SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA

[Chant_Hare_Krsna 0]

 

 

 

 

 

<CENTER>

<H1><font face="Times New Roman" size="5"><font color="BLACK">

SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA</CENTER></font></font></H1>

 

 

 

 

 

 

<center>

 

</center>

 

<center>

<font face="Times" size="3">by Vrndavana dasa Thakura</font></center>

 

 

 

 

 

 

<H2><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Adi Lila</font></H2>

<H3><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Chapter 1</font></H3>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I worship their Lordships Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, whose long arms extend down to their knees, whose beautiful

complexions are the radiant yellow of molten gold and whose elongated eyes are

like red lotuses. They are the topmost of the brahmanas, the guardians of

religious principles for this age, the munificent benefactors of all living

entities, and the most compassionate incarnations of Godhead. They initiated

the congregational chanting of the names of Lord Krsna.

 

 

 

O Lord! You are the eternal truth - past, present, and future - and You

appeared as the son of Sri Jagannatha Misra. I offer my repeated obeisances

unto You along with Your inseparable servitors, Your unalloyed devotees, Your

sons (referring to His renounced Gosvami disciples, or the devotional process

of chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna), and Your relatives (Bhudevi as Sri

Vishnu Priya, Sridevi as Sri Laksmi Priya, and Lila, Nila or Durga as

Navadvipa Dhama). According to devotional tastes there are the two

Gadadharas, Damodara, Narahari, Ramananda, Jagadananda etc. One is Sri

Gadadhara Pandita - the expansion of Srimati Radharani and Sri Gadadhara

Bhatta from South India who is Rangadevi.

 

 

 

I worship the two brothers, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda

Prabhu, who are the embodiment of magnanimity. By Their inconceivable potency

They are the transcendental, eternal supreme controllers of all. Now They

have descended to the material world.

 

 

 

All glories to Sri Gaurasundara, the supremely powerful Lord of pure

transcendence. He has an aura of molten gold, with lotus petal eyes, and His

long graceful arms extend to His knees. While He sings the glories of the

Lord, He dances in various pleasing postures, His heart inundated by the

ecstatic emotions of devotional mellows.

 

 

 

All glories, all glories to the moonlike Sri Krishna Caitanya. He is the

fully independent Supreme Person, always engaged in transcendental pastimes.

He is the Lord of the universe, the supreme controller of all controllers, and

the personification of transcendence. All glories, all glories to the

devotees of Sri Gauracandra. All glories, all glories to the ecstatic dancing

of the Lord's intimate associates.

 

 

 

In the beginning I offer my humble obeisances to the feet of the loving,

confidential devotees of Lord Sri Caitanya. I then offer my obeisances to the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Caitanya. He incarnated in

Navadvipa, and He is known as Visvambhara.

 

 

 

That same Supreme Personality of Godhead has declared in the Vedas and

Bhagavat, "Worship of My devotees is superior to worship of Me."

Lord Krishna said to Uddhava, "O Uddhava, serving My devotees is many

times better than worshiping Me." (SB 11:19:21).

Therefore, I offer my worshipful prayers unto the devotees of the Lord

before I begin to write this book. By this act may my present endeavor be

successful.

 

 

I offer my respectful obeisances to my worshipable Lord and spiritual

master, Sri Nityananda Raya, by whose mercy the transcendental pastimes of

Lord Sri Caitanya become spontaneously manifest. With a thousand tongues we

should incessantly glorify the Supreme Lord Balarama, because His thousand

mouths as Ananta Sesa constantly glorify Lord Krishna. Just as priceless gems

are kept in secure custody, so also the invaluable jewel of knowledge about

Krsna's pastimes is kept safely in the mouth of Anantadeva. Therefore the

tongue which initially glorifies Balarama will automatically be qualified to

vibrate the transcendental pastime of Sri Caitanya.

