The Hare Krsnas - The Philosophy - Writings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Chapter 13
The Advent of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

This Thirteenth Chapter of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta describes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance. The entire Adi-lila section describes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's household life, and similarly the Antya-lila describes His life in the sannyasa order. Within the Antya-lila, the first six years of His sannyasa life are called Madhya-lila. During this time, Caitanya Mahaprabhu toured southern India, went to Vrndavana, returned from Vrndavana and preached the sankirtana movement.
A learned brahmana named Upendra Misra who resided in the district of Srihatta was the father of Jagannatha Misra, who came to Navadvipa to study under the direction of Nilambara Cakravarti and then settled there after marrying Nilambara Cakravarti's daughter, Sacidevi. Sri Sacidevi gave birth to eight children, all daughters, who died one after another immediately after birth. After her ninth pregnancy, she gave birth to a son, who was named Visvarupa. Then, in 1407 Saka Era (A.D. 1486), on the full moon evening of the month of Phalguna, during the constellation of simha-lagna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as the son of Sri Sacidevi and Jagannatha Misra. After hearing of the birth of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, learned scholars and brahmanas, bringing many gifts, came to see the newly born baby. Nilambara Cakravarti, who was a great astrologer, immediately prepared a horoscope, and by astrological calculation he saw that the child was a great personality. This chapter describes the symptoms of this great personality.

TEXT 1
sa prasidatu caitanya-
devo yasya prasadatah
tal-lila-varnane yogyah
sadyah syad adhamo 'py ayam
SYNONYMS sah--He; prasidatu--may bestow His blessings; caitanya-devah--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yasya--of whom; prasadatah--by the grace; tat-lila--His pastimes; varnane--in the description; yogyah--able; sadyah--immediately; syat--becomes possible; adhamah--the most fallen; api--although; ayam--I am.

TRANSLATION I wish the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose mercy even one who is fallen can describe the pastimes of the Lord.

PURPORT To describe Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or Lord Sri Krsna, one needs supernatural power, which is the grace and mercy of the Lord. Without this grace and mercy, one cannot compose transcendental literature. By dint of the grace of the Lord, however, even one who is unfit for a literary career can describe wonderful transcendental topics. Description of Krsna is possible for one who is empowered. Krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana (Cc. Antya 7.11). Unless endowed with the mercy of the Lord, one cannot preach of the Lord's name, fame, quality, form, entourage and so on. It should be concluded, therefore, that the description of Caitanya-caritamrta by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami manifests specific mercy bestowed upon the author, although he thought of himself as the most fallen. We should not consider him fallen because he describes himself as such. Rather, anyone who is able to compose such transcendental literature is our esteemed master.

TEXT 2
jaya jaya sri-krsna-caitanya gauracandra
jayadvaitacandra jaya jaya nityananda
SYNONYMS jaya jaya--all glories; sri-krsna-caitanya--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; gaura-candra--Lord Gauracandra; jaya advaita-candra--all glories to Advaita Acarya; jaya jaya--all glories to; nityananda--Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

TRANSLATION All glories to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu!

TEXT 3
jaya jaya gadadhara jaya srinivasa
jaya mukunda vasudeva jaya haridasa
SYNONYMS jaya jaya gadadhara--all glories to Gadadhara Prabhu; jaya srinivasa--all glories to Srivasa Thakura; jaya mukunda--all glories to Mukunda; vasudeva--all glories to Vasudeva; jaya haridasa--all glories to Haridasa Thakura.

TRANSLATION All glories to Gadadhara Prabhu! All glories to Srivasa Thakura! All glories to Mukunda Prabhu and Vasudeva Prabhu! All glories to Haridasa Thakura!

TEXT 4
jaya damodara-svarupa jaya murari gupta
ei saba candrodaye tamah kaila lupta
SYNONYMS jaya--all glories; damodara-svarupa--of the name Svarupa Damodara; jaya--all glories; murari gupta--of the name Murari Gupta; ei saba--of all these; candra-udaye--such moons having arisen; tamah--darkness; kaila--made; lupta--dissipated.

TRANSLATION All glories to Svarupa Damodara and Murari Gupta! All these brilliant moons have together dissipated the darkness of this material world.

TEXT 5
jaya sri-caitanyacandrera bhakta candra-gana
sabara prema jyotsnaya ujjvala tri-bhuvana
SYNONYMS jaya--all glories; sri-caitanya--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; candrera--who is as bright as the moon; bhakta--devotees; candra-gana--other moons; sabara--of all of them; prema-jyotsnaya--by the full light of love of Godhead; ujjvala--bright; tri-bhuvana--all the three worlds.

TRANSLATION All glories to the moons who are devotees of the principal moon, Lord Caitanyacandra! Their bright moonshine illuminates the entire universe.

PURPORT In this verse we find the moon described as candra-gana, which is plural in number. This indicates that there are many moons. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, naksatranam aham sasi: "Among the stars, I am the moon." (Bg. 10.21) All the stars are like the moon. Western astronomers consider the stars to be suns, but Vedic astronomers, following the Vedic scriptures, consider them moons. The sun has the ability to shine powerfully, and the moons reflect the sunshine and therefore look brilliant. In Caitanya-caritamrta Krsna is described to be like the sun. The supreme powerful is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, or Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and His devotees are also bright and illuminating because they reflect the supreme sun. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.31) states:

krsna----surya-sama; maya haya andhakara
yahan krsna, tahan nahi mayara adhikara
"Krsna is bright like the sun. As soon as the sun appears, there is no question of darkness or nescience." Similarly, this verse also describes that by the illumination of all the moons, brightened by the reflection of the Krsna sun, or by the grace of all the devotees of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the entire world will be illuminated, despite the darkness of Kali-yuga. Only the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu can dissipate the darkness of Kali-yuga, the ignorance of the population of this age. No one else can do so. We therefore wish that all the devotees of the Krsna consciousness movement may reflect the supreme sun and thus dissipate the darkness of the entire world.

TEXT 6
ei ta' kahila grantharambhe mukha-bandha
ebe kahi caitanya-lila-krama-anubandha
SYNONYMS ei ta'--thus; kahila--I have spoken; grantha-arambhe--in the beginning of the book; mukha-bandha--preface; ebe--now; kahi--I speak; caitanya--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; lila-krama--the chronological order of His pastimes; anubandha--as they are combined together.

TRANSLATION Thus I have spoken the preface of Caitanya-caritamrta. Now I shall describe Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes in chronological order.

TEXT 7
prathame ta' sutra-rupe kariye ganana
pacne taha vistari kariba vivarana
SYNONYMS prathame--in the beginning; ta'--however; sutra-rupe--in the form of a synopsis; kariye--do; ganana--counting; pache--thereafter; taha--that; vistari--describing; kariba--I shall do; vivarana--expansion.

TRANSLATION First let me give a synopsis of the Lord's pastimes. Then I shall describe them in detail.

