Chaitanya Charitamrta | Madhya Lila | Chapter 6 | Section 69

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Gauracandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who converted the hardhearted Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, the reservoir of all bad logic, into a great devotee. (1)

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I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Gauracandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who converted the hardhearted Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, the reservoir of all bad logic, into a great devotee. (1) All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya! (2) In ecstasy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went from Āṭhāranālā to the temple of Jagannātha. After seeing Lord Jagannātha, He became very restless due to love of Godhead. (3) Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went swiftly to embrace Lord Jagannātha, but when He entered the temple, He was so overwhelmed with love of Godhead that He fainted to the floor. (4) When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fell down, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya happened to see Him. When the watchman threatened to beat the Lord, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya immediately forbade him. (5)

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was very surprised to see the personal beauty of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as well as the transcendental transformations wrought on His body due to love of Godhead. (6) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained unconscious for a long time. Meanwhile, the time for offering prasādam to Lord Jagannātha came, and the Bhaṭṭācārya tried to think of a remedy. (7) While Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unconscious, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, with the help of the watchman and some disciples, carried Him to his home and laid Him down in a very sanctified room. (8) Examining the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma saw that His abdomen was not moving and that He was not breathing. Seeing His condition, the Bhaṭṭācārya became very anxious. (9) The Bhaṭṭācārya then took a fine cotton swab and put it before the Lord’s nostrils. When he saw the cotton move very slightly, he became hopeful. (10)

Sitting beside Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he thought, “This is a transcendental ecstatic transformation brought about by love of Kṛṣṇa.” (11) Upon seeing the sign of sūddīpta- sāttvika, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya could immediately understand the transcendental ecstatic transformation in the body of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Such a sign takes place only in the bodies of eternally liberated devotees. (12) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya considered, “The uncommon ecstatic symptoms of adhirūḍha- bhāva are appearing in the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is very wonderful! How are they possible in the body of a human being?” (13) While the Bhaṭṭācārya was thinking in this way at his home, all the devotees of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, headed by Nityānanda Prabhu, approached the Siṁha- dvāra [the entrance door of the temple]. (14) There the devotees heard the people talking about a mendicant who had come to Jagannātha Purī and seen the Deity of Jagannātha. (15) The people said that the sannyāsī had fallen unconscious upon seeing the Deity of Lord Jagannātha. Because His consciousness did not return, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had taken Him to his home. (16)

Hearing this, the devotees could understand that they were speaking of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Just then, Śrī Gopīnātha Ācārya arrived. (17) Gopīnātha Ācārya was a resident of Nadia, the son- in- law of Viśārada and a devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He knew the true identity of His Lordship. (18) Gopīnātha Ācārya had previously been acquainted with Mukunda Datta, and when the Ācārya saw him at Jagannātha Purī, he was very much astonished. (19) Mukunda Datta offered obeisances unto Gopīnātha Ācārya upon meeting him. Then the Ācārya embraced Mukunda Datta and inquired about news of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (20) Mukunda Datta replied, “The Lord has already arrived here. We have come with Him.” (21) As soon as Gopīnātha Ācārya saw Nityānanda Prabhu, he offered his obeisances unto Him. In this way, meeting all the devotees, he asked about news of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu again and again. (22)

Mukunda Datta continued, “After accepting the sannyāsa order, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has come to Jagannātha Purī and has brought all of us with Him. (23) “Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu left our company and walked ahead to see Lord Jagannātha. We have just arrived and are now looking for Him. (24) “From the talk of the people in general, we have guessed that the Lord is now at the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. (25) “Upon seeing Lord Jagannātha, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic and fell unconscious, and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has taken Him to his home in this condition. (26) “Just as I was thinking of meeting you, by chance we have actually met. (27)

“First let us all go to the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and see Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Later we shall come to see Lord Jagannātha.” (28) Hearing this and feeling very pleased, Gopīnātha Ācārya immediately took all the devotees with him and approached the house of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. (29) Arriving at the home of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, everyone saw the Lord lying unconscious. Seeing Him in this condition, Gopīnātha Ācārya became very unhappy, but at the same time he was happy just to see the Lord. (30) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya permitted all the devotees to enter his house, and upon seeing Nityānanda Prabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya offered Him obeisances. (31) Sārvabhauma met with all the devotees and offered them a proper welcome. They were all pleased to see Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (32) The Bhaṭṭācārya then sent them all back to see Lord Jagannātha, and he asked his own son, Candaneśvara, to accompany them as a guide. (33) Everyone was then very pleased to see the Deity of Lord Jagannātha. Lord Nityānanda in particular was overwhelmed with ecstasy. (34) When Lord Nityānanda Prabhu nearly fainted, all the devotees caught Him and steadied Him. At that time, the priest of Lord Jagannātha brought a garland that had been offered to the Deity and offered it to Nityānanda Prabhu. (35)

