Chaitanya Charitamrta | Madhya Lila | Chapter 17 | Section 122

The people said, “Simply by seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, everyone is maddened with love of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, everyone is laughing, crying, dancing, chanting and taking the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. (162) “Certainly Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is in all respects the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Now He has come to Mathurā to deliver everyone.” (163) After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the brāhmaṇa aside. Sitting in a solitary place, the Lord began to question him. (164) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You are an elderly brāhmaṇa, you are sincere, and you are advanced in spiritual life. Wherefrom have you gotten this transcendental opulence of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa?” (165) The brāhmaṇa replied, “His Holiness Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī came to the city of Mathurā while he was on tour. (166)

“While at Mathurā, Śrīpāda Mādhavendra Purī visited my house and accepted me as a disciple. He even took lunch at my home. (167) “After installing the Deity of Gopāla, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī rendered Him service. That very Deity is still being worshiped at Govardhana Hill.” (168) As soon as Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard about Mādhavendra Purī’s relationship with the brāhmaṇa, He immediately offered obeisances at his feet. Becoming fearful, the brāhmaṇa also immediately fell at the Lord’s feet. (169) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “You are on the platform of My spiritual master, and I am your disciple. Since you are My spiritual master, it is not befitting that you offer Me obeisances.” (170) Upon hearing this, the brāhmaṇa became afraid. He then said, “Why do You speak like this? You are a sannyāsī. (171)

“Upon seeing Your ecstatic love, I can just imagine that You must have some relationship with Mādhavendra Purī. This is my understanding. (172) “This kind of ecstatic love can be experienced only when one has a relationship with Mādhavendra Purī. Without him, even a scent of such transcendental ecstatic love is impossible.” (173) Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya then explained the relationship between Mādhavendra Purī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. After hearing this, the brāhmaṇa became very pleased and began to dance. (174) The brāhmaṇa then took Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home and, out of his own free will, began to serve the Lord in various ways. (175) He asked Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to cook Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s lunch. At that time the Lord, smiling, spoke as follows. (176)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Mādhavendra Purī has already taken lunch at your place. Therefore you may cook and give Me the food. That is My instruction.” (177) “Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (178) The brāhmaṇa belonged to the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa community, and a sannyāsī does not accept food from such a brāhmaṇa. (179) Although the brāhmaṇa belonged to the Sanoḍiyā community, Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī had seen that he behaved like a Vaiṣṇava and had therefore accepted him as his disciple. The food he had cooked had also been accepted by Mādhavendra Purī. (180)

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu willingly requested food from the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa, feeling natural humility, began to speak as follows. (181) “It is a great fortune for me to offer You food. You are the Supreme Lord, and being in the transcendental position, You are not restricted in any way. (182) “Foolish people will blaspheme You, but I shall not tolerate the words of such mischievous people.” (183) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “The Vedas, Purāṇas and great learned sages are not always in agreement with one another. Consequently there are different religious principles. (184) “A devotee’s behavior establishes the true purpose of religious principles. The behavior of Mādhavendra Purī Gosvāmī is the essence of such religious principles.” (185)

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “‘Dry arguments are inconclusive. A great personality whose opinion does not differ from others is not considered a great sage. Simply by studying the Vedas, which are variegated, one cannot come to the right path by which religious principles are understood. The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an unadulterated, self- realized person. Consequently, as the śāstras confirm, one should accept whatever progressive path the mahājanas advocate.’” (186) After this discussion, the brāhmaṇa served lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then all the people residing in Mathurā came to see the Lord. (187)

People came by the hundreds of thousands, and no one could count them. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came out of the house to give audience to the people. (188) When the people assembled, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu raised His arms and said very loudly, “Haribol!” The people responded to the Lord and became ecstatic. As if mad, they began to dance and to vibrate the transcendental sound “Hari!” (189) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed in the twenty- four ghats along the banks of the Yamunā, and the brāhmaṇa showed Him all the places of pilgrimage. (190) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited all the holy places on the banks of the Yamunā, including Svayambhu, Viśrāma- ghāṭa, Dīrgha Viṣṇu, Bhūteśvara, Mahāvidyā and Gokarṇa. (191)

