Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat, Part 21
BY: SUN STAFF
Feb 04, 2024 — CANADA (SUN) — By Sri Vrindaban Das Thakur - Chapter Thirteen, Part Two.
While the Digvijaya Pandita was struggling to swallow his ignominious defeat, the students began laughing and giggling excitedly. The Lord immediately stopped them and spoke soft, soothing words to the Pandita, "Today let us stop here. Please return to your home and tomorrow we can continue our discussion. You must be tired after composing such a lengthy recitation. It is also very late now; soon it will be time to sleep."
The Lord's behavior was so gentle and compassionate that even a defeated person did not suffer in humiliation. Although the Lord was victorious, He nevertheless spoke words of concern for the scholars and teachers of Nabadwip. Again to the Digvijaya Pandita he said, "Please go home now and study your books. Tomorrow I will ask you questions and you must try to answer them." The Lord was so merciful that despite His victory, He did not dishonor the great scholar. Hence, everyone felt pleased. The scholars and teachers of Nabadwip were very affectionate toward the Lord because of His sweet disposition.
The Lord and His students left the assembly to go home, but the Digvijaya sat alone in utter shame and dejection. He thought to himself, "Mother Sarasvati herself has given me this boon. I have not come across anyone in the whole world who would dare confront me in a debate. Neither the expert scholars in the six philosophical branches like logic, sankhya, patanjali, virmansa, etc., nor the scholars of sastra would contest my authority. How is it that the Lord has allowed this insignificant teacher of children to defeat me in this manner. Seeing the power of Mother Sarasvati undermined in this way causes me equal consternation. How have I offended the Goddess that all my talent and knowledge were disparaged in this humiliating defeat? I must try to determine the cause of this situation." With that he chanted his mantras and then lay down to sleep.
In his dream Mother Sarasvati looked compassionately upon the brahmana and spoke confidentially to him. "O learned brahmana, listen to me. I will now reveal to you that knowledge which is undisclosed even in the Vedas. If for any reason you reveal this secret to anyone, you will immediately forfeit your body. The person who defeated you today is actually the Supreme Lord of the entire cosmic manifestation. I am an eternal servant at His lotus feet, and out of shyness I hesitate to stand before him.
"In the Srimad Bhagavatam it is mentioned, `Being ashamed of her position, the illusory energy of the Lord cannot take precedence, but those who are bewildered by her continually talk nonsense, being absorbed in thoughts of `It is I' and `It is mine''. Because of the Lord's presence it was impossible for me to appear on the tip of your tongue as I have in the past. I lost my potency, but that is not my fault. How could it be otherwise? Even Lord Ananta Sesha who describes the Vedas with his thousands of mouths, Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and all the other demigods, worship Him and are totally bewildered in His presence, what to speak of me? He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, eternal, pure, indivisible and infallible. He is the omnipotent Supreme Lord residing in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. The person Who appeared before you as a young brahmana boy is none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate cause of destruction of the entire cosmic manifestation. He is the cause of the dualities of fruitive action, knowledge, learning, good and bad, manifest and unmanifest - everything.
It is by His desire that all living entities from Lord Brahma down experience happiness and distress. He is the Supreme source of all incarnations like Matsya, Kurma and others. It is He Who appeared as Lord Varaha to lift the world and again as Nrsimhadeva to protect His devotee Prahlada. He appeared again as Lord Vamana to trick Bali Maharaja and thus His lotus feet became the source of Mother Ganga. He appeared in Ayodhya as Lord Ramachandra and performed many wonderful pastimes, ultimately killing the demon Ravana. He Who is known as the son of Sri Vasudeva and Sri Nanda Maharaja has now appeared as a young brahmana boy immersed in the mellows of a scholar.
"Where in the Vedas is this incarnation of the Supreme Lord revealed? Who will know about it if the Lord Himself does not reveal His true identity? To become the greatest of all the scholars of the world is not the real result of chanting the mantra I gave you. You have received the factual result; you were able to see in person the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the entire cosmic creation.
"O brahmana, go quickly to him and take shelter of His lotus feet. Surrender yourself completely to Him. Do not imagine my advice to be a dream or hallucination. The power behind the mantra you chant has brought me here and forced me to reveal the most esoteric knowledge of the Vedas."
Mother Sarasvati disappeared after consoling the Pandita. He awoke from his sleep feeling purified and fortunate. Early dawn had just touched the eastern sky when he left for the Lord's house. He threw himself at the feet of Nimai Pandita to offer his obeisances and the Lord reciprocated by lifting him up and embracing him.
"Why, it is you!" said the Lord. "Why are you behaving in this manner?"
"So that I may attract your kind grace," replied the Pandita.
"But you are a famous and erudite Digvijaya scholar. Why do you approach me like this?" questioned the Lord.
"O Lord of the learned brahmanas, please hear me out. The highest perfection in all activities is achieved simply by worshipping You. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana. You have appeared as a brahmana in this age of Kali, but no one has the potency to perceive Your real identity? Doubt entered my heart the very moment You asked me questions and then remained silent. Now I have personal realization that You are magnanimous and free from any pride, and my realizations are in keeping with the verdict of all Vedic scriptures.