TEXT 8
sri-krsna-caitanya navadvipe avatari
ata-callisa vatsara prakata vihari
SYNONYMS sri-krsna-caitanya--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; navadvipe--at Navadvipa; avatari--adventing Himseif; ata-callisa--forty-eight; vatsara--years; prakata--visible; vihari--enjoying.

TRANSLATION Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, adventing Himself in Navadvipa, was visible for forty-eight years, enjoying His pastimes.

TEXT 9
caudda-sata sata sake janmera pramana
caudda-sata pancanne ha-ila antardhana
SYNONYMS caudda-sata--1400 (A.D. 1479); sata--and seven; sake--in the Saka Era; janmera--of birth; pramana--evidence; caudda-sata pancanne--in the year 1455 (A.D. 1534); ha-ila--became; antardhana--disappearance.

TRANSLATION In the year 1407 of the Saka Era (A.D. 1486), Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, and in the year 1455 (A.D. 1534) He disappeared from this world.

TEXT 10
cabbisa vatsara prabhu kaila grha-vasa
nirantara kaila krsna-kirtana-vilasa
SYNONYMS cabbisa--twenty-four; vatsara--years; prabhu--the Lord; kaila--did; grha-vasa--residing at home; nirantara--always; kaila--did; krsna-kirtana--chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra; vilasa--pastimes.

TRANSLATION For twenty-four years Lord Caitanya lived in the grhastha-asrama [household life], always engaging in the pastimes of the Hare Krsna movement.

TEXT 11
cabbisa vatsara-sese kariya sannyasa
ara cabbisa vatsara kaila nilacale vasa
SYNONYMS cabbisa--twenty-four; vatsara--years; sese--at the end of; kariya--accepting; sannyasa--renounced order; ara--another; cabbisa--twenty-four; vatsara--years; kaila--did; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; vasa--reside.

TRANSLATION After twenty-four years He accepted the renounced order of life, sannyasa, and He resided for twenty-four years more at Jagannatha Puri.

TEXT 12
tara madhye chaya vatsara----gamanagamana
kabhu daksina, kabhu gauda, kabhu vrndavana
SYNONYMS tara madhye--out of that; chaya vatsara--six years; gamana-agamana--touring; kabhu--sometimes; daksina--in South India; kabhu--sometimes; gauda--in Bengal; kabhu--sometimes; vrndavana--in Vrndavana.

TRANSLATION Of these last twenty-four years, He spent the first six years continuously touring India, sometimes in South India, sometimes in Bengal and sometimes in Vrndavana.

TEXT 13
astadasa vatsara rahila nilacale
krsna-prema-namamrte bhasa'la sakale
SYNONYMS astadasa--eighteen; vatsara--years; rahila--remained; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; krsna-prema--love of Godhead; nama-amrte--in the nectar of the Hare Krsna mantra; bhasa'la--inundated; sakale--everyone.

TRANSLATION For the remaining eighteen years He continuously stayed in Jagannatha Puri. Chanting the nectarean Hare Krsna maha-mantra, He inundated everyone there in a flood of love of Krsna.

TEXT 14
garhasthye prabhura lila----'adi'-lilakhyana
'madhya'- 'antya'-lila----sesa-lilara dui nama
SYNONYMS garhasthye--in household life; prabhura--of the Lord; lila--pastimes; adi--the original; lila--pastimes; akhyana--has the name of; madhya--middle; antya--last; lila--pastimes; sesa-lilara--the last part of the pastimes; dui--two; nama--names.

TRANSLATION The pastimes of His household life are known as adi-lila, or the original pastimes. His later pastimes are known as madhya-lila and antya-lila, or the middle and final pastimes.

TEXT 15
adi-lila-madhye prabhura yateka carita
sutra-rupe murari gupta karila grathita
SYNONYMS adi-lila--the original pastimes; madhye--within; prabhura--of the Lord; yateka--whatever; carita--activities; sutra-rupe--in the form of notes; murari gupta--of the name Murari Gupta; karila--has; grathita--recorded.

TRANSLATION All the pastimes enacted by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His adi-lila were recorded in summary form by Murari Gupta.

TEXT 16
prabhura ye sesa-lila svarupa-damodara
sutra kari' granthilena granthera bhitara
SYNONYMS prabhura--of the Lord; ye--whatever; sesa-lila--pastimes at the end; svarupa- damodara--of the name Svarupa Damodara; sutra kari'--in the form of notes; granthilena--recorded; granthera--a book; bhitara--within.

TRANSLATION His later pastimes [madhya-lila and antya-lila] were recorded in the form of notes by His secretary, Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, and thus kept within a book.

TEXT 17
ei dui janera sutra dekhiya suniya
varnana karena vaisnava krama ye kariya
SYNONYMS ei--of these; dui--two; janera--persons; sutra--notes; dekhiya--after looking at; suniya--and hearing; varnana--description; karena--does; vaisnava--the devotee; krama--chronological; ye--which; kariya--making.

TRANSLATION By seeing and hearing the notes recorded by these two great personalities, a Vaisnava, a devotee of the Lord, can know these pastimes one after another.

TEXT 18
balya, pauganda, kaisora, yauvana,----cari bheda
ataeva adi-khande lila cari bheda
SYNONYMS balya--childhood; pauganda--early boyhood; kaisora--later boyhood; yauvana--youth; cari--four; bheda--divisions; ataeva--therefore; adi-khande--in the original part; lila--of the pastimes; cari--four; bheda--divisions.

TRANSLATION In His original pastimes there are four divisions: balya, pauganda, kaisora and yauvana [childhood, early boyhood, later boyhood and youth ].

TEXT 19
sarva-sad-guna-purnam tam
vande phalguna-purnimam
yasyam sri-krsna-caitanyo
'vatirnah krsna-namabhih
SYNONYMS sarva--all; sat--auspicious; guna--qualities; purnam--filled with; tam--that; vande--I offer obeisances; phalguna--of the month of Phalguna; purnimam--the full-moon evening; yasyam--in which; sri-krsna-caitanyah--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; avatirnah--advented; krsna--Lord Krsna's; namabhih--with the chanting of the holy names.

TRANSLATION I offer my respectful obeisances unto the full-moon evening in the month of Phalguna, an auspicious time full of auspicious symptoms, when Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advented Himself with the chanting of the holy name, Hare Krsna.

TEXT 20
phalguna-purnima-sandhyaya prabhura janmodaya
sei-kale daiva-yoge candra-grahana haya
SYNONYMS phalguna-purnima--of the full moon of the month of Phalguna; sandhyaya--in the evening; prabhura--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; janma-udaya--at the time of His birth; sei-kale--at that moment; daiva-yoge--accidentally; candra-grahana--lunar eclipse; haya--takes place.

TRANSLATION On the full-moon evening of the month of Phalguna when the Lord took birth, coincidentally there was also a lunar eclipse.

TEXT 21
'hari' 'hari' bale loka harasita hana
janmila caitanya-prabhu 'nama' janmaiya
SYNONYMS hari hari--the holy names of the Lord; bale--speak; loka--the people; harasita--jubilant; hana--becoming; janmila--took birth; caitanya-prabhu--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; nama--the holy name; janmaiya--after causing to appear.

