Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 7 - Knowledge of the Absolute

TEXT 1
                           sri-bhagavan uvaca
                        mayy asakta-manah partha
                        yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
                         asamsayam samagram mam-
                        yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

WORD FOR WORD
   sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Lord said; mayi--to Me; asakta-manah--mind attached; partha--O son of Prtha; yogam--self-realization; yunjan--practicing; mat-asrayah--in consciousness of Me (Krsna consciousness); asamsayam--without doubt; samagram--completely; mam--Me; yatha--how; jnasyasi--you can know; tat--that; srnu--try to hear.
 
TRANSLATION
   The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Prtha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.
 
PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad:
   In this Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the nature of Krsna consciousness is fully described. Krsna is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Krsna and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Krsna are described in this chapter.

   In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gita, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Krsna, or in other words Krsna consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one's mind upon Krsna, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahmajyoti or localized Paramatma realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth, because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Krsna, and everything is revealed to the person in Krsna consciousness. In complete Krsna consciousness one knows that Krsna is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only steppingstones on the path of Krsna consciousness. One who takes directly to Krsna consciousness automatically knows about brahmajyoti and Paramatma in full. By practice of Krsna consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full--namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature, and their manifestations with paraphernalia.

   One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krsna the Supreme is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which sravanam is the first and most important. The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chrnu, or "Hear from Me." No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity to become a perfectly Krsna conscious person. One has therefore to learn from Krsna directly or from a pure devotee of Krsna--and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education.

   In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this process of understanding Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of the First Canto as follows:

                       srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
                         punya-sravana-kirtanah
                      hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
                          vidhunoti suhrt satam

                         nasta-prayesv abhadresu
                         nityam bhagavata-sevaya
                         bhagavaty uttama-sloke
                        bhaktir bhavati naisthiki

                         tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
                          kama-lobhadayas ca ye
                          ceta etair anaviddham
                        sthitam sattve prasidati

                          evam prasanna-manaso
                         bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah
                        bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam
                          mukta-sangasya jayate

                        bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
                        chidyante sarva-samsayah
                         ksiyante casya karmani
                           drsta evatmanisvare

   "To hear about Krsna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krsna, Lord Krsna, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a best-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krsna from the Bhagavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asamsayam-samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead." (SB. 1.2.17-21)

   Therefore only by hearing from Krsna or from His devotee in Krsna consciousness can one understand the science of Krsna.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, Bhurijan prabhu's book, or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

December 5th, 1975

Prabhupada read out the verse: "sukham aindriyakam daitya deha-yogena dehinam/ sarvatra labhyate daivad yatha duhkham ayatnatah." (SB 7.6.3)

Sometimes speaking with his eyes closed in complete concentration and sometimes opening them, surveying his audience, he propounded the ancient philosophy of the Srimad-Bhagavatam in the modern context. He quoted other Sanskrit verses profusely, cross-referencing each point with other works, such as the Bhagavad-gita and the Puranas or the Upanisads. His explanations are always clear and potent. Srila Prabhupada is amazingly skilled at conveying the most profound and complex philosophical concepts in a way that anyone can easily understand and apply. Having grasped the very essence of life, its meaning and purpose, he can present it for the understanding of both ordinary people and intellectuals.

Punctuating his lecture with analogies and vivid practical examples, he told a story to illustrate that the sense of material enjoyment is the same for all living beings, whether dog, hog, or human being. "There was a prostitute called Laksahira, whose charge was one lakh of pieces of diamond. It doesn't matter, a big diamond or a small diamond; that was her charge. So one man was suffering from leprosy, and he was assisted by his wife, a very faithful wife. So still he was morose. The wife asked the husband, 'Why you are morose? I am giving you so much service. You are leper, you cannot move. I take you on a basket and carry you. Still you feel unhappy?'

"So he admitted, 'Yes.'

" 'Oh, what is the cause?'

" 'I want to go to the prostitute Laksahira.'

"Just see! He is leper, a poor man, and he is aspiring to have a prostitute who charges one hundred thousand pieces of diamond. So anyway, she was a faithful wife. She wanted to satisfy her husband. Some way or another she arranged. Then when the leper was at the house of the prostitute, the prostitute gave him very nice dishes of food, but everything in two dishes; everything -- one in the golden pot and one in the iron pot.

"So while he was eating, he asked the prostitute, 'Why you have given me in two pots?'

" 'Because I want to know whether you will feel different taste in different pots.'

"So he said, 'No. I don't find any difference of taste. The soup in the golden pot, the soup in the iron pot, the taste is the same.'

" 'Then why you have come here?'"

In the same way, Prabhupada explained about distress. "If a man is a millionaire he still suffers the same distress from typhoid fever as a poor man. Happiness and unhappiness are the same in different pots. This is knowledge."

From these simple stories he derived a profound conclusion. "This is foolishness. The whole world is going on like that. They are simply trying to taste the same thing in different pot. That's all. They are not detestful, 'No sir, I have tasted enough.' That is called vairagya-vidya -- no more tasting. 'It is all the same, either I take in this pot or in that pot.' Therefore it is said, sukham aindriyakam, the sense pleasure, whether you enjoy as a dog or a human being or a demigod or as a European or as an American or an Indian -- the taste is the same. This is very important. You cannot have a better taste. Better taste is only Krsna consciousness. It doesn't matter in which pot I am in at the present moment. Ahaituky apratihata. You can taste Krsna consciousness without any hesitation, without any check, without any hindrance."

- From the "A Transcendental Diary Vol 1" by HG Hari Sauri dasa

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"Hogs, Dogs, Camels and Asses"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.18-19
Los Angeles, June 13, 1972

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

taravah kim na jivanti
bhastrah kim na svasanty uta
na khadanti na mehanti
kim grame pasavo 'pare
 [SB 2.3.18]

(When Lilavati chants, Srila Prabhupada says, "That's nice. Go on. Anyone else?")

(After word meanings, Srila Prabhupada says, "Not ‘beastly.' ‘Animals.' Pasavah means animal and beastly living being also. Then.")

Pradyumna: "Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? All around us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen? The materialistic man of the modern age will argue that life or part of it is never meant for discussion of theosophical or theological arguments. Life is meant for the maximum duration of existence for eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, making merry and enjoying life. The modern man wants to live forever by the advancement of material science, and there are many foolish theories for prolonging life to the maximum duration. But the Srimad-Bhagavatam affirms that life is not meant for so-called economic development or advancement of materialistic science for the hedonistic philosophy of eating, mating, drinking and merry-making. Life is solely meant for tapasya, for purifying existence, so that one may enter into eternal life just after the end of the human form of life. The materialists want to prolong life as much as possible because they have no information of the next life.

Therefore they want to get the maximum comforts of life only in this present life, thinking conclusively that there is no life after death. This ignorance about the eternity of the living being and the change of covering in the material world has played havoc in the structure of the modern human society. Consequently there are many problems multiplied by various plans of modernized man. The plans for solving the problems of society have only aggravated the troubles. Even if it is possible to prolong life more than 100 years, advancement of human civilization does not necessarily follow. The Bhagavatam says that certain trees live for hundreds and thousands of years. At Vrndavana there is a tamarind tree. The place is known as Imlitala, which is said to be existing since the time of Lord Krsna. In the Calcutta Botanical Garden there is a banyan tree said to be older than 500 years, and there are many such trees all over the world. Svami Sankaracarya lived only 32 years, and Lord Caitanya lived 48 years.

One may doubt that trees have life because they do not breathe, but modern scientists like Bose have already proved that there is life in plants, so breathing is no sign of actual life. The Bhagavatam says that the bellows of the blacksmith breathe very soundly, but that does not mean that the bellows has life. The materialist will argue that life in the tree and life in the man cannot be compared because the tree cannot enjoy life by eating palatable dishes or by enjoying sexual intercourse. In reply to this, the Bhagavatam asks whether other animals like the dogs and hogs living in the same village with human beings do not eat and enjoy sexual life. The specific utterance of Srimad-Bhagavatam in this connection regarding other animals means that persons who are simply engaged in the matter of planning a better type of animal life consisting of eating, breathing, and mating are also animals in the shape of human beings. A society of such polished animals cannot benefit suffering humanity, for an animal can easily harm another animal but rarely do good."

Prabhupada: So this is the situation. We have discussed in the previous verse that we are decreasing the span of life. The scientists will say, "No, we are making arrangement so that by science we shall make man immortal." Vikatate(?). When a man becomes mad, he speaks so many nonsense. Like a child. A child also speaks so many nonsense things, and the parents enjoy it. Similarly, the so-called scientist, when he says that "By scientific method, we shall stop death," so there is no evidence in the history of the human society that a man has not died. That cannot be. Hiranyakasipu, he was also atheist and materialistic. He also tried to become immortal. And he made a plan, negative plan, to cheat Lord Brahma that "I shall not die in this way, in this way, in that way, in this way, in that way." But still he was killed. Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. Krsna says that "I am death, and at the time of death I take away everything." Sarva-haras ca. So we cannot cheat God or His law.

That is not possible. We may be very intelligent to cheat here the police or the government or the laws, but it is not possible to cheat the supreme laws. That is not possible. Therefore, in order to avoid the superintendence of the Supreme Lord ... because there is superintendence ... as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, you have read, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. "Under My superintendence the law of nature is working." So we are under the laws of nature. The nature is very vigilant, strong agent of Krsna. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. So we cannot avoid. Even if we deny, "There is no God, there is no systematic government or stringent laws," just to avoid our responsibility, but that will not save us. Now, the argument is in the previous verse. It is said that we are decreasing our duration of life. The scientists will say, "No, we shall stop it." Taking this argument, Bhagavata says, "Suppose you stop death ..." It cannot be.

Suppose you increase the duration span of life to a very extensive way. In reply to that, it is said that "What is the use of living for so many years?" If the life is not properly utilized ... Now, the living for many, many years, so the trees are also living, standing in one place, living for many years. In San Francisco we saw. They say that one tree, red tree, very tall, very stout and strong, and they said that this tree is standing there for seven hundreds of years. So what is the benefit? So we can argue that "You cannot compare with tree and us. Because we have got so many facilities." What facilities? That facility ... The tree's life ... That is life, admitting, but it cannot breathe. So immediately the answer is bhastrah kim na svasanty uta. Bhastrah, bellow ... You have seen big, big bellows in blacksmith shop. That is also made of skin. Just like our body is made of skin, that bellow is also made of skin, and it has got a big nose and breathing is coming, "bas, ghans, ghans, bas."

So these are the tangible examples. So if you want to increase your life there are many living entities, they are living many, many years more than you. So what excel, what is excellence in your part? And if you say that "I am breathing. The tree cannot breathe." Oh, there is the bhastrah, the bellows. It can breathe better than you. Then he says, "No, they have no enjoyment of eating and mating." Then the Bhagavata replies, kim na khadanti na mehanti kim grame pasavo 'pare. Wherever we live, there are many other lower animals, just like dogs, cats, hogs, asses, animals, camels. Of course, in city we do not find these, but in villages these are domestic animals. Dogs, asses, hogs, camel, monkey, and so many others. Therefore he says, grame, "In your vicinity, in your neighborhood, there are many animals. They have got the facility of eating and sexual intercourse." So how do we excel them? The modern civilization is such a foolish civilization that they think they are advanced.

In which way you are advanced? The animals, the trees, they are far advanced than you in this matter. So far bodily necessities are concerned, you cannot compete with them. You are flying. So we can fly by airplane. Oh, the vulture can fly more than you. It is a vulture, and it flies many miles above, and it has got very sharp eyesight. The vulture is so up. The business is where there is a dead body. That's all. He is trying to find out, "Where is a dead body?" You see? It goes high, but the business is to find out a dead body. That's all. Similarly, our, this advancement of science, increasing the duration of life, increasing the sex power especially in these days ... As soon as there is lack of sex power, there is divorce suit. Yes. But you have seen the dogs and cats. How much sex power they have got! So begetting children, the hog can beget children, at least three dozen a year. What we can do? In three years it is hardly we can produce one child. And the hog will produce in three years at least thirty-six children.

So you cannot compete. Simply by competing with these things, animal life, that is not excellence of your life. Real excellence is that these animals, they cannot become Krsna conscious. That is the difference only. You can excel with all these lower animals, trees, birds, beasts and others, so many, only by awakening your Krsna consciousness. That is the only business. And if you lack in that matter Krsna consciousness, then the other animals, lower animals, they are far, far advanced. They are far, far advanced. So as human being, we should consider all these points. The Bhagavata is pointing out each and every step of our life and helping us how to become Krsna conscious. When Narada Muni advised Vyasadeva that "You have written so many books, but actually they are not very much beneficial to the human society. You write such a book that they will come to Krsna consciousness." So this Srimad-Bhagavatam is especially written to bring these rascals and animals to come to Krsna consciousness.

The so-called advanced civilization going to hell, they do not know. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Chewing the chewed. So many advertisement, only for drinking and sex. We go, when we go to the beach, two sides, the advertisement full of drinking and sex. That's all. So animal civilization. Don't be proud of this rascal civilization. There is no meaning of this civilization. And big professor, he says, "Swamiji, there is no life after death." Just see. And he is a professor. He's teacher. This is the position. Fools, rascals, they are leaders, professors, and scientists and philosophers, and pushing us towards hell. That's all. Because they do not know what is the value of life. They do not know that there is life after death. Otherwise, why there are so many varieties of life? They concoct their own conclusion. They do not refer to the authorities, what is the actual position. They make, they manufacture their own way of life.

It is very dangerous civilization. Because ... Dangerous in this sense, that this life, human form of life, is especially meant for God realization, but in that subject matter they are blind. There is no educational system, there is no university, nothing of the sort. Simply animalistic way of life, "How we can increase our eating capacity, our sexual capacity," and this ... This is going on. So Bhagavata is pointing out, "My dear sir, by these things you cannot be very much proud." Then? One more verse, yes.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.:)

sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih
samstutah purusah pasuh
na yat-karna-pathopeto
jatu nama gadagrajah

Prabhupada: That's all. So sva. Sva means dog, and vid, vid-varaha. There are two kinds of hogs. One is that we see generally in towns and villages. That is varaha. Varaha means hogs. And they eat stool, vid-varaha. Another, jungle varaha. They have got a big, what is called?

Devotees: Tusk.

Prabhupada: Tusk, yes. That is more dangerous. They live in the jungle. And vid-varaha means they live in the forest, finding out "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" Sva-vid-varaha ustra. Ustra means camel, and khara means ass. So here it is a very terse remark, that "Anyone who has never heard the glories of Gadagraja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- in other words, one who is not Krsna conscious, does not know anything about Krsna, or God -- they are no better than these animals, especially: dog, hog, ass, camel." Why these four kinds of animals have been selected to compare? That is explained. Sva means dog. A dog, however powerful it may be, very strong, stout, but it, unless it has got a master, its life is very precarious. Dog. Just see our education at the present moment. Very advanced education. Many Indian students come here also to take advanced education. But actually, we consider this education creating dogs. Why? Now, because however technologist you may be, if you don't get a suitable service, all your education is finished.

Therefore, after education you'll have to write application, "My dear sir, I am such and such qualified dog. (laughter) If you'll kindly give me some service." And the tail is like this. (laughter) You see? Just imagine. If by education he becomes independent ... Just like Vedic culture. The brahmanas, the ksatriya, the vaisyas, they are independent. The sudras are compared with the dogs because they cannot live without a master. Brahmana, he will not accept anyone's service. That is real brahmana. A ksatriya will never accept anyone's service. Why the battle of Kuruksetra was there? The Kurus, they took away the whole kingdom of the Pandavas. But they were ksatriyas. How they will live? Therefore the fight was necessity. The ksatriyas must be, must have some land to collect taxes. That is the ksatriya's source of income. The brahmana's source of income, pathana pathana yajana yajana ... They must be learned scholar, they must teach others, they must be devotee and teach others how to become devotee.

They must take contribution and must spend for Krsna. This is brahmana. No service. Formerly, no brahmana ... Sanatana Gosvami, Rupa Gosvami, they were born in high-class brahmana family, Sarasvata brahmana, but because they accepted the service of Nawab Hussein Shah, immediately they were rejected from brahmana society. It is by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that they again became gosvami. Otherwise, they were rejected. No brahmana could take service and especially service of a low-class man. That is ... In Bhagavata you will see especially that if a brahmana is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a ksatriya or utmost of a vaisya, but never take the profession of a sudra. What is the profession of sudra? Sudra ... Paricaryatmakam karyam sudra-karma svabhava-jam. One who is hankering after service, he is sudra. He has no capacity to live independently. The brahmana, real brahmana, he will starve, he will die out of starvation.

