Sri Caitanya-carita: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya, Part 2

BY: SUN STAFF - 11.3 2023

 

Sri Caitanya-carita:
The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya

Written by Srila Kavi-karnapura

Volume One
Chapter Two

1 Splendid with many glittering jewels, and more fortunate and glorious than all the planets of heaven, the earth goddess placed the city of Navadvipa in her realm and set many great jewels within it.

2 Is this a host of glories that she had accumulated in one place, or is this the famous city of Navadvipa that the earth goddess, the trees that are the hairs of her body standing erect in ecstasy, has placed within her realm?

3 In her heart thinking, "When will the Lord come?" The earth goddess blossomed with expectation. Overcome by a host of desires, she followed the path walked by the devotees' lotus feet.

4 The earth is again home to sacred Mathura, which is now disguised as Navadvipa. Who can describe all the pious deeds the earth goddess must have performed that now the nectar touch of the Supreme Lord's feet fills her heart with bliss?

5-6 Flowing from the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the beautiful, sacred, and sweeter-than-nectar Ganges river flowed past the demigod Siva's matter locks, locks decorated with a crescent moon and a chaplet of skulls, and eagerly entered the realm of Navadvipa.

7 Even though it was famous as the river of the heavenly worlds, the Ganges flowed upon the earth. Even though is was liquid by nature, it dried up the entire ocean of repeated birth and death. Even though it flowed from the dark form of Lord Krsna, it was clear and fair. Even though it flowed with winding currents, it destroyed the winding illusions of material life.

8 Eager to attain the fragrance of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the beautiful Ganges flowed through the land of Navadvipa.

9 In Navadvipa lived many saintly and devoted brahmanas who regularly performed the duties prescribed in the Vedas, and who were like the personified rules of Sruti and Smrti.

10 In Navadvipa lived many saintly and powerful physicians and many saintly vaisyas devoted to their prescribed duties. Everyone who lived there was filled with peerless glory and splendour.

11 Impelled by divine love, saintly Advaita Prabhu, the most glorious of the devotees, decorated the land of Navadvipa. Everyone was able to gaze upon Him.

12 Very generous, learned in all the Vedas and Agamas, the best of the devotees, and the moon of the brahmanas, saintly Srivasa stayed always in Navadvipa.

13 Intelligent, born in an exalted family, learned, and travelled to the father shore of many different branches of learning, glorious Jagannatha Misra was like a crown decorating the brahmanas of Navadvipa.

14 Virtuous, pure-hearted, exalted, intelligent, and learned in the Vedas, Nilambara Cakravati gave his daughter in marriage to Jagannatha Misra.

15 That daughter, who was named Saci, was very virtuous and exalted. Even the dear wife of the demigod Indra was not as glorious, pure, and exalted as she.

16 Standing by saintly Purandara Misra's side, Saci shone like a crescent moon or like the other Saci by the side of King Indra. Note: Purandara Misra is another name of Jagannatha Misra.

17 This saintly couple stayed at home and performed the duties of household life. In time they had eight daughters, who all died, one after the other.

18 Very unhappy, this saintly couple took shelter of the Supreme Lord's merciful lotus feet and begged for a child.

19 Then the fortunate couple gave birth to a very handsome son named Visvarupa. The mother became very happy, and the father also showed great pleasure in his smiling face. Their seeming poverty mocked the greatest wealth.

20 Visvarupa was very handsome. He was splendid like the moon. Very quickly He crossed to the father shore of the ocean of all branches of learning.

21 He was very intelligent. When He was only a young boy He became learned in all the Vedas and Agamas. Goddess Sarasvati became His submissive maidservant. She always danced on the tip of His tongue.

22 After a little time beautiful-eyed Saci become especially beautiful. She became like the eastern horizon just before the rising of the moon.

23 Saintly, fortunate, glorious Saci held in the beautiful nectar ocean of her womb a handsome and glorious moon that was about to rise there.

24 After thirteen months passed in this way the very auspicious month of Phalguna, which is the place of happiness for all the worlds, came at last.

25 Thinking, "The Lord will now come", Springtime, the king of all seasons, came early. He was very eager to see the Lord.

26 Wishing to accompany her hero, the goddess of the beauty of spring placed her foot in the forest, a foot decorated with anklets of wandering buzzing bees, a foot resting upon the vines and new buds.

27 Thinking, "the Lord will appear," the goddess of spring carefully arranged her garments and ornaments. When her husband approached, she sweetly smiled. She yearned to see Him.

