Participants:
Prabhupāda
The Advent of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Prabhupāda: Hmm.
TEXT 1
sa prasīdatu caitanya-
devo yasya prasādataḥ
tal-līlā-varṇane yogyaḥ
sadyaḥ syād adhamo ‘py ayam
I wish the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by whose mercy even one who is fallen can describe the pastimes of the Lord.
TEXT 2
jaya jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya gauracandra
jayādvaitacandra jaya jaya nityānanda
All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Advaitacandra! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu!
TEXT 3
jaya jaya gadādhara jaya śrīnivāsa
jaya mukunda vāsudeva jaya haridāsa
All glories to Gadādhara Prabhu! All glories to Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura! All glories to Mukunda Prabhu and Vāsudeva Prabhu! All glories to Haridāsa Ṭhākura!
TEXT 4
jaya dāmodara-svarūpa jaya murāri gupta
ei saba candrodaye tamaḥ kaila lupta
All glories to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Murāri Gupta! All these brilliant moons have together dissipated the darkness of this material world.
TEXT 5
jaya śrī-caitanyacandrera bhakta candra-gaṇa
sabāra prema jyotsnāya ujjvala tri-bhuvana
All glories to the moons who are devotees of the principal moon, Lord Caitanyacandra! Their bright moonshine illuminates the entire universe.
TEXT 6
ei ta’ kahila granthārambhe mukha-bandha
ebe kahi caitanya-līlā-krama-anubandha
Thus I have spoken the preface of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now I shall describe Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pastimes in chronological order.
TEXT 7
prathame ta’ sūtra-rūpe kariye gaṇana
pācṅe tāhā vistāri kariba vivaraṇa
First let me give a synopsis of the Lord’s pastimes. Then I shall describe them in detail.
TEXT 8
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya navadvīpe avatari
āṭa-calliśa vatsara prakaṭa vihari
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, adventing Himself in Navadvīpa, was visible for forty-eight years, enjoying His pastimes.
TEXT 9
caudda-śata sāta śake janmera pramāṇa
caudda-śata pañcānne ha-ila antardhāna
In the year 1407 of the Śaka Era (A.D. 1486), Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared, and in the year 1455 (A.D. 1534) He disappeared from this world.
TEXT 10
cabbiśa vatsara prabhu kaila gṛha-vāsa
nirantara kaila kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-vilāsa
For twenty-four years Lord Caitanya lived in the gṛhastha-āśrama [household life], always engaging in the pastimes of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.
TEXT 11
cabbiśa vatsara-śeṣe kariyā sannyāsa
āra cabbiśa vatsara kaila nīlācale vāsa
After twenty-four years He accepted the renounced order of life, sannyāsa, and He resided for twenty-four years more at Jagannātha Purī.
TEXT 12
tāra madhye chaya vatsara—gamanāgamana
kabhu dakṣiṇa, kabhu gauḍa, kabhu vṛndāvana
Of these last twenty-four years, He spent the first six continually touring India, sometimes in South India, sometimes in Bengal and sometimes in Vṛndāvana.
TEXT 13
aṣṭādaśa vatsara rahilā nīlācale
kṛṣṇa-prema-nāmāmṛte bhāsā’la sakale
For the remaining eighteen years He continuously stayed in Jagannātha Purī. Chanting the nectarean Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, He inundated everyone there in a flood of love of Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 14
gārhasthye prabhura līlā—‘ādi’-līlākhyāna
‘madhya’-‘antya’-līlā—śeṣa-līlāra dui nāma
The pastimes of His household life are known as the ādi-līlā, or the original pastimes. His later pastimes are known as the madhya-līlā and antya-līlā, or the middle and final pastimes.
TEXT 15
ādi-līlā-madhye prabhura yateka carita
sūtra-rūpe murāri gupta karilā grathita
All the pastimes enacted by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His ādi-līlā were recorded in summary form by Murāri Gupta.
TEXT 16
prabhura ye śeṣa-līlā svarūpa-dāmodara
sūtra kari’ granthilena granthera bhitara
His later pastimes [the madhya-līlā and antya-līlā] were recorded in the form of notes by His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, and thus kept within a book.
TEXT 17
ei dui janera sūtra dekhiyā śuniyā
varṇanā karena vaiṣṇava krama ye kariyā
By seeing and hearing the notes recorded by these two great personalities, a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee of the Lord, can know these pastimes one after another.
TEXT 18
bālya, paugaṇḍa, kaiśora, yauvana,—cāri bheda
ataeva ādi-khaṇḍe līlā cāri bheda
In His original pastimes there are four divisions: bālya, paugaṇḍa, kaiśora and yauvana [childhood, early boyhood, later boyhood and youth].
