ১৬১ ॥
Text
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
Synonyms
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, fifth chapter, describing the activities of Sākṣi-gopāla.