 

 

 

The Supreme Lord Haladhara holds His thousand hoods like snakes. He is a

gigantic figure and the source of all inspiration. As Nityananda He is fully

transcendental and eternally existent, intoxicated by the nectar of Sri

Caitanya. Whoever sings or hears about Nityananda's supramundane character is

offered the supreme shelter of Lord Caitanya.

 

 

 

Mahesa and his consort Parvatidevi take great pleasure in eulogizing the

object of their love - Sankarsana, Nityananda Prabhu. In the midst of a

million fresh young maidens, the pure devotee, Sri Siva, and his consort pour

out nectarean devotional hymns to Lord Sankarsana.

 

 

 

All this is revealed in the Fifth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Balarama is worshiped by the entire Vaisnava world with songs of praise.

Balarama danced with His gopis in Vrndavana, and their rasa dance is the

pinnacle of sublimity. The Puranas describe that Balarama performed His rasa

dance during the two months of spring, Madhava and Madhu. The Srimad

Bhagavatam verses narrating this subject were spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to

Maharaja Pariksit.

 

 

 

Balarama spent the moonlit nights of the months of Vaisaka and Caitra

with the cowherd damsels in the supramundane abode of Vrndavana. The place

was set aglow with the rays of the moon. The lotus and kadamba flowers

bloomed freely under the influence of the moon's rays, and a soft breeze

circulated their scent. In the groves on the bank of the Jamuna, Balarama

danced with the gopis, increasing their conjugal mood. The Supreme Lord

Balarama, like a exquisite gem decorated by the cluster of gopis, performed

His pleasurable pastimes. He behaved like Indra's elephant Airavata - the

controller of many she-elephants. The Gandharvas observed the rasa dance and

offered their prayers.

 

 

 

The sound of kettle drums rose from the heavens, the demigods joyously

showered flowers upon Them, and the Gandharvas and sages worshiped the Supreme

Lord Balarama with verses praising His activities. The sages unequivocally

denounce association with women, yet they sung hymns in praise of Balarama's

rasa dance with His cowherd damsels. The demigods attended Balarama's rasa

dance to shower flower petals. They knew that there was no difference between

Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama, Haladhara. The transcendental qualities of

Balarama are obscure in the four Vedas, but the Puranas describe them boldly.

 

 

 

What power do I have to describe them? Out of ignorance, some people

disregard the Puranas and reject Balarama's rasa dance as inauthentic.

 

 

 

The two brothers, Lord Krsna and Balarama, performed the rasa dance with

the gopis in the same place in Vrndavana. On the radiant full moon night of

holi, at the end of sivaratri vrata, Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama, accompanied

by Their cowherd boy friends, enjoyed Themselves in the midst of the beautiful

maidens of Vrndavana. They were both pleasingly decorated with the finest

jewelry, sandalwood pulp, wildflower garlands and exquisite clothes. The

fortunate gopis sang sweetly, their hearts enraptured by love for Krishna and

Balarama.

 

 

 

Evening had not set in; the moon and the stars appeared. The

fragrance of Arabian jasmine intoxicated the bumblebees, and a light breeze

carried the aromas of white lilies and lotus flowers. Considering that very

moment to be appropriate, Krsna and Balarama began Their pleasurable

dalliances. They sang together for the pleasure of all living entities,

Their voices rising and falling melodiously.

 

 

 

If a person, after reading Srimad Bhagavatam, is not affectionately

inclined towards Lord Balarama, then he is rejected by the Supreme Lord Vishnu

and His devotees. In the words of Srimad Bhagavatam, a non-believer is a

yavana (a barbarian). He is destined to suffer in hell, birth after birth.

 

 

 

There are others who, like eunuchs, make emotional gesticulations,

challenging, "Which scripture describes the rasa dance of Balarama?" Who is

so sinful that even after reading the scriptures, he can not accept the truth,

but misinterprets the real meaning and gives his own distorted understanding?