TEXT 19
sarva-sad-guṇa-pūrṇāṁ tāṁ
vande phālguna-pūrṇimām
yasyāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyo
’vatīrṇaḥ kṛṣṇa-nāmabhiḥ
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the full-moon evening in the month of Phālguna, an auspicious time full of auspicious symptoms, when Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself with the chanting of the holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 20
phālguna-pūrṇimā-sandhyāya prabhura janmodaya
sei-kāle daiva-yoge candra-grahaṇa haya
On the full-moon evening of the month of Phālguna when the Lord took birth, coincidentally there was also a lunar eclipse.
TEXT 21
‘hari’ ‘hari’ bale loka haraṣita hañā
janmilā caitanya-prabhu ‘nāma’ janmāiyā
In jubilation everyone was chanting the holy name of the Lord—“Hari! Hari!”—and Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then appeared, after first causing the appearance of the holy name.
TEXT 22
janma-bālya-paugaṇḍa-kaiśora-yuvā-kāle
hari-nāma laoyāilā prabhu nānā chale
At His birth, in His childhood and in His early and later boyhood, as well as in His youth, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, under different pleas, induced people to chant the holy name of Hari [the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra].
TEXT 23
bālya-bhāva chale prabhu karena krandana
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘hari’ nāma śuni’ rahaye rodana
In His childhood, when the Lord was crying He would stop immediately upon hearing the holy names Kṛṣṇa and Hari.
TEXT 24
ataeva ‘hari’ ‘hari’ bale nārīgaṇa
dekhite āise yebā sarva bandhu jana
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’ tāre hāse sarva nārī
ataeva haila tāṅra nāma ‘gaurahari’
When all the ladies saw this fun, they enjoyed laughing and called the Lord “Gaurahari.” From then on, Gaurahari became another of His names.
TEXT 26
bālya vayasa—yāvat hāte khaḍi dila
paugaṇḍa vayasa—yāvat vivāha nā kaila
His childhood lasted until the date of hāte khaḍi, the beginning of His education, and His age from the end of His childhood until He married is called paugaṇḍa.
TEXT 27
vivāha karile haila navīna yauvana
sarvatra laoyāila prabhu nāma-saṅkīrtana
After His marriage His youth began, and in His youth He induced everyone to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra anywhere and everywhere.
TEXT 28
paugaṇḍa-vayase paḍena, paḍāna śiṣyagaṇe
sarvatra karena kṛṣṇa-nāmera vyākhyāne
During His paugaṇḍa age He became a serious student and also taught disciples. In this way He used to explain the holy name of Kṛṣṇa everywhere.
TEXT 29
sūtra-vṛtti-pāṅji-ṭīkā kṛṣṇete tātparya
śiṣyera pratīta haya,—prabhāva āścarya
When teaching a course in grammar [vyākaraṇa] and explaining it with notes, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His disciples about the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. All explanations culminated in Kṛṣṇa, and His disciples would understand them very easily. Thus His influence was wonderful.
TEXT 30
yāre dekhe, tāre kahe,—kaha kṛṣṇa-nāma
kṛṣṇa-nāme bhāsāila navadvīpa-grāma
When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a student, He asked whomever He met to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. In this way He inundated the whole town of Navadvīpa with the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 31
kiśora vayase ārambhilā saṅkīrtana
rātra-dine preme nṛtya, saṅge bhakta-gaṇa
Just prior to His youthful life, He began the saṅkīrtana movement. Day and night He used to dance in ecstasy with His devotees.
TEXT 32
nagare nagare bhrame kīrtana kariyā
bhāsāila tri-bhuvana prema-bhakti diyā
The saṅkīrtana movement went on from one part of the town to another, as the Lord wandered everywhere performing kīrtana. In this way He inundated the whole world by distributing love of Godhead.
TEXT 33
cabbiśa vatsara aiche navadvīpa-grāme
laoyāilā sarva-loke kṛṣṇa-prema-nāme
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu lived in the Navadvīpa area for twenty-four years, and He induced every person to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and thus merge in love of Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 34
cabbiśa vatsara chilā kariyā sannyāsa
bhakta-gaṇa lañā kailā nīlācale vāsa
For His remaining twenty-four years, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after accepting the renounced order of life, stayed at Jagannātha Purī with His devotees.
TEXT 35
tāra madhye nīlācale chaya vatsara
nṛtya, gīta, premabhakti-dāna nirantara
For six of these twenty-four years in Nīlācala [Jagannātha Purī], He distributed love of Godhead by always chanting and dancing.
TEXT 36
setubandha, āra gauḍa-vyāpi vṛndāvana
prema-nāma pracāriyā karilā bhramaṇa
Beginning from Cape Comorin and extending through Bengal to Vṛndāvana, during these six years He toured all of India, chanting, dancing and distributing love of Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 37
ei ‘madhya-līlā’ nāma—līlā-mukhyadhāma
śeṣa aṣṭādaśa varṣa—‘antya-līlā’ nāma
The activities of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His travels after He accepted sannyāsa are His principal pastimes. His activities during His remaining eighteen years are called the antya-līlā, or the final portion of His pastimes.