He will never accept anyone's service. That is brahmana. Uncha-vrtti. If he has no income, he will go on the field ... And when the grains are taken away, some grains fall down. They will pick up all those grains and live on that. Still, they will not go to anyone that "I am hungry. Give me something." No. Uncha-vrtti. So our education ... And why we were so independent? Because the education was very high, Vedic education. Satisfied with Brahman realization. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. Not very long ago, say about 300 years ago, there was a brahmana, a very rigid brahmana, in Krsna-nagara, near our Mayapura. And brahmana's business, he was teaching. So the king of that place, means a big zamindar, Raja Krsna-candra ... By his name, that place is Krsna-nagara. So he heard about the brahmana, very learned brahmana, but very poor. So he one day came to him and asked him, "Brahmana, can I help you any way?" So he said, "No, I don't require any help from you."

"No, I see you are so poverty-stricken. You have no sufficient means." "No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students, they get some alms of rice. So my wife boils the rice, and here is a tamarind tree. So I take some leaves and boil it, and that's sufficient. Why I am poverty-stricken?" He's satisfied, whatever is coming automatically, that's all. He doesn't require any higher standard of life, any botheration. He is satisfied, little rice and tamarind juice. That's all. So in each and every home, formerly, this independence was very much valued. So at the modern education this independence is being killed. People are becoming unemployed, machine. Machine ... High technologist means he must find out a job where technological machines are there. Otherwise he will starve, and he will have to go round, factory to factory: "Will you give me some service?" "No vacancy." Yes. So we shall discuss further next, tomorrow. (end)

Cawnpore

Raja Mohendra Pratap
World Federation
Prem MohaVidyalaya
P.O. Brindaban.

Dear Raja Sahib,

In continuation of my last post card, I beg to inform you that I have finished the reading of your book Religion of Love. In my opinion the whole thesis is based on the philosophy of pantheism and the approach is made by the services of mankind. Religion of love is the true religious idea but if the approach is made through the service of mankind only, then the process is made imperfect, partial and unscientific.

As you say the waves of the creations are the different aspects, why a particular type of waves namely the mankind should be partially selected and offered services and why other types of waves such as the beasts or birds, the plants and the stone shall not be offered a similar type of services? In that case how can you say that the worship of a stone is sinful while a man who is more than a stone shall be considered as the object of love? These are some of the questions that arise out of a critical study of your book.

If you so desire I can enter into discussions about it and my opinion is that your approach is partial and unscientific. There is no hesitation to accept the principle of the Religion of Love because the Absolute Truth is, as we have known, Godhead Who is sat, cit and ananda. Without ananda there cannot be any love that is an accepted fact. Your delineation of society, friendship and love among the human beings is based on this ananda portion only but you have avoided the other portions of eternity and cognition of God the Whole Soul. Thus the approach is partial and unscientific.

The true religion of love is perfectly inculcated in the Bhagavad-gita. When we speak of love there must be the object of love and the lover too. Here in this world we find that the object of love and the lover both are the cheater and the cheated in their reciprocal dealings. That is our experience. But the ultimate end being one Whole Soul, the dual existence of the object of lover and the loved loses identity. In that case the eternity and cognizibility of the loved and lover vanish at once. In this way there arises many questions which may be put forward to you for further discussions to adjust your ideas of religion.

Besides you have not quoted any authority for all your statements. So it is more or less dogmatic. If different men put different dogmatic views about religion and its essentials who is to be accepted and who is not be? Therefore the approach shall be and must be authoritative, scientific and universal. Your delineations do not conform to all these necessary things. That is my main contention.

If you have time to discuss on it, I shall be glad to substantiate my contentions as far as possible. My basis of arguments will be Bhagavad-gita which is the most authoritative, scientific and universal. To summarise the conclusions of Bhagavad-gita it may be said that,

1) God is one and everything is in Him and He is in everything.

2) To render transcendental service unto God is to serve everything that be, just like to water the root of the tree is to water the different branches and numerous leaves of the tree or to supply food to the stomach is to vitalize all the senses and the sense organs of the body.

3) The parts are automatically served when the Whole is served but when the parts are served the whole may not be served or not served at all.

4) The parts and the Whole being eternally related, it is the eternal duty of the parts to render service unto the Whole.

5) A recipient of the services of the parts, God’s sat-cit-ananda vigraha i.e. the all-attractive Cognizant and all-blissful Personality eternal. He can reveal Himself by His own potency without any help of the external potency called maya in order to be cognizable by the limited potency of the parts and as such He is not only the greatest of all but he is the smallest of all. That is His prerogative.

6) He is better realized when He by His causeless mercy agrees to descend in this mortal world but he He is never realised by the partial speculations of the empiric philosophers however systematic and long-termed it may be.

7) Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead and is the Summum Bonum Cause of all Causes proved by fact and figures in the statement of Bhagavad-gita, but He reserves the right of not being exposed to the sensual speculations of the empiric philosophers.

8) One should therefore surrender unto Him if one wants to know Him as He is and that is the real process to approach the Infinite by the infinitesimals.

9) Sri Krishna is easily available by the religion of love i.e. by love and service as conceived by the damsels of Vraja who had practically no education whatsoever and much less any claim for high class birth right.

10) The highest service that can be rendered to the mankind is, therefore, to preach the philosophy and religion of Bhagavad-gita for all the times, all the places and all the people.

I hope you may agree with me and thus make a combined effort in this direction for the benefit of the mankind.

Yours sincerely,
Abhay Charan De

Yogini Ekadasi: from the Brahma-vaivarta PurANa.

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard the glories of the NirjalA EkAdasii, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha (May – June). Now I wish to hear from You about the suddha EkAdasii that occurs during the dark fortnight of the month of AshADha (June – July). Kindly describe to me all bout it in detail, Oh killer of the Madhu demon (Madhusudana).”

The Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, then replied, “Oh king, I shall indeed tell you about the best of all fasting days, the EkAdasii that comes during the dark part of the month of AshADha. Famous as Yogini EkAdasii, it removes all kinds of sinful reactions and awards supreme liberation.

“Oh best of kings, this EkAdasii delivers people who are drowning in the vast ocean of material existence and transports them to the shore of the spiritual world. In all the three worlds, it is the chief of all sacred fasting days. I shall now reveal this truth to you by narrating a history recounted in the PurANas.

“The king of AlakApuri – Kuvera, the treasurer of the devas (demigods) – was a steadfast devotee of lord Shiva. He employed a servant named HemamAli as his personal gardener. HemamAli, a Yaksha like Kuvera, was very lustfully attracted to his gorgeous wife, SwarUpavatii, who had large, enchanting eyes.

“HemamAli’s daily duty was to visit MAnasarovara Lake and bring back flowers for his master, Kuvera, with which he would use them in the puja offerings to lord Shiva. One day, after picking the flowers, HemamAli went to his wife instead of returning directly to his master and fulfilling his duty by bringing the flowers for the puja. Absorbed in loving affairs of a bodily nature with his wife, he forgot to return to the abode of Kuvera.

“Oh king, while HemamAli was enjoying with his wife, Kuvera had begun the worship of lord Shiva as normal in his palace and soon discovered that there were no flowers ready to be offered in the midday pUjA. The lack of such an important item (upachara) angered the great Koshad-yaksha (treasurer of the devas) even more, and he asked a Yaksha messenger, ‘Why has dirty-hearted HemamAli not come with the daily offering of flowers? Go find out the exact reason and report back to me in person with your findings.’ The Yaksha returned and told Kuvera, ‘Oh dear lord, HemamAli has become lost in freely enjoying coitus with his wife.’

“Kuvera became extremely angry when he heard this and at once summoned lowly HemamAli before him. Knowing that he had been remiss and dawdling in his duty and exposed as meditating on his wife’s body, HemamAli approached his master in great fear. The gardener first paid his obeisances and then stood before his lord, whose eyes had become red with anger and whose lips trembled in rage. So enraged, Kuvera cried out to HemamAli, ‘Oh you sinful rascal! Oh destroyer of religious principles! You are a walking offense to the devas! I therefore curse you to suffer from white leprosy and to become separated from your beloved wife! Only great suffering is deservedly yours! Oh lowborn fool, leave this place immediately and betake yourself to the lower planets to suffer!’

“And so HemamAli fell at once from grace in AlakApuri and became ill with the terrible affliction of white leprosy. He awoke in a dense and fearful forest, where there was nothing to eat or drink. Thus he passed his days in misery, unable to sleep at night due to pain. He suffered in both winter and summer season, but because he continued to worship lord Shiva himself with faith, his consciousness remained purely fixed and steady. Although implicated by great sin and its attendant reactions, he remembered his past life because of his piety.

“After wandering for some time here and there, over mountains and across plains, HemamAli eventually came upon the vast expanse of the HimAlayan mountain ranges. There he had the wonderful good fortune to come in contact with the great saintly soul MarkanNDeya Rishi, the best of ascetics, whose duration of life it is said, extends to seven of the days of BrahmA.

“MarkaNDeya Rishi was seated peacefully at his Ashrama, looking as effulgent as a second BrahmA. HemamAli, feeling very sinful, stood at a distance from the magnificent sage and offered his humble obeisances and choice prayers. Always interested in the welfare of others, MarkaNDeya Rishi saw the leper and called him near, “Oh you, what sort of sinful deeds have you done to earn this dreadful affliction?’

“Hearing this, HemamAli painfully and ashamed replied, ‘Dear sir, I am a Yaksha servant of lord Kuvera, and my name is HemamAli. It was my daily service to pick the flowers from the MAnasarovara lake for my master’s worship of lord Shiva, but one day I was negligent and was late in returning with the offering because I had become overwhelmed with lusty passion for enjoying bodily pleasures with my wife. When my master discovered why I was late, he cursed me in great anger to be as I am before you. Thus I am now bereft of my home, my wife, and my service. But fortunately I have come upon you, and now I hope to receive from you an auspicious benediction, for I know that devotees such as you are as merciful as the Supreme Lord (Bhakta Vatsala) and always carry the interest of others uppermost in their hearts. That is their – your nature. Oh best of sages, please help me!’

“Softhearted MarkaNDeya Rishi replied, ‘Because you have told me the truth, I shall tell you about a fast day that will benefit you greatly. If you fast on the EkAdasii that comes during the dark fortnight of the month of AshADha, you will surely be freed of this terrible curse.’

HemamAli fell to the ground in complete gratitude and offered him his humble obeisances again and again. But MarkaNDeya Rishi stood there and lifted poor HemamAli u to his feet, filling him with inexpressible happiness.

“Thus, as the sage had instructed him, HemamAli dutifully observed the EkAdasii fast, and by its influence he again became a handsome Yaksha. Then he returned home, where he lived very happily with his wife.”

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “So, you can readily see, Oh Yudhishthira that fasting on Yogini EkAdasii is very powerful and auspicious. Whatever merit one obtains by feeding eighty-eight thousand brahmins is also obtained simply by observing a strict fast on Yogini EkAdasii. For one who fasts on this sacred EkAdasii, she (EkAdasii Devi), destroys heaps of past sinful reactions and makes him most pious. Oh King, thus I have explained to you the purity of Yogini EkAdasii.”

The saintly king Yudhishthira Maharaj said, “Oh Keshava, what is the name of that EkAdasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of AshADha (June – July)? Who is the worshippable Deity for the auspicious day, and what is the process for observing this event?”

Lord Sri Krishna replied, “Oh caretaker of this Earthly planet, I shall gladly tell you a wonderful historical event that the deva lord BrahmA once narrated to his son NArad Muni.

 “One day NArad Muni asked his father, ‘What is the name of the EkAdasii that comes during the light part of the month of AshADha’, much as you did? ‘Kindly tell me how I should observe this EkAdasii and thus please the Supreme Lord, Sri Vishnu.’

“Lord BrahmA replied, ‘Oh great saintly orator, O best of all sages, Oh purest devotee of Lord Vishnu, your question is as usual excellent for all mankind. There is nothing better than EkAdasii, the day of Lord Sri Hari, in this or any other world. It nullifies even the worst sins if observed properly. For this reason I shall tell you about this AshADha-shukla EkAdasii.

 “ ‘Fasting on this EkAdasii purifies one of all sins and fulfills all ones desires. Therefore, whoever neglects to observe this sacred fast day is a good candidate for entering into hell. AshADha-shukla EkAdasii is also famous as PadmA EkAdasii. Just to please the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, one should fast on this day. Listen carefully, Oh NArad, as I relate to you a wonderful historical event that was recorded in the scriptures regarding this EkAdasii. Just hearing this account destroys all kinds of sins, along with all obstacles on the path to spiritual perfection.

“ ‘Oh son, there was once a saintly king in the Surya Vamsha (Sun dynasty) whose name was MAndhAtA. Because he always stood up for the truth, he was appointed emperor. He took care of his subjects as though they were his very own family members and children. On account of his piety and great religiosity, there was no pestilence, drought, or disease of any kind in his entire kingdom. All his subjects were not only free of all kinds of disturbances but also were very wealthy. The king’s own treasury was free of any ill-gotten moneys, and thus he ruled happily for many years.

“ ‘Once, however, because of some sin in his kingdom, there was a drought for three years. The subjects found themselves beset by famine also. The lack of food grains made it impossible for them to perform the prescribed Vedik sacrifices, offer oblations of grita (ghee) to their forefathers and to the devas, engage in any ritualistic worship, or even study the Vedik literatures. Finally, they all came before their beloved king in a great assembly and addressed him thus, ‘Oh king, you always see to our welfare, so we humbly beg your assistance now. Everyone and everything in this world needs water. Without water, almost everything is rendered useless or dead. The Vedas call water nAra, and because the Supreme Personality of Godhead sleeps upon water, His another name is NArAyana. God makes His own abode on water and takes His rest there.

 It is said that three things cannot exist without water; pearls, human beings, and flour. The essential quality of a pearl is its luster, and that is due to water. The essence of a man is his semen, whose main constituent is water. And without water, flour cannot be made into dough and then be cooked into various forms of bread, offered and eaten. Sometimes water is called jala-nArAyaNa, the Supreme Lord in the form of this life sustaining substance – water.

 In His form as the clouds, the Supreme Lord is present throughout the sky and pours forth rains, from which grow the grains that maintain every living entity.

“ ‘ “Oh king, the severe drought has caused a great lack of valuable grains; thus we are all miserable, and the population is decreasing as people die off or leave your kingdom. Oh best ruler on Earth, please find some solutions to this problem and bring us to peace and prosperity once again.”

 “ ‘The king replied, “You speak the truth, for grains are like Brahman, the Absolute Truth, who lives within grains and thereby sustains all beings. Indeed, it is because of grains that the entire world lives. Now, why is there a terrible drought in our kingdom? The Holy Scriptures discuss this subject very thoroughly. If a king (or head of the country) is irreligious, both he and his subjects suffer. I have meditated upon the cause of our problem for a long time, but after searching my past and present character I can honestly say that I find no sin. Still, for the good of all your subjects, I shall try to remedy the situation.”
 Thinking in this way, King MAndhAtA assembled his army and entourage. Paid his obeisances to me, and then entered the forest. He wandered here and there, seeking great sages in their Ashrams and inquiring about how to resolve the crisis in his kingdom. At last he came upon the ashram of one of my other sons, AngirA Muni, whose effulgence lit up all directions. Seated in his hermitage, AngirA looked like a second BrahmA. King MAndhAtA was very pleased to see that exalted sages, whose senses were completely under control.

“ ‘The king immediately dismounted his horse and offered his respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of AngirA Muni. Then the king joined his palms and prayed for the Muni’s blessings. That saintly person reciprocated by blessing the king with sacred mantras; then he asked him about the welfare of the seven limbs of his kingdom. The seven limbs of a king’s domain are the king himself; the ministers; his treasury; his military forces; his allies; the brahmins; the sacrificial performances performed in the kingdom and the needs of the subjects under his care.

 “ ‘After telling the sage how the seven limbs of his kingdom were situated, King MAndhAtA asked the sage about his own situation, and if he was happy. Then AngirA Muni asked the king why he had undertaken such a difficult journey into the forest, and the king told him of the affliction his kingdom was suffering. The king said, “Oh great sage, I am ruling and maintaining my kingdom while following the Vedik injunctions, and thus I do not know the reason for the drought. To solve this mystery, I have approached you for help. Please help me relieve the suffering of my subjects.”

“ ‘ANgira Rishi said tot he king, ‘The present age, Satya yuga, is the best of all ages, for in this age Dharma stands on all four legs (Truthfulness, Austerity, Mercy, and Cleanliness). In this age everyone respects Brahmins as the topmost members of society. Also, everyone fulfills his occupational duties, and only twice-born Brahmins are allowed to perform Vedik austerities and penances. Although this is a standard, Oh lion among kings, there is one shudra (uninitiated, untrained person) who is thus unlawfully performing the rites of austerity and penance in your kingdom. This is why there is no rain in your land. You should therefore punish this labourer with death, for by so doing you will remove the contamination inflicted by his actions and restore peace to your subjects.”

“ ‘The king then replied, “How can I kill an offenseless performer of austerity and sacrifice? Please give me some spiritual solution.”

