Chaitanya's Life And Teachings: From his contemporary Begali biography the Chaitanya-charit-amritaKṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmi
Religion
Chaitanya's Life And Teachings: From his contemporary Begali biography the Chaitanya-charit-amrita
Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmi
Chaitanya, 1486-1534; Hinduism
The Master said, "True are the words of this Brahman, who chose the
service of Mukunda as his life's task. The highest robe [in which a man
can clothe himself] is devotion to the Supreme Soul, the service of
Mukunda which brings salvation. That robe he put on. Now shall I go to
Brindában and serve Krishna in solitude."
So saying the Master moved day and night, the picture of religious
ecstasy, heedless which way He walked. Nityánanda, Acharya Ratna, and
Mukunda, all three followed Him. All who saw Him, cried "Hari! Hari!" in
devotion, and forgot sorrow and loss. The cow-boys shouted Hari's name,
at the sight of the Master, who stroked their heads saying, "Go on with
your chant," and thanked them saying, "Blessed are ye! ye have
gratified me by pouring Hari's name into my ears!" Nityánanda took the
boys apart and thus tutored them, "When the Master asks you about the
road to Brindában, show Him the path leading to the Ganges." This they
did and He took that path. Nityánanda spoke to Acharya Ratna, "Hasten to
Adwaita and tell him that I shall lead the Master to his house. He
should keep a boat ready at the riverside. Thence go to Navadwip and
fetch Shachi and all the disciples."
Sending him off, Nityánanda came before the Master and showed himself.
"Whither are you going, Shripád?" the Master asked. "With thee to
Brindában" was the reply. "How far is Brindában?" "Behold, yonder is the
Jamuna!" So saying Nityánanda led the Master to the Ganges. This river
He mistook for the Jamuna. He thanked His stars that He had beheld the
Jamuna, sang its praise, and after bowing bathed in it. He had no second
clothing except His loin-cloth with Him. Just then Adwaita arrived in a
boat, with a fresh loin-cloth and upper garment, and appeared bowing
before the Master, who was puzzled to see him and asked, "You are the
Acharya Goswámi. Why have you come here? How did you know that I was at
Brindában?" The Acharya replied "It is Brindában wherever you are. It is
my good luck that you have come to the Ganges bank." The Master said,
"So, Nityánanda has played me a trick: he has led me to the Ganges and
called it the Jamuna!" The Acharya replied, "False are not the words of
Shripád. You have now indeed bathed in the Jamuna, for the Ganges and
the Jamuna flow in one channel, the eastern waters being called Ganga
and the western (in which you have bathed) Jamuna. Change your wet cloth
for a dry one. Four days have you fasted in fervour of love. Come to my
house to-day, I invite thee. I have cooked a handful of rice, with dry
coarse curry, broth and green herbs." Saying this he took the Master on
board to his house, and joyfully washed His feet. His wife had al ready
done the cooking. The Acharya himself dedicated the food to Vishnu, and
served it in three equal portions. [Description of the dinner omitted.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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