TEXT 38
tāra madhye chaya vatsara bhaktagaṇa-saṅge
prema-bhakti laoyāila nṛtya-gīta-raṅge
For six of the eighteen years He continuously stayed in Jagannātha Purī, He regularly performed kīrtana, inducing all the devotees to love Kṛṣṇa simply by chanting and dancing.
TEXT 39
dvādaśa vatsara śeṣa rahilā nīlācale
premāvasthā śikhāilā āsvādana-cchale
For the remaining twelve years He stayed in Jagannātha Purī, He taught everyone how to taste the transcendental mellow ecstasy of love of Kṛṣṇa by tasting it Himself.
TEXT 40
rātri-divase kṛṣṇa-viraha-sphuraṇa
unmādera ceṣṭā kare pralāpa-vacana
Day and night Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu felt separation from Kṛṣṇa. Manifesting symptoms of this separation, He cried and talked very inconsistently, like a madman.
TEXT 41
śrī-rādhāra pralāpa yaiche uddhava-darśane
seimata unmāda-pralāpa kare rātri-dine
As Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī talked inconsistently when She met Uddhava, so also Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu relished, both day and night, such ecstatic talk in the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
TEXT 42
vidyāpati, jayadeva, caṇḍīdāsera gīta
āsvādena rāmānanda-svarūpa-sahita
The Lord used to read the books of Vidyāpati, Jayadeva and Caṇḍīdāsa, relishing their songs with His confidential associates like Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
TEXT 43
kṛṣṇera viyoge yata prema-ceṣṭita
āsvādiyā pūrṇa kaila āpana vāñchita
In separation from Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu relished all these ecstatic activities, and thus He fulfilled His own desires.
TEXT 44
ananta caitanya-līlā kṣudra jīva hañā
ke varṇite pāre, tāhā vistāra kariyā
The pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu are unlimited. How much can a small living entity elaborate about those transcendental pastimes?
TEXT 45
sūtra kari’ gaṇe yadi āpane ananta
sahasra-vadane teṅho nāhi pāya anta
If Śeṣa Nāga Ananta personally were to make the pastimes of Lord Caitanya into sūtras, even with His thousands of mouths there is no possibility that He could find their limit.
TEXT 46
dāmodara-svarūpa, āra gupta murāri
mukhya-mukhya-līlā sūtre likhiyāche vicāri’
Devotees like Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara and Murāri Gupta have recorded all the principal pastimes of Lord Caitanya in the form of notes, after deliberate consideration.
TEXT 47
sei, anusāre likhi līlā-sūtragaṇa
vistāri’ varṇiāchena tāhā dāsa-vṛndāvana
The notes kept by Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara and Murāri 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 Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura.
TEXT 48
caitanya-līlāra vyāsa,—dāsa vṛndāvana
madhura kariyā līlā karilā racana
Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura, the authorized writer of the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is as good as Śrīla Vyāsadeva. He has described the pastimes in such a way as to make them sweeter and sweeter.
TEXT 49
grantha-vistāra-bhaye chāḍilā ye ye sthāna
sei sei sthāne kichu kariba vyākhyāna
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 līlāmṛta teṅho kaila āsvādana
tāṅra bhukta-śeṣa kichu kariye carvaṇa
The transcendental pastimes of Lord Caitanya have actually been relished by Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura. I am simply trying to chew the remnants of food left by him.
TEXT 51
ādi-līlā-sūtra likhi, śuna, bhakta-gaṇa
saṅkṣepe likhiye samyak nā yāya likhana
My dear devotees of Lord Caitanya, let me now write a synopsis of the ādi-līlā; I write of these pastimes in brief because it is not possible to describe them in full.
TEXT 52
kona vāñchā pūraṇa lāgi’ vrajendra-kumāra
avatīrṇa haite mane karilā vicāra
To fulfill a particular desire within His mind, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vrajendra-kumāra, decided to descend to this planet after mature contemplation.
TEXT 53
āge avatārilā ye ye guru-parivāra
saṅkṣepe kahiye, kahā nā yāya vistāra
Lord Kṛṣṇa therefore first allowed His family of superiors to descend to the earth. I shall try to describe them in brief because it is not possible to describe them fully.
TEXTS 54–55
śrī-śacī-jagannātha, śrī-mādhava-purī
keśava bhāratī, āra śrī-īśvara purī
advaita ācārya, āra paṇḍita śrīvāsa
ācāryaratna, vidyānidhi, ṭhākura haridāsa
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, before appearing as Lord Caitanya, requested these devotees to precede Him: Śrī Śacīdevī, Jagannātha Miśra, Mādhavendra Purī, Keśava Bhāratī, Īśvara Purī, Advaita Ācārya, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, Ācāryaratna, Vidyānidhi and Ṭhākura Haridāsa.