 

 

 

Lord Balarama is the abode of Lord Caitanya's deep affection. Offense at

Balarama's lotus feet destroys all possibilities for salvation. In His

incarnation as Laksmana the younger brother of Lord Ramacandra, Balarama

enacted the role of the Lord's servitor. Yet in His manifestation as the

Supreme Lord, Balarama serves Himself in every respect - as a friend and

a brother, by fanning Him, putting Him to sleep, glorifying Him with Vedic

invocations and expanding Himself as His house, umbrella, attire, jewelry and

seat. "O Lord ! Your direct, partial expansion, Ananta Sesa, is the source

of all the various ingredients for Your service in the transcendental realm of

Vaikuntha. Ananta Sesa is famous because He is manifest as Your residence,

bed, throne, shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. When shall I see you with

Laksmidevi seated on the throne of Ananta Sesa?

 

 

 

Ananta Sesa's partial expansion is the mighty Sri Garuda whose

satisfaction is derived from acting as the Lord's carrier in every pastime.

Ananta's devotees include Brahma, Siva, the four Kumaras, Srila Vyasadeva,

Sukadeva Gosvami, Narada Muni and others. His glorious qualities are

unlimited and are not fully understood by anyone. He is the original

personality, the greatest mystic, the Supreme Lord, and the greatest devotee

of the Vaisnavas.

 

 

 

Thus far you have heard about the wonderful services performed by Ananta

Sesa; now hear about His great opulence. He is enthroned in the lower

planetary system of patala as his own source and repose. He is worshiped by

all as His thousand mouths continually taste the full nectar of love of

Godhead. In the court of Brahma, Narada Muni plays on his vina, and with

well-composed verses he sings the wonderful glories of Ananta. Is it humanly

possible to know the supramundane nature of Anantadeva?

 

 

Just by His glance, He sets in motion the three modes of material nature

which are the cause of this world's creation, maintenance, and annihilation.

Although He is one, He supports the entire variegated material cosmic

manifestation Himself (within the pores of His person). He is beginningless

and eternal.

 

 

Other then Lord Sankarsana, who can offer shelter to persons devoid of

all material aspirations? He is the support on which the material world

manifests and acts. That Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes, has appeared

in His sublime spiritual form. He is the most powerful; in comparison, the

power of a lion is insignificant. He performs pure transcendental pastimes to

capture the hearts of His dear devotees, and He destroys countless sins by

manifesting His transcendental form. What more is there to say than this?

One becomes purified by hearing or calling out the name of Lord Anantadeva,

either respectfully or accidentally. Even a degraded person is purified when

he tauntingly utters the name of Sri Ananta.

 

 

 

Anantadeva's mighty potency is beyond measure. That Supreme Lord carries

on just one of His thousand heads the entire universe with all its living

entities, mountains, and rivers, and that universe appears to be only a

minute, atomic speck. Even if a person acquires a thousand tongues, how can

he describe the power of the omnipotent Supreme Lord? Anantadeva is His own

shelter and source, filled with unlimited power and strength. While residing

in the lower planetary system of rasatala, He holds this gigantic

cosmic manifestation with ease born of detachment. This material world's

creation, maintenance, and annihilation, as well as the three modes of

material nature, are activated by His glance. Who can fathom Anantadeva's

non-dual, transcendental, eternal and unborn existence?

 

 

Out of mercy toward the living entities the Lord manifests His

supramundane spiritual form while He performs His variegated pastimes. All

living entities reside within that transcendental form. The mighty Lord

Nrsimhadeva represents but a wave in the ocean of the Lord's unlimited

pastimes which satisfy the hearts of His devotees. Anantadeva's unlimited

names, when heard or chanted by anyone in any manner, immediately sever the

noose of innumerable births and deaths. Thus the Vaisnava devotees of the

Lord always appreciated those who glorify Him. Ananta Sesa is the supreme

destination of the entire universe; His holy name is the only means for the

living entities's redemption. The Lord holds on His head the unlimited

material nature - along with its mountains and oceans - simply for its

protection and maintenance. The entire universe is a speck on one of His

thousand hoods, and because of His unlimited strength, He does not feel the

burden.

