jagadgurusiddhaswarupananda.net

All Glory to Shree Gaur and Nityananda
Thakur Brindaban's

Shree Chaitanya Bhagabat

(Done into English)
Middle Part.

CHAPTER 1

Summary: - In this Chapter are described the first manifestations of the Lord's loving perturbations, due to separation from Krishna, in the guise of his narration of the experience of his sojourn to Gaya after His return from there, the talks among the devotees regarding the novel mood of the Lord, the meeting of Shribas, Shriman, Gadadhar, Sadashiva and other devotees at the residence of Shuklambar Brahmachary and their wonder and lamentations at sight of the Lord's loving condition of separation from Krishna, the Lord's visit to Gangadas Pandit and Mukunda Sanjaya, the anxiety of mother shachi for her Son and her prayer to Krishna for his sake, expositions of texts by the Lord to his pupils to the effect that Krishna is the sole Meaning of all sounds and all scriptures, the Lord's bath in the Ganges, His discourse to His mother while taking His meal that all Scriptures point to Krishna and of the terrible tortures suffered by souls averse to Krishna during their stay in the mother's womb, Krishna-manifestations and expositions of Krishna in teaching His pupils, the proud words of the Lord declaring in His conversation with Gangadas Pandit that His exposition of the Scriptures signifying Krishna are above the scope of mental speculations, the Supreme Lord's absorption in the devotional mood by listening to Ratna-Garbha Acharya's reading with devotion of a shloka regarding Krishna, the Lord's exposition of the verbal name as power of Krishna, lamentations of His pupils as the Lord finally declared severances of His connection with them giving them His blessings, the sorrowful words of the author at the recollection of these pastimes of Shri Gaur Sundar, the Lord's teaching of the mode of congregational chanting of Krishna to His disciples, and other matters.