TEXT 56
śrīhaṭṭa-nivāsī śrī-upendra-miśra-nāma
vaiṣṇava, paṇḍita, dhanī, sad-guṇa-pradhāna
There was also Śrī Upendra Miśra, a resident of the district of Śrīhaṭṭa. He was a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu, a learned scholar, a rich man and a reservoir of all good qualities.
TEXTS 57–58
sapta miśra tāṅra putra—sapta ṛṣīśvara
kaṁsāri, paramānanda, padmanābha, sarveśvara
jagannātha, janārdana, trailokyanātha
nadīyāte gaṅgā-vāsa kaila jagannātha
Upendra Miśra had seven sons, who were all saintly and most influential: (1) Kaṁsāri, (2) Paramānanda, (3) Padmanābha, (4) Sarveśvara, (5) Jagannātha, (6) Janārdana and (7) Trailokyanātha. Jagannātha Miśra, the fifth son, decided to reside on the bank of the Ganges at Nadia.
TEXT 59
jagannātha miśravara—padavī ‘purandara’
nanda-vasudeva-rūpa sadguṇa-sāgara
Jagannātha Miśra was designated as Purandara. Exactly like Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva, he was an ocean of all good qualities.
TEXT 60
tāṅra patnī ‘śacī’-nāma, pativratā satī
yāṅra pitā ‘nīlāmbara’ nāma cakravartī
His wife, Śrīmatī Śacīdevī, was a chaste woman highly devoted to her husband. Śacīdevī’s father’s name was Nīlāmbara, and his surname was Cakravartī.
TEXT 61
rāḍhadeśe janmilā ṭhākura nityānanda
gaṅgādāsa paṇḍita, gupta murāri, mukunda
In Rāḍhadeśa, the part of Bengal where the Ganges is not visible, Nityānanda Prabhu, Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, Murāri Gupta and Mukunda took birth.
TEXT 62
asaṅkhya bhaktera karāilā avatāra
śeṣe avatīrṇa hailā vrajendra-kumāra
Lord Kṛṣṇa, Vrajendra-kumāra, first caused countless devotees to appear, and at last He appeared Himself.
TEXT 63
prabhura āvirbhāva-pūrve yata vaiṣṇava-gaṇa
advaita-ācāryera sthāne karena gamana
Before the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the devotees of Navadvīpa used to gather in the house of Advaita Ācārya.
TEXT 64
gītā-bhhāgavata kahe ācārya-gosāñi
jñāna-karma nindi’ kare bhaktira baḍāi
In these meetings of the Vaiṣṇavas, Advaita Ācārya used to recite the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, decrying the paths of philosophical speculation and fruitive activity and establishing the superexcellence of devotional service.
TEXT 65
sarva-śāstre kahe kṛṣṇa-bhaktira vyākhyāna
jñāna, yoga, tapo-dharma nāhi māne āna
In all the revealed scriptures of Vedic culture, devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is explained throughout. Therefore devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa 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.
TEXT 66
tāṅra saṅge ānanda kare vaiṣṇavera gaṇa
kṛṣṇa-kathā, kṛṣṇa-pūjā, nāma-saṅkīrtana
In the house of Advaita Ācārya, all the Vaiṣṇavas took pleasure in always talking of Kṛṣṇa, always worshiping Kṛṣṇa and always chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
TEXT 67
kintu sarva-loka dekhi’ kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha
viṣaye nimagna loka dekhi’ pāya duḥkha
But Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu felt pained to see all the people without Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply merging in material sense enjoyment.
TEXT 68
lokera nistāra-hetu karena cintana
kemate e saba lokera ha-ibe tāraṇa
Seeing the condition of the world, He began to think seriously of how all these people could be delivered from the clutches of māyā.
TEXT 69
kṛṣṇa avatari’ karena bhaktira vistāra
tabe ta’ sakala lokera ha-ibe nistāra
Śrīla Advaita Ācārya Prabhu thought, “If Kṛṣṇa Himself appears in order to distribute the cult of devotional service, then only will liberation be possible for all people.”
TEXT 70
kṛṣṇa avatārite ācārya pratijñā kariyā
kṛṣṇa-pūjā kare tulasī-gaṅgājala diyā
With this consideration, Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, promising to cause Lord Kṛṣṇa to descend, began to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, with tulasī leaves and water of the Ganges.
TEXT 71
kṛṣṇera āhvāna kare saghana huṅkāra
huṅkāre ākṛṣṭa hailā vrajendra-kumāra
By loud cries He invited Kṛṣṇa to appear, and this repeated invitation attracted Lord Kṛṣṇa to descend.
