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
Delighted to hear that Chaitanya was a man of Nadia, Sárvabhauma thus
addressed Him, "You are of honourable birth, and a _sannyasi_ in
addition. Make me, therefore, your personal disciple." At this the
Master cried out, "O Vishnu! O Vishnu!" and then spoke humbly to the
Bhattáchárya, "You are the teacher of the world and the benefactor of
mankind. You teach _Vedánta_ and [thereby] benefit men of monastic
life. I am a young monk, ignorant of good and evil. I have sought refuge
with you, regarding you as my teacher. For your society have I come
here, hoping that you will train me in all ways. You saved me in my
great danger to-day." The Bhattáchárya said, "Never go to the temple
alone, but always with me or one of my men." The Master replied, "I
shall not enter the shrine, but gaze from the Garuda [pillar in the
quadrangle]." Then Sárvabhauma addressed Gopinath Acharya, "You will be
guide to this Goswami in visiting the temple. Lodge him in the house of
my mother's sister, which is a quiet place, and look to all his needs."
So he did. Next day Gopinath took the Master to the temple to show Him
Jagannáth as he rose from his bed. Mukunda Datta led Him back to
Sárvabhauma's house, who spoke thus, "This _sannyasi_ is meek in
disposition, lovely in form. I daily love Him the more. Tell me what
order He has joined and what name He has chosen." Gopinath replied, "He
has been named Shri Krishna-Chaitanya; His spiritual guide is Keshav
Bhárati, blessed man!" Sárvabhauma remarked, "His name is well-chosen,
but the Bhárati order is not ranked high [among the ten classes of
_sannyasis_]."
Gopinath answered, "He does not care for outward [dignity]. Hence His
indifference to the more famous orders of monks." The Bhattáchárya
joined in, "Ah, He is in the full bloom of youth. How can He keep the
monastic rules? However, I shall ceaselessly teach Him Vedánta, and lead
Him on to the rank of a recluse of the Monist school (_adwaita_). If He
then wishes it, I shall robe Him anew with the yellow robe of a yogi,
purify Him, and enter Him into one of the higher orders."
Gopinath and Mukunda grieved to hear it; and the former expostulated,
"Bhattáchárya! You know not His greatness. The signs of divinity have
reached their extreme limit in Him! Hence He is famed as the Great God.
But in a place of ignorance even the wise know nothing."
The [Sárvabhauma's] disciples asked, "What proof is there of His
divinity?" The Acharya replied, "The belief of the wise is proof of
divinity." The disciples objected, saying, "It is by inference that God
is recognized." But the Acharya answered, "No, God is not known by
inference, but only by those on whom He bestows His grace, even a
particle of it. Witness Brahma's praise of Vishnu in the _Shrimad
Bhágabat_, Book X. canto xiv. verse 28:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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