TRANSLATION In jubilation everyone was chanting the holy name of the Lord--"Hari! Hari!"--and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then appeared, after first causing the appearance of the holy name.

TEXT 22
janma-balya-pauganda-kaisora-yuva-kale
hari-nama laoyaila prabhu nana chale
SYNONYMS janma--time of birth; balya--childhood; pauganda--early boyhood; kaisora--end of boyhood; yuva-kale--youth; hari-nama--the holy name of the Lord; laoyaila--caused to take; prabhu--the Lord; nana--various; chale--under different pleas.

TRANSLATION At His birth, in His childhood, in His early and later boyhood as well as in His youth, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, under different pleas, induced people to chant the holy name of Hari [the Hare Krsna maha-mantra].

TEXT 23
balya-bhava chale prabhu karena krandana
'krsna' 'hari' nama suni' rahaye rodana
SYNONYMS balya-bhava chale--as if in His childhood state; prabhu--the Lord; karena--does; krandana--crying; krsna--Lord Krsna; hari--Lord Hari; nama--names; suni'--hearing; rahaye--stops; rodana--crying.

TRANSLATION In His childhood, when the Lord was crying, He would stop immediately upon hearing the holy names Krsna and Hari.

TEXT 24
ataeva 'hari' 'hari' bale narigana
dekhite aise yeba sarva bandhu jana
SYNONYMS ataeva--therefore; hari hari--the holy name of the Lord; bale--chant; nari-gana--all the ladies; dekhite--to see; aise--they come; yeba--whoever; sarva--all; bandhu-jana--friends.

TRANSLATION All the friendly ladies who came to see the child would chant the holy names, "Hari, Hari!" as soon as the child would cry.

TEXT 25
'gaurahari' bali' tare hase sarva nari ataeva haila tanra nama 'gaurahari'
SYNONYMS gaurahari--of the name Gaurahari; bali'--addressing Him thus; tare--unto the Lord; hase--laugh; sarva nari--all the ladies; ataeva--therefore; haila--became; tanra--His; nama--name; gaurahari--of the name Gaurahari.

TRANSLATION When all the ladies saw this fun, they enjoyed laughing and called the Lord "Gaurahari." Since then, Gaurahari became another of His names.

TEXT 26
balya vayasa----yavat hate khadi dila
pauganda vayasa----yavat vivaha na kaila
SYNONYMS balya vayasa--childhood age; yavat--until the time; hate--in His hand; khadi--chalk; dila--was given; pauganda vayasa--the part of boyhood known as pauganda; yavat--until; vivaha--marriage; na--not; kaila--did take place.

TRANSLATION His childhood lasted until the date of hate khadi, the beginning of His education, and His age from the end of His childhood until He married is called pauganda.

TEXT 27
vivaha karile haila navina yauvana
sarvatra laoyaila prabhu nama-sankirtana
SYNONYMS vivaha karile--after getting married; haila--began; navina--new; yauvana--youth; sarvatra--everywhere; laoyaila--caused to take; prabhu--the Lord; nama-sankirtana--the sankirtana movement.

TRANSLATION After His marriage His youth began, and in His youth He induced everyone to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra anywhere and everywhere.

TEXT 28
pauganda-vayase padena, padana sisyagane
sarvatra karena krsna-namera vyakhyane
SYNONYMS pauganda-vayase--in the age of pauganda; padena--studies; padana--teaches; sisya-gane--disciples; sarvatra--everywhere; karena--does; krsna-namera--the holy name of Lord Krsna; vyakhyane--description.

TRANSLATION During His pauganda age He became a serious student and also taught disciples. In this way He used to explain the holy name of Krsna everywhere.

TEXT 29 sutra-vrtti-panji-tika krsnete tatparya
sisyera pratita haya,----prabhava ascarya SYNONYMS sutra--aphorisms; vrtti--explanation; panji--application; tika--notes; krsnete--unto Krsna; tatparya--culmination; sisyera--of the disciple; pratita--realization; haya--becomes; prabhava--influence; ascarya--wonderful.

TRANSLATION When teaching a course in grammar [vyakarana] and explaining it with notes, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught His disciples about the glories of Lord Krsna. All explanations culminated in Krsna, and His disciples would understand them very easily. Thus His influence was wonderful.

PURPORT Srila Jiva Gosvami compiled a grammar in two parts named Laghu-hari-namamrta-vyakarana and Brhad-dhari-namamrta-vyakarana. If someone studies these two texts in vyakarana, or grammar, he learns the grammatical rules of the Sanskrit language and simultaneously learns how to become a great devotee of Lord Krsna.
In the Caitanya-bhagavata, First Chapter, there is a statement about the method by which Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught grammar. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained the aphorisms of grammar to be eternal, like the holy name of Krsna. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15), vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah. The purport of all revealed scriptures is understanding of Krsna. Therefore if a person explains anything that is not Krsna, he simply wastes his time laboring hard without fulfilling the aim of his life. If one simply becomes a teacher or professor of education but does not understand Krsna, it is to be understood that he is among the lowest of mankind, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.15): naradhama mayayapahrta-jnanah. If one does not know the essence of all revealed scriptures but still becomes a teacher, his teaching is like the disturbing braying of an ass.

TEXT 30
yare dekhe, tare kahe,----kaha krsna-nama
krsna-name bhasaila navadvipa-grama
SYNONYMS yare--whomever; dekhe--He sees; tare--to him; kahe--He says; kaha--speak; krsna-nama--the holy name of Lord Krsna; krsna-name--by the holy name of Lord Krsna; bhasaila--was inundated; navadvipa--the place of the name Navadvipa; grama--village.

TRANSLATION When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a student, He asked whomever He met to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. In this way He inundated the whole town of Navadvipa with the chanting of Hare Krsna.

PURPORT The present Navadvipa-dhama is but a part of the whole of Navadvipa. Navadvipa means "nine islands." These nine islands, which occupy an area of land estimated at thirty-two square miles, are surrounded by different branches of the Ganges. In all nine of those islands of the Navadvipa area there are different places for cultivating devotional service. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23) that there are nava-vidha bhakti, nine different activities of devotional service:

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
There are different islands in the Navadvipa area for cultivation of these nine varieties of devotional service. They are as follows: (1) Antardvipa, (2) Simantadvipa, (3) Godrumadvipa, (4) Madhyadvipa, (5) Koladvipa, (6) Rtudvipa, (7) Jahnudvipa, (8) Modadruma-dvipa and (9) Rudradvipa. According to the settlement map, our ISKCON Navadvipa center is situated on the Rudradvipa island. Below Rudradvipa, in Antardvipa, is Mayapur. There Sri Jagannatha Misra, the father of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, used to reside. In all these different islands, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as a young man, used to lead His sankirtana party. He thus inundated the entire area with the waves of love of Krsna.