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to see the various forests of Vṛndāvana, He took the brāhmaṇa with Him. (192) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the different forests, including Madhuvana, Tālavana, Kumudavana and Bahulāvana. Wherever He went, He took His bath with great ecstatic love. (193) When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed through Vṛndāvana, herds of grazing cows saw Him pass and, immediately surrounding Him, began to moo very loudly. (194) Seeing the herds approach Him, the Lord was stunned with ecstatic love. The cows then began to lick His body out of great affection. (195) Becoming pacified, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to caress the cows, and the cows, being unable to give up His company, went with Him. (196)

It was only with great difficulty that the cowherd men were able to keep the cows back. Then when the Lord chanted, all the deer heard His sweet voice and approached Him. (197) When the does and bucks came and saw the Lord’s face, they began to lick His body. Not being at all afraid of Him, they accompanied Him along the path. (198) Bumblebees and birds like the parrot and cuckoo all began to sing loudly on the fifth note, and the peacocks began to dance in front of the Lord. (199) Upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the trees and creepers of Vṛndāvana became jubilant. Their twigs stood up, and they began to shed tears of ecstasy in the form of honey. (200)

The tree branches and creepers, overloaded with fruits and flowers, fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord and greeted Him with various presentations as if they were friends. (201) Thus all the moving and nonmoving living entities of Vṛndāvana became very jubilant to see the Lord. It was as if friends were made happy by seeing another friend. (202) Seeing their affection, the Lord was moved by ecstatic love. He began to sport with them exactly as a friend sports with his friends. Thus He voluntarily came under the control of His friends. (203) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to embrace each and every tree and creeper, and they began to offer their fruits and flowers as if in meditation. (204) The Lord’s body was restless, and tears, trembling and jubilation were manifest. He said very loudly, “Chant ‘Kṛṣṇa!’ Chant ‘Kṛṣṇa!’” (205) All moving and nonmoving creatures then began to vibrate the transcendental sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, as if they were echoing the deep sound of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (206)

The Lord then clasped the necks of the deer and began to cry. There was jubilation manifest in the bodies of the deer, and tears were in their eyes. (207) When a male and female parrot appeared on the branches of a tree, the Lord saw them and wanted to hear them speak. (208) Both parrots flew onto the hand of the Lord and began to chant the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord listened to them. (209) The male parrot sang, “The glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behavior satisfies everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe!” (210)

After hearing this description of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the male parrot, the female parrot began to recite a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. (211) The female parrot said, “Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe.” (212) Thereafter the male parrot said, “Kṛṣṇa is the enchanter of the mind of Cupid.” He then began to recite another verse. (213) The male parrot then said, “My dear śārī [female parrot], Śrī Kṛṣṇa carries a flute and enchants the hearts of all women throughout the universe. He is specifically the enjoyer of the beautiful gopīs, and He is the enchanter of Cupid also. Let Him be glorified!” (214)

Then the female parrot began to speak jokingly to the male parrot, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was struck with wonderful ecstatic love to hear her speak. (215) The female parrot said, “When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is with Rādhārāṇī, He is the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, when He is alone, He Himself is enchanted by erotic feelings even though He enchants the whole universe.” (216) Both parrots then flew onto a tree branch, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to watch the dancing of the peacocks with curiosity. (217) When the Lord saw the bluish necks of the peacocks, His remembrance of Kṛṣṇa immediately awakened, and He fell to the ground in ecstatic love. (218) When the brāhmaṇa saw that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unconscious, he and Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya took care of Him. (219)

They hastily sprinkled water over the Lord’s body. Then they took up His outer cloth and began to fan Him with it. (220) They then began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa into the Lord’s ear. When the Lord regained consciousness, He began rolling on the ground. (221) When the Lord rolled on the ground, sharp thorns injured His body. Taking Him on his lap, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya pacified Him. (222) The mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wandered in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. He immediately stood up and said, “Chant! Chant!” Then He Himself began to dance. (223) Being thus ordered by the Lord, both Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and the brāhmaṇa began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Then the Lord, dancing and dancing, proceeded along the path. (224)