Chaitanya's Life And Teachings Part 11

Thus dancing, the Master advanced to where Pratap Rudra stood, and was about to fall down when the king held Him up. On seeing him the Master recovered composure and cried shame on Himself for having touched a King, a worldling, adding, "In his rapture Nityananda has ceased to be heedful [of me]. Kas.h.i.+shwar, Govinda and others, too, are at a distance." True, the Master had been pleased to see Pratap Rudra numbly serving Jagannath as a sweeper, and had meant to meet the king, yet He professed anger in order to warn His followers against consorting with worldly-minded men. The king grieved at the Master's speech, but Sarvabhauma told him not to lose heart, "The Master is pleased with you; He is only instructing His followers by means of you. I shall seize a proper time for entreating Him. You will then go and meet Him."

Then the Master walked round the car, and standing behind it pushed it with His head. At His push the car ran on with a clatter; the people around shouted _Hari! Hari!_ Next the Master led His followers away to dance before the cars of Subhadra and Balaram, and when that was done He returned to dance before Jagannath's car. So the cars reached Balgandi, where they stopped, and Jagannath looked on both sides: on the left were the abodes of Brahmans in cocoanut groves, on the right a flower garden resembling Brindaban. It is the rule that Jagannath breakfasts here on ten million dishes. Every devotee of Jagannath, whatever his position, offers his best food to the G.o.d. The king, his wives, ministers and courtiers, all citizens of Puri, great and small, the pilgrims from various lands, the people of the province, all offered him their respective _bhog_. No order was observed, each deposited his offering of food in front, behind, on the two sides of the G.o.d, or in the garden, wherever he could find a spot. The crowd grew immense at the time of the _bhog_, and so the Master stopped dancing and entered the garden, where He lay prostrate on the veranda of the garden house, overcome with love; the exertion of dancing made Him perspire copiously and He enjoyed the fragrant cool wind. All the _bhaktas_ who had been singing _kirtan_ came and rested under the trees. [Text, canto 13.]

CHAPTER XII

The Hora-Panchami Procession of Lakshmi

As the Master lay thus in the trance of love, Pratap Rudra entered the garden alone, casting off his royal robes and dressed as a [common]

Vaishnav, according to the advice of Sarvabhauma. With folded hands he took permission of every bhakta and then mustered enough courage to fall down clasping the Master's feet. The Master lay on the ground, His eyes closed in love; the king eagerly nursed His feet. Pratap Rudra recited the stanzas of the Rasa dance, (_Bhagabat_, X. x.x.xi. i). Infinite was the Master's delight as He heard the verses, and He repeatedly cried "Go on." When the king proceeded to the stanza beginning with _"The nectar-like discourse of thee"_, the Master in devotion rose up and embraced the king, saying "You have given me many priceless gems. I have nothing to give in return, save this embrace." So saying He read the verses over and over again, both quivering and showering tears.

_"The nectar-like discourse of thee, O darling! is life to the afflicted, the theme of praise to sages, and the antidote to sin. The hearing of it does good and gives peace. Blessed are they who spread it far and wide on earth, for they are truly givers of much alms."_ (_Bhagabat_, X.

x.x.xi. 9).

Crying the 'giver of much alms', the Master embraced the king, not knowing now who he was. The king's lowly service had won for him the Master's pity, who now made him a gift of His grace without any inquiry.

Lo! the power of Chaitanya's grace, which bears fruit without questioning. The Master asked, "Who art thou, my benefactor, that hast poured by surprise into my ears the nectar of Krishna's deeds?" The king replied, "I am the slave of thy slaves. My only desire is that you may make me the servant of your servants." Then the Master revealed His G.o.dhead to the king, forbidding him to tell it to anybody. Though knowing everything at heart, He outwardly showed as if He did not know that the visitor was a king. The _bhaktas_ extolled the king for his good fortune. Pratap Rudra took leave after prostrating him self, and then with folded palms bowed to all the _bhaktas_, and went away. At noon the Master with His followers breakfasted on the plentiful prasad sent by the king by the hands of Vaninath, Sarvabhauma and Ramananda.

The prasad from the Balgandi _bhog_ was excellent and of infinite variety, but none of them was cooked food. [Details of the dishes.]

Knowing the fatigue of the _kirtan_ singers, Chaitanya resolved to feast them. He seated them in rows and began to serve the food Himself.