TEXT 31
kisora vayase arambhila sankirtana
ratra-dine preme nrtya, sange bhakta-gana
SYNONYMS kisora vayase--just before the beginning of His youthful life; arambhila--began; sankirtana--the sankirtana movement; ratra-dine--night and day; preme--in ecstasy; nrtya--dancing; sange--along with; bhakta-gana--the devotees.

TRANSLATION Just prior to His youthful life, He began the sankirtana movement. Day and night He used to dance in ecstasy with His devotees.

TEXT 32
nagare nagare bhrame kirtana kariya
bhasaila tri-bhuvana prema-bhakti diya
SYNONYMS nagare nagare--in different parts of the town; bhrame--wanders; kirtana--chanting; kariya--performing; bhasaila--inundated; tri-bhuvana--all the three worlds; prema-bhakti--love of Godhead; diya--distributing.

TRANSLATION The sankirtana movement went on from one part of the town to another, as the Lord wandered everywhere performing kirtana. In this way He inundated the whole world by distributing love of Godhead.

PURPORT One may raise the question how all three worlds became inundated with love of Krsna since Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed kirtana only in the Navadvipa area. The answer is that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. The entire cosmic manifestation results from the Lord's first setting it in motion. Similarly, since the sankirtana movement was first set in motion five hundred years ago by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire that it spread all over the universe, the Krsna consciousness movement, in continuity of that same motion, is now spreading all over the world, and in this way it will gradually spread all over the universe. With the spread of the Krsna consciousness movement, everyone will merge in an ocean of love of Krsna.

TEXT 33
cabbisa vatsara aiche navadvipa-grame
laoyaila sarva-loke krsna-prema-name
SYNONYMS cabbisa--twenty-four; vatsara--years; aiche--in that way; navadvipa--of the name Navadvipa; grame--in the village; laoyaila--induced; sarva-loke--every man; krsna-prema--love of Krsna; name--in the holy name.

TRANSLATION Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived in the Navadvipa area for twenty-four years, and He induced every person to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and thus merge in love of Krsna.

TEXT 34
cabbisa vatsara chila kariya sannyasa
bhakta-gana lana kaila nilacale vasa
SYNONYMS cabbisa--twenty-four; vatsara--years; chila--remained; kariya--accepting; sannyasa--the renounced order; bhakta-gana--devotees; lana--taking with Him; kaila--did; nilacale--in Jagannatha Puri; vasa--reside.

TRANSLATION For His remaining twenty-four years, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after accepting the renounced order of life, stayed at Jagannatha Puri with His devotees.

TEXT 35
tara madhye nilacale chaya vatsara
nrtya, gita, premabhakti-dana nirantara
SYNONYMS tara madhye--out of those twenty-four years; nilacale--while He was staying at Jagannatha Puri; chaya vatsara--continuously for six years; nrtya--dancing; gita--chanting; prema-bhakti--love of Krsna; dana--distribution; nirantara--always.

TRANSLATION For six of these twenty-four years in Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri], He distributed love of Godhead by always chanting and dancing.

TEXT 36
setubandha, ara gauda-vyapi vrndavana
prema-nama pracariya karila bhramana
SYNONYMS setubandha--Cape Comorin; ara--and; gauda--Bengal; vyapi--extending; vrndavana--to Vrndavana; prema-nama--love of Krsna and the holy name of Krsna; pracariya--distributing; karila--performed; bhramana--touring.

TRANSLATION Beginning from Cape Comorin and extending through Bengal to Vrndavana, during these six years He toured all of India, chanting, dancing and distributing love of Krsna.

TEXT 37
ei 'madhya-lila' nama----lila-mukhyadhama
sesa astadasa varsa----'antya-lila' nama
SYNONYMS ei--these; madhya-lila nama--named the middle pastimes; lila--pastimes; mukhya-dhama--principal place; sesa--last; astadasa--eighteen; varsa--years; antya-lila--the final pastimes; nama--named.

TRANSLATION The activities of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His travels after He accepted sannyasa are His principal pastimes. His activities during His remaining eighteen years are called antya-lila, or the final portion of His pastimes.

TEXT 38
tara madhye chaya vatsara bhaktagana-sange
prema-bhakti laoyaila nrtya-gita-range
SYNONYMS tara madhye--out of that; chaya vatsara--six years; bhakta-gana-sange--along with devotees; prema-bhakti--love of Krsna; laoyaila--induced; nrtya--dancing; gita--chanting; range--in transcendental bliss.

TRANSLATION For six of the eighteen years He continuously stayed in Jagannatha Puri, He regularly performed kirtana, inducing all the devotees to love Krsna simply by chanting and dancing.

TEXT 39
dvadasa vatsara sesa rahila nilacale
premavastha sikhaila asvadana-cchale
SYNONYMS dvadasa--twelve; vatsara--years; sesa--balance; rahila--remained; nilacale--at Jagannatha Puri; prema-avastha--a state of ecstasy; sikhaila--instructed everyone; asvadana-chale--under the plea of tasting it Himself.

TRANSLATION For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannatha Puri, He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Krsna by tasting it Himself.

PURPORT A person who is advanced in Krsna consciousness always feels separation from Krsna because such a feeling of separation excels the feeling of meeting Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His last twelve years of existence within this world at Jagannatha Puri, taught the people of the world how, with a feeling of separation, one can develop His dormant love of Krsna. Such feelings of separation or meeting with Krsna are different stages of love of Godhead. These feelings develop in time when a person seriously engages in devotional service. The highest stage is called prema-bhakti, but this stage is attained by executing sadhana-bhakti. One should not try to elevate himself artificially to the stage of prema-bhakti without seriously following the regulative principles of sadhana-bhakti. prema-bhakti is the stage of relishing, whereas sadhana-bhakti is the stage of improving in devotional service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught this cult of devotional service in full detail by practical application in His own life. It is said, therefore, apani acari' bhakti sikhaimu sabare. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself, and in the role of a krsna-bhakta, a devotee of Krsna, He instructed the entire world how one can execute devotional service and thus go back home, back to Godhead, in due course of time.

TEXT 40
ratri-divase krsna-viraha-sphurana
unmadera cesta kare pralapa-vacana
SYNONYMS ratri-divase--day and night; krsna-viraha--feelings of separation from Krsna; sphurana--awakening; unmadera--of a madman; cesta--activities; kare--performs; pralapa--talking inconsistently; vacana--words.

TRANSLATION Day and night Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt separation from Krsna. Manifesting symptoms of this separation, He cried and talked very inconsistently, like a madman.

TEXT 41
sri-radhara pralapa yaiche uddhava-darsane
seimata unmada-pralapa kare ratri-dine
SYNONYMS sri-radhara--of Srimati Radharani; pralapa--talking; yaiche--as She did; uddhava-darsane--by meeting Uddhava; sei-mata--exactly like that; unmada--madness; pralapa--talking inconsistently; kare--does; ratri-dine--day and night.

TRANSLATION As Srimati Radharani talked inconsistently when She met Uddhava, so also Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relished, both day and night, such ecstatic talk in the mood of Srimati Radharani.