1. With Arms extending to the knee, of Colour yellow like that of gold, The only two progenitors of congregational chant, with wide Eyes resembling the lotus, The Two protectors of the world, the Two Divine fosterers of the dispensation for the Age, To these Two benefactors of the world, these Two manifest Embodiment of Divine pity I make my obeisance!
2. My obeisance to the eternally Existent through three-fold Time, Son of Jagannath! Obeisance to Thee, attended by Thy Servants, Sons and Consorts!
3. All the manifold glory to the King of the twice-born, Viswambhar ! Glory to the community of the Vaishnavas, loved of Viswambhar!
4. Glory to Gaurchandra, the Bridge to religion, most Patient !Glory to His Beautiful Form replete with the harmonious chant!
5. Glory to the Friend, Treasure and Life of Nityananda ! Glory to the abode of the love of Gadadhar and Adwaita!
6. All glory to the Lord of His loved ones preceded by Shribas ! May thou bend Thy auspicious glance on jiva, O Lord!
7. Glory to the intensely Beloved of Shri Jagadananda Glory to the heart's love of Bakreswar and Kashishwar!
8. The words of the Middle Part are as the pieces of nectar, By listening to which the wickedness of the heart is cancelled.
9. Listen, brother, with one mind to this narrative of the Middle Part, The manner in which the congregational chant had its beginning.
10. Sri Gaursunder returned Home after performing His pilgrimage to Gaya. The city of Nadia rang with the tidings.
11. All His friends and relations ran to meet Him. Some turned up earliest, some came next, others were the last to arrive.
12. The Lord greeted them all as was befitting for each. All were gladdened by seeing Viswambhar.
13. They went forward to meet Him and brought Him home. Viswambhar spoke to them about the holy place.
14. The Lord said, 'By the blessing of you all I return after visiting the holy land of Gaya without difficulty'.
15. The Lord spoke with the greatest humility ; All were pleased to notice the lowliness of the Lord.
16. Some desired Him a long life by placing their hands on His head Some recited the Mantra, gently passing their hands over all parts of His body;
17. Some blessed by touching His bosom with their hands-'May Govinda whose bliss is most cooling vouchsafe His Grace.'
18. Fortunate Shachi was filled with happiness ; By looking upon her Son she did not know for joy where she was.
19. There was rejoicing in the family of the father of Lakshmi. The sorrow of Lakshmi was dispelled by the sight of the face of her Lord.
20. All the Vaishnavas were gladdened. Some of them instantly set out to see Him.
21. The Lord having accosted all with respect and humility, Sent them away with kind words as they departed to their respective homes.
22. Taking aside three or four devotees of Vishnu, The Lord held confidential talk.
23. The Lord said, 'Listen, all my friends, as I narrate The wonders regarding Krishna, that I have seen at different places.
24. 'No sooner did I enter into Gaya The very first thing that I heard was a sound of great auspiciousness.
25. 'Thousands of Brahmans were reading aloud the Veda,--'Open your eyes behold Ye the Tirtha of the Feet-wash of Vishnu!'
26. 'Formerly when Krishna came to Gaya, The Lord washed His Feet as He stopped at this place.
27. 'For being Whose Feet-wash the Ganges is so great, The truth regarding Whose Feet-wash is known to Shiva by receiving the same on his head--
28. 'This spot, by the power of the self-same Feet-wash of the Lord, Bears the name of Padodaka Tirtha.'
29. As the Lord uttered the name of the Tirtha of the Feet-wash His twin lotus Eyes let loose an unrestrained stream of tears.
30. Till at last the Lord growing extremely uncontrollable, Began to cry a good deal, calling upon the name of Krishna.
31. The wood-land of flowers was flooded with the current of supreme Love ! The Lord repeatedly cried 'Krishna' amid a storm of sighs.
32. His whole Frame was covered with horripilation, The Lord could not be calmed but trembled with shivering.
33. Sriman pundit and the other devotees Witnessed the wonderful weeping of love for Krishna.
34. The stream of love flowed on all sides of the Eyes : As if Ganges herself manifested her presence.
35. In their minds all of them mused with wonder. "We have never seen Him in such guise before.
36. The grace of Sri Krishna has now been His. What Majesty of the Lord might He have beheld on the way?"
37. The Lord after a short while manifested His external consciousness, And at last thus addressed them all.
38. The Lord said, 'My friends, go back to your homes to-day. Do not fail to come tomorrow to the place I mention.
39. 'Meeting you together at the secluded place I will submit to you in privacy all My sorrows.
40. 'Tomorrow to the house of Suklambar Brahmachari Yourselves and Sadashiva must come early.'
41. The Lord sent them away after greetings. Lord Biswambhar occupied Himself with His proper Activities.
42. There was incessant super-imposition of Krishna in the Body of the Lord. He behaved as one utterly averse to the world.