“ ‘The great sage ANgirA Muni then said, “Oh king, you should observe a fast on the EkAdasii that occurs during the light fortnight of the month of AshADha. This auspicious day is named PadmA EkAdasii, and by its influence plentiful rains and thus grains and other foodstuffs will surely return to your kingdom. This EkAdasii bestows perfection upon its faithful observers, removes all kinds of bad elements, and destroys all obstacles on the path to perfection. Oh king, you, your relatives, and your subjects should all observe this sacred EkAdasii fast. Then everything in your kingdom will undoubtedly return to normal.”
“ ‘Upon hearing these words, the king offered his obeisances and then returned to his palace. When the PadmA EkAdasii arrived, King MAndhAtA assembled all the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and shudras in his kingdom and instructed them to strictly observe this important fast day. After they had observed it, the rains fell, just as the sage had predicted, and in due course of time there were abundant crops and a rich harvest of grain. By the mercy of the Supreme Lord Hrishikesha, the master of the senses, all the subjects of King MAndhAtA became extremely happy and prosperous.

“ ‘Therefore, Oh Narada, everyone should observe this EkAdasii fast very strictly, for it bestows all kinds of happiness, as well as ultimate liberation, upon the faithful devotee’

Lord Sri Krishna concluded, “My dear Yudhishthira, PadmA Ekadasi is so powerful that one who simply reads or hears its glories becomes completely sinless. Oh PANDava, one who wishes to please Me should strictly observe this EkAdasii, which is also known as Deva-sayani EkAdasii

 Deva-sayani, or Vishnu-sayani, indicates the day when Lord Vishnu goes to sleep with all the devas (demigods). It is said that after this day one should not perform any new auspicious ceremonies until DevotthAni EkAdasii (Haribodhini (Probodhini) Devotthaani (Uttana) EkAdasii), which occurs during the month of KArtika (October – November), because the devas (demigods), being asleep, cannot be invited to the sacrificial arena and because the Sun is travelling along its Southern course (Dakshinayanam).

“Lord Sri Krishna continued, “Oh lion among kings, Yudhishthira Maharaj, whoever wants liberation should regularly observe a fast on this EkAdasi which is also the day when the Chaturmasya fast begins.”

Deva-Sayan Dwadasi

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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who was named Kedarnath Datta by his father (some say by his Godfather), was born in opulent circumstances on the 2nd September 1838., on a Sunday in Biranagara (Ulagrama) in the district of Nadia.  He was the seventh son of Raja Krsnananda Datta, a great devotee of Lord Nityananda. He was also known as the great grandson of Madana Mohana and the third son of his Godfather Anandacandra.  He would be known as 'daitya-kulera prahlada' (Prahlada in the family of demons). This was because Vaisnavism was not very much respected in his family; on his mother's side, there was no respect for Vaishnavism at all.

His childhood was spent at the mansion of his maternal grandfather Mustauphi Mahasaya, in Biranagara. His environment at this time was very opulent. He got his elementary education at the primary school started by his grandmother. Later he attended an English school in Krishnanagara, started by the King of Nadia; he left that school when his older brother died unexpectedly of cholera.

When he was 11 years old, his father passed away.  Subsequently, the grant of land that had been conferred upon his grandmother changed owners; at this time the family fell into a condition of poverty - their great wealth proved to be illusiory. Still, the young Kedaranatha Datta passed over these difficulties with great endurance.

His mother arranged a marriage for him when he was just twelve (1850 A.D.) to the then five year old daughter of Madhusudana Mitra Mahasaya, a resident of Rana Ghata.
 Around this time Kasiprasada Ghosh Mahasaya Thakur (Kedaranatha Datta's uncle), who had  mastered under the British education, came to Ulagrama after the death of his maternal  grandfather.  He schooled young Kedaranatha Datta at his home in Calcutta; this was at first  resisted by Kedaranatha Datta's mother, but by the time he was years of age he was allowed to go.
 The house was situated in the Heduya district of central Calcutta. Kasiprasada was the central figure of the literary circle of his time, being the editor of the Hindu Intelligencer; many writers came to him to learn the art of writing in correct English. At this time, and recognising Kedaranatha Datta's natural ability, he assisted Kasisprasada by judging manuscripts submitted to the newspaper. Sri Kedaranatha Datta studied Kasiprasada's books and also frequented the public library.
 He attended Calcutta's Hindu Charitable Institution high school and became an expert English reader, speaker, and writer.

He became ill from the salty water of Calcutta.  He returned to Ulagrama and was treated by a 'Muslim soothsayer' ('tantric') who predicted that the village of Biranagara would soon become pestilence-ridden and deserted. The Muslim also predicted Kedaranatha Datta would become recognized as a great devotee of Lord Krsna.

At the age of 18 years (1856.) Kedarnatha Datta entered college in Calcutta. He started writing extensively in both English and Bengali; these essays were published in local journals. He also lectured in both languages. He further studied English literature at this time extensively, and taught speechmaking to a person who later became a well-known orator in the British Parliament. Between the years 1857-1858 he composed a two part English epic entitled "The Poriade", which he planned to complete in 12 books. These two books described the life of Porus, who met Alexander the Great.

Sriman Dvijendranatha Thakur, the eldest son of Maharsi Devendranatha Thakur, was Sri Kedaranatha Datta's best friend during these scholastic years. He assisted Kedaranatha Datta in his studies of Western religious literatures. Affectionately Kedaranatha Datta used to call Devendranatha Thakura 'baro dada', or big brother.
 He was very taken by Christian theology, and regarding it more interesting, and less offensive than Hindu monism, 'advaita-Vedanta of Sankaracarya'. He would spend many hours comparing the writings of Channing, Theodore Parker, Emerson and Newman. At the British-Indian Society he gave a lecture on the evolution of matter through the material mode of goodness.

At the end of 1858 Kedaranatha Datta returned to Biranagara and found the Muzzi's prediction about that place to have come true; the place was ruined and deserted. Sri Kedaranatha Datta brought his mother and paternal grandmother with him from there to Calcutta. Soon after he went to Orissa to visit his paternal grandfather, Rajavallabha Datta, who used to be a big man in Calcutta, who was now living as an ascetic in the Orissan countryside. His days were coming to a close. He could predict the future, so he knew it himself very well. He wanted Kedaranatha Datta to be with him when he departed this world, which he did in 1859, when Kedaranatha Datta was 21 years of age. After receiving his grand-father's last instructions, he travelled to all the monasteries and temples in the state of Orissa.

As a young householder Srila Bhaktivinoda began to consider the question of the means of his livelihood. He was not interested in business, as he'd seen how the apparent 'necessary dishonesty' of the trade world due to competition for sales, had moraly weakened the merchant class. Their work ethics becoming removed from the principle of mutually helping others by which they would automatically be protected from failure to succeed, as well as being co-operatively assisted by the 'natural laws of compensation', 'karma'.
 He decided instead to become a school teacher. He established a school for English education in the village of Kendrapara near Chutigrama, in Orissa, thus becoming a pioneer in English teaching in that state. He also could see the oppressive power wielded by the landowners of Chutigrama. After some time he went to Puri and passed a teachers examination; he got a teacher's post in a Cuttack school and later became headmaster of a school in Bhadraka and then in Madinipura. His dedicated work was noted by the school-board authorities.

In Bhadraka, his first son Annada Prasada (Acyutananda) was born, in 1860. He published a book that year in English that described all the 'ashramas' and temples in the state; this book received favorable mention in the work called "Orissa" by British historian Sir William Hunter; Hunter praised Kedaranatha Datta's moral and religious character, as everyone did.
 As the headmaster of the Medinipura high school, Kedaranatha Datta looked into the various religious sects, their philosophies and practices. He could see that many of them were taking it all very cheaply. He came to understand that the only real religion that had ever been established in Bengal was that of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu; unfortunately at present, His movement was not well-represented. Due to the misrepresentation, and coruptions and influence of the 'Apa-sampradayas' this sincere soul Sri Kedaranatha Datta could not even get a copy of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, despite all his efforts.
 The Thakura made an onslaught against those who belonged to the apasampradayas who were polluting Gaudiya Vaisnavism by basically thirteen deviant philosophies - Aula, Baula (2 types), Karttabhaja, Neda, Daravesa, Sani, Sahajiya, Sakhibheki, Smarta, Jatagosani, Ativadi, Cudadhari and Gauranga-Nagari. These deviant groups, mostly because of their boldness, had been seen by the public as the Gaudiya Sampradaya, though actually none were following the pure Vaisnava regulative principles strictly, as laid down by the followers of Sri Krsna Caitanya (namely the Goswamis). Being a follower of the Goswamis or not is interdependent on qualifying one to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava.
 For more details on apa-sampradayas one should read the very nice articles, running as a sequil in the "Back to Godhead" magazine 1991 editions on the same, by His Holiness Suhotra Swami, Iskcon.

Sri Kedaranatha Datta's first wife died, so in the town of Jakapura he married Bhagyavati De.
 In the year 1861 Sri Kedarantha Datta accepted the post of Deputy Magistrate in the Government of Bengal. Then he became Collectorate Officer after seeing the corruption of the government workers. He established an organization called the "Bhratr Samaja". He wrote an English book in 1863 called "Our Wants." At this time he also constructed a home in Rana Ghata.  Later in 1863 he stayed at Burdwan, where he composed two novel poems in Bengali: "Vijinagrama" (deserted village) and "Sannyasi." Volume 39 of the 1863 Calcutta Review praised these poems, saying, "We hope the author will continue to give his countrymen the benefit of his elegant and unassuming pen, which is quite free from those objectionable licenses of thought and expression which abound in many dramas recently  published.  The want of the day is the creation of a literature for Hindu ladies, and we trust that many more educated natives will have the good sense to devote their time and abilities to the attainment of this most desirable aim."  The rhyme and style of these two poems were original; they gave birth to a new way of writing poetry in the Bengali language.

Sri Kedaranatha Datta - In the post of Deputy Magistrate. In the year 1866 Kedaranatha Datta took the positon of Deputy Register with the power of a Deputy Collector and Deputy Magistrate in the district of Chapara. He also was known to have became quite fluent in Persian and Urdu.  In a placed called Saran in Chapara, a clique of tea planters made unjust demands of him; he successfully opposed them. And while at Saran he visited the Gautamashrama at Godana; desiring to establish a school for teaching 'nyaya-shastra', he delivered a speech there (in 1866) which was well-received. The school was in fact established, the foundation-stone being laid in 1883 by Sir Rivers Thomson, after whom the school was named. Though Sri Kedaranatha Datta had no further part in the project after his speech, the talk he gave was instrumental in securing public aid for the school.

Also in 1866 Kedaranatha Datta translated the Balide Registry Manual into Urdu, which was circulated by the government throughout the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh; this manual was used by the registration departments of those areas.
 Sri Kedaranatha Datta was transferred to Purniya from Chapara where he took charge of the government and judicial departments; he was then transferred to Dinajapur (West Bengal) in 1868, becoming the Deputy Magistrate. At this time he received copies of the Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta from Calcutta.
 He read Caitanya Caritamrta repeatedly; his faith in Krsna Consciousness developed until he was absorbed in the pure 'bhakti-shastras' day and night. He was incessantly submitting heartfelt prayers for the Lord's mercy; he came to understand the supreme majesty and power of the one and only Absolute Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna. He published a song about Lord Caitanya entitled 'Saccidananda-premalankara'. In 1869, while serving as deputy magistrate under the government of Bengal in Dinajapur, he delivered a speech in the form of a treatise he had written on the Srimad Bhagavatam to a big congregation of many prominent men of letters from many parts of India and England.

He was transferred to Camparana, during which time his second son, Radhika Prasada, was born. In Camparana, people used to worship a ghost in a banyan tree which had the power to influence the mind of the local judge to decide in the favor of the worshipper. Sri Kedaranatha Datta engaged the father of Pandita Ramabhai, a famous girl scholar, to read Srimad Bhagavatam under the tree continuously, by day and night; after one month, the tree crashed to the ground, and naturally many people found faith in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
 From Camparana he went to Puri, which engladdened his heart no end.

Near the capital of Orissa, in the town of Kamanala, there lived a 'yogi' named Bisakisena, who would lean into a fire while sitting closeby, then return to an erect sitting posture; in this way he'd rock back and forth over the flames. He could also produce fire from his head.  He had two companions going by the names Brahma and Siva; he claimed to be Maha Vishnu. The small kings of Orissa came under his sway and were providing funds for the construction of a temple for the 'Triguna-Avataras'; they also sent him women with whom he engaged in 'rasa-lila' enjoyments. Bisakisena declared he'd drive off the British from ruling Orissa and himself would become king. He published such statements which were circulated all around Orissa. The British thought him a revolutionary for speaking out against the 'British Raj', so the District Governor of the National Government of Bengal drew up arrest orders; but nobody in Orissa dared to act upon these orders, as they all feared Bisakisena. Mr. Ravenshaw, district commissioner for Orissa, requested Sri Kedaranatha Datta to bring Bisakisena to justice. Sri Kedaranatha Datta went personally to Bisakisena; Bisakisena showed some powers that would normally scare off an ordinary man,  and informed Kedaranatha Datta that he knew well who he was and his mission, but that since he (Bisakisena) was the Lord, he'd better not interfere with him. That was enough for Sri Kedaranatha Datta, who replied by acknowledging Bisakisena's accomplishments in 'yoga' and 'tantra', and requested him to come to Puri where he could have the 'darshan' of Jagannatha.  Bisakisena haughtily said, "Why should I come to see Jagannatha?  He's only a hunk of wood; I am the Supreme in person." Sri Kedaranatha Datta became instantly furious and arrested the rogue, brought him to Puri and threw him in jail, where he was guarded by 3 dozen Muslim constables and 72 policemen from Cuttack day and night.  The accomplaces to the 'divine trilogy' 'Brahma' and 'Siva' avoided arrest by claiming they'd been forced by Bisakisena to do as they'd done; but Mr. Taylor, subdivision officer at Kodar, later prosecuted them.
 The fearless Kedaranatha Datta tried Bisakisena in Puri; the trial lasted 18 days, during which time thousands of people whom he had control over gathered outside the courtroom demanding Bisakisena's release. On day six of the trial Kedaranatha Datta's second daughter Kadambini (aged 7 years) became seriously ill and nearly died; but within a day she had recovered. Sri Kedaranatha Datta knew it was the power of the 'tantric yogi' at work; he remarked "Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished." The very next day in court the 'yogi' announced he'd shown his power and would show much more; he suggested that Kedaranatha Datta should release him at once or face worse miseries. On the last day of the trial Kedaranatha Datta himself became ill from high fever and suffered exactly as his daughter had done for one whole day.  But the determined Kedaranatha Datta pronounced the man guilty and sentenced him to 18 months for political conspiracy. When Bisakisena was being readied for jailing, one Dr. Walter, the District Medical Officer, cut off all the 'yogis' hair. The 'yogi' drew power from his long hair; he hadn't eaten or drunk during the whole trial, so he fell to the floor like a dead man and had to be taken by stretcher to jail.  After 3 months he was moved to the central jail at Midnapura where he took poison and died there in the year 1873.

In Puri, Sri Kedaranatha Datta studied Srimad Bhagavatam with the commentary of Sridhara Swami, he also copied out in longhand the Sat-sandarbhas of Jiva Goswami and made a special study of Rupa Goswami's Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.

Between the years 1874 and 1893, Bhaktivinode Thakur spent much time in seclusion chanting the holy name (though he still executed his worldly duties perseveringly); he wrote several books in Sanskrit such as Sri Krsna samhita, Tattva-sutram and Tattva-viveka (which we have cited in the early sections of this book); he wrote many books in Bengali such as the Kalyana-kalpataru; in 1874 he composted Datta-kausubha (in Sanskrit).

