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
Shri Gopal, the son of the Acharya, when allowed by the Master to dance,
was so overcome by devotion that he fell down in a fit. The father
hurriedly took him up in his arms, and was afflicted to see his
breathing stopped. Uttering with a sky-splitting roar the "spell of
Nrisingha" he dashed water on the youth's face. But the youth did not
regain consciousness, in spite of all their efforts. The Acharya wept,
the _bhaktas_ wept too. Then the Master laid His hand on the youth's
breast and cried out, "Rise Gopal!" and lo! at the cry Gopal came round.
The _bhaktas_ danced chanting Hari's name.
After a short rest, the Master disported with His followers in the tank.
On rising from the water He put on dry clothes, bowed to Nrisingha, and
went to sit in the garden, with His followers around Him. Then Vaninath,
accompanied by Kashi Mishra and Tulsi _Parichhá_, brought to Him the
_mahá-prasád_, rice, cakes, and syrup, enough to feed five hundred men.
The Master delighted at the sight. On the terrace He sat down to meal
with the Puri, Brahmánanda Bhárati, Adwaita Acharya, Nityánanda,
Acharya-Ratna, Acharya-Nidhi, Shribas, Gadadhar, Shankar Nyáyáchárya,
Raghav, Vakreshwar and Sárvabhauma. Then the _bhaktas_ sat down in the
successive terraces below them, in due order. The garden was filled with
them. The Master repeatedly called for Haridas, who from afar off
replied, "Partake of thy repast with the _bhaktas_, Master. I am all
too unworthy to sit with thee. Govinda will afterwards give me _prasád_
outside the gate." Knowing his intent, the Master did not press him
further. The food was served up by Swarup, Jagadananda, Damodar,
Kashishwar, Gopinath, Vaninath and Shankar, while the _bhaktas_ shouted
_Hari! Hari!_ at intervals. The Master remembered the picnic on the
Jamuna bank which Krishna had held of yore. He checked, as inopportune,
the rapture of devotion which seized His mind (at the thought), and
said, Serve me with sauce and fry only, and let the _bhaktas_ have the
sweets. Being omniscient He knew who liked which dish, and directed
Swarup to serve each according to his taste. Jagadananda, in the course
of his serving, dropped sweet things unawares on the Master's plate, and
though the Master angrily protested, he supplied more by force or
cunning, as such serving was his delight. As Jagadananda came there on
his rounds again and gazed at the sweets he had served before, the
Master in fear of him ate a little of them, lest Jagadananda should
himself fast! Swarup with his hands full of sweet _prasád_ stood before
the Master praying "Taste a little of this _maha-prasád_ and see what
Jagannath has eaten!" He placed them on the plate, and the Master moved
by his kindness, ate a little. Thus did these two _bhaktas_ repeatedly
show their wonderful tender regard for Him. Sárvabhauma, who sat at the
Master's side, smiled at their loving conduct. The Master ordered sweets
to be served to Sárvabhauma and repeatedly pressed him to eat. Gopinath
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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