PURPORT In this connection one should refer to Srimati Radharani's soliloquy after meeting Uddhava in Vrndavana. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented a similar picture of such ecstatic imaginary talking. Full of jealousy and madness symptomizing neglect by Krsna, Srimati Radharani, criticizing a bumblebee, talked just like a madwoman. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the last days of His pastimes, exhibited all the symptoms of such ecstasy. In this connection one should refer to the Fourth Chapter of Adi-lila, verses 107 and 108.

TEXT 42
vidyapati, jayadeva, candidasera gita
asvadena ramananda-svarupa-sahita
SYNONYMS vidyapati--the author of the name Vidyapati; jayadeva--of the name Jayadeva; candidasera--of the name Candidasa; gita--their songs; asvadena--tastes; ramananda--of the name Ramananda; svarupa--of the name Svarupa; sahita--along with.

TRANSLATION The Lord used to read the books of Vidyapati, Jayadeva and Candidasa, relishing their songs with His confidential associates like Sri Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara Gosvami.

PURPORT Vidyapati was a famous composer of songs about the pastimes of Radha-Krsna. He was an inhabitant of Mithila, born in a brahmana family. It is calculated that he composed his songs during the reign of King Sivasimha and Queen Lachimadevi in the beginning of the fourteenth century of the Saka Era, almost one hundred years before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The twelfth generation of Vidyapati's descendants is still living. Vidyapati's songs about the pastimes of Lord Krsna express intense feelings of separation from Krsna, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relished all those songs in His ecstasy of separation from Krsna.
Jayadeva was born during the reign of Maharaja Laksmana Sena of Bengal in the eleventh or twelfth century of the Saka Era. His father was Bhojadeva, and his mother was Vamadevi. For many years he lived in Navadvipa, then the capital of Bengal. His birthplace was in the Birbhum district in the village Kendubilva. In the opinion of some authorities, however, he was born in Orissa, and still others say that he was born in southern India. He passed the last days of his life in Jagannatha Puri. One of his famous books is Gita-govinda, which is full of transcendental mellow feelings of separation from Krsna. The gopis felt separation from Krsna before the rasa dance, as mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the Gita-govinda expresses such feelings. There are many commentaries on the Gita-govinda by many Vaisnavas.
Candidasa was born in the village of Nannura, which is also in the Birbhum district of Bengal. He was born of a brahmana family, and it is said that he also took birth in the beginning of the fourteenth century, Sakabda Era. It has been suggested that Candidasa and Vidyapati were great friends because the writings of both express the transcendental feelings of separation profusely. The feelings of ecstasy described by Candidasa and Vidyapati were actually exhibited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He relished all those feelings in the role of Srimati Radharani, and His appropriate associates for this purpose were Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. These intimate associates of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu helped the Lord very much in the pastimes in which He felt like Radharani.
Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments in this connection that such feelings of separation as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu enjoyed from the books of Vidyapati, Candidasa and Jayadeva are especially reserved for persons like Sri Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara, who were paramahamsas, men of the topmost perfection, because of their advanced spiritual consciousness. Such topics are not to be discussed by ordinary persons imitating the activities of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. For critical students of mundane poetry and literary men without God consciousness who are after bodily sense gratification, there is no need to read such a high standard of transcendental literature. Persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate raganuga devotional service. In their songs, Candidasa, Vidyapati and Jayadeva have described the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mundane reviewers of the songs of Vidyapati, Jayadeva and Candidasa simply help people in general become debauchees, and this leads only to social scandals and atheism in the world. One should not misunderstand the pastimes of Radha and Krsna to be the activities of a mundane young boy and girl. The mundane sexual activities of young boys and girls are most abominable. Therefore, those who are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Sri Radha and Krsna.

TEXT 43
krsnera viyoge yata prema-cestita
asvadiya purna kaila apana vanchita
SYNONYMS krsnera--of Lord Krsna; viyoge--in separation; yata--as many; prema--loving affairs; cestita--activities; asvadiya--tasting them; purna--fulfilled; kaila--made; apana--own; vanchita--desires.

TRANSLATION In separation from Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu relished all these ecstatic activities, and thus He fulfilled His own desires.

PURPORT In the beginning of Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that Lord Caitanya appeared in order to taste the feelings Radharani felt upon seeing Krsna. Krsna Himself could not understand the ecstatic feelings of Radharani toward Him, and therefore He desired to accept the role of Radharani and thereby taste these feelings. Lord Caitanya is Krsna with the feelings of Radharani; in other words, He is a combination of Radha and Krsna. It is therefore said, sri-krsna-caitanya radha-krsna nahe anya. By worshiping Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu alone, one can relish the loving affairs of Radha and Krsna together. One should therefore try to understand Radha-Krsna not directly but through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and through His devotees. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says, rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhaba se yugala-piriti: "When shall I develop a mentality of service toward Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and the other devotees of Lord Caitanya and thus become eligible to understand the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krsna?"

TEXT 44
ananta caitanya-lila ksudra jiva hana
ke varnite pare, taha vistara kariya
SYNONYMS ananta--unlimited; caitanya-lila--the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; ksudra--a small; jiva--living entity; hana--being; ke--who; varnite--describe; pare--can; taha--that; vistara--expanding; kariya--doing so.

TRANSLATION The pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu are unlimited. How much can a small living entity elaborate about those transcendental pastimes?

TEXT 45
sutra kari' gane yadi apane ananta
sahasra-vadane tenho nahi paya anta
SYNONYMS sutra--aphorisms; kari'--making; gane--counts; yadi--if; apane--personally; ananta--Sesa Naga, the Personality of Godhead; sahasra-vadane--by thousands of mouths; tenho--He also; nahi--does not; paya--get; anta--the limit.

TRANSLATION If Sesanaga Ananta personally were to make the pastimes of Lord Caitanya into sutras, even with His thousands of mouths there is no possibility that He could find their limit.

TEXT 46
damodara-svarupa, ara gupta murari
mukhya-mukhya-lila sutre likhiyache vicari'
SYNONYMS damodara-svarupa--of the name Svarupa Damodara; ara--and; gupta murari--of the name Murari Gupta; mukhya-mukhya--most important; lila--pastimes; sutre--in notes; likhiyache--have written; vicari'--by mature deliberation.

TRANSLATION Devotees like Sri Svarupa Damodara and Murari Gupta have recorded all the principal pastimes of Lord Caitanya in the form of notes, after deliberate consideration.

TEXT 47
sei, anusare likhi lila-sutragana
vistari' varniachena taha dasa-vrndavana
SYNONYMS sei--that; anusare--following; likhi--I write; lila--pastimes; sutra-gana--notes; vistari'--very explicitly; varniyachena--has described; taha--that; dasa-vrndavana--Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

TRANSLATION The notes kept by Sri Svarupa Damodara and Murari Gupta are the basis of this book. Following those notes, I write of all the pastimes of the Lord. The notes have been described elaborately by Vrndavana dasa Thakura.