While in Puri he established a Vaishnava discussion society known as the Bhagavat-samsat in the Jaganatha-vallabha gardens, where Sri Ramananda Raya did bhajana. All the prominent Vaishnavas joined this group except for Raghunatha dasa Babaji, known as Siddha Purusha.  He thought that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was unauthorized, as he did not wear 'kanthi-mala' or 'tilaka'; moreover, he advised other Vaishnavas to avoid Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's association.
  But soon thereafter Raghunatha dasa Babaji contracted a deathly illness for his offense. In a dream, Lord Jagannatha appeared to him and told him to pray for the mercy of Bhaktivinoda Thakura if he at all wanted release from the illness and death. He did so; Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave him special medicines and cured him, and also blessed Raghunatha dasa Babaji with a true awareness of Bhaktivinoda Thakura's position.
 Others had a natural affection like Sri Swarupa dasa Babaji, who did 'bhajana' at Satasana near the ocean in Puri; he showed much affection for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and gave him many profound instructions and insights from his own realisations on the bhajana of the holy name.
 Another Charan dasa Babaji, preached and printed books advising that one should chant the 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra' in 'japa' and 'Nitai Gaura Radhe Syama Hare Krsna Hare Rama' in 'kirtana'.  Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura preached long and hard to him; after a long time Charan dasa Babaji came to his senses and begged forgiveness from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, admitting his fault in spreading this nonsense 'mantra' all over Bengal; six months later Charan dasa Babaji went mad and died in great distress.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura was one of this age's formost devotional scholars, yet humbly presents himself as the insignificant messenger of the Lord as we can note from this following message of his; "The way how I got the inspiration to compile this book (Sri Srimad Bhagavata Arka Marichimala) is a Divine Mystery which I felt not proper from my part to disclose as it might be bridging spiritual conceit, but subsequently I realise that it would be an undoing to my spiritual master which might stand as an obstacle on the path of my spiritual progress therefore without any shame I record the fact that while under the benediction of my Guru Sri Bapin Behari Goswami who belonged to the great heritage of Thakur Vamshibadananda, a faithful follower of my Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu I was deeply penetrating upon Srimad Bhagavatam, one day in a vision Sri Svarup-Damodara, the right hand personal Adherent of Lord Sri Chaitanya, instructed me to compile the slokas of Srimad Bhagavatam in accordance with the principles of 'Sambandha', Abhidheya' and 'Prayojana' as laid down by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - so that the book will read with an easy understanding with great interest and delight by the loving devotees of the Lord. Sri Svarupa-Damodar Prabhu further guided me by giving a wonderful explanation of the first sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam and also showed me how I have to explain the slokas under the light of Gaudiya-Vaishnava Philosophy."(B.P Yati. 1978. Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Srimad Bhagavata Arka Marichimala. Chapter 20., supplication 3. inclusion. page 479.)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura became manager of Jagannatha Puri Temple; he used his government powers to establish regularity in the worship of the Deity. In the Jagannatha Puri Temple courtyard he established a 'Bhakti Mandapa', where daily discourses of Srimad Bhagavatam were held. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura would spend long hours discussing Krsna and chanting the holy name, especially at Tota-Gopinatha Mandir, the tomb of Haridasa Thakur, the Siddha Bakula and the Gambhira. He made notes on the Vedanta-sutra which were used by Sri Syamalala Goswami in the edition of the Govinda Bhasya by Baladeva Vidyabhusana that he published.

Near the Jagannatha-vallabha gardens, in a large house adjacent the Narayana Chata Matha, on the 5th day of the dark fornight of Magha in the year 1874, the 4th son of Bhaktivinoda Thakura took birth. He was named Bimala Prasada (later known as Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada).
 As a householder Bhaktivinoda (Kedarnatha Datta) had two wives and no less than 10 children, of which the great Vaisnava scholar Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati (Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura) was one. Bimala Prasad (Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati) was born in Sri Purusottama Kshetra (Jagannatha Puri) on 6th February 1874 AD, answering the prayer of Bhaktivinoda for the Lord "to send a Ray of Visnu" to preach the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. He was given the name Bimal Prasad.
 When the child was six months old, Lord Jagannatha's cart stopped in front of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's house in Puri for three days during the procession. Bhaktivinoda told his wife, Bhagavati Devi, to bring out the child for 'darsan' of Lord Jagannatha. As she placed the child before the Lord, a garland from the Lord encircled the baby boy, and the first grain ceremony ('anaprasna') was performed at that time with Jagannatha 'prasad'.  Bimala Prasada stayed in Puri for ten months after his birth and then went to Bengal by palanquin on his mother's lap, his infancy was spent at Nadia District's Ranaghat hearing topics of Sri Hari from his mother.
    Srila Bhaktivinoda and his wife were orthodox and virtuous; they never allowed their children to eat anything other than 'prasada', nor to associate with bad company. One day, when Bimala Prasada was still a small child of no more than four years, his father mildly rebuked him for eating a mango not yet duly offered to Lord Krsna. Bimala Prasada, although only a child, considered himself an offender to the Lord and vowed never to eat mangoes again. (This was a vow that he would follow throughout this life.) By the time Bimala Prasada was seven years old, he had memorized the entire Bhagavad Gita and could even explain its verses giving wonderful purports. His father then began training him in proof reading and printing, in conjunction with the publishing of the Vaisnava magazine Sajjana tosani.
 Two years earlier, Kamala Prasada, the 3rd son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, had taken birth.

In 1874 Bhaktivinoda Thakura discovered the Raja of Puri had misappropriated Rs. 80 thousand for sense gratification. This money belonged to the temple, so Bhativinoda Thakura forced the Raja to give Lord Jagannatha 'bhoga' 52 times daily. This diminished the money quickly; the 'raja' was angry at Bhaktivinoda Thakura and began, with the help of 50 'pandits', a 'Maran-karmani tantric yajna' meant for killing Bhaktivinoda Thakura which went on for 30 days; when the last oblations were poured, it was the kings son and not the pure hearted Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who died.

He left Puri on special business; returned to Bengal and saw Navadwip, Santipura and Kalana.  He was put in charge of the subdivision Mahisarekha in Haora. After that he was transferred to Bhadraka. In August 1878 he was made head of the subdivision Naraila in the Yashohan district.
 While in Naraila his two famous books Sri Krsna-samhita and Krsna-kalpataru were published. In a letter dated April 16th., 1880, Dr. Reinhold Rost wrote to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura: "By representing Krishna's character and his worship in a more sublime and transcendental light than has hitherto been the custom to regard him, you have rendered an essential service to your co-religionists, and no one would have taken more delight in your work than my departed friend Goldstuecker, the sincerest and most zealous advocate the Hindus ever had in Europe." These two works brought the devotional attention of many of India's pandits and educated men.
 In 1877 Varada Prasada was born, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's fifth son; in 1878, Viraja Prasada was born, the sixth son: both appeared at Rana Ghata.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took 'pancaratrika diksa' initiation from Bipin Bihari Goswami, descended from the Jahnava family of Baghnapara. At the same time, his seventh son, Lalita Prasada, appeared at Rana Ghata.
 Many people had adopted Vaishnavism at Haraila, but they could not tell who was a Vaishnava and who not; Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave them shelter and instructed them on this  matter most exactingly.

Once Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and his son-cum-assistant went to see Bhaktivinoda's 'guru', Vipin Bihari Goswami (Bipin Behari Goswami).
 Vipin Bihari Goswami was coming in the disciplic succession from Sri Gadadhar Pandit the plenary portion of Srimati Radharani. The followers of this line are generally Raganuga Bhaktas, worhipping Sri Gaura Gadahara in a loving spontaneous mood of 'bhava'. This mode of worship is not for those who are materially confined by the dictates of the body and senses, but for those who are already experiencing their eternal loving relationship with the Divine couple Sri Radha Krsna.
 There is an interesting little story which captures the mood of Bhaktivinoda and that of his son, then named Siddhanta Saraswati. In their 'siddha deha' as pure 'nitya siddha', eternal associates of Lord Krsna, Bhaktivinoda Thakura is Kamala Manjari, one of the maid servants of the 'gopis', and Siddhanta Saraswati is her assistant Nayana Manjari. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's dealings with his 'diksa guru' were always exemplary, even though Vipin Bihari Goswami was not very advanced, being a 'kanistha adhikari guru', whereas the Thakura was an 'uttama adhikari', 'paramahamsa' of the highest order. Still Bhaktivinoda always played the humble disciple. On one such occasion in the presence of young Siddhanta Saraswati, Bhaktivinoda Thakura paid his respectful obeisances to his 'guru'. Vipin Bihari Goswami replied by placing his feet on the Thakura's head. For the young fiery Siddhanta Saraswati this was too much! It was one thing that his father had accepted him as his formal initiating spiritual master, but this was going too far. Srila Siddhanta Saraswati was only seven years old at the time, but when Bhaktivinoda Thakura left the room leaving the two of them alone, Siddhanta Saraswati decided to set things straight.

"You are acting like a big, big 'guru' and you place your feet on the heads of those who you don't know. If you knew who the Thakura is you would not do it. But you do not know! My father is a great exalted 'nitya siddha', eternal associate of Sri Radha and Krsna who has come here to fulfil Their mission. Do you think that you are so advanced that you can place your feet on the head of such a person? I think not. You have proven yourself to be a 'kanistha adhikari' (neophyte) by not being able to distinguish between those who are advanced and those  who are less advanced, therefore I suggest that you desist from this practice any further." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura then re-entered the room and the conversation changed. Later that day Vipin Bihari Goswami mentioned to Bhaktivinoda, "Your son is bold to the point of being rude." Later Thakura Bhaktivinoda found out about the conversation and used to jokingly glorify his exalted son to his friends, saying how he is fearless, that he even chastised my 'guru' Vipin Bihari Goswami.

Reflecting on this incident we can see that even if one's spiritual master is not an 'uttama adhikari', 'mahabhagavat' devotee of the Lord still one should be satisfied, and serve him anyway. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who himself was certainly a 'mahabhagavat', set the example how to serve and show respects. On the other side of the transcendental coin, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati showed a nice lesson to us. We should not show ourselves to be more advanced than we really are, lest we commit offences against those who are actually advanced.

In 1881 Bhaktivinoda Thakura began publishing 'Sajjanatosani', his Vaisnava journal.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had previously pilgrimaged to Kasi, Prayaga, Mathura and Vrndavana ('Vraja Mandal') in 1866. At the close of his stay in Naraila he desired to again see the land of Vraja. He took three months for this purpose. At this time he met Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji there, who had a program by which he moved every six months between Navadwipa and Vrndavana. Meeting him, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura accepted him as his eternally worshippable 'siksa' (instructing) 'guru'.
 During his pilgrimage at this time he dealt with a gang of 'dacoits' known as the Kanjharas who robbed and killed pilgrims; he gave evidence to the government and a commision was formed to wipe out this scourge.

From Vrndavana he came to Calcutta and bought a house at 181, Maniktala Street, now called Ramasha Datta Street, near Bidana Park. He started daily worship of Sri Giridhari (the transcendental form of Krsna who appeared in the form of Govardhan Hill) and called the house Bhakti-bhavan.  He was appointed head of the subdivision of Barasa.
 In 1881, in the course of excavating for the construction of the 'Bhakti bhavana' at Rambagan in Calcutta, a Deity of Kurmadeva was unearthed. After initiating his seven year old son, Bhaktivinoda entrusted Bimala with the service of the deity of Kurmadeva.

The well-known novelist Bankim Candra met Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura at Barasa. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had written a book about Krsna and showed it to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who preached to Bankim Candra for four days, taking little food and hardly any sleep; the result was Bankim Candra changed his ideas (which were mundane speculations about Krsna) and his book to conform with the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.  Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to say, "knowledge is power".

On April 1, 1884, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was appointed the senior Deputy Magistrate of Serampore, where he admitted Bimala in the Serampore High School. When Bimala was a mere student in class five, he invented a new method of writing named Bicanto. During this period he took lessons in mathematics and astrology from Pandita Mahesacandra Cudamoni.  However, he preferred to read devotional books rather than the school texts.

During the last year of his stay at Barasat (1886), Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published an edition of  the Bhagavad Gita with the Sanskrit commentary of Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakur, which he translated into Bengali (the "Rasika-ranjana" translation). Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had undertaken this task at the request of Babu Sarada Carana Mitra, ex-judge of the Calcutta High Commission. Sriman Bankima Candra wrote the preface, acknowledging his own indebtedness to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura; he noted that all Bengali readers would be indebted to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura for his saintly work.
 From Barasat, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred to Sriramapur.  He visited the residence of Uddharana Datta Thakur, a great associate of Lord Nityananda, at Saptagram. At Khanakula he visited the place of Abhirama Thakur, and saw the place of another great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Vasu Ramananda, at Kulinagrama.
 At Sriramapura he composed and published his masterly writing, Sri Caitanya Siksamrta, and also the Vaisnava-siddhanta-mala, Prema-pradipa and Manah-siksa. He was also publishing Sajjanatosani on a regular basis. In Calcutta he set up the Sri Caitanya Yantra, a printing press at the 'Bhakti Bhavana', upon which he printed Maladhara's Sri Krsna-vijaya and his own Amnaya-sutra and the Caitanyopanisad of the Atharva Veda.
 Finding the Caitanyopanisada was a difficult task. Hardly anyone in Bengal had heard of it. Consequently Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had to travel to many places in Bengal looking for it; finally, one devoted Vaisnava pandita named Madhusudana dasa (sometimes found listed in the 'Guru-parampara' listings) sent an old copy he'd been keeping with him at Sambalapura for Bhaktivinoda Thakura; Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote a 'Sanksrit' commentary on the book and called it Sri Caitanya Caranamrta. Madhusudana dasa Mahasaya translated the verses into Bengali; this translation was called Amrta-bindhu. It was a sellout when published.
 In Calcutta srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura started the Sri Visva-Vaisnava Sabha, dedicated to the preaching of pure bhakti as taught by Lord Caitanya. To publicize the work of the society, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published a small booklet entitled Visva-Vaisnava-kalpavi.
 Also he published his own edition of the Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, with his Amrta-prabhava Bhasya commentary. And he introduced the Caitanyabda or Caitanya-era calendar, and gave assistence to the propagation of the Caitanya Panjika, which established the feast day of Gaura Purnima.
 He lectured and gave readings on books like the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu (of Srila Rupa Goswami) in various Vaishnava societies; he published in the Hindu Herald, an English periodical, a detailed account of Sri Caitanya's life.

It was at this time that the learned Vaisnavas recognized Kedaranatha Datta and given the honourary titile as Bhakti Vinoda Thakura.

In the year 1887 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura resolved to quit government service and go to Vrndavana with Bhaktibhringa Mahasaya for the rest of his life. One night in Tarakeswara, while on government service, he had a dream in which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to him and spoke, "You will certainly go to Vrndavana, but first there is some service you must perform in Navadwipa, so what will you do about that?" When the Lord disappeared, Bhaktivinoda Thakura awoke. Srila Bhakti Bhrinha Mahasaya, hearing of this dream, told Bhaktivinoda Thakura to apply for a transfer to Krishnanagara; he did, even turning down offers of personal assistanceship to the chief Commissioner of Assam and the seat of the Minister of Tripura State. He even tried to retire at this time, but his application was not accepted. Finally, in December of 1887 he arranged for a mutual exchange of personell: himself for Babu Radha Madhava Vasu, Deputy Magistrate of Krishnanagara.

During his stay at Krishnanagara, Bhaktivinoda Thakura used to go to Navadwipa and search for the birthsite of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One night he was sitting on the roof of the Rani Dharmasala in Navadwipa chanting on his 'Japa-beads', when he spotted a very tall Tala tree with some very strange substance attached to it; near the tree was a small building that gave off a remarkable effulgence. Soon afterwards, he went to the Krishnanagara Collectory where he began to study some very old manuscripts of Caitanya Bhagavat and Navadwipa Dhama Parikrama by Narahari Sarkar, and some old maps of Nadia. He went to the village of Ballaladibhi and spoke with many elderly people there, and uncovered facts about the modern-day Navadwipa; in the year 1887 he discovered that the place he'd seen from the dharmasalla rooftop was in fact the birthplace of Mahaprabhu. This was confirmed by Srila Jaganatha dasa Babaji, the head of the Gaudiya Vaisnava community in Nadia.
 A great festival was held there. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura published the Navadwipa Dhama Mahatmya.

Also in 1887, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura renovated the house of Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji at Ravasghata.  He took leave from office for two years and acquired a plot of land at Sri Godadrumadwipa, or Svarupaganga. He built a retirement house there for his 'bhajana', and called it Surabhi Kunja; in 1890 he established the 'Nama Hatta' there.  Sometimes Jagannatha dasa Babaji would come there and have 'kirtana'.
 Lord Nityananda had established His Nama Hatta at the same place; Bhaktivinoda Thakura considered himself the street sweeper of the 'Nama Hatta' of Nitai.

Once whilst stationed in Krishanaga, every second spare was spent in Mayapur. As mentioned in the story of Jagannatha dasa Babaji, Thakura Bhaktivinoda, along with Babaji Maharaja found Lord Caitanya's birthplace in the year 1887.
 When the birthplace was uncovered, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji would worship Lord Caitanya there (this episode was told in regard to Srila Jagannatha dasa Babaji's Life.)

Once one of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's sons contracted a skin disease; Jaganntha dasa Babaji told the boy to lie down at the birthsite of Lord Caitanya for the night - he did so, and the next morning he was cured.

In 1888 he took charge of the village of Netrakona in the district of Mayamanasimha, because he could not keep good health in Krishnanagara and had requested transfer to a more healthful region. From Netrakona he came to Tangaila and from there he was transferred to the district of Vardhamana. There he would have 'kirtana' with the devotees from a place called Amalajora, headed by Kshetra Babu and Vipina Babu; they would sing poems like Soka-satana written by him.
 He was put in charge of the Kalara subdivision in 1890, and from there would often visit such holy places as Godadrumadwipa, Navadwipa, Capahati, Samudragana, Cupi, Kasthasali, Idrakapura, Baghanapara, Piyariganga (the place of Nakula Brahmacari) and the place of Vrndavana dasa Thakur at Denura.
 Soon Bhaktivinoda Thakura was transferred for a few days to Ranighata, from where he came to Dinajapura again. Sailaja Prasada was born there, his youngest son. In Dinajapura Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote his Vidva-ranjana commentary and translation of the Bhagavad Gita; it was published in 1891 with the commentary of Baladeva.