Everyone was pleased to receive this garland worn by Lord Jagannātha. Afterwards they all returned to the place where Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was staying. (36) All of the devotees then began to loudly chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Just before noon the Lord regained His consciousness. (37) Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up and very loudly chanted, “Hari! Hari!” Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was very pleased to see the Lord regain consciousness, and he took the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet. (38) The Bhaṭṭācārya informed all of them, “Please take your midday baths immediately. Today I shall offer you mahā- prasādam, the remnants of food offered to Lord Jagannātha.” (39) After bathing in the sea, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees returned very soon. The Lord then washed His feet and sat down on a carpet to take lunch. (40) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya made arrangements to bring various kinds of mahā- prasādam from the Jagannātha temple. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then accepted lunch with great happiness. (41) Caitanya Mahāprabhu was offered special rice and first- class vegetables on golden plates. He thus took lunch in the company of His devotees. (42) While Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya personally distributed the prasādam, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested him, “Please give Me only boiled vegetables. (43)

“You can offer the cakes and preparations made with condensed milk to all the devotees.” Hearing this, the Bhaṭṭācārya folded his hands and spoke as follows. (44) “Today, all of you please try to taste the lunch just as Lord Jagannātha accepted it.” (45) After saying this, he made them all eat the various cakes and condensed- milk preparations. After feeding them, he offered them water to wash their hands, feet and mouths. (46) Begging permission from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then went with Gopīnātha Ācārya to take lunch. After finishing their lunch, they returned to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (47) Offering his obeisances to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Namo nārāyaṇāya” [“I offer my obeisances to Nārāyaṇa”]. In return, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Kṛṣṇe matir astu” [“Let your attention be on Kṛṣṇa”]. (48) Hearing these words, Sārvabhauma understood Lord Caitanya to be a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. (49) Sārvabhauma then said to Gopīnātha Ācārya, “I want to know Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s previous situation.” (50)

Gopīnātha Ācārya replied, “There was a man named Jagannātha, who was a resident of Navadvīpa, and whose surname was Miśra Purandara. (51) “Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the son of that Jagannātha Miśra, and His former name was Viśvambhara Miśra. He also happens to be the grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī.” (52) The Bhaṭṭācārya said, “Nīlāmbara Cakravartī was a classmate of my father, Maheśvara Viśārada. I knew him as such. (53) “Jagannātha Miśra Purandara was respected by my father. Thus because of their relationship with my father, I respect both Jagannātha Miśra and Nīlāmbara Cakravartī.” (54) Hearing that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu belonged to the Nadia district, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya became very pleased and addressed the Lord as follows. (55) “You are naturally respectable. Besides, You are a sannyāsī; thus I wish to become Your personal servant.” (56) As soon as Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this from the Bhaṭṭācārya, He immediately remembered Lord Viṣṇu and began to speak humbly to him as follows. (57)

“Because you are a teacher of Vedānta philosophy, you are the master of all the people in the world and their well- wisher as well. You are also the benefactor of all kinds of sannyāsīs. (58) “I am a young sannyāsī, and I actually have no knowledge of what is good and what is bad. Therefore I am taking shelter of you and accepting you as My spiritual master. (59) “I have come here only to associate with you, and I am now taking shelter of you. Will you kindly maintain Me in all respects? (60) “The incident that happened today was a great obstacle for Me, but you have kindly relieved Me of it.” (61) The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “Do not go alone to see the Deity at the Jagannātha temple. It is better that You go with me or my men.” (62) The Lord said, “I shall never enter the temple but shall always view the Lord from the side of the Garuḍa- stambha.” (63) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then told Gopīnātha Ācārya, “Take Gosvāmījī and show Him Lord Jagannātha. (64) “Also, the apartment belonging to my maternal aunt is in a very solitary place. Make all arrangements for Him to stay there.” (65) Thus Gopīnātha Ācārya took Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to His residential quarters and showed Him where to find water, tubs and waterpots. Indeed, he arranged everything. (66)

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