The Lord pacified Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa by saying, “Actually whatever I have said is by way of jest. Now you can hear from Me the conclusion of the śāstras, in which every Vaiṣṇava devotee has firm faith. (152) “There is no difference between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Nārāyaṇa, for They are of the same form. Similarly, there is no difference between the gopīs and the goddess of fortune, for they also are of the same form. (153) “The goddess of fortune enjoys the association of Kṛṣṇa through the gopīs. One should not differentiate between the forms of the Lord, for such a conception is offensive. (154)
“There is no difference between the transcendental forms of the Lord. Different forms are manifested due to different attachments of different devotees. Actually the Lord is one, but He appears in different forms just to satisfy His devotees. (155) “‘When the jewel known as vaidūrya touches various other materials, it appears to be separated into different colors, and consequently its forms also appear different. Similarly, according to the meditational ecstasy of the devotee, the Lord, who is known as Acyuta [“the infallible one”], appears in different forms, although He is essentially one.’” (156) Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa then said, “I am an ordinary fallen living entity, but You are Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. (157) “The transcendental pastimes of the Lord are unfathomable, and I do not know anything about them. Whatever You say I accept as the truth. (158)
“I have been engaged in the service of Lakṣmī- Nārāyaṇa, and it is due to Their mercy that I have been able to see Your lotus feet. (159) “Out of Your causeless mercy You have told me of the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one can reach the end of the opulence, qualities and forms of the Lord. (160) “I can now understand that devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme form of worship. Out of Your causeless mercy You have made my life successful simply by explaining the facts.” (161) After saying this, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa fell down before the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord, out of His causeless mercy, embraced him. (162)
When the period of Cāturmāsya was completed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took permission to leave from Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, and after visiting Śrī Raṅga, He proceeded further toward southern India. (163) Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa did not want to return home but also wanted to go with the Lord. It was with great endeavor that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade him farewell. (164) When He did so, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa fell down unconscious. Such are the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, at Śrī Raṅga- kṣetra. (165) When the Lord arrived at Ṛṣabha Hill, He saw the temple of Lord Nārāyaṇa and offered obeisances and various prayers. (166) Paramānanda Purī had stayed at Ṛṣabha Hill during the four months of the rainy season, and when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this, He immediately went to see him. (167) Upon meeting Paramānanda Purī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered him all respects, touching his lotus feet, and Paramānanda Purī embraced the Lord in ecstasy. (168) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed with Paramānanda Purī in the brāhmaṇa’s house where he was residing. The two of them passed three days there discussing topics of Kṛṣṇa. (169)
Paramānanda Purī informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he was going to see Puruṣottama at Jagannātha Purī. After seeing Lord Jagannātha there, he would go to Bengal to bathe in the Ganges. (170) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told him, “Please return to Jagannātha Purī, for I will return there very soon from Rāmeśvara [Setubandha]. (171) “It is My desire to stay with you, and therefore if you would return to Jagannātha Purī, you would show great mercy to Me.” (172) After talking in this way with Paramānanda Purī, the Lord took his permission to leave and, very pleased, departed for southern India. (173) Thus Paramānanda Purī started for Jagannātha Purī, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began walking toward Śrī Śaila. (174) In Śrī Śaila Lord Śiva and his wife Durgā lived in the dress of brāhmaṇas, and when they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they became very pleased. (175)
Lord Śiva, dressed like a brāhmaṇa, gave alms to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and invited Him to spend three days in a solitary place. Sitting there together, they talked very confidentially. (176) After talking with Lord Śiva, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took his permission to leave and went to Kāmakoṣṭhī- purī. (177) When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at southern Mathurā from Kāmakoṣṭhī, He met a brāhmaṇa. (178) The brāhmaṇa who met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brāhmaṇa was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Śrī Rāmacandra. He was always detached from material activities. (179) After bathing in the river Kṛtamālā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the brāhmaṇa’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared because the brāhmaṇa had not cooked it. (180) Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear sir, please tell Me why you have not cooked. It is already noon.” (181) The brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear Lord, we are living in the forest. For the time being we cannot get all the ingredients for cooking. (182)
“When Lakṣmaṇa brings all the vegetables, fruits and roots from the forest, Sītā will do the necessary cooking.” (183) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very satisfied to hear about the brāhmaṇa’s method of worship. Finally the brāhmaṇa hastily made arrangements for cooking. (184) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His lunch at about three o’clock, but the brāhmaṇa, being very sorrowful, fasted. (185) While the brāhmaṇa was fasting, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, “Why are you fasting? Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so worried?” (186) The brāhmaṇa replied, “I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water. (187) “My dear Sir, mother Sītā is the mother of the universe and the supreme goddess of fortune. She has been touched by the demon Rāvaṇa, and I am troubled upon hearing this news. (188)
“Sir, due to my unhappiness I cannot continue living. Although my body is burning, my life is not leaving.” (189) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Please do not think this way any longer. You are a learned paṇḍita. Why don’t you consider the case?” (190) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Sītādevī, the dearmost wife of the Supreme Lord Rāmacandra, certainly has a spiritual form full of bliss. No one can see her with material eyes, for no materialist has such power. (191) “To say nothing of touching mother Sītā, a person with material senses cannot even see her. When Rāvaṇa kidnapped her, he kidnapped only her material, illusory form. (192) “As soon as Rāvaṇa arrived before Sītā, she disappeared. Then just to cheat Rāvaṇa she sent an illusory, material form. (193) “Spiritual substance is never within the jurisdiction of the material conception. This is always the verdict of the Vedas and Purāṇas.” (194) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then assured the brāhmaṇa, “Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.” (195) Although the brāhmaṇa was fasting, he had faith in the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and accepted food. In this way his life was saved. (196) After thus assuring the brāhmaṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu proceeded further into southern India and finally arrived at Durvaśana, where He bathed in the river Kṛtamālā. (197)
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