 

 

 

Lord Anantadeva, the original Supreme Personality and maintainer of the

entire cosmic manifestation, incessantly sings in glorification of Lord Krsna.

He continuously describes every aspect of the Lord's divine attributes. Lord

Krsna is eternal and His attributes are unending, therefore He can never be

fully described or glorified. But Ananta is also eternal and His ability to

glorify the Lord is unending. In Their divine relationship, neither is ever

victorious. Even today Ananta Sesa's thousand mouths continuously sing the

glories of the Supreme Lord Krsna Caitanya. How wonderfully Lord Krsna and

Lord Balarama compete with each other! Brahma, Siva, other demigods and the

perfected sages look on, feeling great exhilaration. The eulogies of

Anantadeva pursue the ever-expanding, elusive shores of Lord Krsna's ocean of

qualities.

 

 

O Narada, I Brahma, and your elders, Sanaka and other sages cannot even

fathom the extent of this material nature, what to speak of knowing the

Supreme Lord's spiritual potencies. Anantadeva, the origin of all demigods,

is unable to exhaustively glorify the Supreme Lord's transcendental opulence

and potencies with His thousand mouths. Therefore how is it possible for

ordinary mortals to understand these divine potencies? Anantadeva is Himself

the master of unlimited attributes, and He resides in rasatala simply to

support the vast material creation.

 

 

 

In the court of Brahma, Narada Muni plays His vina and sings about these

very same transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord. Brahma and others are

stunned in ecstasy upon hearing about the supramundane qualities of the

Supreme Lord, and Narada Muni is worshiped by all because he sings about those

qualities. I have also been moved to write a few phrases in praise of the

unlimited potencies of Lord Nityananda, Anantadeva, so I humbly request all of

you to develop a loving devotional mood toward the Lord. Those who desire to

cross over the dangerous ocean of material existence, yet drown in the ocean

of devotional ecstasy, may take shelter of Lord Nityananda.

 

 

 

I pray to the merciful Vaisnava devotees of the Lord to fulfill my hearts

yearning, that I may serve my Lord Balarama birth after birth. Just as dvija,

vipra, and brahma are different names for the same person, similarly

Nityananda, Ananta and Balarama are different names for the same Supreme

Personality. My Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared within my heart and instructed

me to narrate the transcendental qualities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this

book.

 

 

 

The pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are revealed by Nityananda's

mercy only, because His personal expansion, Ananta Sesa, is the storehouse of

information about Lord Caitanya and Lord Krsna's pastimes. Although Sri Ananta

Sesa is the embodiment of Krsna kirtana, I have been able to offer only a

humble prayer in His honor.

 

 

 

Hearing Lord Caitanya's qualities and pastimes can clean away all

material contaminations. Know for certain that such pastimes are revealed

only through a pure devotee's grace. For who can know the nature and pastimes

of Lord Caitanya? It is a hidden mystery even in the Vedas. Therefore, I

have compiled only first-hand accounts taken directly from the lips of the

associates of the Lord.

 

 

 

I see no beginning or end to Lord Caitanya's pastimes. They are eternal

and unlimited, and only the Lord's grace gives me the potency to compose them.

 

 

 

I am simply Lord Caitanya's mouthpiece, repeating as He desires, just like a

doll moved by some unseen hand. I throw myself at the feet of all pure

Vaisnava devotees so they may cleanse me of all offenses.