1891 was the year Bhaktivinoda Thakura took leave from the government service for two years. He desired to preach 'Sri Hari-Nama'. His base was at Godadrumadwipa; from there he used to visit such places as Ghatala and Ramajivana to lecture in clubs, societies and organizations. This he'd also often do in Krishnanagara.
 He travelled and preached in March of 1892 in the Basirahata District together with some other Vaishnavas. All the while he was writing also. He opened many branches of 'Nama Hatta' in different districts of Bengal. The 'Nama Hatta' became a self-sustaining success which continued to spread even after his return to government service.
 Also from Basirahata he set out on his third trip to Vrndavana; he stopped off at Amalajora to celebrate the Ekadasi day with Srial Jagannatha dasa Babaji. In Vraja, he visited all the forests and places of pastimes; he continued to give lectures and readings on Hari Nama in various places in Bengal when he returned to Calcutta.

In February 1891 he gave a lecture on his investigation into the whereabouts of the actual birthsite of Sri Caitanya; his audience included highly learned men from all over Bengal, who became very enthusiastic at the news.  Out of this gathering the Sri Navadwipa Dhama Pracarini Sabha was formed for spreading the glories of Navadvipa-Mayapura. All the learned pandits, having deliberated fully on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's evidence, agreed that the Yogapitha was the true birthsite of Mahaprabhu.
 That year, on Gaura Purnima, a big festival was held that witness the installation of Gaura-Visnupriya Dieties at the Yogapitha.
 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura personally, in a spirit of pure humility, went door to door collecting to raise funds to build a temple on the very site. In the Amrta Bazaar Patrika, December 1894, an article appeared: "Babu Kedarnatha Datta, the distinguished magistrate who has just retired from service, is one of the most active members. Indeed, Babu Kedarnatha Datta has been deputed by his committee to raise subscriptions in Calcutta and elsewhere and is determined to go from house to house if necessary and beg a rupee from each Hindu gentleman for noble purpose. If Babu Kedarnatha Datta sticks to his resolution of going around with bag in hand, we hope that no Hindu gentleman whose house may be honoured by the presence of such a devout bhakta as Babu Kedarnatha, will send him away without contributing his mite, however humble it may be, to the Gaura-Visnupriya Temple Fund." His venture was highly successful and the temple was built.

In October 1894, at age 56, he retired from his post as Deputy Magistrate, though this move was opposed by his family and the government authorities. He stayed at Surabhi Kunja and preached, as well as revised his old writings. Sometimes he went to Calcutta; there he begged door to door for building the Yogapitha temple.

In July 1896 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to Tripura at the request of the the king, who was a Vaishnava.  He stayed in the capital for four days and preached the glories of Sri Hari-Nama.
 His lecture on the first day amazed all the local 'panditas'; on the next two days the local Royal family and general public thrilled to his talks on the pastimes of Mahaprabhu.

His mercy far outreaches the geographical boundaries of India or even Asia, taking Krsna consciousness to the West.
 Back in Godruma, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sent out a small booklet, written in Sanskrit, to Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-mangala-stotram, with a commentary by Srila Sitikantha Vacaspati of Nadia. The intro, "Caitanya Manaprabhu, His life and precepts", was in English (Which we have included in this book in the section on Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) This book found its way into the library of the Royal Asiatic Society in London, the library of McGill University in Canada (the year is 1896) and other respectable institutions. It was reviewed in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society by Mr. F.W. Fraser, an erudite European scholar.

In the rainy season of 1896, requested by the Maharaja of Tripura, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura went to Darjeeling and Karsiyam. In 1897 he went to many villages such as Medinipura and Sauri to preach.

Sri Sisira Kunara Ghosa was the founder of the Amrta Bazaar Patrika and the author of the Sri Amiya Nimai-carita. He had great respect for Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura; he also took up the preaching of the holy name throughout Calcutta and in many villages in Bengal. He published the 'Sri Visnu Priya O Ananda Bazar Patrika' under the editorship of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. In one of his letters to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura he wrote, "I have not seen the six Goswamis of Vrndavana, but I consider you to be the seventh Goswami."

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's son Bimala Prasad (latter Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati) had been residing at Puri as a 'naisthika brahmacari' (celebate student) and was engaged in bhajan at the Gandharvika Giridhari Matha, one of seven 'mathas' near the 'samadhi' tomb of Haridasa Thakur on the sea-shore. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, desiring to help his son, had the monastery cleaned and repaired when he came to Puri himself at the beginning of the 20th century. After the young (Bhakti) Siddhanta Saraswati left Puri for Sri Navadwipa Mayapur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura  constructed his own place of 'bhajana' on the beach, calling it Bhakti Kuti; one Sri Krsnadasa Babaji, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's devoted assistant  and disciple, joined him there at this time, and he became very dear to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and was his constant attendant up to the end of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's life.
 He began solitary 'bhajan' (worship and devotional meditation) at this time; he had many visitors at this place, and some of them simply wanted to disturb him, whereas others were sincere and benefitted greatly from his spiritual inspiration.

In 1908, three months before he took 'sannyasa', a son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who was working in the writers building in Calcutta, came home to inform Bhaktivinoda Thakura that Sir William Duke, cheif secretary to the government, was in Calcutta; formerly Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura had served under him as a magistrate. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura made an appointment to meet him the next day at the writers building. Sir William Duke met with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the street outside the building and personally escorted him in to his office. With folded hands, he asked forgiveness for having once planned to remove Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura from office of district magistrate; this was because he thought that if such qualified Indians take up such posts, the British would not last much longer in India.
 In those days, while studying Bhaktivinoda Thakura's activities (then Kedarnatha Datta), he'd come to his house and would be fed 'puri', 'luchi' and sweets by the Thakura's wife. But now he was begging forgiveness as he was getting on in life; Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura answered, "I consider you to be a good friend and a well wisher all along." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was pleased with him and gave him his blessings. Later Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura admitted he was astonished that Sir William Duke wanted to harm him in some way.

In the year 1908 Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura took the external 'vesa' dress of a 'babaji' at Satasana in Puri technically which is called his accepting 'paramahamsa-sannyasa', among the 'Gaudiya sampradaya'; until 1910 he would move between Calcutta and Puri, and was still writing books; but during that year he shut himself up and entered 'samadhi', 'claiming paralysis'.

It was on June 23rd., 1914, just before noon at Jagannatha Puri, that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhupada left his body; on the Gaudiya Panjika this day was also the disappearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. But from Orissa his bodily remains were taken back to his beloved Godruma, in the land of Nadia. Amidst 'sankirtana' his remains were interred in Godruma after the next solstice; the summer solstice had just begun when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Prabhupada had left his body.

Remembering His Divine Character.
In an obiturary about Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sarada Carana Mitra, Calcutta High Court Judge, wrote: "I knew Thakur Bhaktivinode intimately as a friend and a relation.  Even under the pressure of official work as a magistrate in charge of a heavy subdivision he could always find time for devotional contemplation and work, and whenever I met him, our talk would turn in a few moments to the subject of 'bhakti' and 'achintya bheda abheda', 'dvaitadvaita-vada' etc., and the saintly work that lay before him. Service of God is the only thing he longed for and service under the government, however honorable, was to him a clog."

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Daily Schedule
7:30-8:00 PM - take rest.
10:00 PM - rise, light oil lamp, write.
4:00 AM - take rest.
4:30 - rise, wash hands and face, chant 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra japa'.
7:00 - write letters.
7:30 - read.
8:30 - receive guests, or continue to read.
9:30-9:45 - take rest.
9:45 - morning bath, breakfast of half-quart milk, couple of 'chapatis', some fruits.
9:55 - go to court in carriage.
He would wear coat and pants to court, with double-size Tulasi neckbeads, and Vaishnava Tilaka. He was very strong in his decisions; he would decide immediately. He did not allow any humbug in his court; no upstart could stand before him. He would shave his head monthly. He never allowed harmonium in his 'sankirtan', considering it a distraction from the sound of the 'Nama Prabhu'.
 He never had any debts.
10:00 - court began.
1:00 PM - court finished. He'd come home and bathe and refresh.
2:00 PM - return to office.
5:00 PM - translate works from Sanskrit to Bengali.
Then take evening bath and meal of rice, couple of 'chapatis', half-quart (1 pint - 20 onces, or approx half litre) of milk.

He always consulted a pocket watch, and was always accountable keeping time very punctually.
 He was always charitable to 'brahmanas', and equally befriended other castes. He never showed pride, and his amiable disposition was a characteristic feature of his life. He never accepted gifts from anyone; he even declined all honors and titles offered by the government to him on the grounds that they might stand against his holy mission of life. He was very strict in moral principles, and avoided the luxurious life; he would not even chew betel.  He dislike theaters because they were frequented by 'public women'.

He spoke Bengali, Sanskrit, English, Latin, Urdu, Persian and Oriya. He started writing books at age 12, and continued turning out a profuse number of volumes up until his departure from this world.

As with all of the wonderful personalities we have touched on there are so many things that can be said to glorify such incredible devotees, but just to keep this book in perspective we are just trying to give a taste. For further details on Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Rupa Vilasa Prabhu, a disciple of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has compiled a book on the life of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura entitled "The Seventh Goswami".

Prabhupäda: Bring water, water. Water? So today is a very auspicious day, Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda’s birthday. Here is the picture of Öhäkura Sac-cid-änanda Bhaktivinoda. He was one of the äcäryas of this disciplic succession from Kåñëa. We have got a succession table from Kåñëa, genealogical table. There are two kinds of genealogical tables, one by the semina—father, his son, his son, like that. That is material genealogical table. And there is one spiritual genealogical table, disciplic succession. Just like Kåñëa. Kåñëa, the original father, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahma, Lord Brahma. He spoke to Närada. Närada spoke to Vyäsa. Vyäsa spoke to Madhväcärya. So in this disciplic succession, Lord Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvämés, and similarly, coming down, down, Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura, then Gaurakiçora däsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja, then my spiritual master, then we are next generation, my disciples.
    So there is a disciplic succession. And the äcäryas, they’re authorities. Our process of knowledge is very simple. We take it from the authority. We don’t speculate. Speculation will not help us to come to the real knowledge. Just like when we are in difficulty, in legal implication, we go to some authority, lawyer. When we are diseased we go to a physician, the authority. There is no use, speculation. Suppose I am in difficulty in some legal implication. I simply speculate, “I shall be free in this way and that way.” That will not help. We have to go to the lawyer who knows things, and he gives us instruction that “You do not do this; then you’ll be free.” Similarly, when we are diseased, if I speculate at home that “My disease will be cured in this way and that way,” no. That is useless. You go to an authorized physician, and he will give you a nice prescription, and you’ll be cured. That is the process of knowledge. But in the modern age people think that “I am free, I am independent, and I can make my own solution.” That is rascaldom. That’s not good. So Arjuna, when he was talking with Kåñëa as friend, but when he saw that there was no solution talking like this, he surrendered to Kåñëa. He said, çiñyas te ’ham, aham: “Myself, I surrender unto You as Your disciple.” Çiñyas te ’haà çädhi mäà prapannam. Prapannam means surrender. So that is the Vedic injunction, that if you want to know transcendental knowledge or science... “Transcendental” means beyond the scope of your direct perception.
    So spiritual knowledge is beyond the scope of our sense speculation. Beyond the scope. Just like when a soul, a spiritual spark only, leaves this body, you cannot see. Therefore, atheistic class of men, they speculate, “There may be a soul; there may not be soul.” Or, “The bodily function was going like this; now it stopped. The blood corpuscles now cease. It is no more red; it is white; therefore life...” These are speculation. This is not actual knowledge. Actual knowledge you get from the authority, Kåñëa. He says, tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati. Just like the soul is passing through different stages. Dehino ’smin yathä dehe. Deha, deha means this body. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is dehi. Dehi means who is the owner of this body. That is soul. That is passing through childhood, boyhood, babyhood, youthhood, old age. Everyone, you can perceive that you were a child, you were a baby, you were a boy. Now you are young or old man. So you are there. So as you are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati. There is no question of becoming astonished, how transmigration of the self, soul, takes place. The vivid example is there. Simply you require little intelligence. That intelligence is developed through the instruction of äcärya. Therefore, Vedic injunction is not to acquire knowledge by speculation. That is useless. Athäpi te deva padämbuja-dvayaà janäti tattvaà prasäda-leçänugåhéta eva hi, na cänya eko ’pi ciraà vicinvan. Ciraà vicinvan. Ciram means for thousands of years you can speculate; you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. But if you receive knowledge from the devotee, he can deliver you. Therefore Vedic injunction is that tad-vijïäna... (break) ...in order to understand tad-vijïäna... Vijïäna means science. If you want to know the transcendental science, then you must approach a guru. Tad-vijïänärtham, in order to... If you are at all interested to understand the spiritual science. Tad- vijïänärthaà (sa) gurum eva abhigacchet. You must approach guru. Guru means this disciplic succession, as I have explained.
    So Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura is an ideal guru. He was not a sannyäsé; he was gåhastha, householder, living with family, wife, children. Still, he was guru. So anyone can become guru. Not that a sannyäsé can become guru. A householder also can become guru, provided he knows the science. Caitanya Mahäprabhu, when He was talking with Rämänanda Räya... Caitanya Mahäprabhu was a sannyäsé, very highly born in brähmaëa family, very learned scholar. So He was talking with Rämänanda Räya, a gåhastha, governor of Madras. And He was questioning, and Rämänanda Räya was answering. That means he was taking the part of guru, and Caitanya Mahäprabhu was taking the part of a disciple. So he was hesitating, Rämänanda Räya. He thought himself that “I am a gåhastha; I’m not even a brähmaëa. Besides that, I am dealing in material affairs. I am governor, politics. And Caitanya Mahäprabhu is a sannyäsé, born of a high-class brähmaëa family. So it does not look well that I shall teach Him.” So he was hesitating. Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “Oh, why you are hesitating?” He said,

kibä vipra, kibä çüdra, nyäsi kene naya
yei kåñëa-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya

brahma-bhütaù prasannätmä
na çocati na käìkñati
samaù sarveñu bhüteñu
mad-bhaktià labhate paräm

(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 23rd September 1969. Appearance Day lecture of His Divine Grace Srila Sac Cid Ananda Bhaktivinod Thakur Prabhupada. London.)

A Few of the Songs of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur:
Çré Gauräìga-Lélä-Smaraëa-Maìgala-Stotram
Sri Murti Worship vs. Idolatry

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada - Srila BVT's son

In his Amåta-praväha-bhäñya, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura summarizes this chapter as follows.
The King of Orissa, Mahäräja Pratäparudra, tried his best to see Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Çréla Nityänanda Prabhu and the other devotees informed the Lord about the King’s desire, but Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu would not agree to see him. At that time Çré Nityänanda Prabhu devised a plan, and He sent a piece of the Lord’s outward garment to the King. The next day, when Rämänanda Räya again entreated Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, asked Rämänanda Räya to bring the King’s son before Him. The prince visited the Lord dressed like a Vaiñëava, and this awakened remembrance of Kåñëa. Thus Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu delivered the son of Mahäräja Pratäparudra.
After this, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu washed the Guëòicä temple before the Ratha-yäträ took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lake and partook of prasäda in the garden nearby. While Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu washed the temple of Guëòicä, a Gauòéya Vaiñëava washed the lotus feet of the Lord and drank the water. This incident is very significant, for it awoke within the devotee ecstatic love. Then again, the son of Advaita Prabhu named Gopäla fainted during kértana, and when he did not come to his senses, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu favored him by awakening him. There was also some humorous talk between Nityänanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu during prasäda. Advaita Prabhu said that Nityänanda Prabhu was unknown to anyone and that it was not the duty of a householder brähmaëa to accept dinner with a person unknown in society. In answer to this humorous statement, Çré Nityänanda Prabhu replied that Advaita Äcärya was a monist and that one could not know how his mind could be turned by eating with such an impersonalist. The conversation of these two prabhus—Nityänanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu—carried a deep meaning that only an intelligent man can understand. After all the Vaiñëavas finished their luncheon, Svarüpa Dämodara and others took their prasäda within the room. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu took great pleasure when He saw the Jagannätha Deity after the period of the Deity’s retirement. At that time Lord Caitanya was accompanied by all the devotees, and all of them were very much pleased.

