Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata - Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura
Chapter Twelve: The Lord’s Wandering Throughout Navadvīpa
Commentary by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
This chapter mainly describes Śrī Gaurāṅga’s wandering the streets of Navadvīpa, His discussing scriptures on the bank of the Ganges, and His manifestation of various opulences.
Among the best of teachers, learned scholars, and Bhaṭṭācāryas of Navadvīpa, none could stand before or defeat Nimāi in debate. In the company of His disciples, Nimāi wandered the streets of Navadvīpa like an independent Lord. One day by providence Nimāi met Mukunda on the path and asked him why he stayed away from Him, and then Nimāi also told Mukunda that if he could not answer His question He would not leave him alone. Knowing that Nimāi had knowledge of only grammar, Mukunda resolved to silence Him by asking Him questions on alaṅkāra. Nimāi, however, pointed out various ālaṅkāric faults while totally breaking Mukunda’s poetic talent to pieces. Seeing Nimāi’s unlimited knowledge, Mukunda was astonished and resolved, “If such an intelligent person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I would never leave His association.” On another day, when Nimāi met Gadādhara Paṇḍita, He asked him the symptoms of liberation. When Gadādhara told the Lord the symptoms of liberation according to the conclusions of the nyāya-śāstras, the Lord pointed out various faults. When Gadādhara Paṇḍita said, “Mitigation of excessive misery is the symptom of liberation,” Mahāprabhu, the master of Sarasvatī, refuted it. Every afternoon Nimāi discussed the śāstras with students on the bank of the Ganges.
Although the Vaiṣṇavas were greatly pleased to hear the Lord’s wonderful explanations of the scriptures, they thought that if such a learned person as Nimāi became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then everything would be successful. The devotees prayed in this way: “Let Nimāi have attachment for Kṛṣṇa.” Out of love, some blessed Him, saying, “Let Nimāi attain devotion to Kṛṣṇa.” Whenever Nimāi saw the devotees headed by Śrīvāsa, He manifested the pastime of offering obeisances, thus demonstrating by His own behaviour that devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is awakened only by the blessings of devotees. According to their respective mentality and qualification, various people saw the Lord in various ways. Even the Yavanas were attracted to the Lord when they saw Him. Nimāi taught His students grammar in the Caṇḍī-maṇḍapa hall within the courtyard of the fortunate Mukunda Sañjaya of Navadvīpa.
One day the Lord manifested transformations of ecstatic love on the pretext of a disorder of winds. Being illusioned by Yogamāyā, the Lord’s friends and relatives, who have natural affection for Him, applied various medicinal oils on the Lord’s head. Sometimes the Lord, who always enjoys pastimes, proudly and loudly disclosed the truth about Himself. When by His own sweet will the Lord manifested a return to His normal state, everyone there happily chanted the names of Hari. At that time the residents of Nadia, whose only life and soul was Śrī Gaura, joyfully distributed clothes and other items to the poor and distressed.
After sporting in the waters of the Ganges with His students at noontime, the Lord would return home, worship Lord Kṛṣṇa, offer water to tulasī, circumambulate her, and then accept foodstuffs given by Lakṣmīpriyā. After glancing towards yoga-nidrā for some time, He would again leave for teaching. On His way, He would talk and joke with the residents of Navadvīpa.
One day, on reaching the house of a weaver, Nimāi asked for some cloth and accepted what was given without payment. Another day Nimāi went to the house of some cowherd men and asked for some yogurt and milk. Addressing the Lord as māmā, or uncle, the cowherd men joked with Him in various ways and gave Him plenty of yogurt and milk free of charge. The Lord also revealed the truth about His own identity on the pretext of joking with them. One day the Lord accepted various divine perfumes from the perfume merchant, one day He accepted a garland of various flowers from the florist, and one day He accepted betel nuts and similar spices from the pan merchant; in this way the Lord pleased them by accepting their free gifts. Being overwhelmed on seeing the matchless beauty of the Lord, everyone offered Him various free items. On another day when He arrived at the house of a conch merchant, the conch merchant gave Gaura-Nārāyaṇa a conch and offered his obeisances. He did not ask any payment in exchange.
One day the Lord went to the house of an astrologer and asked about the details of His previous birth. As soon as the astrologer began to chant the Gopāla mantra in order to calculate the Lord’s horoscope, he immediately saw various pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and wonderful forms of the Lord in his meditation. While seeing those wonderful forms, the astrologer opened his eyes and saw Gaurahari before him and then again entered into his meditation; but by the influence of the Lord’s internal potency, he could not recognize the Lord. Struck with wonder, he thought, “Perhaps a demigod or someone expert in mantras has come here in the guise of a brāhmaṇa to test me.”