Each man was given one leaf and ten cups of _Keya_ leaves. Swarup informed Him that as none would dine before the Master, He ought to sit down to meal. Then the Master sat down with His circle and fed all to their fill. The excess of _prasad_ that was left over sufficed to feed a thousand men. Govinda, at the Master's bidding, brought in beggars to eat this food. At the sight of the beggars feast the Master taught them to chant Hari's name, and they were carried away on the stream of love as they shouted _Hari-bol_.

Now came the time for dragging the car of Jagannath. The Bengal athletes pulled at the rope, but the car did not move. So they gave up the work in despair. The king and his Court hastened thither in alarm. He set the wrestlers to draw the car and applied his own hand to it; but still the car did not move. Then powerful elephants were harnessed to the car, but it did not advance a step in spite of their utmost efforts. Hearing this the Master arrived with His followers and gazed at the furious elephants pulling at the car. The elephants shrieked at the blows of the goad, but the car stirred not, and the people lamented.

Then the Master took away the elephants, gave the ropes to His followers, and Himself pushed the car from behind with His head. The car sped along rattling. The _bhaktas_ merely held the ropes; they had not really to pull, as the car advanced of itself. In delight the people shouted "Glory! Glory to Jagannath!" No other sound was heard. In a twinkle the car reached the gate of the Gundicha garden, the people marvelling at the power of Chaitanya. They set up a roar of "Glory to Gaurchandra! Glory to Krishna-Chaitanya!" At the sight of the Master's might, Pratap Rudra and his courtiers swelled with enthusiasm. Then the servitors performed the ceremony of dismounting Jagannath from his car and conveying him to the Gundicha people. The three images were placed on their thrones, and the ceremony of the G.o.ds bath and dinner commenced. The Master began a joyous dance and _kirtan_ in the courtyard in delight. His love welled out in blissfulness, and the sight of it swept away the beholders in a torrent of love. In the evening He witnessed the adoration with lamps, and came to the _Ai-tota_ garden for reposing. Adwaita and eight other leading followers invited Him for nine days. Among the rest as many got a chance of entertaining Him as there were days in the "four months," while the rank and file of His followers had a day free for each individually; so two or three of them combined to give Him a joint entertainment on one day.

Thus did the Master play at dining out. After His morning bath He visited Jagannath, where He danced and sang with His followers, now bidding Adwaita dance, now Nityananda, Haridas, Achyutananda, Vakreshwar or some other bhakta. Thrice in the day did He sing _kirtan_ in the Gundicha garden, imagining that Krishna had come to Brindaban and that the period of separation was over. Cheris.h.i.+ng in His heart the idea that Krishna was then dallying with Radha there, He remained absorbed in that emotion (of gratification), acting in many gardens the feats of Krishna at Brindaban, disporting in the tank of Indradyumna, splas.h.i.+ng His _bhaktas_ with water, while they splashed Him from all sides, now forming one circle, now many, and clapping their hands while croaking like frogs. Sometimes a pair of them wrestled in the water, the Master looking on to see who would win. Adwaita and Nityananda tried to overwhelm each other with water; the former was beaten and vented his feelings in abuse. Vidyanidhi struggled with Swarup, Shribas with Gadadhar, Raghav Pandit with Vakreshwar, Sarvabhauma with Ramananda Ray.

The gravity of the last two disappeared and they became boys again!

Seeing their excitement the Master smiled and said to Gopinath Acharya, "Both are grave scholars and venerable men, but they are acting like wild boys. Stop them." Gopinath replied, "When the ocean of your grace surges up, a single drop of it can easily drown tall mountains like Meru and Mandar, what to speak of these two small stones? It is thy grace only that has given the nectar of _lila_ to one whose life was formerly spent in chewing the dry husks of logical disputation." Laughing, the Master brought Adwaita there and made him lie on his back on the water like the _Shesha_ serpent, while He Himself reclined on him (like Vishnu). Thus did He act the _lila_ of Vishnu reposing on the serpent.

Adwaita, putting forth his strength, began to float on the water bearing the Master.

After disporting in the water for some time He returned with His followers to the _Ai-tota_. At the Acharya's house He dined with His leading followers. The _prasad_ brought by Vaninath served to feed the other followers. In the evening He visited the G.o.d and danced before him, and at night returned to the garden to sleep.