TEXT 48
caitanya-lilara vyasa,----dasa vrndavana
madhura kariya lila karila racana
SYNONYMS caitanya-lilara--of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya; vyasa--the authorized writer Vyasadeva; dasa vrndavana--Vrndavana dasa Thakura; madhura--sweet; kariya--making it; lila--pastimes; karila--did; racana--compilation.

TRANSLATION Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the authorized writer of the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is as good as Srila Vyasadeva. He has described the pastimes in such a way as to make them sweeter and sweeter.

TEXT 49
grantha-vistara-bhaye chadila ye ye sthana
sei sei sthane kichu kariba vyakhyana
SYNONYMS grantha--of the book; vistara--of expansion; bhaye--being afraid; chadila--gave up; ye ye sthana--which different places; sei sei sthane--in those places; kichu--something; kariba--I shall make; vyakhyana--description.

TRANSLATION Being afraid of his book's becoming too voluminous, he left some places without vivid descriptions. I shall try to fill those places as far as possible.

TEXT 50
prabhura lilamrta tenho kaila asvadana
tanra bhukta-sesa kichu kariye carvana
SYNONYMS prabhura--of the Lord; lilamrta--the nectar of the pastimes; tenho--he (Vrndavana dasa Thakura); kaila--did; asvadana--taste; tanra--his; bhukta--of food; sesa--remnants; kichu--something; kariye--I do; carvana--chew.

TRANSLATION The transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya have actually been relished by Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura. I am simply trying to chew the remnants of food left by him.

TEXT 51
adi-lila-sutra likhi, suna, bhakta-gana
sanksepe likhiye samyak na yaya likhana
SYNONYMS adi-lila--the first part of His pastimes; sutra likhi--I write a synopsis; suna--hear; bhakta-gana--all you devotees; sanksepe--in brief; likhiye--I write; samyak--full; na--not; yaya--possible; likhana--to write.

TRANSLATION My dear devotees of Lord Caitanya, let me now write a synopsis of the adi-lila; I write of these pastimes in brief because it is not possible to describe them in full.

TEXT 52
kona vancha purana lagi' vrajendra-kumara
avatirna haite mane karila vicara
SYNONYMS kona--some; vancha--desire; purana--fulfillment; lagi'--for the matter of; vrajendra-kumara--Lord Krsna; avatirna haite--to descend as an incarnation; mane--in the mind; karila--did; vicara--consideration.

TRANSLATION To fulfill a particular desire within His mind, Lord Krsna, Vrajendra-kumara, decided to descend on this planet after mature contemplation.

TEXT 53
age avatarila ye ye guru-parivara
sanksepe kahiye, kaha na yaya vistara
SYNONYMS age--first of all; avatarila--allowed to descend; ye ye--all those; guru-parivara--family of spiritual masters; sanksepe--in brief; kahiye--I describe; kaha--to describe; na--not; yaya--possible; vistara--expansively.

TRANSLATION Lord Krsna therefore first allowed His family of superiors to descend on the earth. I shall try to describe them in brief because it is not possible to describe them fully.

TEXTS 54-55
sri-saci-jagannatha, sri-madhava-puri
kesava bharati, ara sri-isvara puri
advaita acarya, ara pandita srivasa
acaryaratna, vidyanidhi, thakura haridasa
SYNONYMS sri-saci-jagannatha--Srimati Sacidevi and Jagannatha Misra; sri-madhava puri--Sri Madhavendra Puri; kesava bharati--of the name Kesava Bharati; ara--and; sri-isvara puri--of the name Sri Isvara Puri; advaita acarya--of the name Advaita Acarya; ara--and; pandita srivasa--of the name Srivasa Pandita; acarya-ratna--of the name Acaryaratna; vidyanidhi--of the name Vidyanidhi; thakura haridasa--of the name Thakura Haridasa.

TRANSLATION Lord Sri Krsna, before appearing as Lord Caitanya, requested these devotees to precede Him: Sri Sacidevi, Jagannatha Misra, Madhavendra Puri, Kesava Bharati, Isvara Puri, Advaita Acarya, Srivasa Pandita, Acaryaratna, Vidyanidhi and Thakura Haridasa.

TEXT 56
srihatta-nivasi sri-upendra-misra-nama
vaisnava, pandita, dhani, sad-guna-pradhana
SYNONYMS sri-hatta-nivasi--a resident of Srihatta; sri-upendra-misra-nama--by the name of Upendra Misra; vaisnava--a devotee of Lord Visnu; pandita--learned; dhani--rich; sat-guna-pradhana--qualified with all good qualities.

TRANSLATION There was also Sri Upendra Misra, a resident of the district of Srihatta. He was a great devotee of Lord Visnu, a learned scholar, a rich man and a reservoir of all good qualities.

PURPORT Upendra Misra is described in the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 35, as the gopala named Parjanya. The same personality who was formerly the grandfather of Lord Krsna appeared as Upendra Misra at Srihatta and begot seven sons. He was a resident of Dhaka-daksina-grama in the district of Srihatta. There are still many residents of that part of the country who introduce themselves as belonging to the Misra family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

TEXTS 57-58
sapta misra tanra putra----sapta rsisvara
kamsari, paramananda, padmanabha, sarvesvara
jagannatha, janardana, trailokyanatha
nadiyate ganga-vasa kaila jagannatha
SYNONYMS sapta misra--seven Misras; tanra--his; putra--sons; sapta--seven; rsi--great saintly persons; isvara--most influential; kamsari--of the name Kamsari; paramananda--of the name Paramananda; padmanabha--of the name Padmanabha; sarvesvara--of the name Sarvesvara; jagannatha--of the name Jagannatha; janardana--of the name Janardana; trailokyanatha--of the name Trailokyanatha; nadiyate--at Navadvipa; ganga-vasa--living on the bank of the Ganges; kaila--did; jagannatha--the fifth son of Upendra Misra.

TRANSLATION Upendra Misra had seven sons, who were all saintly and most influential: (1) Kamsari, (2) Paramananda, (3) Padmanabha, (4) Sarvesvara, (5) Jagannatha, (6) Janardana and (7) Trailokyanatha. Jagannatha Misra, the fifth son, decided to reside on the bank of the Ganges at Nadia.

TEXT 59
jagannatha misravara----padavi 'purandara'
nanda-vasudeva-rupa sadguna-sagara
SYNONYMS jagannatha misra-vara--Jagannatha Misra, who was the chief among the seven; padavi--designation; purandara--another name of Vasudeva; nanda--Nanda, the father of Krsna; vasudeva--the father of Krsna; rupa--like; sat-guna--good qualities; sagara--ocean.

TRANSLATION Jagannatha Misra was designated as Purandara. Exactly like Nanda Maharaja and Vasudeva, he was an ocean of all good qualities.

TEXT 60
tanra patni 'saci'-nama, pativrata sati
yanra pita 'nilambara' nama cakravarti
SYNONYMS tanra patni--his wife; saci--of the name Saci; nama--named; pati-vrata--devoted to her husband; sati--chaste; yanra--whose; pita--father; nilambara--of the name Nilambara; nama--named; cakravarti--with the title Cakravarti.

