Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from the messenger, “What was Vāṇīnātha doing when he was arrested and brought there?” (55) The messenger replied, “He was fearlessly, incessantly chanting the mahā- mantra-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (56) “He counted the chants on the fingers of both hands, and after he had finished chanting one thousand times, he would make a mark on his body.” (57) Hearing this news, the Lord was very pleased. Who can understand the mercy of the Lord upon His devotee? (58) At that time Kāśī Miśra came to the residence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Lord talked with him with some agitation. (59)
“I cannot stay here any longer,” the Lord said. “I shall go to Ālālanātha. There are too many disturbances here, and I cannot get any rest. (60) “All the family members of Bhavānanda Rāya are engaged in government service, but they spend the government’s revenue in various ways. (61) “What is the fault on the part of the King? He wants the government’s money. However, when they are punished for failing to pay the government its due, they come to Me to release them. (62) “When the King put Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka on the cāṅga, messengers came four times to inform Me about the incident. (63) “As a beggar sannyāsī, a mendicant, I wish to live alone in a solitary place, but these people come to tell Me about their unhappiness and disturb Me. (64) “Jagannātha has saved him once from death today, but if tomorrow he again does not pay what he owes the treasury, who will give him protection? (65)
“If I hear about the activities of materialistic persons, My mind becomes agitated. There is no need for Me to stay here and be disturbed in that way.” (66) Kāśī Miśra caught hold of the Lord’s lotus feet and said, “Why should You be agitated by these affairs? (67) “You are a renounced sannyāsī. What connections do You have? One who worships You for some material purpose is blind to all knowledge.” (68) Kāśī Miśra continued, “If one engages in devotional service for Your satisfaction, this will result in his increasingly awakening his dormant love for You. But if one engages in Your devotional service for material purposes, he should be considered a number- one fool. (69) “It is only for Your sake that Rāmānanda Rāya resigned from the governorship of South India and Sanātana Gosvāmī gave up his post as minister. (70) “It is for Your sake that Raghunātha dāsa gave up all his family relationships. His father sent money and men here to serve him. (71)
“However, because he has received the mercy of Your lotus feet, he does not even accept his father’s money. Instead he eats by begging alms from centers for the distribution of food. (72) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is a good gentleman. He does not desire material benefits from You. (73) “It is not Gopīnātha who sent all those men so that You would release him from his plight. Rather, his friends and servants, seeing his distressed condition, informed You because they all knew that Gopīnātha is a soul surrendered unto You. (74) “Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is a pure devotee who worships You only for Your satisfaction. He does not care about his personal happiness or distress, for that is the business of a materialist. (75) “One who engages in Your devotional service twenty- four hours a day, desiring only Your mercy, will very soon attain shelter at Your lotus feet. (76)
“‘One who seeks Your compassion and thus tolerates all kinds of adverse conditions due to the karma of his past deeds, who engages always in Your devotional service with his mind, words and body, and who always offers obeisances unto You is certainly a bona fide candidate for becoming Your unalloyed devotee.’ (77) “Kindly stay here at Jagannātha Purī. Why should You go to Ālālanātha? Henceforward, no one will approach You about material affairs.” (78) Finally Kāśī Miśra told the Lord, “If You want to give protection to Gopīnātha, then Lord Jagannātha, who protected him today, will also protect him in the future.” (79) After saying this, Kāśī Miśra left the abode of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and returned to his own temple. At noon King Pratāparudra came to Kāśī Miśra’s home. (80) As long as King Pratāparudra stayed in Puruṣottama, he performed one regular duty. (81)
He would come daily to the house of Kāśī Miśra to massage his lotus feet. The King would also hear from him about how opulently Lord Jagannātha was being served. (82) When the King began pressing his lotus feet, Kāśī Miśra informed him about something through hints. (83) “My dear King,” he said, “please hear one uncommon item of news. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wants to leave Jagannātha Purī and go to Ālālanātha.” (84) When the King heard that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was going to Ālālanātha, he was very unhappy and inquired about the reason. Then Kāśī Miśra informed him of all the details. (85) “When Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka was lifted onto the cāṅga,” he said, “all his servants went to inform Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (86) “Hearing about this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was extremely sorry at heart, and in anger He chastised Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka.(87) “‘Because he is mad after sense gratification,’ the Lord said, ‘he acts as a government servant but spends the government’s revenue for various sinful activities. (88)
“‘The revenue of the government is more sacred than the property of a brāhmaṇa. One who misappropriates the government’s money and uses it to enjoy sense gratification is most sinful. (89) “‘One who serves the government but misappropriates the government’s revenue is liable to be punished by the king. That is the verdict of all revealed scriptures. (90) “‘The King wanted his revenue paid and did not want to enforce punishment. Therefore the King is certainly very religious. But Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka is a great cheat. (91) “‘He does not pay the revenue to the King, but he wants My help for release. This is a greatly sinful affair. I cannot tolerate it here. (92) “‘Therefore I shall leave Jagannātha Purī and go to Ālālanātha, where I shall live peacefully and not hear about all these affairs of materialistic people.'” (93)
When King Pratāparudra heard all these details, he felt great pain in his mind. “I shall give up all that is due from Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka,” he said, “if Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will stay here at Jagannātha Purī. (94) “If even for a moment I could get an interview with Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, I would not care for the profit of millions of cintāmaṇi stones. (95) “I do not care about this small sum of 200,000 kāhanas. What to speak of this, I would indeed sacrifice everything at the lotus feet of the Lord, including my life and kingdom.” (96) Kāśī Miśra hinted to the King, “It is not the Lord’s desire that you forfeit the payment. He is unhappy only because the whole family is troubled.” (97) The King replied, “I had no desire to give pain to Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka and his family, nor did I know about his being lifted onto the cāṅga to be thrown on the swords and killed. (98)
“He sneered at Puruṣottama Jānā. Therefore the prince tried to scare him as a punishment. (99) “Go personally to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and keep Him at Jagannātha Purī with great attention. I shall excuse Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka from all his debts.” (100) Kāśī Miśra said, “Excusing Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka of all his debts will make the Lord unhappy, for that is not His intention.” (101) The King said, “I shall absolve Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka of all his debts, but don’t speak of this to the Lord. Simply let Him know that all the family members of Bhavānanda Rāya, including Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka, are naturally my dear friends. (102) “Bhavānanda Rāya is worthy of my worship and respect. Therefore I am always naturally affectionate to his sons.” (103)
After offering obeisances to Kāśī Miśra, the King returned to his palace and called for both Gopīnātha and the eldest prince. (104) The King told Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka, “You are excused for all the money you owe the treasury, and the place known as Mālajāṭhyā Daṇḍapāṭa is again given to you for collections. (105) “Do not again misappropriate the revenue of the government. In case you think your salary insufficient, henceforward it will be doubled.” (106) After saying this, the King appointed him by offering him a silken wrapper for his body. “Go to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,” he said. “After taking permission from Him, go to your home. I bid you farewell. Now you may go.” (107)
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