In the garden, in company with His _bhaktas_ He sported as at Brindaban. The trees and creepers blossomed at His sight, the bee and the black-bird sang, the zephyr blew. Under each tree He danced, Vasudev Datta alone singing. Each (_bhakta_) sang under a different tree; Chaitanya alone danced in supreme rapture. Then He bade Vakreshwar dance, while He sang. Swarup and other _kirtanias_ joined the Master in singing, forgetful of all else in the vehemence of their love.

After performing this woodland sport, He went to the Narendra tank for water-sport. Then He returned to the garden and dined out with His _bhaktas_. For the nine days that Jagannath remained at Gundicha, such was the Master's life. He lodged in the large flower garden named _Jagannath-vallabh_.

When the time came for the ceremony of _Hora-Panchami_, the king spoke earnestly to Kas.h.i.+ Mishra, "To-morrow is Hora-Panchami, the day of Lakshmi's triumph. Let the celebration be of unprecedented splendour, so that the Master may be filled with wonder. Let extraordinary arrangements be made for the ceremony. Let coloured cloths, bells, fly-whiskers and umbrellas be brought out of my wardrobe as well as Jagannath's, and let the flagstaff, flag, bell, &c. be decorated. Let (Lakshmi's) litter be set forth with varied music and dance. The expenditure should be double (the ordinary), so that the ceremony may eclipse the Car festival. Act so that the Master may be drawn to come out with His followers to behold it."

Next morning the Master with His party visited Jagannath at Gundicha, and then returned to the temple eager to behold the Hora-Panchami festival. Kas.h.i.+ Mishra with great honour seated the Master and His party in a good position. Chaitanya wished to hear about a particular emotion and smilingly asked Swarup, "Though Jagannath lives at Dwaraka, manifesting his natural be-pretext of a ride in his car. From the temple he goes to visit Brindaban. The parks here resemble Brindaban; he longs to see them therefore, and leaves his temple on the pretext of a ride in his car. From the temple he goes to Gundicha and there disports day and night in the many gardens. But why does he not take Lakshmi with him?"

Swarup answered, "Listen, Master, to the reason. Lakshmi has no access to Brindaban, as Krishna's playmates there are milk-maids. So none but the latter can ravish Krishna's heart." The Master continued, "Krishna sets out on the plea of a ride. Subhadra and Baladev accompany him. His dalliance with the milk-maids is done in secret in the parks, unknown to others. Krishna does not overt offence. Why then does Lakshmi fly into a rage at his journey to Gundicha?" Swarup replied, "Such is the nature of a loving mistress. Indifference on the part of her sweetheart rouses her anger."

Just then Lakshmi arrived in an angry mood at the Lion Gate, riding a golden litter set with many gems, and accompanied by rows of men bearing flags, fly-whiskers, umbrellas and standards, with many musicians, and preceded by the dedicated dancing-girls (_devdasi_). A hundred richly dressed hand-maids bearing betel-leaf caskets, goglets of water, fans and fly-whiskers, and much display of wealth and retinue came in her train. Her maids chained the chief servitors of Jagannath and dragged them to her feet, punis.h.i.+ng them like thieves and fining them heavily.

She beat them till they almost fainted, and abused them in feigned anger. The Master's followers laughed hiding their faces with their hands as they beheld the forwardness of Lakshmi and her maids. [Swarup gave a long explanation of Lakshmi's mood, with ill.u.s.trative quotations from Sanskrit treatises on love].

At his words Shribas laughed and said "Hark you, Damodar! behold the vast wealth of my Lakshmi. Brindaban can boast of only flowers, leaves, hills, peac.o.c.k plumes, and the _Gunchha_ fruit. And yet Jagannath has gone to visit Brindaban! Lakshmi might naturally suspect Krishna's motive in leaving such wealth for poor Brindaban." As he was laughing Lakshmi turned to chastise him, saying "Behold, your G.o.d has left such splendour and gone to the Gundicha garden for the sake of flowers, leaves and fruits! Why does the chief of the wise act thus? Bring your lord before Lakshmi!" So saying, Lakshmi's handmaids brought the Master's attendants tied with their waist-bands, made them bow at her mercy. They beat (Jagannath's) car with their sticks, and treated Jagannath's officers like thieves, until they cried with folded hands, "To-morrow shall we produce Jagannath before you." Then Lakshmi was pacified and returned to her abode... [Swarup again shows Lakshmi's conduct as natural in a true lover].