TRANSLATION His wife, Srimati Sacidevi, was a chaste woman highly devoted to her husband. Sacidevi's father's name was Nilambara, and his surname was Cakravarti.

PURPORT In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, verse 104, it is mentioned that Nilambara Cakravarti was formerly Garga Muni. Some of the family descendants of Nilambara Cakravarti still live in the village of the name Magdoba in the district of Faridpur in Bangladesh. His nephew was Jagannatha Cakravarti, also known as Mamu Thakura, who became a disciple of Pandita Gosvami and stayed at Jagannatha Puri as the priest of Tota-gopinatha. Nilambara Cakravarti lived at Navadvipa in the neighborhood of Belapukuriya. This fact is mentioned in the book Prema-vilasa. Because he lived near the house of the Kazi, the Kazi was also considered one of the maternal uncles of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Kazi used to address Nilambara Cakravarti as kaka, or "uncle." One cannot separate the residence of the Kazi from Vamanapukura because the tomb of the Kazi is still existing there. Formerly the place was known as Belapukuriya, and now it is called Vamanapukura. This has been ascertained by archeological evidence.

TEXT 61
radhadese janmila thakura nityananda
gangadasa pandita, gupta murari, mukunda
SYNONYMS radha-dese--the place where there is no Ganges; janmila--took birth; thakura nityananda--Nityananda Prabhu; gangadasa pandita--of the name Gangadasa Pandita; gupta murari--of the name Murari Gupta; mukunda--of the name Mukunda.

TRANSLATION In Radhadesa, the part of Bengal where the Ganges is not visible, Nityananda Prabhu, Gangadasa Pandita, Murari Gupta and Mukunda took birth.

PURPORT Here radha-dese refers to the village of the name Ekacakra in the district of Birbhum, next to Burdwan. After the Burdwan railway station there is another branch line, which is called the Loop Line of the eastern railway, and there is a railway station of the name Mallarapura. Eight miles east of this railway station Ekacakra Village is still situated. Ekacakra Village extends north and south for an area of about eight miles. Other villages, namely Viracandra-pura and Virabhadra-pura, are situated within the area of the village of Ekacakra. In honor of the holy name of Virabhadra Gosvami, these places are renowned as Viracandra-pura and Virabhadra-pura.
In the Bengali year 1331 (A.D. 1924) a thunderbolt struck the temple of Ekacakra-grama. Therefore the temple is now in a broken state. Before this, there were no such accidents in that quarter. Within the temple there is a Deity of Sri Krsna established by Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The name of the Deity is Bankima Raya or Banka Raya.
On the right side of Bankima Raya is a Deity of Jahnava, and on His left side is Srimati Radharani. The priests of the temple describe that Lord Nityananda Prabhu entered within the body of Bankima Raya and that the Deity of Jahnava-mata was therefore later placed on the right side of Bankima Raya. Afterwards, many other Deities were installed within the temple. On another throne within the temple are Deities of Muralidhara and Radha-Madhava. On another throne are Deities of Manomohana, Vrndavana-candra and Gaura-Nitai. But Bankima Raya is the Deity originally installed by Nityananda Prabhu.
On the eastern side of the temple is a ghata known as Kadamba-khandi on the bank of the Yamuna, and it is said that the Deity of Bankima Raya was floating in the water and Lord Nityananda Prabhu picked Him up and then installed Him in the temple. Thereafter, in a place known as Bhaddapura, in the village of Viracandra-pura, about half a mile west, in a place underneath a nima tree, Srimati Radharani was found. For this reason, the Radharani of Bankima Raya was known as Bhaddapurera Thakurani, the mistress of Bhaddapura. On another throne, on the right side of Bankima Raya, is a Deity of Yogamaya.
Now the temple and temple corridor rest on a high plinth, and on a concrete structure in front of the temple is a meeting hall. It is also said that on the northern side of the temple there was a Deity of Lord Siva named Bhandisvara and that the father of Nityananda Prabhu, Hadai Pandita, used to worship that Deity. At present, however, the Bhandisvara Deity is missing, and in his place a Jagannatha Svami Deity has been installed. Lord Nityananda Prabhu did not factually construct any temples. The temple was constructed at the time of Virabhadra Prabhu. In the Bengali year 1298 (A.D. 1891), the temple being in a dilapidated condition, a brahmacari of the name Sivananda Svami repaired it.
In this temple there is an arrangement to offer foodstuffs to the Deity on the basis of seventeen seers of rice and necessary vegetables. The present priestly order of the temple belongs to the family of Gopijana-vallabhananda, one of the branches of Nityananda Prabhu. There is a land settlement in the name of the temple, and income from this land finances the expenditures for the temple. There are three parties of priestly gosvamis who take charge of the temple management, one after another. A few steps onward from the temple is a place known as Visramatala, where it is said that Nityananda Prabhu in His childhood used to enjoy sporting with His boyfriends by enacting the rasa-lila and various other pastimes of Vrndavana.
Near the temple is a place named Amalitala, which is so named because of a big tamarind tree there. According to a party named the Nedadi-sampradaya, Virabhadra Prabhu, with the assistance of twelve hundred Nedas, dug a great lake of the name Svetaganga. Outside of the temple are tombs of the Gosvamis, and there is a small river known as the Maudesvara, which is called the water of Yamuna. Within half a mile from this small river is the birthplace of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. It appears that there was a big meeting hall in front of the temple, but later it became dilapidated. It is now covered by banyan trees. Later on, a temple was constructed within which Gaura-Nityananda Deities are existing. The temple was constructed by the late Prasannakumara Karapharma. A tablet was installed in his memory in the Bengali year 1323 (A.D. 1916), in the month of Vaisakha (April-May).
The place where Nityananda Prabhu appeared is called Garbhavasa. There is an allotment of about forty-three bighas (fourteen acres) of land to continue the worship in a temple there. The Maharaja of Dinajapura donated twenty bighas (6.5 acres) of land in this connection. It is said that near the place known as Garbhavasa, Hadai Pandita conducted a primary school. The priests of this place, listed in a genealogical table, were as follows: (1) Sri Raghavacandra, (2) Jagadananda dasa, (3) Krsnadasa, (4) Nityananda dasa, (5) Ramadasa, (6) Vrajamohana dasa, (7) Kanai dasa, (8) Gauradasa, (9) Sivananda dasa and (10) Haridasa. Krsnadasa belonged to the Cidiya-kunja at Vrndavana. The date of his disappearance is Krsna-janmastami. Cidiya-kunja is a place now managed by the gosvamis of Singara-ghata in Vrndavana. They are also known as belonging to the Nityananda family, most probably on the basis of their relationship with Krsnadasa.
Near Garbhavasa is a place called Bakulatala, where Sri Nityananda Prabhu and His boyfriends used to take part in sporting activities known as jhala-jhapeta. There is a bakula tree there that is wonderful because all its branches and subbranches look like the hoods of serpents. It has been suggested that by the desire of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Anantadeva manifested Himself in that way. The tree is very old. It is said that formerly it had two trunks, but later on, when the playmates of Nityananda Prabhu felt inconvenience in jumping from the branches of one trunk to those of the nother, Nityananda Prabhu, by His mercy, merged the two trunksinto one.
Another place nearby is named Hantugada. It is said that Lord Nityananda Prabhu brought all the holy places there. Therefore the people in the surrounding villages go there instead of to the Ganges to take bath. It is named Hantugada because Srila Nityananda Prabhu used to perform the dadhi-cida festival of distributing chipped rice with yogurt prasada there and He took the prasada kneeling down. A sanctified lake in this place is always full of water throughout the year. A great fair is held there during Gosthastami, and there is another big fair on the birthday of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. In the Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika it is described that Halayudha, Baladeva, Visvarupa and Sankarsana appeared as Nityananda Avadhuta.