 

 

 

O my brothers! Please listen very attentively to the transcendental

pastimes Lord Caitanya performed with His devotee associates. The ecstatic

pastimes of Lord Caitanya have been divided into three periods - early,

intermediate and later (Adi, Madhya and Antya). The early period includes a

description of the Lord's education, and the intermediate portion reveals

Mahaprabhu's pastimes of congregational chanting. The concluding portion

describes the Lord's pastimes as a sannyasi in Nilacala, Orissa. He had

allocated to Nityananda the mission of preaching in Bengal.

 

 

The pious Sri Jagannatha Misra, Caitanya's father, lived in Navadvipa.

Like Vasudeva, he conscientiously performed his spiritual duties. His devout

and faithful wife Srimati Sacidevi was a second Devaki - the beloved mother of

everyone. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Narayana appeared in the

womb of Srimati Sacidevi, and as Sri Krsna Caitanya, He became the most

precious possession of everyone's heart.

 

 

 

The Adi Khanda begins by describing the appearance of Lord Caitanya on an

auspicious full moon evening in the month of Phalguna when the moon went into

eclipse. The tumultuous chanting of Lord Hari's holy name filled all

directions, inspiring everyone to sing together. The Supreme Lord Caitanya

was born amidst the chanting.

 

 

 

The Adi Khanda also describes the Lord's numerous childhood pastimes.

Lord Caitanya revealed to His parents His otherwise unmanifest place of

residence, the holy dhama. And as they stared in wonder, He showed them the

physical signs of divinity on His feet.

 

 

 

This portion of the book describes how one day thieves kidnaped baby

Nimai from his house, but He tricked them into bringing Him back home.

Another story narrated here is how the Lord ate all the food offered to Vishnu

in the house of Jagadisa and Hiranya on ekadasi day. Yet another story

describes how the Lord once sat on a pile of contaminated cooking pots and

used the situation to instruct His mother in philosophy. He also acted like a

crying baby, using His tears as a ploy to make everyone chant the holy names

of God.

 

 

 

The Adi Khanda discusses the Lord as a child playing with His friends as

if He were Krsna in Gokula. It describes how He began His education and with

little effort mastered all the scriptures. It narrates Sri Jagannatha Misra's

disappearance and Visvarupa's acceptance of sannyasa and how these two

disasters afflicted Mother Saci. Then it describes the Lord's wonderful

pastimes as a student. He was pride personified before the other student

scholars. Caitanya's travels through eastern Bengal are also described here,

elaborating on how the land became a place of pilgrimage by the touch of His

lotus feet. Caitanya was the master of all different scriptures. There was

no one in the three worlds to challenge His erudition.

 

 

 

 

The Adi Khanda describes the Lord sporting with His fellow students and

their water pastimes in the waves of the Ganga. Then came the Lord's first

marriage and the glorious disappearance of His first wife. He duly accepted a

second wife, the daughter of a royal scholar. Once He pretended to be sick

from a wind disorder. He took that opportunity to reveal symptoms of love of

Godhead. While the Lord roamed about as a great scholar, He empowered all the

devotees who surrendered to Him.

 

 

The narration of the early life of Sri Caitanya includes a description of

the immense joy on Mother Saci's face when she looked at the moon-like,

blissful face and the graceful clothes of the Lord. Then there is the story of

how Nimai Pandita piqued the pride of a scholar who was renowned as Digvijaya,

the world conqueror. Ultimately the Lord slashed the scholar's material

bonds. The Lord put everyone - even His devotees - into illusion about His

real identity, and He roamed the streets of Navadvipa deceiving all. There is

also a description of the Lord's pilgrimage to Gaya dhama and how He showered

causeless mercy on Isvara Puri by accepting him as His spiritual master.

 

 

Adi Khanda is a reservoir of the Lord's never-ending pleasurable

pastimes. In the future Srila Vyasadeva, the greatest of sages, will describe

other pastimes. But herein I reveal the early pastimes of the Lord up to the

time He returns from His visit to Gaya dhama.

 

 

 

In Madhya Khanda the Lord's omnipotence becomes known, and gradually His

devotees are identified as they collect around His lotus feet like bees.