Madhya 12.1
TEXT 1
TEXT
çré-guëòicä-mandiram ätma-våndaiù
sammärjayan kñälanataù sa gauraù
sva-citta-vac chétalam ujjvalaà ca
kåñëopaveçaupayikaà cakära

SYNONYMS
çré-guëòicä—known as Guëòicä; mandiram—the temple; ätma-våndaiù—with His associates; sammärjayan—washing; kñälanataù—by cleansing; saù—that; gauraù—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; sva-citta-vat—like His own heart; çétalam—cool and calm; ujjvalam—bright and clean; ca—and; kåñëa—of Lord Çré Kåñëa; upaveça—for the sitting; aupayikam—befitting; cakära—made.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu washed and cleansed the Guëòicä temple with His devotees and associates. In this way He made the temple as cool and bright as His own heart, and thus He made the place befitting for Lord Çré Kåñëa to sit.

Madhya 12.2
TEXT 2
TEXT
jaya jaya gauracandra jaya nityänanda
jayädvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vånda

SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; gauracandra—to Gauracandra, Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; jaya—all glories; nityänanda—to Nityänanda Prabhu; jaya—all glories; advaita-candra—to Advaita Prabhu; jaya—all glories; gaura-bhakta-vånda—to the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Gauracandra! All glories to Nityänanda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to the devotees of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu!

Madhya 12.3
TEXT 3
TEXT
jaya jaya çréväsädi gaura-bhakta-gaëa
çakti deha,—kari yena caitanya varëana

SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; çréväsa-ädi—headed by Çréväsa Öhäkura; gaura-bhakta-gaëa—to the devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; çakti deha—please give me power; kari yena—so that I may do; caitanya—of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; varëana—description.
TRANSLATION
All glories to the devotees of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, headed by Çréväsa Öhäkura! I beg their power so that I can properly describe Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Madhya 12.4
TEXT 4
TEXT
pürve dakñiëa haite prabhu yabe äilä
täìre milite gajapati utkaëöhita hailä

SYNONYMS
pürve—formerly; dakñiëa haite—from South India; prabhu—Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; yabe—when; äilä—returned; täìre—Him; milite—to meet; gajapati—the King of Orissa; utkaëöhita—full of anxieties; hailä—became.
TRANSLATION
When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu returned from His South Indian tour, Mahäräja Pratäparudra, the King of Orissa, became very anxious to meet Him.

Madhya 12.5
TEXT 5
TEXT
kaöaka haite patré dila särvabhauma-öhäïi
prabhura äjïä haya yadi, dekhibäre yäi

SYNONYMS
kaöaka haite—from Kaöaka, the capital of Orissa; patré—a letter; dila—sent; särvabhauma—of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya; öhäïi—to the place; prabhura—of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; äjïä—order; haya—there is; yadi—if; dekhibäre yäi—I can go and see.
TRANSLATION
The King sent a letter from his capital, Kaöaka, to Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, entreating him to obtain the Lord’s permission so that he could go and see Him.

Madhya 12.6
TEXT 6
TEXT
bhaööäcärya likhila,—prabhura äjïä nä haila
punarapi räjä täìre patré päöhäila

SYNONYMS
bhaööäcärya likhila—Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya replied; prabhura—of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; äjïä—order; nä—not; haila—there is; punarapi—again; räjä—the King; täìre—unto him; patré—a letter; päöhäila—dispatched.
TRANSLATION
Replying to the King’s letter, the Bhaööäcärya wrote that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu had not given His permission. After this, the King wrote him another letter.

Madhya 12.7
TEXT 7
TEXT
prabhura nikaöe äche yata bhakta-gaëa
mora lägi’ täì-sabäre kariha nivedana

SYNONYMS
prabhura nikaöe—in the place of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; äche—there are; yata—all; bhakta-gaëa—devotees; mora lägi’—for me; täì-sabäre—unto all of them; kariha—please submit; nivedana—petition.
TRANSLATION
In this letter the King requested Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, “Please appeal to all the devotees associated with Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and submit this petition to them on my behalf.

Madhya 12.8
TEXT 8
TEXT
sei saba dayälu more haïä sadaya
mora lägi’ prabhu-pade karibe vinaya

SYNONYMS
sei saba—all of them; dayälu—merciful; more—unto me; haïä—becoming; sa-daya—favorably disposed; mora lägi’—for me; prabhu-pade—at the lotus feet of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; karibe—will do; vinaya—humble submission.
TRANSLATION
“If all the devotees associated with the Lord are favorably disposed toward me, they can submit my petition at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Madhya 12.9
TEXT 9
TEXT
täì-sabära prasäde mile çré-prabhura päya
prabhu-kåpä vinä mora räjya nähi bhäya

SYNONYMS
täì-sabära prasäde—by the mercy of all of them; mile—one gets; çré-prabhura päya—the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; prabhu-kåpä—the mercy of the Lord; vinä—without; mora—my; räjya—kingdom; nähi—does not; bhäya—appeal to me.
TRANSLATION
“By the mercy of all the devotees, one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Without His mercy, my kingdom does not appeal to me.

Madhya 12.10
TEXT 10
TEXT
yadi more kåpä nä karibe gaurahari
räjya chäòi’ yogé ha-i’ ha-iba bhikhäré

SYNONYMS
yadi—if; more—unto me; kåpä—mercy; nä—not; karibe—will do; gaurahari—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; räjya chäòi’—giving up the kingdom; yogé—mendicant; ha-i’—becoming; ha-iba—I shall become; bhikhäré—a beggar.
TRANSLATION
“If Gaurahari, Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, will not show mercy to me, I shall give up my kingdom, become a mendicant and beg from door to door.”

Madhya 12.11
TEXT 11
TEXT
bhaööäcärya patré dekhi’ cintita haïä
bhakta-gaëa-päça gelä sei patré laïä

SYNONYMS
bhaööäcärya—Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya; patré—the letter; dekhi’—seeing; cintita haïä—becoming very anxious; bhakta-gaëa—all the devotees; päça—near; gelä—went; sei—that; patré—letter; laïä—taking.
TRANSLATION
When the Bhaööäcärya received this letter, he became very anxious. He then took the letter and went to the devotees of the Lord.

Madhya 12.12
TEXT 12
TEXT
sabäre miliyä kahila räja-vivaraëa
piche sei patré sabäre karäila daraçana

SYNONYMS
sabäre—everyone; miliyä—meeting; kahila—said; räja-vivaraëa—description of the King’s desire; piche—later; sei patré—that letter; sabäre—unto everyone; karäila daraçana—showed.
TRANSLATION
Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya met with all the devotees and described the King’s wishes. Then he presented the letter to all of them for inspection.

Madhya 12.13
TEXT 13
TEXT
patré dekhi’ sabära mane ha-ila vismaya
prabhu-pade gajapatira eta bhakti haya!!

SYNONYMS
patré—the letter; dekhi’—seeing; sabära—of everyone; mane—in the mind; ha-ila—there was; vismaya—astonishment; prabhu-pade—unto the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; gajapatira—of the King of Orissa; eta—so much; bhakti—devotion; haya—there is.
TRANSLATION
Upon reading the letter, everyone was astonished to see that King Pratäparudra had so much devotion for the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Madhya 12.14
TEXT 14
TEXT
sabe kahe,—prabhu täìre kabhu nä milibe
ämi-saba kahi yadi, duùkha se mänibe

SYNONYMS
sabe kahe—everyone said; prabhu—Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; täìre—unto him; kabhu—at any time; nä—not; milibe—would see; ämi-saba—all of us; kahi—say; yadi—if; duùkha—unhappiness; se—Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; mänibe—will feel.
TRANSLATION
The devotees gave their opinion and said, “The Lord will never meet the King, and if we requested Him to do so, the Lord will surely feel very unhappy.”

Madhya 12.15
TEXT 15
TEXT
särvabhauma kahe,—sabe cala’ eka-bära
milite nä kahiba, kahiba räja-vyavahära

SYNONYMS
särvabhauma kahe—Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya said; sabe cala’—let all of us go; eka-bära—once; milite—to meet; nä kahiba—we shall not request; kahiba—we shall simply describe; räja-vyavahära—the behavior of the King.
TRANSLATION
Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya then said, “We shall go once again to the Lord, but we shall not request Him to meet the King. Rather, we shall simply describe the good behavior of the King.”

Madhya 12.16
TEXT 16
TEXT
eta bali’ sabe gelä mahäprabhura sthäne
kahite unmukha sabe, nä kahe vacane

SYNONYMS
eta bali’—deciding like this; sabe—all of them; gelä—went; mahäprabhura—of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; sthäne—to the place; kahite—to speak; unmukha—ready; sabe—all; nä—do not; kahe—say; vacane—any word.
TRANSLATION
Having thus reached a decision, they all went to the place of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. There, although ready to speak, they could not even utter a word.

Madhya 12.17
TEXT 17
TEXT
prabhu kahe,—ki kahite sabära ägamana
dekhiye kahite cäha,—nä kaha, ki käraëa?

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said; ki—what; kahite—to speak; sabära—of all of you; ägamana—there is the presence here; dekhiye—I see; kahite cäha—you want to speak; nä kaha—but do not speak; ki käraëa—what is the reason.
TRANSLATION
After they arrived at Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s place, the Lord, seeing them, said, “What have you all come here to say? I see that you want to say something, but you do not speak. What is the reason?”

Madhya 12.18
TEXT 18
TEXT
nityänanda kahe,—tomäya cähi nivedite
nä kahile rahite näri, kahite bhaya citte

SYNONYMS
nityänanda kahe—Lord Nityänanda said; tomäya—unto You; cähi—we want; nivedite—to submit; nä kahile—if we do not speak; rahite näri—we cannot stay; kahite—but to speak; bhaya citte—we are very fearful.
TRANSLATION
Nityänanda Prabhu then said, “We want to tell You something. Although we cannot stay without speaking, we are still very much afraid to speak.

Madhya 12.19
TEXT 19
TEXT
yogyäyogya tomäya saba cähi nivedite
tomä nä milile räjä cähe yogé haite

SYNONYMS
yogya—befitting; ayogya—not befitting; tomäya—unto You; saba—we all; cähi—want; nivedite—to submit; tomä—You; nä milile—if he does not meet; räjä—the King; cähe—wants; yogé haite—to become a mendicant.
TRANSLATION
“We want to submit before You something that may or may not be befitting. The matter is this: unless he sees You, the King of Orissa will become a mendicant.”

Madhya 12.20
TEXT 20
TEXT
käëe mudrä la-i’ muïi ha-iba bhikhäré
räjya-bhoga nahe citte vinä gaurahari

SYNONYMS
käëe mudrä—a kind of earring; la-i’—taking; muïi—I; ha-iba—shall become; bhikhäré—a beggar; räjya-bhoga—enjoyment of the kingdom; nahe—not; citte—in the mind; vinä—without; gaurahari—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
TRANSLATION
Nityänanda Prabhu continued, “The King has decided to become a mendicant and accept the sign of a mendicant by wearing an ivory earring. He does not want to enjoy his kingdom without seeing the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.”
PURPORT
In India there is still a class of professional mendicants who are very much like the gypsies of Western countries. They know some magical art and mystical processes, and their business is to beg from door to door, sometimes pleading and sometimes threatening. Such mendicants are sometimes called yogés and sometimes käëaphäöä yogés. The word käëaphäöä refers to one who has put a hole in his ear to wear an earring made of ivory. Mahäräja Pratäparudra was so depressed by not getting to see Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu that he decided to become such a yogé. Ordinary men think that a yogé must have an ivory earring in his ear, but this is not the sign of a real yogé. Mahäräja Pratäparudra also thought that to become a mendicant yogé, one must wear such an earring.

Madhya 12.21
TEXT 21
TEXT
dekhiba se mukha-candra nayana bhariyä
dhariba se päda-padma hådaye tuliyä

SYNONYMS
dekhiba—I shall see; se—that; mukha-candra—moonlike face; nayana bhariyä—to the fulfillment of the eyes; dhariba—I shall catch; se—those; päda-padma—lotus feet; hådaye—on my heart; tuliyä—raising.
TRANSLATION
Nityänanda Prabhu continued, “The King also expressed his desire to see the moonlike face of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu to his eye’s full satisfaction. He would like to raise the lotus feet of the Lord to his heart.”

Madhya 12.22
TEXT 22
TEXT
yadyapi çuniyä prabhura komala haya mana
tathäpi bähire kahe niñöhura vacana

SYNONYMS
yadyapi—although; çuniyä—hearing; prabhura—of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; komala—softened; haya—becomes; mana—mind; tathäpi—still; bähire—externally; kahe—He says; niñöhura vacana—hard words.
TRANSLATION
Hearing all these statements, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s mind was certainly softened, but externally He wished to speak some harsh words.

Madhya 12.23
TEXT 23
TEXT
tomä-sabära icchä,—ei ämäre laïä
räjäke milaha ihaì kaöakete giyä

SYNONYMS
tomä-sabära—of all of you; icchä—the desire; ei—is; ämäre laïä—taking Me; räjäke—the King; milaha—meet; ihaì—here; kaöakete giyä—by going to Kaöaka.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, “I can understand that you all desire to take Me to Kaöaka to see the King.”
PURPORT
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is naturally the reservoir of all kindness, and as soon as He heard the statement made by the King, His heart immediately softened. Thus the Lord was ready to go see the King even at Kaöaka. He did not even consider allowing the King to come from Kaöaka to Jagannätha Puré to see Him. It is significant that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was so kind that He was ready to go see the King at Kaöaka. Apparently it was never expected that the King wanted to see the Lord at His place, but by way of being externally harsh, the Lord indicated that if all the devotees so desired, He would go to Kaöaka to see the King.

Madhya 12.24
TEXT 24
TEXT
paramärtha thäkuka—loke karibe nindana
loke rahu—dämodara karibe bhartsana

SYNONYMS
parama-artha thäkuka—what to speak of spiritual advancement; loke—people in general; karibe nindana—will blaspheme; loke rahu—what to speak of people in general; dämodara—Dämodara Paëòita; karibe—will do; bhartsana—chastisement.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu continued, “What to speak of spiritual advancement—all the people will blaspheme Me. And what to speak of all the people—Dämodara would chastise Me.

Madhya 12.25
TEXT 25
TEXT
tomä-sabära äjïäya ämi nä mili räjäre
dämodara kahe yabe, mili tabe täìre

SYNONYMS
tomä-sabära—of all of you; äjïäya—by the order; ämi—I; nä—not; mili—shall meet; räjäre—the King; dämodara—Dämodara Paëòita; kahe—says; yabe—when; mili—I shall meet; tabe—then; täìre—him.
TRANSLATION
“I shall not meet the King at the request of all the devotees, but I shall do so if Dämodara will give his permission.”
PURPORT
From the spiritual point of view, a sannyäsé is strictly forbidden to see materialistic people, especially a king who is always engaged in counting pounds, shillings and pence. Indeed, the meeting between a sannyäsé and a king is always considered abominable. A sannyäsé is always subjected to public criticism, and a small fault on his part is taken seriously by the public. People actually expect a sannyäsé to preach and not take part in any social or political matters. If a sannyäsé is subject to public criticism, his preaching will not be fruitful. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu specifically wanted to avoid such criticism so that His preaching work would not be hampered. It so happened that while the Lord was talking to His disciples at that time, the devotee Dämodara Paëòita was present. This Dämodara Paëòita was a very faithful devotee and a staunch lover of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Whenever there was anything that might touch or taint the character of the Lord, Dämodara Paëòita would immediately point it out, not even considering the exalted position of the Lord. It is sometimes said that fools rush in where angels dare not, and Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu wanted to point out Dämodara Paëòita’s foolishness in coming forward to criticize the Lord. This is why the Lord stated that if Dämodara Paëòita would give Him permission, He would go to see the King. There was deep meaning in this statement, for it is a warning that Dämodara should not dare criticize the Lord any more, for it was not befitting his position as a devotee. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was considered the guide and spiritual master of all the devotees living with Him. Dämodara Paëòita was one of them, and the Lord rendered Dämodara Paëòita a special favor by warning him to avoid criticizing Him any further. A devotee or a disciple should never attempt to criticize the Lord or His representative, the spiritual master.

Madhya 12.26
TEXT 26
TEXT
dämodara kahe,—tumi svatantra éçvara
kartavyäkartavya saba tomära gocara

SYNONYMS
dämodara kahe—Paëòita Dämodara said; tumi—You; svatantra—fully independent; éçvara—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kartavya—duty which is permissible; akartavya—duty which is not permissible; saba—all; tomära—of You; gocara—within knowledge.
TRANSLATION
Dämodara immediately replied, “My Lord, You are the fully independent Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since everything is known to You, You know what is permissible and what is not permissible.

Madhya 12.27
TEXT 27
TEXT
ämi kon kñudra-jéva, tomäke vidhi diba?
äpani milibe täìre, tähäo dekhiba

SYNONYMS
ämi kon—I am just some; kñudra-jéva—insignificant living entity; tomäke—unto You; vidhi—injunction; diba—I shall give; äpani—You; milibe—will meet; täìre—the King; tähäo dekhiba—I shall see it.
TRANSLATION
“I am merely an insignificant jéva, so what power do I have to give directions to You? By Your own personal choice You will meet with the King. I shall see it."