"You defeated me three times, yet You kept my honor intact. Is such behavior possible for anyone other than the Supreme Lord? I am convinced that You are that Supreme Personality of Godhead.
"I have travelled far and wide - Bengal, Trihatta, Kasi, Gujarat, Vijaya Nagara, Anga, Banga, Tailanga, Udra and many other places. The most qualified scholars in each place were defeated by me. They could not even understand my discourses, let alone find fault with them. But in your presence all my education and intellect seemed to flee - I know not where. I now realize that this was not an extraordinary feat for you, because you are the Lord and master of Mother Sarasvati. She personally revealed this to me.
"I was wallowing in material existence, but because of my immeasurably good fortune I came to Nabadwip and met you face to face. I was captivated and deluded by the desire for material knowledge, and in self-deception I roamed about neglecting real Absolute knowledge. Destiny has favored me and thus I have met you personally. O Lord, kindly purify me by your benevolent glance and destroy my nescience. You have a magnanimous nature and you are inclined to favor others, so there is no one but you from whom I can seek shelter. O Lord, please instruct me so that I shall never again allow unholy desires to enter my heart."
As a meek and insignificant man, the Digvijaya Pandita spoke with repentance before the Lord. Sri Gaura Sundara replied, "O learned brahmana, you are very fortunate because Mother Sarasvati resides on the tip of your tongue. But conquering the world with mundane knowledge is not a suitable objective for one with true wisdom. Knowledge becomes valuable only when it augments the worship the Supreme Lord. Try to carefully understand. When death strikes and the soul is forced from the body, no one can take his material knowledge or opulence. The learned and self- realized souls completely reject this transient phenomenal existence and engage with unalloyed faith in the Lord's devotional service.
Now O brahmana, leave aside all extraneous engagements and utilize your time worshipping the lotus feet of Sri Krishna for the remainder of your life. Remember that the fruit of true knowledge is tasted when the heart and mind are unflinchingly attached to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. Of all activities, devotional service to the Supreme Lord Vishnu, is the only manifestation of absolute truth. This is the advice I offer you."
Lord Gaurasundara embraced the Pandita and at once the shackles of material existence fell away from the Digvijaya. The Lord said, "O Brahmana, curb your arrogance and insolence; worship Krishna and be kind to all living entities. And be careful that you do not reveal anything Mother Sarasvati has told you. Revealing the confidential knowledge of the Vedas to unauthorized persons reduces the life-span and deviates one from the spiritual path."
Having received the Lord's instructions, Digvijaya Pandita begged permission to leave. He repeated offered his prostrated obeisances at the feet of the Lord and uttered prayers, feeling fortunate and purified. By the Lord's mercy, the brahmana was immediately blessed with detachment from material affairs, perception of Absolute Truth and devotion to the Supreme Lord. Within moments the brahmana's arrogance and vanity diminished and he grew as humble and meek as a blade of grass. He renounced everything - his elephants, horses, palanquins, money and the undesirable associates he has previously kept. Lord Gaurachandra's mercy had such a miraculous effect that the brahmana Digvijaya abandoned everything and travelled alone.
That mercy could make a king leave his palace and take up a beggar's bowl. The remarkable example of this was Srila Rupa Gosvami who was also known as Dabir Khas. He left his kingly position and lived in the forests of Vrndavana. A servant of Krishna can ignore the material wealth, position and prestige which are desired by the common people. Any person who has not realized the value of devotional service to the Supreme Lord will naturally consider the position of a king most comfortable and enviable. But for the devotee of Krishna, even the happiness derived from liberation is insignificant, therefore mere kingly comfort is of no consequence whatsoever. Reality and true happiness lie solely in the merciful glance of the Supreme Lord, and therefore the Vedas advise everyone to serve Him.
Lord Gaurasundara's wonderful defeat of the Digvijaya and the Pandita's subsequent conversion was soon known in all corners of Nadia. People were astounded by the news and they commented, "Nimai Pandita must be a truly great scholar for even the Digvijaya, the greatest of all panditas, was humbled by him. Nimai Pandita has now made himself worthy of our praise and His fame will definitely spread."
Someone said, "If this brahmana boy studies logic, he can immediately claim the highest title, Bhattacarya."
But another suggested, "Let's jointly offer Him the title of Badhi Sinha now.
The Lord's illusory potence was so strong that in spite of witnessing His miracles, no one could perceive His true identity. From that time on the people of Nadia could only discuss Nimai's victory over the Digvijaya. I offer my obeisances to the feet of all the residents of Nabadwip for they were fortunate enough to see the Lord's transcendental activities. Whoever faithfully and attentively hears this pastime of the Lord defeating Digvijaya Pandita will always be victorious, and whoever hears about His captivating pastimes as a scholar will immediately become His eternal servant. Sri Krishna Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda Prabhu are my life and soul. I, Vrndavana dasa, an insignificant soul, humbly offer this song at Their lotus feet.