Caitanya reveals His absolute identity as Lord Narayana by sitting on the

altar of Vishnu in the houses of Sri Advaita and Srivasa Pandita. Sri

Caitanya meets Nityananda Prabhu and together the brothers make wonderful

Krsna kirtana. Then Nityananda's vision of the transcendental six-handed form

of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described. Later the Lord exhibited His universal

form to Advaita Acarya Prabhu.

 

 

 

Nityananda's vyasapuja has been described in Madhya Khanda along with a

story of how He was slandered by some faithless atheists. Thereafter comes

the description of Lord Caitanya's manifestation as Balarama when Nityananda

gave Him His plough and club. The wonderful redemption of the two reprobates

Jagai and Madhai - who were later to become quite famous - is told in detail.

 

 

 

Mother Saci's vision of Sri Caitanya in a blackish complexion and Sri

Nityananda in a whitish complexion is also discussed.

 

 

 

Lord Caitanya once showed His unlimitedly opulent maha prakash form for

several hours, and that story is told in Madhya Khanda. On that occasion He

revealed the transcendental truth about Himself and the real identity of all

His devotees. Thereafter comes a description of the occasion when Lord

Caitanya, who is Narayana the Lord of Vaikuntha and the supreme absolute

reality, danced and chanted as He narrated the truth about Himself.

 

 

 

In Madhya Khanda the Lord breaks Canda Kazi's pride, and manifesting His

own spiritual potency, He engages in continuous congregational chanting.

Canda Kazi accepted devotional service by the Lord's grace. Immersed in

ecstatic bliss, Sri Caitanya thereafter moved from village to village

performing kirtana. He declared the truth about Himself as He exhibited His

Varaharupa - a four-armed form - while riding around the courtyard on the back

of His devotee, Murari Gupta. The Lord also ate some rice which Suklambara had

collected by begging, and performed many wonderful pastimes in His

manifestation of Lord Narayana.

 

 

 

In Madhya Khanda Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears before the devotees in

the guise of Mahalaksmi or Rukminidevi, the Universal Mother who

breast-fed all the devotees who were Her dependent sons. The Lord once

chastised Mukunda for keeping bad company and later, when He was satisfied

with Mukunda's obedience, He favored him with grace. Then there is a narration

of the ecstatic all-night kirtanas in Navadvipa which were held regularly for

a complete year.

 

 

Madhya Khanda describes the mock verbal fights between Nityananda Prabhu

and Sri Advaita Acarya. Only a foolish person thinks that these were actual

disagreements. Then the Lord instructed His mother and simultaneously warned

the whole world about the grievous consequences of offending the Vaisnava

devotees. Satisfied by the prayers of His devotees, the Lord gave individual

benedictions to each of them. Srila Haridasa Thakura received Mahaprabhu's

mercy and the Lord showed compassion toward Sridhara by drinking water from

his pot.

 

 

Sri Caitanya blissfully performed daily pastimes in the waters of the

Ganga with all his devotees. Once He and Nityananda Prabhu visited the house

of Advaita Acarya for a specific reason. It is described that the Lord

severely chastised Advaita Acarya, but at last He showed immeasurable grace on

him. Then the Madhya Khanda describes how the extremely fortunate Sri Murari

Gupta became enlightened about the true identity of Lord Caitanya as Krsna and

Nityananda as Balarama. Those two Supreme Personalities danced in ecstasy in

the house of Srivasa.

 

 

 

In Madhya Khanda the Lord explains the entire philosophical truth about

human life, using Srivasa's expired son as the speaker. In this way He

alleviated everyone's suffering. News of this incident spread far, and by the

Lord's grace Srivasa could overcome the shock of his son's death. In another

story narrated in Madhya Khanda the Lord threw Himself into the Ganga, and

Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Haridasa Thakura lifted Him out. Then Srimati

Narayani received a treasure desired even by the demigods and Brahma; she

received the remnants of the Lord's foodstuffs. The final story in the Madhya

Khanda is the pastime of the Lord leaving home and accepting the renounced

order of life for the salvation of every living entity. There are uncountable

pastimes of the Lord in the Madhya Khanda; whatever remains untouched will be

described later by Srila Vyasadeva.