TEXT 72
jagannāthamiśra-patnī śacīra udare
aṣṭa kanyā krame haila, janmi’ janmi’ mare
Before the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, eight daughters took birth one after another from the womb of Śacīmātā, the wife of Jagannātha Miśra. But just after their birth, they all died.
TEXT 73
apatya-virahe miśrera duḥkhī haila mana
putra lāgi’ ārādhila viṣṇura caraṇa
Jagannātha Miśra was very unhappy at the death of his children one after another. Therefore, desiring a son, he worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.
TEXT 74
tabe putra janamilā ‘viśvarūpa’ nāma
mahā-guṇavān teṅha—‘baladeva’-dhāma
After this, Jagannātha Miśra got a son of the name Viśvarūpa, who was most powerful and highly qualified because He was an incarnation of Baladeva.
TEXT 75
baladeva-prakāśa—parama-vyome ‘saṅkarṣaṇa’
teṅha—viśvera upādāna-nimitta-kāraṇa
The expansion of Baladeva known as Saṅkarṣaṇa in the spiritual world is the ingredient and immediate cause of this material cosmic manifestation.
TEXT 76
tāṅhā ba-i viśve kichu nāhi dekhi āra
ataeva ‘viśvarūpa’ nāma ye tāṅhāra
The gigantic universal form is called the Viśvarūpa incarnation of Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa. Thus we do not find anything within this cosmic manifestation except the Lord Himself.
TEXT 77
naitac citraṁ bhagavati
hy anante jagad-īśvare
otaṁ protam idaṁ yasmin
tantuṣv aṅga yathā paṭaḥ
“As the threads in a cloth spread both lengthwise and breadthwise, so the Supreme Personality of Godhead exists directly and indirectly within everything we see in this cosmic manifestation. This is not very wonderful for Him.”
TEXT 78
ataeva prabhu tāṅre bale, ‘baḍa bhāi’
kṛṣṇa, balarāma dui—caitanya, nitāi
Because Mahā-saṅkarṣaṇa is the ingredient and efficient cause of the cosmic manifestation, He is present in every detail of it. Lord Caitanya therefore called Him His elder brother. The two brothers are known as Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in the spiritual world, but at the present moment they are Caitanya and Nitāi. Therefore the conclusion is that Nityānanda Prabhu is the original Saṅkarṣaṇa, Baladeva.
TEXT 79
putra pāñā dampati hailā ānandita mana
viśeṣe sevana kare govinda-caraṇa
The husband and wife [Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīmātā], having gotten Viśvarūpa as their son, were very pleased within their minds. Because of their pleasure, they specifically began to serve the lotus feet of Govinda.
TEXT 80
audda-śata chaya śake śeṣa māgha māse
jagannātha-śacīra dehe kṛṣṇera praveśe
In the month of January in the year 1406 of the Śaka Era (A.D. 1485), Lord Kṛṣṇa entered the bodies of both Jagannātha Miśra and Śacī.
TEXT 81
miśra kahe śacī-sthāne,—dekhi āna rīta
jyotirmaya deha, geha lakṣmī-adhiṣṭhita
Jagannātha Miśra said to Śacīmātā, “I see wonderful things! Your body is effulgent, and it appears as if the goddess of fortune were now staying personally in my home.
TEXT 82
yāhāṅ tāhāṅ sarva-loka karaye sammāna
ghare pāṭhāiyā deya dhana, vastra, dhāna
“Anywhere and everywhere I go, all people offer me respect. Even without my asking, they voluntarily give me riches, clothing and paddy.”
TEXT 83
śacī kahe,—muñi dekhoṅ ākāśa-upare
divya-mūrti loka saba yena stuti kare
Śacīmātā told her husband, “I see wonderfully brilliant human beings appearing in outer space, as if offering prayers.”
TEXT 84
jagannātha miśra kahe,—svapna ye dekhila
jyotirmaya-dhāma mora hṛdaye paśila
Jagannātha Miśra then replied, “In a dream I saw the effulgent abode of the Lord enter my heart.
TEXT 85
āmāra hṛdaya haite gelā tomāra hṛdaye
hena bujhi, janmibena kona mahāśaye
“From my heart it entered your heart. I therefore understand that a great personality will soon take birth.”
TEXT 86
eta bali’ duṅhe rahe haraṣita hañā
śālagrāma sevā kare viśeṣa kariyā
After this conversation, both husband and wife were very jubilant, and together they rendered service to the household śālagrāma-śilā.
TEXT 87
haite haite haila garbha trayodaśa māsa
tathāpi bhūmiṣṭha nahe,—miśrera haila trāsa
In this way the pregnancy approached its thirteenth month, but still there was no sign of the delivery of the child. Thus Jagannātha Miśra became greatly apprehensive.
TEXT 88
nīlāmbara cakravartī kahila gaṇiyā
ei māse putra habe śubha-kṣaṇa pāñā
Nīlāmbara Cakravartī [the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] then did an astrological calculation and said that in that very month, taking advantage of an auspicious moment, the child would take birth.