Madhya 12.28
TEXT 28
TEXT
räjä tomäre sneha kare, tumi—sneha-vaça
täìra snehe karäbe täìre tomära paraça

SYNONYMS
räjä—the King; tomäre—You; sneha kare—loves; tumi—You; sneha-vaça—controlled by love and affection; täìra—his; snehe—by love; karäbe—will do; täìre—unto him; tomära—Your; paraça—touching.
TRANSLATION
“The King is very much attached to You, and You are feeling affection and love toward him. Thus I can understand that by virtue of the King’s affection for You, You will touch him.

Madhya 12.29
TEXT 29
TEXT
yadyapi éçvara tumi parama svatantra
tathäpi svabhäve hao prema-paratantra

SYNONYMS
yadyapi—although; éçvara—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tumi—You; parama—supremely; svatantra—independent; tathäpi—still; svabhäve—by Your nature; hao—You become; prema-paratantra—subordinate to love.
TRANSLATION
“Although You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are completely independent, still You are dependent on the love and affection of Your devotees. That is Your nature.”

Madhya 12.30
TEXT 30
TEXT
nityänanda kahe—aiche haya kon jana
ye tomäre kahe, ‘kara räja-daraçana’

SYNONYMS
nityänanda kahe—Nityänanda Prabhu said; aiche—such; haya—there is; kon jana—any person; ye—who; tomäre—unto You; kahe—orders; kara—do; räja-daraçana—meeting the King.
TRANSLATION
Nityänanda Prabhu then said, “Who is there in the three worlds who can ask You to see the King?

Madhya 12.31
TEXT 31
TEXT
kintu anurägé lokera svabhäva eka haya
iñöa nä päile nija präëa se chäòaya

SYNONYMS
kintu—still; anurägé—affectionate; lokera—of the people; svabhäva—nature; eka—one; haya—there is; iñöa—desirable; nä päile—without getting; nija—own; präëa—life; se—he; chäòaya—gives up.
TRANSLATION
“Still, isn’t it the nature of an attached man to give up his life if he does not attain his desired object?

Madhya 12.32
TEXT 32
TEXT
yäjïika-brähmaëé saba tähäte pramäëa
kåñëa lägi’ pati-äge chäòileka präëa

SYNONYMS
yäjïika-brähmaëé—the wives of the brähmaëas who were engaged in performing great sacrifices; saba—all; tähäte—in that connection; pramäëa—evidence; kåñëa lägi’—for the matter of Kåñëa; pati-äge—in front of their husbands; chäòileka präëa—gave up their lives.
TRANSLATION
“For instance, some of the wives of the brähmaëas who were performing sacrifices gave up their lives in the presence of their husbands for the sake of Kåñëa.”
PURPORT
This refers to the day Lord Çré Kåñëa and His cowherd boys and flocks of animals were present on the pasturing grounds near Mathurä. At that time the cowherd boys, being a little hungry, requested food, and Lord Kåñëa asked them to go to the brähmaëas who were engaged nearby in performing yajïa, or sacrifice, and to get some food from that yajïa. Being so ordered by the Lord, all the cowherd boys went to the brähmaëas and asked them for food, but they were denied. After this, the cowherd boys begged food from the wives of the brähmaëas. All these wives were very much devoted to Lord Kåñëa in spontaneous love, and as soon as they heard the request of the cowherd boys and understood that Kåñëa wanted some food, they immediately left the place of sacrifice. They were very much chastised for this by their husbands, and they were ready to give up their lives. It is the nature of a pure devotee to sacrifice his life for the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

Madhya 12.33
TEXT 33
TEXT
eka yukti äche, yadi kara avadhäna
tumi nä milileha täìre, rahe täìra präëa

SYNONYMS
eka yukti—one plan; äche—there is; yadi—if; kara avadhäna—You consider it; tumi—You; nä milileha—may not meet; täìre—with him; rahe—remains; täìra—his; präëa—life.
TRANSLATION
Nityänanda Prabhu then submitted one suggestion for the Lord’s consideration. “There is a way,” He suggested, “by which You need not meet the King but which would enable the King to continue living.

Madhya 12.34
TEXT 34
TEXT
eka bahirväsa yadi deha’ kåpä kari’
tähä päïä präëa räkhe tomära äçä dhari’

SYNONYMS
eka bahirväsa—one outward covering; yadi—if; deha’—You give; kåpä kari’—by Your mercy; tähä päïä—getting that; präëa räkhe—he would live; tomära äçä dhari’—hoping to meet You some time in the future.
TRANSLATION
“If You, out of Your mercy, send one of Your outward garments to the King, the King would live hoping to see You some time in the future.”
PURPORT
Çré Nityänanda Prabhu was thus very tactfully suggesting that Caitanya Mahäprabhu give a piece of His old clothing to the King. Even though the King was not to meet the Lord, the King would then be pacified by receiving such a cloth. The King was very anxious to see the Lord, yet it was not possible for the Lord to see him. Just to resolve the situation, Nityänanda Prabhu suggested that the Lord send an old piece of clothing. Thus the King would understand that the Lord was showing mercy to him. The King would then not do anything drastic like giving up his life or becoming a mendicant.

Madhya 12.35
TEXT 35
TEXT
prabhu kahe,—tumi-saba parama vidvän
yei bhäla haya, sei kara samädhäna

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—the Lord replied; tumi-saba—all of you; parama vidvän—greatly learned personalities; yei—whatever; bhäla haya—is right; sei—that; kara samädhäna—execute.
TRANSLATION
The Lord said, “Since you are all very learned personalities, whatever you decide I shall accept.”

Madhya 12.36
TEXT 36
TEXT
tabe nityänanda-gosäïi govindera päça
mägiyä la-ila prabhura eka bahirväsa

SYNONYMS
tabe—at that time; nityänanda-gosäïi—Lord Nityänanda Prabhu; govindera päça—from Govinda, the personal servant of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; mägiyä—requesting; la-ila—took; prabhura—of the Lord; eka—one; bahirväsa—outer garment.
TRANSLATION
Lord Nityänanda Prabhu then obtained an external garment used by the Lord by requesting it from Govinda.

Madhya 12.37
TEXT 37
TEXT
sei bahirväsa särvabhauma-päça dila
särvabhauma sei vastra räjäre päöhä’la

SYNONYMS
sei—that; bahirväsa—garment; särvabhauma-päça—in the care of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya; dila—delivered; särvabhauma—Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya; sei—that; vastra—cloth; räjäre—unto the King; päöhä’la—sent.
TRANSLATION
Thus Nityänanda Prabhu delivered the old cloth to the care of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, and Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya sent it to the King.

Madhya 12.38
TEXT 38
TEXT
vastra päïä räjära haila änandita mana
prabhu-rüpa kari’ kare vastrera püjana

SYNONYMS
vastra päïä—getting that cloth; räjära—of the King; haila—there was; änandita mana—very happy mind; prabhu-rüpa kari’—accepting as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu Himself; kare—executes; vastrera—of the cloth; püjana—worship.
TRANSLATION
When the King received the old cloth, he began to worship it exactly as he would worship the Lord personally.
PURPORT
This is also the conclusion of the Vedic injunctions. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth, everything in relation to Him is also on the same platform. The King had great affection for Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and although he did not see the Lord, he had nonetheless already attained the conclusion of devotional service. Immediately upon receiving the cloth from Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya, the King began to worship it, accepting it as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. The Lord’s clothing, bedding, slippers and everything required as an ordinary necessity are all transformations of Çeña, Viñëu, the expansion of Çré Baladeva. Thus the cloth and other paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are but other forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything connected to the Lord is worshipable. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructs us that just as Kåñëa is worshipable, Kåñëa’s place, Våndävana, is also worshipable. And as Våndävana is worshipable, similarly the paraphernalia in Våndävana—the trees, roads, river, everything—is worshipable. A pure devotee thus sings, jaya jaya våndävana-väsé yata jana: “All glories to the residents of Våndävana.” If a devotee has a staunch devotional attitude, all these conclusions will be awakened or revealed within the heart.

yasya deve parä bhaktir
yathä deve tathä gurau
tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù
prakäçante mahätmanaù

“Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.” (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.23)
Thus following in the footsteps of Mahäräja Pratäparudra and other devotees, we should learn to worship everything belonging to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is referred to by Lord Çiva as tadéyänäm. In the Padma Puräëa it is said:

ärädhanänäà sarveñäà
viñëor ärädhanaà param
tasmät parataraà devi
tadéyänäà samarcanam

“O Devé, the most exalted system of worship is the worship of Lord Viñëu. Greater than that is the worship of tadéya, or anything belonging to Viñëu.” Çré Viñëu is sac-cid-änanda-vigraha. Similarly, the most confidential servant of Kåñëa, the spiritual master, and all devotees of Viñëu are tadéya. The sac-cid-änanda-vigraha, guru, Vaiñëavas, and things used by them must be considered tadéya and without a doubt worshipable by all living beings.

Madhya 12.39
TEXT 39
TEXT
rämänanda räya yabe ‘dakñiëa’ haite äilä
prabhu-saìge rahite räjäke nivedilä

SYNONYMS
rämänanda räya—Rämänanda Räya; yabe—when; dakñiëa—South India; haite—from; äilä—returned; prabhu-saìge—with Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; rahite—to stay; räjäke—unto the King; nivedilä—requested.
TRANSLATION
After returning from his service in South India, Rämänanda Räya requested the King to allow him to remain with Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Madhya 12.40
TEXT 40
TEXT
tabe räjä santoñe täìhäre äjïä dilä
äpani milana lägi’ sädhite lägilä

SYNONYMS
tabe—at that time; räjä—the King; santoñe—in great satisfaction; täìhäre—unto Rämänanda Räya; äjïä dilä—gave the order; äpani—personally; milana lägi’—to meet; sädhite lägilä—began to solicit.
TRANSLATION
When Rämänanda Räya requested the King to allow him to stay with the Lord, the King immediately gave him permission with great satisfaction. As for the King himself, he began to solicit Rämänanda Räya to make a meeting arrangement.

Madhya 12.41
TEXT 41
TEXT
mahäprabhu mahä-kåpä karena tomäre
more milibäre avaçya sädhibe täìhäre

SYNONYMS
mahäprabhu—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; mahä-kåpä—great mercy; karena—does; tomäre—unto you; more—me; milibäre—for meeting; avaçya—certainly; sädhibe—you must solicit; täìhäre—Him.
TRANSLATION
The King told Rämänanda Räya, “Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is very, very merciful to you. Therefore please solicit my meeting with Him without fail.”

Madhya 12.42
TEXT 42
TEXT
eka-saìge dui jana kñetre yabe äilä
rämänanda räya tabe prabhure mililä

SYNONYMS
eka-saìge—together; dui jana—these two persons; kñetre—at Jagannätha-kñetra (Jagannätha Puré); yabe—when; äilä—came back; rämänanda räya—Rämänanda Räya; tabe—at that time; prabhure—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; mililä—met.
TRANSLATION
The King and Rämänanda Räya returned together to Jagannätha-kñetra [Puré], and Çré Rämänanda Räya met Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Madhya 12.43
TEXT 43
TEXT
prabhu-pade prema-bhakti jänäila räjära
prasaìga päïä aiche kahe bära-bära

SYNONYMS
prabhu-pade—unto the lotus feet of the Lord; prema-bhakti—ecstatic love; jänäila—informed; räjära—of the King; prasaìga—discussion; päïä—getting; aiche—thus; kahe—says; bära-bära—again and again.
TRANSLATION
At that time, Rämänanda Räya informed Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu about the ecstatic love of the King. Indeed, as soon as there was some opportunity, he repeatedly informed the Lord about the King.

Madhya 12.44
TEXT 44
TEXT
räja-mantré rämänanda—vyavahäre nipuëa
räja-préti kahi’ draväila prabhura mana

SYNONYMS
räja-mantré—diplomatic minister; rämänanda—Çré Rämänanda Räya; vyavahäre—in general behavior; nipuëa—very expert; räja-préti—the love of the King for Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; kahi’—describing; draväila—softened; prabhura—of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; mana—the mind.
TRANSLATION
Çré Rämänanda Räya was indeed a diplomatic minister for the King. His general behavior was very expert, and simply by describing the King’s love for Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, he gradually softened the Lord’s mind.
PURPORT
A diplomat in the material world knows how to deal with people, especially in political affairs. Some of the great devotees of the Lord—like Rämänanda Räya, Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé, Sanätana Gosvämé and Rüpa Gosvämé—were government officers and had a background of very opulent householder life. Consequently they knew how to deal with people. In many instances we have seen the diplomacy of Rüpa Gosvämé, Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé and Rämänanda Räya employed in the service of the Lord. When Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé’s father and uncle were to be arrested by government officials, Raghunätha däsa Gosvämé hid them and personally met the government officers and settled the affair diplomatically. This is but one instance. Similarly, Sanätana Gosvämé, after resigning his ministership, was thrown in jail, and he bribed the attendant of the jail so he could leave the clutches of the Nawab and live with Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Now we see Rämänanda Räya, a most confidential devotee of the Lord, diplomatically soften the heart of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, despite the fact that the Lord definitely decided not to meet the King. The diplomacy of Rämänanda Räya and entreaties of Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya and all the other great devotees succeeded. The conclusion is that diplomacy used for the service of the Lord is a form of devotional service.

Madhya 12.45
TEXT 45
TEXT
utkaëöhäte pratäparudra näre rahibäre
rämänanda sädhilena prabhure milibäre

SYNONYMS
utkaëöhäte—in great anxiety; pratäparudra—King Pratäparudra; näre rahibäre—could not stay; rämänanda—Çré Rämänanda Räya; sädhilena—solicited; prabhure—unto Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; milibäre—to meet.
TRANSLATION
Mahäräja Pratäparudra, in great anxiety, could not endure not seeing the Lord; therefore Çré Rämänanda Räya, by his diplomacy, arranged a meeting with the Lord for the King.

Madhya 12.46
TEXT 46
TEXT
rämänanda prabhu-päya kaila nivedana
eka-bära pratäparudre dekhäha caraëa

SYNONYMS
rämänanda—Rämänanda; prabhu-päya—at the lotus feet of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; kaila—did; nivedana—submission; eka-bära—once only; pratäparudre—unto Mahäräja Pratäparudra; dekhäha—show; caraëa—Your lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Çré Rämänanda Räya frankly requested Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, “Please show Your lotus feet to the King at least once.”

Madhya 12.47
TEXT 47
TEXT
prabhu kahe,—rämänanda, kaha vicäriyä
räjäke milite yuyäya sannyäsé haïä?

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said; rämänanda—My dear Rämänanda; kaha—please ask Me; vicäriyä—after due consideration; räjäke—the King; milite—to meet; yuyäya—is it befitting; sannyäsé—in the renounced order of life; haïä—being.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied, “My dear Rämänanda, you should make this request after duly considering whether it is befitting for a sannyäsé to meet a king.

Madhya 12.48
TEXT 48
TEXT
räjära milane bhikñukera dui loka näça
paraloka rahu, loke kare upahäsa

SYNONYMS
räjära milane—by meeting with a king; bhikñukera—of the mendicant; dui loka—in two worlds; näça—destruction; para-loka—spiritual world; rahu—let alone; loke—in this material world; kare—do; upahäsa—joking.
TRANSLATION
“If a mendicant meets a king, this world and the next world are both destroyed for the mendicant. Indeed, what is there to say of the next world? In this world, people will joke if a sannyäsé meets a king.”

Madhya 12.49
TEXT 49
TEXT
rämänanda kahe,—tumi éçvara svatantra
käre tomära bhaya, tumi naha paratantra

SYNONYMS
rämänanda kahe—Rämänanda said; tumi—You; éçvara—the Supreme Lord; svatantra—independent; käre tomära bhaya—why should You be afraid of anyone; tumi naha—You are not; para-tantra—dependent.
TRANSLATION
Rämänanda Räya replied, “My Lord, You are the supreme independent personality. You have nothing to fear from anyone because You are not dependent on anyone.”

Madhya 12.50
TEXT 50
TEXT
prabhu kahe,—ämi manuñya äçrame sannyäsé
käya-mano-väkye vyavahäre bhaya väsi

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—the Lord said; ämi manuñya—I am a human being; äçrame—in the social order; sannyäsé—a renounced person; käya-manaù-väkye—with My body, mind and words; vyavahäre—in general dealings; bhaya—fear; väsi—I do.
TRANSLATION
When Rämänanda Räya addressed Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Caitanya Mahäprabhu objected, saying, “I am not the Supreme Personality of Godhead but an ordinary human being. Therefore I must fear public opinion in three ways—with My body, mind and words.

