Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next went to the bank of the Kṛṣṇa- veṇvā River, where He visited many holy places and the temples of various gods. (304) The brāhmaṇa community there was composed of pure devotees. They regularly studied a book entitled Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta, which was composed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. (305) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to hear the book Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta, and with great eagerness He had it copied and took it with Him. (306) There is no comparison to the Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta within the three worlds. By studying this book, one is elevated to the knowledge of pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. (307) One who constantly reads the Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta can fully understand the beauty and melodious taste of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. (308)
The Brahma- saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta were two books that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered to be most valuable jewels. Therefore He took them with Him on His return trip. (309) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next arrived at the banks of the river Tāpī. After bathing there, He went to Māhiṣmatī- pura. While there, He saw many holy places on the banks of the river Narmadā. (310) The Lord next arrived at Dhanus- tīrtha, where He took His bath in the river Nirvindhyā. He then arrived at Ṛṣyamūka Mountain and then went to Daṇḍakāraṇya. (311) Within the Daṇḍakāraṇya forest Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited a place called Saptatāla. The seven palm trees there were very old, very bulky and very high. (312) Upon seeing the seven palm trees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced them. As a result, they all returned to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual world. (313) After the seven palm trees had departed for Vaikuṇṭha, everyone was astonished to see that they were gone. The people then began to say, “This sannyāsī called Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be an incarnation of Lord Rāmacandra. (314) “Only Lord Rāmacandra has the power to send seven palm trees to the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets.” (315)
Eventually Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at a lake known as Pampā, where He took His bath. He then went to a place called Pañcavaṭī, where He rested. (316) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited Nāsika, where He saw the deity of Tryambaka [Lord Śiva]. He then went to Brahma- giri and then to Kuśāvarta, the source of the river Godāvarī. (317) After visiting many other holy places, the Lord went to Sapta- godāvarī. At last He returned to Vidyānagara. (318) When Rāmānanda Rāya heard of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s arrival, he was very pleased, and he immediately went to see Him. (319) When Rāmānanda Rāya fell flat, touching the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord immediately raised him to his feet and embraced him. (320) In great ecstatic love they both began to cry, and thus their minds were slackened. (321) After some time they regained their senses and sat together to discuss various subjects. (322) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave Rāmānanda Rāya a vivid description of His travels to the holy places and told him how He had acquired the two books named Kṛṣṇa- karṇāmṛta and Brahma- saṁhitā. The Lord delivered the books to Rāmānanda Rāya. (323)
The Lord said, “Whatever you have told Me about devotional service is all supported by these two books.” (324) Rāmānanda Rāya was very happy to receive these books. He tasted their contents along with the Lord and made a copy of each. (325) News spread in the village of Vidyānagara about the arrival of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and everyone came to see Him once again. (326) After seeing the people who gathered there, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya returned to his own home. At noon, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up to take His lunch. (327) Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya returned at night, and he and the Lord discussed topics concerning Kṛṣṇa. Thus they passed the night. (328) Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed Kṛṣṇa day and night, and thus they passed from five to seven days in great happiness. (329) Rāmānanda Rāya said, “My dear Lord, with Your permission I have already written a letter to the King with great humility. (330)
“The King has already given me an order to return to Jagannātha Purī, and I am making arrangements to do this.” (331) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “It is for this purpose alone that I have returned. I want to take you with Me to Jagannātha Purī.” (332) Rāmānanda Rāya said, “My dear Lord, it is better that You proceed to Jagannātha Purī alone because with me there will be many horses, elephants and soldiers, all roaring tumultuously. (333) “I shall make arrangements within ten days. Following You, I shall go to Nīlācala without delay.” (334) Giving orders to Rāmānanda Rāya to come to Nīlācala, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu departed for Jagannātha Purī with great pleasure. (335) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned by the same road He had formerly taken to Vidyānagara, and all the Vaiṣṇavas along the way saw Him again. (336) Wherever Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went, the holy name of Śrī Hari was vibrated. Seeing this, the Lord became very happy. (337) When the Lord reached Ālālanātha, He sent His assistant Kṛṣṇadāsa ahead to call for Nityānanda Prabhu and other personal associates. (338) As soon as Nityānanda Prabhu received news of the arrival of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He immediately got up and started out to see Him. Indeed, He was very impatient in His great ecstasy. (339)
Śrī Nityānanda Rāya, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara Paṇḍita and Mukunda all became ecstatic in their happiness, and dancing along the way, they went to meet the Lord. (340) Gopīnātha Ācārya also went in a very happy mood. They all went to meet the Lord, and they finally contacted Him on the way. (341) The Lord was also filled with ecstatic love, and He embraced them all. Out of their love, they began to cry with pleasure. (342) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also went to see the Lord with great pleasure, and he met Him on the beach by the sea. (343) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord pulled him up and embraced him. (344) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya cried in great ecstatic love. Then the Lord, accompanied by them all, went to the temple of Jagannātha. (345) Due to ecstatic love experienced upon visiting Lord Jagannātha, inundations of trembling, perspiration, tears and jubilation swept the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (346) In ecstatic love Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced and chanted. At that time all the attendants and priests came to offer Him a garland and the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food. (347)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became patient after receiving the garland and prasādam of Lord Jagannātha. All the servants of Lord Jagannātha met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great pleasure. (348) Afterward, Kāśī Miśra came and fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord respectfully embraced him. (349) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then took the Lord with him to his home, saying, “Today’s luncheon will be at my home.” In this way he invited the Lord. (350) Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya brought various types of food remnants that had been left by Lord Jagannātha. He brought all kinds of cakes and condensed- milk preparations. (351) Accompanied by all His associates, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s house and took His noon lunch there. (352) After offering food to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya made Him lie down to rest, and he personally began to massage the legs of the Lord. (353)
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then sent Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya to take his lunch, and the Lord remained that night in his home just to please him. (354) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His personal associates remained with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. They all stayed awake the entire night as the Lord spoke of His pilgrimage. (355) The Lord told Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “I have traveled to many holy places, but I could not find a Vaiṣṇava as good as you anywhere.” (356) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “I received much pleasure from the talks of Rāmānanda Rāya.” The Bhaṭṭācārya replied, “For this reason I requested that You meet him.” (357) Thus I have ended my narration about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, describing it in brief. It cannot be described very broadly. (358) The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are unlimited. No one can properly describe His activities, yet I make the attempt out of greed. This but reveals my shamelessness. (359)
Whoever hears of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage to various holy places attains the riches of very deep ecstatic love. (360) Please hear the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and devotion. Giving up envy of the Lord, everyone chant the Lord’s holy name, Hari. (361) In this Age of Kali there are no genuine religious principles other than those established by Vaiṣṇava devotees and the Vaiṣṇava scriptures. This is the sum and substance of everything. (362) The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are just like an unfathomable ocean. It is not possible for me to enter into it. Simply standing on the shore, I am but touching the water. (363) The more one hears the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith, analytically studying them, the more one attains the ecstatic riches of love of Godhead. (364) Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya- caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps. (365)
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