Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu traveled all over Vṛndāvana and pleased all living entities, moving and nonmoving, with His glances. The Lord took much personal pleasure in seeing everyone. In this way Lord Gaurāṅga traveled in Vṛndāvana. (1) All glories to Lord Gauracandra! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! (2) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced in ecstasy, but when He arrived at Āriṭ- grāma, His sense perception was awakened. (3)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the local people, “Where is Rādhā- kuṇḍa?” No one could inform Him, and the brāhmaṇa accompanying Him did not know either. (4) The Lord then understood that the holy place called Rādhā- kuṇḍa was no longer visible. However, being the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, He discovered Rādhā- kuṇḍa and Śyāma- kuṇḍa in two paddy fields. There was only a little water, but He took His bath there. (5) When the people of the village saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taking His bath in those two ponds in the middle of the paddy fields, they were very much astonished. The Lord then offered His prayers to Śrī Rādhā- kuṇḍa. (6) “Of all the gopīs, Rādhārāṇī is the dearmost. Similarly, the lake known as Rādhā- kuṇḍa is very dear to the Lord because it is very dear to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. (7) “‘Just as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is most dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, so Her lake, known as Rādhā- kuṇḍa, is also very dear to Him. Of all the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is certainly the most beloved.’ (8)
“In that lake, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī used to sport daily in the water and have a rāsa dance on the bank. (9) “Indeed, Lord Kṛṣṇa gives ecstatic love like that of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to whoever bathes in that lake even once in his life. (10) “The attraction of Rādhā- kuṇḍa is as sweet as that of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Similarly, the glories of the kuṇḍa [lake] are as great as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s. (11) “‘Because of its wonderful transcendental qualities, Rādhā- kuṇḍa is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. It was in that lake that the all- opulent Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī with great pleasure and transcendental bliss. Whoever bathes just once in Rādhā- kuṇḍa attains Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s loving attraction for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Who within this world can describe the glories and sweetness of Śrī Rādhā- kuṇḍa?’” (12) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus offered prayers to Rādhā- kuṇḍa. Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He danced on the bank, remembering the pastimes Lord Kṛṣṇa performed on the bank of Rādhā- kuṇḍa. (13)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then marked His body with tilaka made from the mud of Rādhā- kuṇḍa, and with the help of Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya, He collected some of the mud and took it with Him. (14) From Rādhā- kuṇḍa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Sumanas Lake. When He saw Govardhana Hill from there, He was overwhelmed with joy. (15) When the Lord saw Govardhana Hill, He immediately offered obeisances, falling down on the ground like a rod. He embraced one piece of rock from Govardhana Hill and became mad. (16) Mad with ecstatic love, the Lord came to the village known as Govardhana. There He saw the Deity named Harideva and offered His obeisances unto Him. (17) Harideva is an incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, and His residence is on the western petal of the lotus of Mathurā. (18)
Mad with ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to dance before the Harideva Deity. Hearing of the Lord’s wonderful activities, all the people came to see Him. (19) The people were astonished when they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love and personal beauty. The priests who served the Harideva Deity offered the Lord a good reception. (20) At Brahma- kuṇḍa, the Bhaṭṭācārya cooked food, and the Lord, after taking His bath at Brahma- kuṇḍa, accepted His lunch. (21) That night the Lord stayed at the temple of Harideva, and during the night He began to reflect. (22) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought, “Since I shall not at any time climb Govardhana Hill, how shall I be able to see Gopāla Rāya?” (23) Thinking in this way, the Lord remained silent, and Lord Gopāla, knowing His contemplation, played a trick. (24)
Coming down from Govardhana Hill, Lord Gopāla granted an interview to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who was unwilling to climb the hill, thinking Himself a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. (25) Gopāla stayed in a village called Annakūṭa- grāma on Govardhana Hill. The villagers who lived in that village were mainly from Rajasthan. (26) One person who came to the village informed the inhabitants, “The Turkish soldiers are now preparing to attack your village. (27) “Flee this village tonight, and do not allow one person to remain. Take the Deity with you and leave, for the Muslim soldiers will come tomorrow.” (28) Hearing this, all the villagers became very anxious. They first took Gopāla and moved Him to a village known as Gāṅṭhuli. (29) The Gopāla Deity was kept in the house of a brāhmaṇa, and His worship was conducted secretly. Everyone fled, and thus the village of Annakūṭa was deserted. (30)
Due to fear of the Muslims, the Gopāla Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopāla would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another. (31) In the morning, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in a lake called Mānasa- gaṅgā. He then circumambulated Govardhana Hill. (32) Just by seeing Govardhana Hill, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic with love of Kṛṣṇa. While dancing and dancing, He recited the following verse. (33) “‘Of all the devotees, this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, as well as Their calves, cows and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities—water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respect to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant.’” (34)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then took His bath in a lake called Govinda- kuṇḍa, and while He was there, He heard that the Gopāla Deity had already gone to Gāṅṭhuli- grāma. (35) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to the village of Gāṅṭhuli- grāma and saw the Lord Gopāla Deity. Overwhelmed by ecstatic love, He began to chant and dance. (36) As soon as the Lord saw the beauty of the Gopāla Deity, He was immediately overwhelmed by ecstatic love, and He recited the following verse. He then chanted and danced until the day ended. (37) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “‘May the left arm of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus flower, always protect you. With His left arm He raised Govardhana Hill as if it were a toy.’” (38) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the Gopāla Deity for three days. On the fourth day, the Deity returned to His own temple. (39)
Caitanya Mahāprabhu walked with the Deity of Gopāla, and He chanted and danced. A large and jubilant crowd of people also chanted the transcendental name of Kṛṣṇa, “Hari! Hari!” (40) The Gopāla Deity then returned to His own temple, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at the bottom of the hill. Thus all the desires of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were satisfied by the Gopāla Deity. (41) This is the way of Lord Gopāla’s kind behavior to His devotees. Seeing this, the devotees were overwhelmed by ecstatic love. (42) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very eager to see Gopāla, but He did not want to climb Govardhana Hill. Therefore by some trick the Gopāla Deity personally descended. (43) In this way, giving some excuse, Gopāla sometimes remains in the bushes of the forest, and sometimes He stays in a village. One who is a devotee comes to see the Deity. (44)
The two brothers Rūpa and Sanātana did not climb the hill. To them also Lord Gopāla granted an interview. (45) In ripe old age, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī could not go there, but he had a desire to see the beauty of Gopāla. (46) Due to fear of the Muslims, Gopāla went to Mathurā, where He remained in the house of Viṭhṭhaleśvara for one full month. (47) Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and his associates stayed in Mathurā for one month and saw the Gopāla Deity. (48) When Rūpa Gosvāmī stayed at Mathurā, he was accompanied by Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī. (49) Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Yādava Ācārya and Govinda Gosvāmī also accompanied Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. (50) He was also accompanied by Śrī Uddhava dāsa, Mādhava, Śrī Gopāla dāsa and Nārāyaṇa dāsa. (51) The great devotee Govinda, Vāṇī Kṛṣṇadāsa, Puṇḍarīkākṣa, Īśāna and Laghu Haridāsa also accompanied him. (52) It was with great jubilation that Rūpa Gosvāmī visited Lord Gopāla, accompanied by all these devotees. (53)
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