The Master listened with absorption to his exposition of the pure emotion of Radha, and began to dance in rapture while Swarup sang. "Sing on! Sing on!" He cried with ears on the alert. His enthusiasm welled forth on hearing the song of the love-making at Brindaban, and He flooded the village of Puri with devotion. Lakshmi went back to her own place in time, but the Master danced on till the third quarter of the day. The four parties grew tired with singing, but His ardour became doubly intense. Under the influence of Radha's love He became an image of the pa.s.sion. Nityananda seeing Him from afar prayed to Him, but came not near in consideration of His ecstasy. None but Nityananda could hold the Master [and force Him to stop dancing]. His ecstasy did not cease, and the _kirtan_ therefore had to continue. So, Swarup by gesture informed Him how the party was exhausted. At this the Master came to Himself, and returned to the garden. After taking rest He had His midday bath and dined pleasantly with His party on the many dishes sent from Jagannath's and Lakshmi's prasad. In the evening He bathed again and visited Jagannath, dancing and singing before the G.o.d.

He sported in the Narendra tank with His _bhaktas_, and held a picnic in the garden. Thus He spent eight days, after which came the return journey of Jagannath in his car to his temple, at which the Master in supreme delight danced and sang as during the outward ride.

When Jagannath again occupied his throne, the Master returned with His followers to His quarters. [Text, canto 14.]

CHAPTER XIII

The Dinner at Sarvabhauma's House

Thus did the Master live at the Nilachal with His followers, engaged in dancing, singing, and delight. In the first year (of His stay) He used to visit Jagannath to whom He bowed, hymned, danced and sang. When the G.o.d's _Upala-bhog_ was offered, He issued from the temple and took Haridas home with Himself, and there chanted Hari's name.

Adwaita arriving there adored the Master, washed His feet with perfumed water, rubbed Him all over with fragrant sandal-paste, placed a garland round His neck and the tufted _Tulsi_ flower on His head, prostrated himself at the Master's feet, and adored Him with folded palms. The Master adored the Acharya with the flowers and Tulsi leaves left over on the ritual tray, and recited the verse "I bow to thee, that art what thou art!" Then He made a playful sound with His lips and had a laugh at the Acharya. Thus did the two honour each other. The Acharya repeatedly asked the Master to dinner... The Master with His party dined at the houses of the different _bhaktas_ on successive days. Thus did they spend four months in His company, witnessing all the festivals of Jagannath.

On Krishna's Nativity Day took place the ceremony of Nanda's grand festival, at which the Master with His _bhaktas_ personated the cowherds [of Mathura]. On His own shoulders did He carry the loads of milk and curds to the place of the ceremony, shouting Hari's name. Kanai Khuntia played the _role_ of Nanda and Jagannath Mahanti that of the queen of Braja. With Pratap Rudra himself, Kas.h.i.+ Mishra, Sarvabhaunia, and the _Parichha_ (minister) Tulsi, the Master danced and sported, spattering all their bodies with milk, curds and yellow liquid. Adwaita said, "Bear with me when I tell the truth. I shall know you for a cowherd only if you can brandish a staff!" At this the Master began to play with the staff. He tossed it in the air and caught it repeatedly as it fell. He swung it round His head, behind, before, on the two sides, and between the legs, spectators laughing. The stick circled round and round like a lathe, all men wondering at the sight. Similarly Nityananda too played with his staff. Who can fathom the deep cowherd mood of these two? At the king's command, Tulsi Parichha brought out a costly cloth, once worn by Jagannath, and tied it round the Master's head. [Other clothes] were presented to the Acharya and other followers of the Master. Kanai Khuntia and Jagannath Mahanti, in their enthusiasm, gave away all the wealth of their houses. At this the Master was greatly delighted, and bowed to them as his parents (_i.e._, as Nanda and his wife, the foster-parents of Krishna). In deep spiritual exaltation did He return to His quarters. Thus did Chaitanya play.

On the _Bijaya-dashami_, the day of the storming of Lanka, the Master with His followers played the part of the monkey army [of Ram].