28 The beauty of spring gently smiled and that smile maddened the cuckoos and made them coo very sweetly and playfully. That smile made the flowers bloom and filled them with sweetness and honey.

29 The beauty of spring tied in braids the sweetness of the tamala forest that was her hair, and made the black bees and blossoming vines that were here eyebrows dance with joy.

30 Her beautiful eyes wide open, she made a crown of new flowers. Garlanded with lavanga flowers, she built a cottage of lotus stems.

31 She happily decorated her kesara-bud breasts with asoka flowers, kunkuma, sweet flower-pollen and sandal paste.

32 Then the ten directions became clear and pure, the sky became clear and pure, very pure breezes blew, everyone's heart became clear and pure, and the rivers' waters also became clear and pure.

33 Then, pleasing everyone in the world, happily embracing the full-moon day, and again and again kissing the face of the eastern horizon, the full moon shone with great splendour.

34 It was springtime, the best of seasons. It was the bright fortnight. It was the full-moon day, the best of days. Everything was virtuous and auspicious.

35 Wildly happy with the appearance of spring, the cuckoos sand the word "Glory!" The bees gracefully danced. A breeze blew from the south.

36 Bearing the scents of many bunches of flowers and many drops of warm water mixed with lotus pollen, and embracing each vine one by one, a gentle breeze blew from the Malaya Hills.

37 When the time came for the appearance of supremely auspicious Lord Caitanya, the world became peaceful and pure. With His transcendental power the Lord defeated the darkness of this world.

38 When Lord Caitanya appeared all directions were filled with splendour. It was as if many moons and many lightning flashes had suddenly fallen on the earth.

39 When Lord Caitanya appeared there was an eclipse of the moon and everyone loudly chanted "Haribol!" Had it not been for the eclipse there would not have been this chanting of the Lord's holy names.

40 Thinking, "Why do we need you? There already is another moon shining on the earth." Rahu happily swallowed the nectar moon in the sky.

41 Filled with the desire to enjoy pastimes of eternal love, the Supreme Lord wished to appear in that chanting of His holy names. Look! He has flooded the universe with the nectar of His holy names.

42 Gazing at the playful sprout of their newborn son's glory, the mother and father became plunged in an ocean of joy.

43 Enabled by many past pious deeds, Jagannatha Misra gazed at his son and became filled with bliss. Then he gave honestly attained wealth in charity to many exalted brahmanas.

44 Simply by the Lord's appearance all the planets became exalted and favourable. The astrological sign was Leo and the principal star was Purva-phalguni.

45 Then the entire universe became very beautiful. It became like a great treasury filled with jewels. In this world nothing can be beautiful without the touch of the Supreme Lord.

46 The full moon and the springtime became doubly beautiful. The became the servants of the moonlike face of the Supreme Lord, the Lord who fulfils the most rare and unattainable of desires.

47 The beauty of unsleeping red lotus flowers again and again served the Lord's eyes. The restless black bees worshipped His eyebrows. The splendour of newly blossoming flowers worshipped His ears.

48 With great beauty a new sesame flower served the Lord's nose. A round mirror served the charming circle of the Lord's cheeks.

49 The new bandhuka flowers, the hosts of new buds, and the red coral all worship the Lord's soft lips, which charm all the worlds.

50 The bright and beautiful autumn moonlight serves the Lord's world-enchanting smile. Eager to become glorious like the Lord's teeth, the pearls' splendour also worships the Lord's smile.

51 The splendour of the peerless golden conchshell takes shelter of the Lord's neck, which is graceful with three folds of skin. The splendour of new and glistening molten gold serves the Lord's graceful arms.

52 The beauty of many blossoming red lotus flowers with splendid and soft petals shines in the Lord's soft and graceful hands. The buds of the campaka flowers have taken shelter of the Lord's graceful fingers.

53 The splendour of a host of great jewels worshipped His nails. The glory of golden Mount Meru worshipped His broad chest.

54 The graceful and heroic slenderness of the lion's waist worshipped His waist. The graceful flower bud worshipped His navel.

55 The splendour of the golden banana trees worshipped His gently tapering thighs. The beauty of the red lotus flowers worshipped the soft soles of His feet.

56 Saci and Jagannatha Misra were very pleased to see these auspicious qualities of the Lord, and Nilambara Cakravati was also very pleased in his heart.

57 All the pure-hearted people became very happy. "This child will deliver many in both His father's and mother's family. He will bring them great joy," they said.

58 Then joyful, noble-hearted Jagannatha Misra performed the birth ceremony for his child. Again and again he worshipped the brahmanas with gifts of flowers, betel nuts, fragrances and sandal paste.