TEXT 62
asankhya bhaktera karaila avatara
sese avatirna haila vrajendra-kumara
SYNONYMS asankhya--unlimited; bhaktera--of devotees; karaila--made into being; avatara--incarnation; sese--at last; avatirna--descended; haila--became; vrajendra-kumara--Lord Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja.

TRANSLATION Lord Krsna, Vrajendra-kumara, first caused countless devotees to appear, and at last He appeared Himself.

TEXT 63
prabhura avirbhava-purve yata vaisnava-gana
advaita-acaryera sthane karena gamana
SYNONYMS prabhura--of the Lord; avirbhava--appearance; purve--before; yata--all; vaisnava-gana--devotees; advaita-acaryera--of Advaita Acarya; sthane--place; karena--do; gamana--go.

TRANSLATION Before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the devotees of Navadvipa used to gather in the house of Advaita Acarya.

TEXT 64
gita-bhhagavata kahe acarya-gosani
jnana-karma nindi' kare bhaktira badai
SYNONYMS gita--Bhagavad-gita; bhagavata--Srimad-Bhagavatam; kahe--recites; acarya-gosani--Advaita Acarya; jnana--the path of philosophical speculation; karma--fruitive activity; nindi'--decrying; kare--establishes; bhaktira--of devotional service; badai--excellence.

TRANSLATION In these meetings of the Vaisnavas, Advaita Acarya used to recite Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, decrying the paths of philosophical speculation and fruitive activity and establishing the superexcellence of devotional service.

TEXT 65
sarva-sastre kahe krsna-bhaktira vyakhyana
jnana, yoga, tapo-dharma nahi mane ana
SYNONYMS sarva-sastre--in all revealed scriptures; kahe--says; krsna-bhaktira--of devotional service to Lord Krsna; vyakhyana--explanation; jnana--philosophical speculation; yoga--mystic hatha-yoga; tapas--austerities; dharma--religious procedures; nahi--does not; mane--accept; ana--other.

TRANSLATION In all the revealed scriptures of Vedic culture, devotional service to Lord Krsna is explained throughout. Therefore devotees of Lord Krsna do not recognize the processes of philosophical speculation, mystic yoga, unnecessary austerity and so-called religious rituals. They do not accept any process but devotional service.

PURPORT Our Krsna consciousness movement follows this principle. We do not recognize any method for spiritual realization other than Krsna consciousness, devotional service. Sometimes we are criticized by groups following jnana, yoga, tapas or dharma, but fortunately we are unable to make any compromises with them. We simply stand on the platform of devotional service and preach the same principles all over the world.

TEXT 66
tanra sange ananda kare vaisnavera gana
krsna-katha, krsna-puja, nama-sankirtana
SYNONYMS tanra sange--with Him (Advaita Acarya); ananda--pleasure; kare--takes; vaisnavera--of the devotees; gana--assembly; krsna-katha--topics of Lord Krsna; krsna-puja--worship of Krsna; nama-sankirtana--chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

TRANSLATION In the house of Advaita Acarya, all the Vaisnavas took pleasure in always talking of Krsna, always worshiping Krsna and always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

PURPORT On these principles only does the Krsna consciousness movement go on. We have no business other than to talk of Krsna, worship Krsna and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

TEXT 67
kintu sarva-loka dekhi' krsna-bahirmukha
visaye nimagna loka dekhi' paya duhkha
SYNONYMS kintu--but; sarva-loka--all people; dekhi'--seeing; krsna-bahirmukha--without Krsna consciousness; visaye--material enjoyment; nimagna--merged; loka--all people; dekhi'--seeing; paya duhkha--felt pained.

TRANSLATION But Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu felt pained to see all the people without Krsna consciousness simply merging in material sense enjoyment.

PURPORT A bona fide devotee of Lord Krsna is always pained to see the fallen condition of the whole world. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say, "There is no scarcity of anything within this world. The only scarcity is of Krsna consciousness." That is the vision of all pure devotees. Because of this lack of Krsna consciousness in human society, people are suffering terribly, being merged in an ocean of nescience and sense gratification. A devotee onlooker is very much aggrieved to see such a situation in the world.

TEXT 68
lokera nistara-hetu karena cintana
kemate e saba lokera ha-ibe tarana
SYNONYMS lokera--of all people; nistara-hetu--for the matter of deliverance; karena--does; cintana--contemplation; kemate--how; e--these; saba--all; lokera--of people in general; ha-ibe--will become; tarana--liberation.

TRANSLATION Seeing the condition of the world, He began to think seriously of how all these people could be delivered from the clutches of maya.

TEXT 69
krsna avatari' karena bhaktira vistara
tabe ta' sakala lokera ha-ibe nistara
SYNONYMS krsna--Lord Krsna; avatari'--descending; karena--does; bhaktira--of devotional service; vistara--expansion; tabe--then; ta'--certainly; sakala--all; lokera--of the people; ha-ibe--there will be; nistara--liberation.

TRANSLATION Srila Advaita Acarya Prabhu thought, "If Krsna Himself appears in order to distribute the cult of devotional service, then only will liberation be possible for all people."

PURPORT Just as a condemned person can be relieved by a special favor of the chief executive head, the president or king, so the condemned people of this Kali-yuga can be delivered only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or a person especially empowered for this purpose. Srila Advaita Acarya Prabhu desired that the Supreme Personality of Godhead advent Himself to deliver the fallen souls of this age.

TEXT 70
krsna avatarite acarya pratijna kariya
krsna-puja kare tulasi-gangajala diya
SYNONYMS krsna--Lord Krsna; avatarite--to cause His advent; acarya--Advaita Acarya; pratijna--promise; kariya--making; krsna-puja--worship of Lord Krsna; kare--does; tulasi--tulasi leaves; ganga-jala diya--with the water of the Ganges.

TRANSLATION With this consideration, Advaita Acarya Prabhu, promising to cause Lord Krsna to descend, began to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, with tulasi leaves and water of the Ganges.

PURPORT Tulasi leaves and Ganges water, with, if possible, a little pulp of sandalwood, is sufficient paraphernalia to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita:

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it." (Bg. 9.26) Following this principle, Advaita Prabhu pleased the Supreme personality of Godhead with tulasi leaves and water of the Ganges.

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