One day the Lord went to the house of Śrīdhara and asked him, “Though you are serving the husband of Lakṣmī, why are you bereft of food and clothes? And why is your house old and broken? Why are ordinary people who worship Durgā and Viṣahari so materially prosperous?” In reply, Śrīdhara said, “A king living in a palace and eating palatable foodstuffs and a bird living in its nest in a tree and eating whatever it finds in various places both pass their time in the same way. There is no difference in their enjoyment of happiness, because everyone enjoys their respective fruits of karma.” In this way, on the pretext of joking, the Lord disclosed the glories of a devotee and daily obtained banana shoots, bananas, and banana flowers free of charge from Śrīdhara. The Lord revealed the truth of His own identity while disclosing the glories of Śrīdhara. He indicated that He belonged to a family of cowherds and that He was the controller of the Ganges and other energies. Then, as the Lord returned home from the house of Śrīdhara, His students also returned to their homes after the completion of their studies.
One day when the Lord saw the full moon in the sky, He became absorbed in the mood of Śrī Vṛndāvana-candra, and in that mood He began to play wonderfully on a flute. No one other than Śacīdevī could hear the sound of that flute. After hearing that sweet sound, Śacīdevī came out of the room and saw Nimāi sitting at the door of the Viṣṇu temple. As Śacīdevī approached she could no longer hear the sound of the flute but she saw the moon directly manifest on her son’s chest. In this way Śacīdevī regularly saw unlimited opulences of Lord Gaura.
One day when Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita met the Lord on the pathway, he asked Him, “Nimāi, why are You wasting time by not engaging Your mind in the worship of Kṛṣṇa? What will You gain by studying and teaching day and night? People study only for the purpose of understanding devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. If that is not achieved, then what is the benefit of such useless education? Therefore, do not waste any more time. You have studied enough. Now, without wasting another moment, begin worshiping Kṛṣṇa.” Hearing these words from the mouth of His devotee, the Lord said, “O Paṇḍita! You are a devotee; by your mercy, I will certainly be able to worship Kṛṣṇa.”
In conclusion, since the author, who is the king of devotees, did not take birth during the Lord’s scholastic pastimes, he humbly laments that though he was bereft of experiencing this happiness, he nevertheless begs for the mercy of Gaurasundara and prays that remembrance of the transcendental pastimes of Gaura be ever illuminated in his heart in every birth. Wherever Śrī Gaurasundara and Nityānanda enact Their pastimes with Their associates, the author’s only prayer is to remain with Them as Their servant.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.1
jaya jaya mahāprabhu śrī-gaurasundara
jaya hauka prabhura yateka anucara
TRANSLATION
All glories to Mahāprabhu Śrī Gaurasundara! All glories to the followers of the Lord!
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.2
hena mate navadvīpe śrī-gaurasundara
pustaka laiyā krīḍā kare nirantara
TRANSLATION
In this way Śrī Gaurasundara, with book in hand, always enjoyed pastimes in Navadvīpa.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.3
yata adhyāpaka, prabhu cālena sabāre
prabodhite śakti kona jana nāhi dhare
TRANSLATION
He challenged any teacher He would meet, but none of them had the power to defeat Him.
COMMENTARY
Śrī Gaurasundara defeated in scriptural debate all the teachers of Navadvīpa, which was the center of education. None of the teachers could compete with Him or satisfy Him with answers to His challenges.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.4
vyākaraṇa-śāstre sabe vidyāra ādāna
bhaṭṭācārya-prati o nāhika tṛṇa-jñāna
TRANSLATION
Although He was simply a student of grammar, He nevertheless considered the learned Bhaṭṭācāryas to be as insignificant as grass.
COMMENTARY
Learned scholars who are expert in philosophical literatures are known as Bhaṭṭācāryas. Although the Lord was studying and teaching only grammar, He nevertheless did not consider such great scholars as equal to even grass.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.5
svānubhavānande kare’ nagara-bhramaṇa
saṁhati parama-bhāgyavanta śiṣya-gaṇa
TRANSLATION
The self-satisfied Lord travelled throughout Navadvīpa along with His most fortunate students.
COMMENTARY
No one was able to contradict the Lord’s realized knowledge. The Lord wandered the streets of Navadvīpa by His own sweet will. At that time the most fortunate subordinate students kept company with the Lord.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.6
daive pathe mukundera saṅge daraśana
haste dhari’ prabhu tā’ne bolena vacana
TRANSLATION
One day by providence the Lord met Mukunda on the road. The Lord held Mukunda’s hand and spoke to him.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.7
“āmāre dekhiyā tumi ki-kārye pālāo?
āji āmā’ prabodhiyā vinā dekhi yāo?”
TRANSLATION
“Why do you run away as soon as you see Me?
Let me see how you run away today without answering Me.”
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.8
mane bhāve mukunda,—“āji jinimu kemane?
ihāna abhyāsa saba mātra vyākaraṇe
TRANSLATION
Mukunda thought, “How will I defeat Him today?
He is well versed only in grammar.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.9
ṭhekāimu āji jijñāsiyā ‘alaṅkāra!
mora sane yena garva nā karena āra!”