59 In time Jagannatha Misra, who was honoured by the entire world, happily performed his son's standing-up ceremony. Day after day the boy grew, and day after day His parents' happiness overflowed.

60 In time the Lord began to playfully crawl about with His knees to the ground. The touch of the Lord's limbs removed all the sufferings the earth felt because of His long absence.

61 How many times did His sweet, playful, childish words plunge the swan of His father's heart in the waves of an ocean of nectar?

62 Because the whole world would become filled with this boy's chanting of His own holy names and with a host of His other beautiful nectar pastimes,, His noble-hearted and joyful father gave Him the name Visvambhara (the maintainer of the worlds).

63 His form splendid like a mountain of molten gold, His smiling face graceful like the moon, His forehead decorated with moving black locks of hair, and His garments the wind, the infant Lord was splendidly manifested.

64 In His childhood the Lord grew like a gradually increasing new moon. He was like a very great and delightful jewel from the ocean of all sweetness.

65 His bracelets, belt, and necklace of coral, pearls, and jewels sweetly tinkled as again and again He danced.

66 In the course of time slowly placing His very sweet lotus feet on the ground, the infant Lord, who is an ocean of mercy, gave relief to the earth, who had suffered from His long absence.

67 Eager to play with the other boys, the charming boy Lord enjoyed a mock fight, hitting and being hit, with new and tender twigs as the childish weapons.

68 One day, seeing her child playing in this way with the boys, kind-hearted Mother Saci became angry and decided to catch her son. By a trick she suddenly appeared before Him.

69 Seeing her, the angry child Lord broke many clay pots. Seeing this, frightened Saci tied Him up.

70 One day, climbing onto a heap of rejected clay pots, the child Mahaprabhu preached to His mother the philosophy of jnana-yoga.

71 Seeing her son in that unclean place, she became upset and said, "O dear one, leave this unclean place, bathe, and come sit on my lap."

72 Hearing His mother's words, the child Mahaprabhu reflected on the nature of matter and eternal spirit and then said, "O mother, please hear My words. Please abandon the illusion in your bewildered heart."

73 "This universe that you see, a universe filled with moving and unmoving beings, is only an illusion and nothing more. O mother, how can an illusion be pure or impure? What you have said is a very surprising and unusual idea."

74 "There are not many selves. 'I' and 'mine' do not really exist. Only the one self always exists. All else is illusion.

75 "Only one self lives in the bodies of demigods, men, and demons, bodies made of the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and ether.

76 "Therefore everything is naturally pure. How can anything be impure in this world?" When He had spoken these words, intelligent Saci at once grasped her son with both hands.

77 Taking Him along, she bathed her son in the Ganges' water, and in that way she became pleased. After some time Mother Saci scolded her son with many words.

78 "O foolish one, why again and again do You go to the impure places? Why do You act so badly?" Hearing His mother's words, the Lord became angry. His eyes became red and restless with anger.

79 "Have I not told you many times? Nothing is impure. Everything is spiritual. Still, you rebuke Me again and again." After speaking these words, the Lord struck His mother with a clod of earth.

80 Struck in this way, delicate Saci at once fell to the ground. Crying our, "O mother!", and His heart melting, the Lord sat on her lap.

81 Coming quickly, many women sprinkled water on her face. At once she became conscious. The shower of nectar that was the touch of Her son's limbs filled her with happiness.

82 One kind-hearted woman who was fond of joking said to Lord Mahaprabhu, who is loved by all the worlds, "If You give Your mother a coconut, she will become healthy again."

83 Hearing her words, the Lord at once left. In a moment He returned with two coconuts attached to their stalks.

84 Seeing the Lord bring these difficult-to-gather fruits, the brahmana ladies became surprised. "How did You get these fruits?", they said.

85 The Lord angrily rebuked them, "What is surprising about this? One need not be Brahma or Siva to gather coconuts."

86 One night, as she rested in the same room with her small son, Saci thought she saw many people approach her house. She said to her son:

87 "Go quickly to Your father's room!" Saying, "So be it", the boy left, and from far away, suddenly came the sweet sound of tinkling anklets on beautiful lotus feet.

88 Both mother and father heard the tinkling of anklets on lotus feet, a tinkling like the buzzing of bees flying over lotus flowers blossoming out of season.

89 Frightened, the both said, "That is the tinkling of anklets!" Delighted by the sound of the anklets, Jagannatha Misra approached his son and embraced Him.