TEXT 89
caudda-śata sāta-śake māsa ye phālguna
paurṇamāsīra sandhyā-kāle haile śubha-kṣaṇa
Thus in the year 1407 of the Śaka Era [A.D. 1486], in the month of Phālguna [February-March], in the evening of the full-moon day, the desired auspicious moment arrived.
TEXT 90
siṁha-rāśi, siṁha-lagna, ucca graha-gaṇa
ṣaḍ-varga, aṣṭa-varga, sarva sulakṣaṇa
[According to the Jyotir-veda, or Vedic astrology, the auspicious birth moment is described as follows:] The moon was in Leo [the figure of the lion in the zodiac], Leo was the ascendant, several planets were strongly positioned, and the ṣaḍ-varga and aṣṭa-varga showed all-auspicious influences.
TEXT 91
a-kalaṅka gauracandra dilā daraśana
sa-kalaṅka candre āra kon prayojana
When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?
TEXT 92
eta jāni’ rāhu kaila candrera grahaṇa
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘hari’ nāme bhāse tri-bhuvana
Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.
TEXT 93
jaya jaya dhvani haila sakala bhuvana
camatkāra haiyā loka bhāve mane mana
All people thus chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder.
TEXT 94
jagat bhariyā loka bale—‘hari’ ‘hari’
sei-kṣaṇe gaurakṛṣṇa bhūme avatari
When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.
TEXT 95
prasanna ha-ila saba jagatera mana
‘hari’ bali’ hinduke hāsya karaye yavana
The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the holy name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words.
TEXT 96
‘hari’ bali’ nārīgaṇa dei hulāhuli
svarge vādya-nṛtya kare deva kutūhalī
While all the ladies vibrated the holy name of Hari on earth, in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on, for the demigods were very curious.
TEXT 97
prasanna haila daśa dik, prasanna nadījala
sthāvara-jaṅgama haila ānande vihvala
In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss.
TEXT 98
nadīyā-udayagiri, pūrṇacandra gaurahari,
kṛpā kari’ ha-ila udaya
pāpa-tamaḥ haila nāśa, tri-jagatera ullāsa,
jagabhari’ hari-dhvani haya
Thus by His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord.
TEXT 99
sei-kāle nijālaya, uṭhiyā advaita rāya,
nṛtya kare ānandita-mane
haridāse lañā saṅge, huṅkāra-kīrtana-raṅge
kene nāce, keha nāhi jāne
At that time Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, in His own house at Śāntipura, was dancing in a pleasing mood. Taking Haridāsa Ṭhākura with Him, He danced and loudly chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa. But why they were dancing, no one could understand.
TEXT 100
dekhi’ uparāga hāsi’, śīghra gaṅgā-ghāṭe āsi’
ānande karila gaṅgā-snāna
pāñā uparāga-chale, āpanāra mano-bale,
brāhmaṇere dila nānā dāna
Seeing the lunar eclipse and laughing, Advaita Ācārya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura immediately went to the bank of the Ganges and bathed in the river in great jubilation. Taking advantage of the occasion of the lunar eclipse, Advaita Ācārya, by His mental strength, distributed various types of charity to the brāhmaṇas.
TEXT 101
jagat ānandamaya, dekhi’ mane sa-vismaya,
ṭhāreṭhore kahe haridāsa
tomāra aichana raṅga, mora mana parasanna,
dekhi—kichu kārye āche bhāsa
When he saw that the whole world was jubilant, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his mind astonished, directly and indirectly expressed himself to Advaita Ācārya: “Your dancing and distributing charity are very pleasing to me. I can understand that there is some special purpose in these actions.”
TEXT 102
ācāryaratna, śrīvāsa, haila mane sukhollāsa
yāi’ snāna kaila gaṅgā-jale
ānande vihvala mana, kare hari-saṅkīrtana
nānā dāna kaila mano-bale
Ācāryaratna [Candraśekhara] and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura were overwhelmed with joy, and immediately they went to the bank of the Ganges to bathe in her waters. Their minds full of happiness, they chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gave charity by mental strength.
TEXT 103
ei mata bhakta-tati, yāṅra yei deśe sthiti,
tāhāṅ tāhāṅ pāñā mano-bale
nāce, kare saṅkīrtana, ānande vihvala mana,
dāna kare grahaṇera chale
In this way all the devotees, wherever they were situated, in every city and every country, danced, performed saṅkīrtana and gave charity by mental strength on the plea of the lunar eclipse, their minds overwhelmed with joy.