Transported by the spirit of Hanuman, He seized a branch and broke it off as if it were the citadel of Lanka, shouting in a rage, "Where art thou, Ravan! Thou hast kidnapped the Mother of the World. Wretch! I shall destroy thee with thy kith and kin." The people marvelled at His pa.s.sion and exclaimed "Glory! glory!" So, too, did He witness the celebration of _Rasa-yatra_, _Dipavali_ and _Utthan-dwadas.h.i.+_. One day He and Nityananda formed a plan in secret, the nature of which His followers afterwards guessed only from the result. Calling all His _bhaktas_ together, He said, "Return ye all to Bengal. Come here every year and visit the Gundicha garden with me." On Adwaita Acharya he honourably laid His command, "Teach the lesson of faith in Krishna to all men, down to the Chandals." Nityananda was bidden, "Go to Bengal.

Freely proclaim the gospel of devotion and love. Ramdas, Gadadhar and some others will a.s.sist you. Now and then I shall be with you, and standing unseen shall witness your dancing." Embracing Shribas Pandit, He clung to his neck and said tenderly, "In the _kirtan_ at your house I shall always dance. You alone of all men will be able to see me. Give my mother this cloth and all this _prasad_ bow to her and beg her pardon for all my faults. I have turned a monk leaving her service; this has been an act of irreligion and not of religion on my part. I am bound by her love; service to her is my religion. It has been madness on my part to quit it. Tell her to have pity on me, as No mother finds fault with a crazy child. What need have I of monachism? Love is wealth to me; I must have gone out of my mind when I turned _sannyasi_. At her command I am staying at the Nilachal. I shall occasionally go home to see her. Daily do I go and behold her feet; she feels a delighted sensation but does not admit it as true. One day [for instance] she cooked rice, five or six vegetable soups, _sak_, _mochaghanta_, fried _patal_, _nim_ leaves, lemon, bits of ginger, curds, milk, and sugar and cream, and offered these many dishes to _Saligram_. Taking up the _prasad_ she lamented, All these were Nimai's favourite dishes. He is not here. So I went there quickly and ate up every thing. On seeing the empty dish she wiped her tears and asked, Who has eaten the rice and soups? Why is the dish empty? Has the young Gopal (idol) eaten them up?

Or has an illusion seized my mind? Has some animal came in and devoured them? Or did I by mistake serve no food on the plate at all? So thinking she looked again at the cooking-pots and found them full, to her wonder and suspicion [of defilement by some beast or demon]. She then called Ishan, had the place cleaned, and offered rice to the G.o.d Gopal afresh.

Thus, whenever she cooks nice dishes, she weeps in eager desire to feed me on them. Her affection compels me to eat (the food there); and she is pleased at heart, though outwardly she is disconsolate. This happened on the last _Bijaya-dashami_ day. Say unto her and make her believe."

Though overcome in making this speech, the Master composed Himself in order to bid farewell to the _bhaktas_.

To Raghav Pandit He spoke feelingly, "Your pure devotion has made me your servant. Hear, all ye, the story of his serving Krishna in the most pious and excellent manner. Let me speak of one thing only, namely his offering of cocoanut as _bhog_. In his place cocoanut sells at five _gandas_ [i.e., quarter anna each]. Though his orchards have hundreds of cocoanut palms yielding _lakhs_ of fruits, yet wherever he hears of very sweet cocoanuts, he procures them at the price of four annas for one, even from 20 miles distance. Every day he strips the fibre off five or six fruits and cools them in water. Then at _bhog_ he smoothes them and making small holes at the top offers the fruits to Krishna, who drinks the milk within, and leaves the fruits empty or full of liquid at different times. When the fruit is empty of milk, the Pandit rejoices, cracks the nut and spreading the kernel on a hundred dishes, offers them to Krishna, while he meditates outside (the G.o.d's dining room). Krishna eats the offering, and leaves the dishes bare, or fills them again with the kernel. At this the Pandit's devotion grows and he swims in the ocean of love.

"One day his servant brought ten cleaned cocoanuts to be offered to the G.o.d; but while waiting outside the door he happened to touch the wall above with his hand and then placed the same hand on the fruits. On seeing this the Pandit threw away the fruits as defiled and unworthy of offering to the G.o.d, because the dust raised by the feet of people entering at the door sticks to the wall above. By such pure loving service he has surpa.s.sed the world ... Similarly whenever he hears of any good fruit like plantain, mango, or jack, in far off villages, he carefully buys them dear, washes, cleans, and offers them to the G.o.d.