90 In time Visvarupa, the Lord's elder brother, attained His sixteenth year. He had crossed to the farther shore of all virtues. He saw the Supreme Lord present everywhere in this world.

91 He was noble-hearted, all-knowing, peaceful, self-controlled, attached to the Lord's lotus feet, and unattached to the world of matter.

92 Deciding to arrange an auspicious marriage for his son, father Jagannatha Misra searched for a suitably beautiful and virtuous bride. That very moment Visvarupa knew everything of His father's plans.

93 Understanding His father's desire, noble Visvarupa left home, crossed the Ganges and began a great journey. He renounced everything.

94 Visvarupa, who was an ocean of virtues and who had renounced all material duties, accepted sannyasa and wandered here and there. They who do not desire anything in this worthless material world are never bewildered.

95 Hearing of this, father Jagannatha Misra and mother Saci lamented loudly and fell unconscious in their grief. Later, becoming a little consoled, the gave all blessings to their son. They earnestly desired His welfare.

96 They said, "Our son has taken sannyasa at a very young age. O fate, please be kind to Him, so that He may remain always pious and religious."

97 In this way the unhappy couple lamented again and again. Still, their younger son made them very happy. Placing Him on their laps, they became very happy to have the touch of His body.

98 The Lord was an ocean of mercy. His heart melted with love. With the vines of His arms He embraced His mother and father. He spoke to them a nectar flood of life-giving words.

99 He said, "O mother, My peaceful and renounced elder brother has now left both you and father. From this moment I shall always serve both you and father."

100 Hearing these profound and sweet nectar words, the Lord's parents became flooded with happiness. The hairs of their bodies stood erect.

101 The touch of the Lord's limbs flooded with nectar first their hearts and then the pathway of their eyes.

102 The kind Lord always served and pleased them. He diligently studied His lessons, and again and again He played with the other boys.

103 One day, seeing that his son was very independent, father Jagannatha rebuked Him again and again. As that night he slept, very fortunate and pure-hearted Jagannatha saw a dream.

104 "You say, 'My son is very independent. His heart yearns only to play.' In this way You will not honour the person who has come before you in a golden form.

105 "A foolish animal, unable to know what is valuable and what is not valuable, sees and touches a great jewel, but does not know its true nature. It is bewildered. How can it know?"

106 With these words a brahmana, his eyes red with anger, rebuked Jagannatha Misra in that dream. When saintly-hearted Jagannatha awakened, he was filled with wonder. He told everyone what he had heard.

107 Hearing of this dream, the people became filled with wonder. With their hearts and words they became convinced that Jagannatha's son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. "He is the Supreme", they said.

108 One day, standing in His home, His bodily effulgence dispelling all darkness, the Lord said to His mother:

109 "O mother, please listen, and I will tell what should be done." Saci accepted His words and said, "O dear one, whatever You say shall certainly be done. O dear one, please say it."

110 The Lord said, "O mother, never eat on ekadasi." Saci, who was decorated with great good fortune, accepted her son's order.

111 Once rejecting some betel nuts, the Lord said to His mother, "O mother, please protect your son's body. I am trembling."

112 Then Lord Mahaprabhu fell, like many millions of lightning flashes, to the ground. Seeing that He was unconscious, agitated Saci sprinkled Him with Ganges' water again and again.

113 Then the Lord became conscious again. He opened His glistening lotus eyes and He stood up. He shone like an autumn moon.

114 Hearing of this, father Jagannatha expressed his surprised. He said, "What is this? What is this?"

115 Who can understand the Lord's heart, intentions, true nature, and pastimes? Even powerful Brahma and Siva and even all the Vedas cannot understand Him.

116 In the brief time He stayed at His guru's home all branches of learning eagerly entered Him. They were like rivers flowing into the ocean.

117 In time the Lord's father became old, infirm, and feverish. Seeing His father like this, the unhappy Lord took him to the Ganges' shore.

118 Unhappy at heart, the Lord placed to His chest His father's feet and said, "O father, how can you leave me, a child, all alone? Where will you go?"

119 Hearing the Lord's pleasing nectar words, at the last moment father Jagannatha, the best of brahmanas, said to his son, "If You place me at Lord Raghunatha's feet I shall be happy."

120 Then mother Saci clasped her husband's lotus feet. With a choked voice she lamented again and again. She showered him with the tears from her eyes.

121 She said, "O master, will you leave me and make me cry like an unhappy kurari bird? Where will you go? Your servant-girl is very unhappy."

122 As the people chanted the Lord's holy names and the demigods in heaven showered sumanah flowers, father Jagannatha left this world at that place by the Ganges.