TEXT 104
brāhmaṇa-sajjana-nārī, nānā-dravye thālī bhari’
āilā sabe yautuka la-iyā
yena kāṅcā-soṇā-dyuti, dekhi’ bālakera mūrti,
āśīrvāda kare sukha pāñā
All sorts of respectable brāhmaṇa gentlemen and ladies, carrying plates filled with various gifts, came with their presentations. Seeing the newborn child, whose form resembled natural glaring gold, all of them happily offered their blessings.
TEXT 105
sāvitrī, gaurī, sarasvatī, śacī, rambhā, arundhatī
āra yata deva-nārīgaṇa
nānā-dravye pātra bhari’, brāhmaṇīra veśa dhari’,
āsi’ sabe kare daraśana
Dressing themselves as the wives of brāhmaṇas, all the celestial ladies, including the wives of Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, King Indra and Vasiṣṭha Ṛṣi, along with Rambhā, a dancing girl of heaven, came there with varieties of gifts.
TEXT 106
antarīkṣe deva-gaṇa, gandharva, siddha, cāraṇa,
stuti-nṛtya kare vādya-gīta
nartaka, vādaka, bhāṭa, navadvīpe yāra nāṭa,
sabe āsi’ nāce pāñā prīta
In outer space all the demigods, including the inhabitants of Gandharvaloka, Siddhaloka and Cāraṇaloka, offered their prayers and danced to the accompaniment of music, songs and the beating of drums. Similarly, in Navadvīpa city all the professional dancers, musicians and blessers gathered together, dancing in great jubilation.
TEXT 107
kebā āse kebā yāya, kebā nāce kebā gāya,
sambhālite nāre kāra bola
khaṇḍileka duḥkha-śoka, pramoda-pūrita loka,
miśra hailā ānande vihvala
No one could understand who was coming and who was going, who was dancing and who was singing. Nor could they understand one another’s language. Yet all unhappiness and lamentation were immediately dissipated, and people became all-jubilant. Thus Jagannātha Miśra was also overwhelmed with joy.
TEXT 108
ācāryaratna, śrīvāsa, jagannātha-miśra-pāśa,
āsi’ tāṅre kare sāvadhāna
karāila jātakarma, ye āchila vidhi-dharma,
tabe miśra kare nānā dāna
Candraśekhara Ācārya and Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura both came to Jagannātha Miśra and drew his attention in various ways. They performed the ritualistic ceremonies prescribed at the time of birth according to religious principles. Jagannātha Miśra also gave varieties of charity.
TEXT 109
yautuka pāila yata, ghare vā āchila kata,
saba dhana vipre dila dāna
yata nartaka, gāyana, bhāṭa, akiñcana jana,
dhana diyā kaila sabāra māna
Whatever riches Jagannātha Miśra collected in the form of gifts and presentations, and whatever he had in his house, he distributed among the brāhmaṇas, professional singers, dancers, bhāṭas and the poor. He honored them all by giving them riches in charity.
TEXT 110
śrīvāsera brāhmaṇī, nāma tāṅra ‘mālinī’,
ācāryaratnera patnī-saṅge
sindūra, haridrā, taila, kha-i, kalā, nārikela,
diyā pūje nārīgaṇa raṅge
The wife of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura, whose name was Mālinī, accompanied by the wife of Candraśekhara [Ācāryaratna] and other ladies, came there in great happiness to worship the baby with paraphernalia such as vermilion, turmeric, oil, fused rice, bananas and coconuts.
TEXT 111
advaita-ācārya-bhāryā, jagat-pūjitā āryā,
nāma tāṅra ‘sītā ṭhākurāṇī’
ācāryera ājñā pāñā, gela upahāra lañā,
dekhite bālaka-śiromaṇi
One day shortly after Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born, Advaita Ācārya’s wife, Sītādevī, who is worshipable by the whole world, took her husband’s permission and went to see that topmost child with all kinds of gifts and presentations.
TEXT 112
suvarṇera kaḍi-ba-uli, rajatamudrā-pāśuli,
suvarṇera aṅgada, kaṅkaṇa
du-bāhute divya śaṅkha, rajatera malabaṅka,
svarṇa-mudrāra nānā hāragaṇa
She brought different kinds of golden ornaments, including armlets, necklaces, anklets and bangles for the hands.
TEXT 113
vyāghra-nakha hema-jaḍi, kaṭi-paṭṭasūtra-ḍorī
hasta-padera yata ābharaṇa
citra-varṇa paṭṭa-sāḍī, buni photo paṭṭapāḍī,
svarṇa-raupya-mudrā bahu-dhana
There were also tiger nails set in gold, waist decorations of silk and lace, ornaments for the hands and legs, nicely printed silken saris, and a child’s garment, also made of silk. Many other riches, including gold and silver coins, were also presented to the child.