 

 

 

As the Sesa Khanda opens, Visvambhara is in the sannyasa order of life,

and He has accepted the name Sri Krsna Caitanya. He has shaven his head clean,

thereby plunging Advaita Acarya Prabhu into deep despondency. Mother Saci's

suffering is unbearable, yet she is sustained by the Lord's mercy. Nityananda,

the manifestation of Balarama, smashed Caitanya's sannyasa danda, and

thereafter the Lord concealed His real identity and went to Nilacala Puri.

 

 

 

Caitanya playfully taunted Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya when they first meet,

but later He exhibited His six-handed form to him. The Lord mercifully graced

King Prataparudra with devotional service and lived thereafter in the house of

Kasi Misra. During Caitanya's stay in Puri, both Svarupa Damodara and

Paramananda Puri became eligible to serve the Lord in confidential

relationships.

 

 

 

Sesa Khanda also describes Caitanya's trip through Bengal on His way to

Mathura and Vrndavana. He stayed in Vidya Vacaspati's residence before moving

on to the village of Kulia in Bengal. Millions of people gathered to see the

Lord on His return to Bengal, and all who saw Him were liberated. Caitanya

attempted to continue on His trip to Mathura, but after a short distance He

turned back to Bengal.

 

 

 

When the Lord returned to Nilacala, He engaged in continuous kirtana with

His associates. He sent Nityananda to preach in Bengal, while He Himself

remained in Nilacala with a handful of devotees. The Lord and all His devotees

danced ecstatically before Lord Jagannatha's chariot.

 

 

Caitanya's travels to Ramesvaram in South India and His journey to Mathura

through the Jharakhanda forest are also described in Sesa Khanda. Later the

Lord showered grace on Raya Ramananda and revealed other divine pastimes He

had previously performed in Mathura. The magnanimous Caitanya Mahaprabhu also

graced Dabir Khas by revealing His identity to him. He liberated Dabir Khas

and his brother and renamed them both. They became the famous Rupa Gosvami and

Sanatana Gosvami.

 

 

In Sesa Khanda the Lord's travels to Varanasi are described. The

sannyasis of Varanasi could not recognize the Supreme Lord because they were

too critical of the Vaisnavas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu thereafter returned to

Nilacala and became engrossed in congregational Hari kirtana throughout the

day and night.

 

 

 

Nityananda traveled throughout India as a wandering mendicant. His

pilgrimage is described in Sesa Khanda. Who can understand Nityananda's

unfathomable transcendental character? He roamed about Mathura with ankle

bells on His feet. On Sri Caitanya's request He went to Panihati and

distributed devotional service - love of God - to everyone.

Through His causeless mercy He saved Nahamalla Raya and other merchants of

that locality.

 

 

 

In Sesa Khanda, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's remaining eighteen years in Nilacala

are described. Although numerous pastimes are related about Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, Srila Vedavyasa will later tell them all in detail. Nityananda

finds endless joy in glorifying Lord Caitanya, and He is an unmatched expert

in that art.

 

 

 

O Lord Caitanya, please bless me so that I may receive the transcendental

service of Nityananda's lotus feet. He is the Lord of the entire universe.

 

I have narrated in brief the contents of this book at the very outset.

All of you please hear with undivided attention the pastimes of Sri Krsna

Caitanya.

 

 

 

 

Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda are my life and soul.

 

 

 

I, Vrndavana dasa, offer my humble song at Their lotus feet.

 

 

http://geocities.com/caitanyamahaprabhu/bhagavat.htm http://www.mandala.com.au