The innumerable, glorious followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu brought a constant flood to the desertlike hearts of the unfortunate with an inundation of ecstatic love. (1) All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the most merciful incarnation! All glories to Lord Nityānanda, whose heart is always compassionate! (2) All glories to Advaita Ācārya, who is very merciful! All glories to the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who are always overwhelmed by transcendental bliss! (3) Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu lived at Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī] with His personal devotees, always merged in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. (4) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu always felt waves of separation from Kṛṣṇa, externally and internally. His mind and body were agitated by various spiritual transformations. (5)
During the day He chanted, danced and saw Lord Jagannātha in the temple. At night He tasted transcendental bliss in the company of Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara. (6) People from the three worlds used to come visit Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone who saw Him received the transcendental treasure of love for Kṛṣṇa. (7) The inhabitants of the seven higher planetary systems-including the demigods, the Gandharvas and the Kinnaras-and the inhabitants of the seven lower planetary systems [Pātālaloka], including the demons and serpentine living entities, all visited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the dress of human beings. (8) Dressed in different ways, people from the seven islands and nine khaṇḍas visited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (9)
Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja, Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and other great sages came to visit Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Upon seeing Him, they became unconscious in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. (10) Being unable to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the populace outside His room would make a tumultuous sound. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would go outside and tell them, “Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.” (11) All kinds of people would come to see the Lord, and upon seeing Him they would be overwhelmed with ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed His days and nights. (12) One day people suddenly came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and informed Him, “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka, the son of Bhavānanda Rāya, has been condemned to death by the baḍa- jānā, the eldest son of the King, and has been raised on the cāṅga. (13) “The baḍa- jānā has placed swords beneath the platform,” they said, “and will throw Gopīnātha upon them. O Lord, only if You protect him will he be saved. (14)
“Bhavānanda Rāya and his entire family are your servants. Therefore it is quite fitting for You to save the son of Bhavānanda Rāya.” (15) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, “Why is the King chastising him?” Thereupon the people described the entire incident. (16) They said, “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka, the brother of Rāmānanda Rāya, has always been a treasurer for the government. (17) “He served in the place known as Mālajāṭhyā Daṇḍapāta, soliciting and collecting money there and depositing it in the government treasury. (18) “Once when he deposited the collection, however, a balance of 200,000 kāhanas of conchshells was due from him. Therefore the King demanded this sum. (19) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka replied, ‘There is no money I can immediately give you in cash. Please give me time. Gradually I shall purchase and sell my gross goods and in this way fill your treasury. (20)
“‘There are ten to twelve good horses. Take them immediately for a proper price.’ After saying this, he brought all the horses to the door of the King. (21) “One of the princes knew how to estimate the price of horses very well. Thus the King sent for him to come with his ministers and friends. (22) “The prince, however, purposely gave a reduced estimate for the value of the horses. When Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka heard the price quoted, he was very angry. (23) “That prince had a personal idiosyncrasy of turning his neck and facing the sky, looking here and there again and again. (24) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka criticized the prince. He was unafraid of the prince because the King was very kind toward him. (25) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka said, ‘My horses never turn their necks or look upward. Therefore the price for them should not be reduced.’ (26) “Hearing this criticism, the prince became very angry. Going before the King, he made some false allegations against Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka. (27) “‘This Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka,’ he said, ‘is unwilling to pay the money due. Instead, he is squandering it under some pretext. If you issue an order, I can put him on the cāṅga and thus realize the money.’ (28)
“The King replied, ‘You can adopt whatever means you think best. Any device by which you can somehow or other realize the money is all right.’ (29) “Thus the prince went back, raised Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka onto the platform of the cāṅga and spread swords below upon which to throw him.” (30) After hearing this explanation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied with affectionate anger. “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka does not want to pay the King the money that is due,” the Lord said. “How then is the King at fault in punishing him? (31) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is in charge of collecting money on behalf of the government, but he misappropriates it. Not fearing the King, he squanders it to see dancing girls. (32) “If one is intelligent, let him perform service to the government, and after paying the government, he can spend whatever money is left.” (33) At that time another person came there in great haste, bringing the news that Vāṇīnātha Rāya and his entire family had been arrested. (34) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “The King must personally realize the money that is due. I am but a sannyāsī, a member of the renounced order. What can I do?” (35)
Then all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, fell at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and submitted the following plea. (36) “All the members of Rāmānanda Rāya’s family are Your eternal servants. Now they are in danger. It is not befitting for You to be indifferent to them in this way.” (37) After hearing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke in an angry mood. “You want to order Me to go to the King,” He said. (38) “Your opinion is that I should go to the King’s palace and spread My cloth to beg money from him. (39) “Of course, a sannyāsī or brāhmaṇa may beg for up to five gaṇḍās, but why should he be granted the inappropriate sum of 200,000 kāhanas of conchshells?” (40) Then another person came with the news that Gopīnātha had already been set up to be thrown upon the points of the swords. (41) Hearing this news, all the devotees again appealed to the Lord, but the Lord replied, “I am a beggar. It is impossible for Me to do anything about this. (42) “Therefore if you want to save him, you should all pray together at the lotus feet of Jagannātha. (43)
“Lord Jagannātha is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He possesses all potencies. Therefore He is able to act freely and can do and undo whatever He likes.” (44) When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied in this way, an officer named Haricandana Pātra went to the King and spoke with him. (45) “After all,” he said, “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is your faithful servant. To condemn a servant to death is not good behavior. (46) “His only fault is that he owes some money to the government. If he is killed, however, what profit will there be? The government will be the loser, for it will not get the money. (47) “It would be better to take the horses for a proper price and let him gradually repay the balance. Why are you killing him unnecessarily?” (48)
The King answered in surprise, “I did not know about all this. Why should his life be taken? I only want the money from him. (49) “Go there and adjust everything. I want only the payment, not his life.” (50) Haricandana then returned and informed the prince of the King’s desire, and immediately Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was taken down from the cāṅga. (51) Then he was told that the King demanded the money due him and asked what means he would adopt to pay it. “Kindly take my horses,” he replied, “for a proper price. (52) “I shall gradually pay the balance as I can. Without consideration, however, you were going to take my life. What can I say?” (53) Then the government took all the horses for a proper price, a time was set for payment of the balance, and Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was released. (54)
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