43. The mother could not understand the conduct of her Sons Yet she felt transported with delight on beholding her Boy.
44. The Lord wept, crying aloud the Name of Krishna. The mother saw that the courtyard was flooded with tears.
45. 'Where is Krishna? Where, indeed, is Krishna?' cried the Lord. And as He went on speaking, excessive love grew apace.
46. The mother could understand nothing, nor the cause of it She besought the protection of Govinda with joined palms.
47. The Supreme Lord began to manifest Himself. There was rejoicing all over the infinity of worlds!
48. 'The Lord's auspicious beginning of showering His love,'-- So ran the report; on hearing this the brotherhood of the devotees came thither.
49. Those Vaishnavas who came to have a sight of the Lord, the Lord greeted them all with kindness:
50. 'Meet tomorrow at the house of Suklambar; I will submit My sorrows talking to you in seclusion.'
51. Sriman Pandit was filled with joy. He was highly delighted on beholding love that was most wonderful.
52. At early dawn after performing His morning duties, taking his basket, He set out with a glad heart for gathering flowers
53. In the home of Sribas there is a tree of Kunda flower. The Purpose-Tree itself, as it were, manifest in the form of the flowering plant.
54. Whatever the number of flowers that the Vaishnabas pluck, they can never deplete. The inexhaustible, irreducible flowers bloom there at all time!
55. Waking at early dawn all the devotees. Met there for gathering the flowers.
56. All of them- Gadadhar, Gopinath, Ramai, Sribash, Plucked the flowers in the mellowness of Krishna-talk.
57. Even at such moment Sriman Pandit, making his way thither, Appeared in their midst with a laughing face.
58. They all asked, 'We find much laughter to-day'. Said Sriman, 'There is of course good reason for it.'
59. The Bhagabatas said, 'Do speak out'. 'hear my reason', said Sriman Pandit,--
60. 'Most wonderful story, most impossible,--'Nimai Pandit is become the greatest of Vaishnavas!'
61. 'He has returned from Gaya with all felicity. On hearing of this I went to greet Him in the afternoon.
62. 'All His conversation bespoke of the utmost aversion of the world. There was no manifestation of arrogance even for a moment.
63. 'He began to talk of Krishna in private,--Of the wonders that He had witnessed at the different places.
64. 'No sooner did He utter the name of the Tirtha of the Holy Lotus-Feet, All the place was filled with His tears.
65. 'His whole Frame trembled very much, all the hair standing on end. Ejaculating,'Ah, Krishna,' He at once fell down on the ground.
66. 'There was no sign of animation in any part of His Body as He swooned away. After a while the external vision re-appeared with a startled motion.
67. 'Till at last, as He began to weep crying 'Krishna', It seemed as if the Goddess Ganges herself appeared in His eyes.
68. 'By the devotion that I have witnesses in Him There is no longer the belief in my mind that He is a mortal.
69. 'On regaining external consciousness He only said this, 'Meet together at the house of Suklambar early tomorrow morning.
70. 'To Yourself, Sadasiva and Murari Pandit I will confess My sorrows'.
71. 'Most auspicious are these tidings that I have delivered to you; There is certainly reason for believing it in every way.'
72. Those devotees, on hearing the words of Sriman, Triumphantly shouted the Name of Hari with a great voice.
73. The magnanimous Sribas was the first to speak, 'May Krishna increase our kindred!'
74. May our Gotra increase!
75. They all discoursed about Krishna with joy ; And there arose the auspicious and most entrancing sound.
76. The Bhagabatas repeated the benediction, 'May it be so'. 'May all persons serve the Feet of Krishna-Chandra'.
77. Having plucked the flowers in this manner the Bhagabatas departed for the performance of their worships.
78. Sriman Pandit proceeded to the bank of the Ganges, To the residence of Suklambar Brahmachari.
79. On hearing these tidings the revered Gadhadhar Hastened to the house of Suklambar:
80. 'I will listen to the narrative of Krishna that He will relate' :- He remained in hiding in Suklambar's house for this purpose.
81. Sadasiva, Murari, Sreeman, Suklambar, All the loving followers, gathered together.
82. At this juncture presently the King of the twice-born, Biswambhar, Made His appearance and mingled in the assembly of the Vaishnavas.
83. All of them greeted Him with the greatest joy. The Lord did not manifest any external vision.
84. So soon as the Lord caught the sight of the Bhagabatas He began to recite texts descriptive of devotion.
85. 'I obtained My Lord ; -Oh, whither did He go ?' With these words the Lord fell down on the ground with the pillar held in embrace.
86. The column of the room broke under the pressure of the Lord. He fell prone with dishevelled hair crying, 'Where is Krishna?'
87. No Sooner did the Lord fall down exclaiming 'oh, Krishna' ! Than all the devotees tottered and fell on the ground.