TRANSLATION
“I’ll defeat Him with questions on alaṅkāra. Then He may not again display His pride before me.”
COMMENTARY
As soon as Mukunda was caught on the road by the Lord, he thought that Nimāi always insulted him, thinking him as ignorant of grammar. Therefore, considering Nimāi as inexperienced in alaṅkāra-śāstras, he thought that he would raise questions or problems in alaṅkāra and completely defeat Nimāi. In other words, if Nimāi’s lack of knowledge in alaṅkāra-śāstra were revealed, He would never again brag or exhibit pride over His learning before Mukunda.
The word ṭhekāimu (ṭhakāimu?—“I will cheat”) means “to put someone in danger or illusion,” “to confuse,” “to embarrass,” “to put obstacles or check one’s movement,” “to defeat,” or in other words “to overpower.”
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.10
lāgila jijñāsā mukundera prabhu-sane
prabhu khaṇḍe’ yata artha mukunda vākhāne
TRANSLATION
Thereafter Mukunda began to ask the Lord questions. Whatever Mukunda established, the Lord would refute.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.11
mukunda bolena,—“vyākaraṇa śiśu-śāstra
bālake se ihāra vicāra kare mātra
TRANSLATION
Mukunda said, “Grammar is studied only by children.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.12
alaṅkāra vicāra kariba tomā’ sane”
prabhu kahe,—“bujha tora yebā laya mane”
TRANSLATION
“Today we should discuss alaṅkāra.” The Lord replied, “As you desire.”
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.13
viṣama-viṣama yata kavitva-pracāra
paḍiyā mukunda jijñāsaye ‘alaṅkāra’
TRANSLATION
Mukunda then read some of the most difficult yet well-known verses and asked the Lord to point out any faults.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.14
sarva-śakti-maya gauracandra avatāra
khaṇḍa khaṇḍa kari’ doṣe saba ‘alaṅkāra’
TRANSLATION
The omnipotent Lord Gauracandra then pointed out various faults in the verses.
COMMENTARY
Since Śrī Gaurasundara is the omnipotent Supreme Personality of Godhead and the source of all incarnations, His knowledge in all scriptures is matchless. Therefore the Lord pointed out various ornamental faults in Mukunda’s questions.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.15
mukunda sthāpite nāre prabhura khaṇḍana!
hāsiyā hāsiyā prabhu bolena vacana
TRANSLATION
Mukunda was unable to re-establish what the Lord had refuted. The Lord then smiled and said to him.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.16
“āji ghare giyā bhāla-mate puṅthi cāha
kāli bujhibāṅa jhāṭa āsibāre cāha”
TRANSLATION
“Go home for today and study your books carefully. Come early tomorrow and we’ll discuss further.”
COMMENTARY
The word bujhibāṅa means “I will test you by analysis.”
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.17
calilā mukunda lai’ caraṇera dhūli
mane mane cintaye mukunda kutūhalī
TRANSLATION
After Mukunda took the dust from Nimāi’s feet and departed, he thought.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.18
“manuṣyera e-mata pāṇḍitya āche kothā!
hena śāstra nāhika, abhyāsa nāhi yathā!
TRANSLATION
“An ordinary human being cannot possess such knowledge! There is no literature that He is not conversant with!
COMMENTARY
The Lord was learned in all scriptures; there was no scripture that the Lord had not already mastered. In fact, unlimited expertise in all scriptures was present in Him.
CB Ādi-khaṇḍa 12.19
e-mata subuddhi kṛṣṇa-bhakta haya yabe
tileko ihāna saṅga nā chāḍiye tabe”
TRANSLATION
“If such an intelligent person was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then I would not leave His association for even a moment.”
COMMENTARY
Mukunda began to think about the Lord as follows: “If such an extraordinary knowledgeable and intelligent person engaged His mind in worshiping Kṛṣṇa, then I would not leave His association and go elsewhere for even a moment.” Knowledge elevates a person to the highest position in this world or makes one extraordinarily respectable, but if along with such knowledge, devotion to the Lord manifests in a great personality, then it is like gold mixed with borax. Less-intelligent devotees should always hear the scriptures from learned devotees. By hearing scriptures in this way, one’s devotional service will be refined. If a living entity considers devotional scriptures or spiritual knowledge as equal to ordinary mundane knowledge, which aims at material enjoyment, then his devotional service is not enhanced. Hearing topics of the Lord from pure devotees is the only support in the less-intelligent devotees’ worship of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise their propensity for worshiping the Lord diminishes day by day, and, being attacked by the mundane beliefs of the sahajiyās, they fall from the worship of the Lord.
Generally, prākṛta-sahajiyās are very foolish. Proudly considering themselves expert in bhajana, they become confused by opposing the scriptures and stray far away from the mahājanas’ all-auspicious statements like sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, hṛdaye kariyā aikya—“One must consider the instructions of the sadhu, the revealed scriptures, and the spiritual master in order to understand the real purpose of spiritual life.”
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