TEXT 114
durvā, dhānya, gorocana, haridrā, kuṅkuma, candana,
maṅgala-dravya pātra bhariyā
vastra-gupta dolā caḍi’ saṅge lañā dāsī ceḍī,
vastrālaṅkāra peṭāri bhariyā
Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Jagannātha Miśra, bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fresh grass, paddy, gorocana, turmeric, kuṅkuma and sandalwood. All these presentations filled a large basket.
TEXT 115
bhakṣya, bhojya, upahāra, saṅge la-ila bahu bhāra,
śacī-gṛhe haila upanīta
dekhiyā bālaka-ṭhāma, sākṣāt gokula-kāna,
varṇa-mātra dekhi viparīta
When Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Śacīdevī, bringing with her many kinds of eatables, dresses and other gifts, she was astonished to see the newborn child, for she appreciated that except for a difference in color, the child was directly Kṛṣṇa of Gokula Himself.
TEXT 116
sarva aṅga—sunirmāṇa, suvarṇa-pratimā-bhāna,
sarva aṅga—sulakṣaṇamaya
bālakera divya jyoti, dekhi’ pāila bahu prīti,
vātsalyete dravila hṛdaya
Seeing the transcendental bodily effulgence of the child, each of His nicely constructed limbs full of auspicious signs and resembling a form of gold, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī was very pleased, and because of her maternal affection, she felt as if her heart were melting.
TEXT 117
durvā, dhānya, dila śīrṣe, kaila bahu āśīṣe,
cirajīvī hao dui bhāi
ḍākinī-śāṅkhinī haite, śaṅkā upajila cite,
ḍare nāma thuila ‘nimāi’
She blessed the newborn child by placing fresh grass and paddy on His head and saying, “May You be blessed with a long duration of life.” But being afraid of ghosts and witches, she gave the child the name Nimāi.
TEXT 118
putramātā-snānadine, dila vastra vibhūṣaṇe,
putra-saha miśrere sammāni’
śacī-miśrera pūjā lañā, manete hariṣa hañā,
ghare āilā sītā ṭhākurāṇī
On the day the mother and son bathed and left the maternity home, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī gave them all kinds of ornaments and garments and then also honored Jagannātha Miśra. Then Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī, being honored by mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, was greatly happy within her mind, and thus she returned home.
TEXT 119
aiche śacī-jagannātha, putra pāñā lakṣmīnātha,
pūrṇa ha-ila sakala vāñchita
dhana-dhānye bhare ghara, lokamānya kalevara,
dine dine haya ānandita
In this way mother Śacīdevī and Jagannātha Miśra, having obtained a son who was the husband of the goddess of fortune, had all their desires fulfilled. Their house was always filled with riches and grains. As they saw the beloved body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, day after day their pleasure increased.
TEXT 120
miśra—vaiṣṇava, śānta, alampaṭa, śuddha, dānta,
dhana-bhoge nāhi abhimāna
putrera prabhāve yata, dhana āsi’ mile, tata,
viṣṇu-prīte dvije dena dāna
Jagannātha Miśra was an ideal Vaiṣṇava. He was peaceful, restrained in sense gratification, pure and controlled. Therefore he had no desire to enjoy material opulence. Whatever money came because of the influence of his transcendental son, he gave it in charity to the brāhmaṇas for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu.
TEXT 121
lagna gaṇi’ harṣamati, nīlāmbara cakravartī,
gupte kichu kahila miśrere
mahāpuruṣera cihna, lagne aṅge bhinna bhinna,
dekhi,—ei tāribe saṁsāre
After calculating the birth moment of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī privately said to Jagannātha Miśra that he saw all the different symptoms of a great personality in both the body and birth moment of the child. Thus he understood that in the future this child would deliver all the three worlds.
TEXT 122
aiche prabhu śacī-ghare, kṛpāya kaila avatāre,
yei ihā karaye śravaṇa
gaura-prabhu dayāmaya, tāṅre hayena sadaya,
sei pāya tāṅhāra caraṇa
In this way Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, out of His causeless mercy, made His advent in the house of Śacīdevī. Lord Caitanya is very merciful to anyone who hears this narration of His birth, and thus such a person attains the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 123
pāiyā mānuṣa janma, ye nā śune gaura-guṇa,
hena janma tāra vyartha haila
pāiyā amṛtadhunī, piye viṣa-garta-pāni,
janmiyā se kene nāhi maila
Anyone who attains a human body but does not take to the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is baffled in his opportunity. Amṛtadhunī is a flowing river of the nectar of devotional service. If after getting a human body one drinks the water in a poison pit of material happiness instead of the water of such a river, it would be better for him not to have lived, but to have died long ago.
TEXT 124
śrī-caitanya-nityānanda, ācārya advaitacandra,
svarūpa-rūpa-raghunāthadāsa
iṅhā-sabāra śrī-caraṇa, śire vandi nija-dhana,
janma-līlā gāila kṛṣṇadāsa
Taking on my head as my own property the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Ācārya Advaitacandra, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, have thus described the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.