Madhya 12.51
TEXT 51
TEXT
çukla-vastre masi-bindu yaiche nä lukäya
sannyäséra alpa chidra sarva-loke gäya

SYNONYMS
çukla-vastre—on white cloth; masi-bindu—a spot of ink; yaiche—as much as; nä—does not; lukäya—become hidden; sannyäséra—of a sannyäsé; alpa—a very little; chidra—fault; sarva-loke—the general public; gäya—advertise.
TRANSLATION
“As soon as the general public finds a little fault in the behavior of a sannyäsé, they advertise it like wildfire. A black spot of ink cannot be hidden on a white cloth. It is always very prominent.”

Madhya 12.52
TEXT 52
TEXT
räya kahe,—kata päpéra kariyächa avyähati
éçvara-sevaka tomära bhakta gajapati

SYNONYMS
räya kahe—Rämänanda Räya replied; kata päpéra—of numberless sinful persons; kariyächa—You have done; avyähati—deliverance; éçvara-sevaka—a servitor of the Lord; tomära—Your; bhakta—devotee; gajapati—the King.
TRANSLATION
Rämänanda Räya replied, “My dear Lord, You have delivered so many sinful people. This King Pratäparudra, the King of Orissa, is actually a servitor of the Lord and Your devotee.”

Madhya 12.53
TEXT 53
TEXT
prabhu kahe,—pürëa yaiche dugdhera kalasa
surä-bindu-päte keha nä kare paraça

SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—the Lord replied; pürëa—completely filled; yaiche—just as; dugdhera—of milk; kalasa—container; surä-bindu-päte—with simply a drop of liquor; keha—anyone; nä kare—does not; paraça—touch.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu then said, “There may be much milk in a big pot, but if it is contaminated by a drop of liquor, it is untouchable.
 

Madhya 12.54
TEXT 54
TEXT
yadyapi pratäparudra—sarva-guëavän
täìhäre malina kaila eka ‘räjä’-näma

SYNONYMS
yadyapi—although; pratäparudra—the King; sarva-guëa-vän—qualified in every respect; täìhäre—unto him; malina kaila—makes impure; eka—one; raja-näma—the name ‘‘king.’’
TRANSLATION
“The King certainly possesses all good qualities, but simply by taking up the name ‘king,’ he has infected everything.

Madhya 12.55
TEXT 55
TEXT
tathäpi tomära yadi mahägraha haya
tabe äni’ miläha tumi täìhära tanaya

SYNONYMS
tathäpi—still; tomära—your; yadi—if; mahä-ägraha—great eagerness; haya—there is; tabe—then; äni’—bringing; miläha—cause to meet; tumi—you; täìhära—his; tanaya—son.
TRANSLATION
“But if you are still very eager for the King to meet with Me, please first bring his son to meet Me.

Madhya 12.56
TEXT 56
TEXT
‘‘ätmä vai jäyate putraù’’—ei çästra-väëé
putrera milane yena milibe äpani

SYNONYMS
ätmä vai jäyate putraù—his self appears as the son; ei—this; çästra-väëé—the indication of revealed scriptures; putrera milane—by meeting the son; yena—as if; milibe—he will meet; äpani—personally.
TRANSLATION
“It is indicated in the revealed scriptures that the son represents the father; therefore the son’s meeting with Me would be just as good as the King’s meeting with Me.”
PURPORT
In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.78.36) it is said: ätmä vai putra utpanna iti vedänuçäsanam. The Vedas enjoin that one is born as his own son. The son is nondifferent from the father, and this is admitted in every revealed scripture. In Christian theology it is believed that Christ, the son of God, is also God. Both of them are identical.

Madhya 12.57
TEXT 57
TEXT
tabe räya yäi’ saba räjäre kahilä
prabhura äjïäya täìra putra laïä äilä

SYNONYMS
tabe—thereafter; räya—Rämänanda Räya; yäi’—going; saba—everything; räjäre—unto the King; kahilä—described; prabhura äjïäya—under the order of the Lord; täìra putra—his son; laïä äilä—he brought with him.
TRANSLATION
Rämänanda Räya then went to inform the King about his talks with Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and, following the Lord’s orders, brought the King’s son to see Him.

Madhya 12.58
TEXT 58
TEXT
sundara, räjära putra—çyämala-varaëa
kiçora vayasa, dérgha kamala-nayana

SYNONYMS
sundara—beautiful; räjära putra—the son of the King; çyämala-varaëa—blackish complexion; kiçora vayasa—the age just before youth; dérgha—long; kamala-nayana—lotus eyes.
TRANSLATION
The prince, just entering upon his youth, was very beautiful. He was blackish in complexion and had large lotus eyes.

Madhya 12.59
TEXT 59
TEXT
pétämbara, dhare aìge ratna-äbharaëa
çré-kåñëa-smaraëe teìha hailä ‘uddépana’

SYNONYMS
péta-ambara—dressed in yellow cloth; dhare—carries; aìge—on the body; ratna-äbharaëa—ornaments of jewels; çré-kåñëa-smaraëe—for remembering Çré Kåñëa; teìha—he; hailä—was; uddépana—stimulation.
TRANSLATION
The prince was dressed in yellow cloth, and there were jeweled ornaments decorating his body. Therefore anyone who saw him would remember Lord Kåñëa.

Madhya 12.60
TEXT 60
TEXT
täìre dekhi, mahäprabhura kåñëa-småti haila
premäveçe täìre mili’ kahite lägila

SYNONYMS
täìre dekhi—seeing him; mahäprabhura—of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; kåñëa-småti—remembrance of Kåñëa; haila—there was; prema-äveçe—in ecstatic love; täìre—him; mili’—meeting; kahite lägila—began to say.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the boy, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu immediately remembered Kåñëa. Meeting the boy in ecstatic love, the Lord began to speak.

Madhya 12.61
TEXT 61
TEXT
ei—mahä-bhägavata, yäìhära darçane
vrajendra-nandana-småti haya sarva-jane

SYNONYMS
ei—here is; mahä-bhägavata—a first-class devotee; yäìhära darçane—by the sight of whom; vrajendra-nandana—of the son of the King of Vraja; småti—remembrance; haya—becomes; sarva-jane—for everyone.
TRANSLATION
“Here is a great devotee,” Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu said. “Upon seeing him, everyone can remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, son of Mahäräja Nanda.”
PURPORT
On his Anubhäñya, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura states that a materialist mistakenly accepts the body and mind as the source of material enjoyment. In other words, a materialist accepts the bodily conception of life. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu did not regard the son of Mahäräja Pratäparudra with the idea that he was a materialist, being the son of a materialist. Nor did He consider Himself the enjoyer. Mäyävädé philosophers make a great mistake by assuming that the sac-cid-änanda-vigraha, the transcendental form of the Lord, is like a material body. However, there is no material contamination in transcendence, nor is there any possibility of imagining a spirituality in matter. One cannot accept matter as spirit. As indicated by the technical words bhauma ijya-dhéù (Bhäg. 10.84.13), materialistic Mäyävädés imagine the form of God in matter, although according to their imagination, God is unlimitedly formless. This is simply mental speculation. Even though Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He placed Himself in the position of a gopé. He also accepted the King’s son directly as the son of Mahäräja Nanda, Vrajendra-nandana Hari. This is perfect vision according to the direction of the Vedic culture, as confirmed in Çrémad Bhagavad-gétä (paëòitäù sama-darçinaù). Such acceptance of the Absolute Truth according to Vaiñëava philosophy is explained in both the Muëòaka Upaniñad (3.2.3) and the Kaöha Upaniñad (1.2.23) in the following words:

näyam ätmä pravacanena labhyo
na medhayä na bahunä çrutena
yam evaiña våëute tena labhyas
tasyaiña ätmä vivåëute tanüà sväm

“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, nor even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person He manifests His own form.”
The living entity is entangled in material existence due to his lack of such spiritual vision. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has sung in his Kalyäëa-kalpataru: saàsäre äsiyä prakåti bhajiyä ‘puruña’ abhimäne mari. When the living entity comes to the material world, he thinks himself the enjoyer. Thus he becomes more and more entangled.

Madhya 12.62
TEXT 62
TEXT
kåtärtha ha-iläìa ämi iìhära daraçane
eta bali’ punaù täre kaila äliìgane

SYNONYMS
kåta-artha ha-iläìa—have become very much obligated; ämi—I; iìhära—of this boy; daraçane—by seeing; eta bali’—saying this; punaù—again; täre—him; kaila—did; äliìgane—embrace.
TRANSLATION
Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu continued, “I have become very much obligated just by seeing this boy.” After saying this, the Lord again embraced the prince.

Madhya 12.63
TEXT 63
TEXT
prabhu-sparçe räja-putrera haila premäveça
sveda, kampa, açru, stambha, pulaka viçeña
SYNONYMS

prabhu-sparçe—because of being touched by the Lord; räja-putrera—of the King’s son; haila—there was; prema-äveça—ecstatic love; sveda—perspiration; kampa—trembling; açru—tears; stambha—being stunned; pulaka—jubilation; viçeña—specifically.
TRANSLATION
As soon as the prince was touched by Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, symptoms of ecstatic love immediately manifested themselves in his body. These symptoms included perspiration, trembling, tears, being stunned and jubilation.

Madhya 12.64
TEXT 64
TEXT
‘kåñëa’ ‘kåñëa’ kahe, näce, karaye rodana
täìra bhägya dekhi’ çläghä kare bhakta-gaëa

SYNONYMS
kåñëa kåñëa—O Kåñëa, O Kåñëa; kahe—chants; näce—dances; karaye—does; rodana—crying; täìra—his; bhägya—fortune; dekhi’—seeing; çläghä—praise; kare—do; bhakta-gaëa—all the devotees.
TRANSLATION
The boy began to cry and dance, and he chanted, “Kåñëa! Kåñëa!” Upon seeing his bodily symptoms and his chanting and dancing, all the devotees praised him for his great spiritual fortune.

Madhya 12.65
TEXT 65
TEXT
tabe mahäprabhu täìre dhairya karäila
nitya äsi’ ämäya miliha—ei äjïä dila

SYNONYMS
tabe—at that time; mahäprabhu—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; täìre—the boy; dhairya—patient; karäila—caused to be; nitya—daily; äsi’—coming; ämäya—Me; miliha—meet; ei äjïä—this order; dila—gave.
TRANSLATION
At that time, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu calmed the youth and ordered him to come there daily to meet Him.

Madhya 12.66
TEXT 66
TEXT
vidäya haïä räya äila räja-putre laïä
räjä sukha päila putrera ceñöä dekhiyä

SYNONYMS
vidäya haïä—taking leave; räya—Rämänanda Räya; äila—came back; räja-putre laïä—taking the King’s son; räjä—the King; sukha päila—felt great happiness; putrera—of his son; ceñöä—activities; dekhiyä—seeing.
TRANSLATION
Rämänanda Räya and the boy then departed from Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and Rämänanda took him back to the King’s palace. The King was very happy when he heard of his son’s activities.

Madhya 12.67
TEXT 67
TEXT
putre äliìgana kari’ premäviñöa hailä
säkñät paraça yena mahäprabhura päilä

SYNONYMS
putre—his son; äliìgana—embracing; kari’—doing; prema-äviñöa hailä—he became ecstatic; säkñät—directly; paraça—touch; yena—as if; mahäprabhura—of Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; päilä—he got.
TRANSLATION
Just by embracing his son, the King was filled with ecstatic love, just as if he had touched Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu directly.

Madhya 12.68
TEXT 68
TEXT
sei haite bhägyavän räjära nandana
prabhu-bhakta-gaëa-madhye hailä eka-jana

SYNONYMS
sei haite—from that day; bhägyavän—the most fortunate; räjära nandana—the son of the King; prabhu-bhakta-gaëa-madhye—among the intimate devotees of the Lord; hailä—became; eka-jana—one of them.
TRANSLATION
From then on, the fortunate prince was one of the most intimate devotees of the Lord.

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The Rath-Yatra of Lord Jaggan-Nathji in Puri.

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Today in Puri He, the Lord of the Universe travels in some style from his temple in Puri, to his garden temple, located outside the town centre called Gundicha. Thousands of Hindus flock to see, and to pull the grand chariots from one temple to the other. The English word "Jagannaut" comes from the giant chariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the size of the chariots, they coined a word for it!

In Puri, Lord Jagannath is worshipped with his elder brother Bala-Rama and his sister Subhadra. Each sibling has his / her own chariot and goes to the summer residence with great pomp. Each of the chariots is covered in distinctly coloured cloth. Various symbols and signs help pilgrims distinguish between the three gods. As a mark of respect, and humbleness, the king of Puri sweeps the chariots of the Gods of Puri. Festival begins with a huge fanfare of conches, trumpets, drums and cymbals. Accompanied by music and dancers, the divine travellers begin their journey to the garden temple.

In order to accommodate the three chariots, the street leading from the main temple to the garden temple is very wide. Temples, ashrams, hotels, inns, shops and mansions of the old aristocracy line the route. All buildings are colourfully decorated with flags, buntings and awnings of bright colours. Ladies in colourful saries crowd the balconies, doors and windows decked with flowers. Men and women rush to pull the chariots along this main street of Puri. This is an exciting time in Puri. The Lord who is rarely glimpsed outside his inner sanctum, is now easily accessible to everyone in the streets of Puri !

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, away from the innumerable temple servants, away from their spouses, the siblings enjoy their "Vrindavan-like" garden retreat. The temple routine in the garden temple is very much relaxed compared to the main temple. Various festivities and fun are planned for their short stay in this leafy abode. ( Depending on the lunar cycle, this festival can last anywhere from 1 - 2 weeks. )

As the Lord has only taken his brother and his sister on this holiday, the wives are left at home! Alone and brooding, Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth), seeks help from Goddess Vimala to get their husband back. Travelling by night, in a closed palanquin, she arrives at the garden temple of the Lord. She enchants the Lord and entreats him to return.

The Jagannath Puri temple

A few days later, Lord returns to his city temple. Though delighted, goddess Lakshmi orders the temple doors to be shut in His face - in the vain hope of teaching Him a lesson! In the conversation that follows, female attendants (dev-dasi) of the Goddess blame the Lord of being inconsiderate, "Jack the Lad", taking His wife for granted and being far too easily led by the in-laws (sounds familiar?).

The mood of the sevaks in Puri is that Jagannath is their friend as opposed to Him being their Master, as in other lilas. In many cases the residents of Purushottam Sri Kshetra make many comparission with their own lives in dealing with Jagannath. These intimacies reflect the overall mood, and carry the tradition of heritage of Jagannath's original coming to Puri many thousands of years before and the wonderful pastimes of the saintly Indradyumna maharaj vision of the Lord, Visvavasu the Sabara's attachment to the Lord as Nila Madhav, and finally the mystical appearance of the Dharu-Brahma from which the first Deities were carved by the architect of the devas Vishvakarma, the mystical carrying of the log by the descendant of Visvavasu (Virabhadra) that many elephants and men could not budge. Such wonderful depictive pastimes make one's hair stand in horipulations at their recitation.

Today in Puri Lord's servants explain that He really had no choice, as they bring Him back that He went against His will, He still loves Her deeply and respects Her enormously!! Eventually, the Lord offers the female gate-keepers bribess and enters the inner sanctum to pacify the Goddess Lakshmi. Such are the dramas of a married man's life! The next day, Lord and the Goddess once again appear in the public, reconciled and as loving as ever. Lord's summer vacation is over, and life in the great temple returns to its age old routine.

Of all the festivals, the Ratha Yatra of Jagannatha is the most famous. This takes place on the second day of the waxing phase of the moon of the asadha month. Jagannatha ordered King Indradyumna to take him to his birth place, the Gundica Mandira (symbolically Vrindavana), on this day.

Jagannatha's ratha is marked with a cakra and garuda, is yellow in color, with four white horses. The protecting deity is Nrsimha.

Baladeva's cart is blue, with a palm tree insignia, and four black horses. The protecting deity is Sesa.

Subhadra's cart is black, with lotus insignia, protected by Vanadurga.

Sudarsana is carried out first and placed on Subhadra's cart. In succession Subhadra, Baladeva, and Jagannatha are moved to their carts using silk ropes. After being situated on their carts they are decorated and worshipped. Midway on the journey, the carts stop, the deities are bathed in pancamrta and cool water, and naivedyam and aratrika are offered. On arrival at the Gundica Mandira, aratrika is offered, and then the deities enter the temple for rest.

On the fifth day of the lunar month, called Hera (looking for) Pancami, Laksmi comes looking for Jagannatha with Siva and her maid servants. When the servants of Jagannatha see her at the first gate of the Gundica Mandira, they close the door of Jagannatha's bhoga mandira so that she cannot see him. She becomes angry and breaks a piece of Jagannatha's ratha. After taking a meal she returns to the main temple.

On the ninth day of the moon, the return Ratha Yatra takes place, and Laksmi and her servants come to meet Jagannatha. Jagannatha gives her his garland to appease her.

Several days later on dvadasi, Laksmi closes the temple doors in anger and her servants quarrel with Jagannatha's servants. After Jagannatha concedes defeat, the doors are opened again.

Such is the reverance, the fun, the mysticism, and overall bliss of Rathyatra in Jagannath Puri.