88. Gadadhar swooned away inside the room ; There was no knowing where one fell in this indiscriminate tumble.
89. All of them became unconscious by the bliss of the love of Krishna, And the Goddess Jahnavi smiled in amazement!
90. After a while Biswambhar manifesting external consciousness Began to cry long and piteously, uttering the Name of Krishna:
91. 'Oh, Krishna! Oh, My Lord! Oh, whither hast Thou gone?' Saying this the Lord fell down on the ground time and again.
92. The Lord, Darling Son of Sachi, cried for love of Krishna; The Bhagabatas wept aloud surrounding Him on all sides.
93. There was no end of falls of the holy Form. The Lord knew nothing of this by the pastime of love for Himself.
94. There arose the concerted sound of the chant, weeping of love: Suklambar's house was filled with loving devotion!
95. Biswambhar sat up becalmed after a while; Yet the stream of bliss flowed unceasingly.
96. The Lord said, 'Who is inside the room?' Brahmachari replied, 'It is Your own Gadadhar.'
97. Gadadhar was weeping with his head bent low .Lord Biswambhar was pleased by the sight
98. The Lord said, 'Gadadhar, you are truly fortunate by your previous good deeds. From your infancy you have fixed your mind firmly on Krishna.
99. 'This precious birth of Mine has passed away tasting vanity. I, indeed, obtained the priceless Treasure ; It has left Me by defect of luck,'
100. Saying this Biswambhar fell down on the bare earth. The Form that is the Object of universal adoration, rolled in the dust!
101. The external consciousness repeatedly returned,-the Lord fell as often; he beat the ground with His Face and Nose; His Life was preserved by Providence.
102. He could not open His Eyes for tears of love. His beautiful Mouth could articulate only the Name of Krishna.
103. Biswambhar wept clasping the necks of all, 'Where is Krishna? -Brothers, tell me quickly.'
104. The devotees wept on beholding the earnest longing of the lord. No other sound could manifest itself in any one's mouth.
105. The Lord said, 'Relieve My sorrows; Oh, bring Me the Darling Son of the Prince of the Gopas'!
106. So saying, heaving great sighs, He cried time and again. He would not bind the tresses of His hair that trailed on the ground.
107. The whole day passed away like a moment in this bliss. The Lord then took leave of the devotees for a brief interval.
108. Gadadhar, Sadasiva, Sriman Pandit, Suklambar and the others were all filled with amazement.
109. All of them were made dumb by the love they had witnessed. By the sight of that which had never before been seen their bodies had no external activity.
110. All of them joyfully made their way to the community of the Vaishnavas. They narrated to them in every detail all occurrences.
111. On hearing the good tidings all those great Bhagabatas wept crying, 'Hari, Hari.'
112. On hearing of this unheard-of love, all were filled with wonder. Some said,--'May be that God is manifest Himself.'
113. Some said, 'This seems to be a mystery regarding Krishna. There is no doubt of it, know this as certain.'
114. Some said, 'From association with Iswar Puri He must have beheld some manifestation of Krishna at Gaya.'
115. In this manner with joy all the devotees Spoke severally in diverse ways.
116. Jointly they all began to bless Him. 'May the mercy of Krishna prove true by all means'.
117. All of them began to perform the chant with delight. Some sang, some danced, some wept outright.
118. In this manner the devotees passed their time in happiness. The Lord remained immersed in His own mellowness.
119. Evincing a slight manifestation of external consciousness Biswambhar set out for the home of Pandit Gangadas.
120. The Lord greeted the feet of His teacher, The Guru, rising with a sense of regard embraced Him.
121. The teacher said, 'Blest, indeed, is Your life, my Dear ; You have effected the deliverance of the whole kin of your father and mother.
122. 'All Your pupils also know only Yourself. They would not open their books at the bidding of Brahma.
123. 'You have now come back to the view of us all. Begin to reach your pupils from tomorrow go back to Thy home for this day.'
124. After making His obeisance to His guru, Biswambhar left the place, Encircled by His pupils like, the Moon amid the stars.
125. He came on to the homes of Sri Mukunda Sanjaya. Arrived there He took His seat inside the Hall of Chandi.
126. The joy that manifested itself in Mukunda Sanjaya And his whole family, knew no bounds.
127. The Lord drew Purushottam Sanjaya into His embrace. He drenched his body with His tears.
128. The women began to utter the ejaculatory note of triumph. There was the greatest rejoicing in the house of Mukunda.
129. Bestowing His auspicious glance on all The Supreme Lord came to His Own Home.
130. On reaching Home the Lord sat at the entrance of the shrine of Vishnu; He bade farewell to His companions with expressions of affection.
131. None of those who came there to greet Him Could understand the ways of the Lord.

(To be continued)