So, too, vegetables, roots, fruits, _chira_, _hurum_, confects, cakes, sweet drinks, condensed milk, _kashandi_, pickles, scents, cloth, ornaments, and the pick of all things he offers cleanly to the G.o.d. His loving service is unmatched and soothes the eyes of all who behold it."

So saying the Master embraced Raghav, and showed due respect to the other _bhaktas_. To s.h.i.+vananda Sen he spoke in terms of honour, "Do you look after Vasudev Datta, who is so charitable that every day he spends all his day's earnings, saving nothing. But he is a householder and ought to save, for without saving a man cannot support his kinsmen. You have the charge of the income and expenditure of his house. In your capacity as head man arrange (his affairs properly). Come every year with all the _bhaktas_ to the Gundicha garden, taking care of them."

To the pilgrims from the Kulin village He said, "Come here every year with striped silk cloth (for Jagannath). Gunaraj Khan wrote the _Shri Krishna Vijay_, one devotional sentence of which, 'Nanda's darling Krishna is the lord of my life', has made me the bondsman of his line.

Not to speak of you, even a dog of your village is dear to me, above all others."

At this Satyaraj Khan and Ramananda too entreated the Master, "I am a worldly man; how can I practise devotion? I beg thee to lay commands on me." The Master replied, "Ever serve Krishna, ever serve Vaishnavs, ever sing Krishna's name." Satyaraj asked, "How shall I know a Vaishnav? Tell me of his general characteristics." The Master answered, "Whosoever utters Krishna's name even once is to be honoured above all other men.

Krishna's name alone washes away all sins and kindles many forms of faith. It does not make a man wait for religious initiation or priestly ministration, but as soon as the word is formed on the tongue, it redeems all men down to the Chandal caste. Along with that, Krishna's name destroys our bondage to the world and draws the heart to the love of Krishna. _Vide_ Shridhar Swami's stanza in the _Padavali_, xviii.

Therefore, he who utters Krishna's name alone is truly a Vaishnav.

Honour him as such."

Of the pilgrims from Khanda the leaders were Mukunda-das, Raghunandan, and Narahari. To the first, Shachi's son spoke thus, "Tell me truly whether you are the father and Raghunandan your son, or the converse?

Dispel my doubt." Mukunda replied, "I verily believe that Raghunandan is my father and I his son, because our devotion to Krishna has been imbibed from him." The delighted Master broke out, "True are thy words.

He who gives us faith in Krishna is our _guru_." Bliss it is to the Master to unfold the greatness of _bhaktas_, and He holds forth on the subject through five mouths as it were. Turning to His followers He said, "Hark ye about Mukunda's faith. It is a pure and deep love, like unalloyed gold. Outwardly he is a physician royal and serves his master.

But who can fathom his heart's devotion? One day the Musalman king was talking with him about medicine, on a high dais, when a servant held a peac.o.c.k-feather fan over the Nawab's head. At the sight (of Krishna's crest), Mukunda in a rapture of devotion tumbled down from the height.

The Nawab, thinking that he was overcome by death, dismounted, restored him to his senses, and asked where he had been hurt. Mukunda replied that he did not feel much pain. Then to the Nawab's query about the cause of his fall, he replied that he was subject to epilepsy. The Nawab was very wise, he discerned the real reason and thenceforth regarded Mukunda as a great devotee."

Raghunandan served at Krishna's temple, in front of which there was a tank with a _Kadamba_ tree blooming all the year round on its _ghat_.

Daily two flowers blossomed there (as if) derived from Krishna. The Master continued, turning to Mukunda, "Your business is to earn money, Raghunandan's to serve Krishna. His heart has no other desire. Let Narahari remain with my _bhaktas_. Do you three ever perform these duties respectively."

Graciously He addressed the two brothers, Sarvabhauma and Vidya-vachaspati, "Krishna is at present manifest in the form of wood and water, the sight and ablution of which saves mankind. As the wooden G.o.d he lives at Puri, while the deity as water is the river Bhagirathi.

Let Sarvabhauma wors.h.i.+p the wooden G.o.d and Vachaspati the water-deity".