CHAPTER NINE

Text 1: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu converted the inhabitants of South India. These people were as strong as elephants, but they were in the clutches of the crocodiles of various philosophies, such as the Buddhist, Jain and Māyāvāda philosophies. With His disc of mercy the Lord delivered them all by converting them into Vaiṣṇavas, devotees of the Lord.

Text 2: All glories to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Śrī Advaita Prabhu! And all glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!

Text 3: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s tour of South India was certainly very extraordinary because He visited many thousands of places of pilgrimage there.

Text 4: On the plea of visiting all those holy places, the Lord converted many thousands of residents and thus delivered them. Simply by touching the holy places, He made them into great places of pilgrimage.

Text 5: I cannot chronologically record all the places of pilgrimage visited by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I can only summarize everything by saying that the Lord visited all holy places right and left, coming and going.

Text 6: Because it is impossible for me to record all these places in chronological order, I will simply make a token gesture of recording them.

Texts 7-8: As previously stated, all the residents of the villages visited by Lord Caitanya became Vaiṣṇavas and began to chant Hari and Kṛṣṇa. In this way, in all the villages visited by the Lord, everyone became a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee.

Text 9: In South India there were many types of people. Some were philosophical speculators, and some were fruitive workers, but in any case there were innumerable nondevotees.

Text 10: By the influence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all these people abandoned their own opinions and became Vaiṣṇavas, devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

Text 11: At the time, all the South Indian Vaiṣṇavas were worshipers of Lord Rāmacandra. Some were Tattvavādīs, and some were followers of Rāmānujācārya.

Text 12: After meeting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all those different Vaiṣṇavas became devotees of Kṛṣṇa and began chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 13: “ ‘O Lord Rāmacandra, descendant of Mahārāja Raghu, kindly protect me! O Lord Kṛṣṇa, killer of the Keśī demon, kindly protect me!’ ”

Text 14: While walking on the road, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to chant this Rāma Rāghava mantra. Chanting in this way, He arrived at the banks of the Gautamī-gaṅgā and took His bath there.

Text 15: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Mallikārjuna-tīrtha and saw the deity of Lord Śiva there. He also induced all the people to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 16: There he saw Lord Mahādeva [Śiva], the servant of Lord Rāma. He then went to Ahovala-nṛsiṁha.

Text 17: Upon seeing the Ahovala-nṛsiṁha Deity, Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered many prayers unto the Lord. He then went to Siddhavaṭa, where He saw the Deity of Rāmacandra, the Lord of Sītādevī.

Text 18: Upon seeing the Deity of Lord Rāmacandra, the descendant of King Raghu, the Lord offered His prayers and obeisances. Then a brāhmaṇa invited the Lord to take lunch.

Text 19: That brāhmaṇa constantly chanted the holy name of Rāmacandra. Indeed, but for chanting Lord Rāmacandra’s holy name, that brāhmaṇa did not speak a word.

Text 20: That day, Lord Caitanya remained there and accepted prasādam at his house. After bestowing mercy upon him in this way, the Lord proceeded ahead.

Text 21: At the holy place known as Skanda-kṣetra, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Skanda. From there He went to Trimaṭha, where He saw the Viṣṇu Deity Trivikrama.

Text 22: After visiting the temple of Trivikrama, the Lord returned to Siddhavaṭa, where He again visited the house of the brāhmaṇa, who was now constantly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 23: After finishing His lunch there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the brāhmaṇa, “My dear friend, kindly tell Me what your position is now.

Text 24: “Formerly you were constantly chanting the holy name of Lord Rāma. Why are you now constantly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa?”

Text 25: The brāhmaṇa replied, “This is all due to Your influence, Sir. After seeing You, I have lost my lifelong practice.

Text 26: “From my childhood I have been chanting the holy name of Lord Rāmacandra, but upon seeing You I chanted the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa just once.

Text 27: “Since then, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa has been tightly fixed upon my tongue. Indeed, since I have been chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the holy name of Lord Rāmacandra has gone far away.

Text 28: “From my childhood I have been collecting the glories of the holy name from revealed scriptures.

Text 29: “ ‘The Supreme Absolute Truth is called Rāma because the transcendentalists take pleasure in the unlimited true pleasure of spiritual existence.’

Text 30: “ ‘The word “kṛṣ” is the attractive feature of the Lord’s existence, and “ṇa” means spiritual pleasure. When the verb “kṛṣ” is added to the affix “ṇa,” it becomes “Kṛṣṇa,” which indicates the Absolute Truth.’

Text 31: “As far as the holy names of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are concerned, they are on an equal level, but for further advancement we receive some specific information from the revealed scriptures.

Text 32: “[Lord Śiva addressed his wife, Durgā:] ‘O Varānanā, I chant the holy name of Rāma, Rāma, Rāma and thus enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Rāmacandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Viṣṇu.’

Text 33: “ ‘The pious results derived from chanting the thousand holy names of Viṣṇu three times can be attained by only one utterance of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.’

Text 34: “According to this statement of the śāstras, the glories of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa are unlimited. Still I could not chant His holy name. Please hear the reason for this.

Text 35: “My worshipable Lord has been Lord Rāmacandra, and by chanting His holy name I received happiness. Because I received such happiness, I chanted the holy name of Lord Rāma day and night.

Text 36: “By Your appearance, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy name also appeared, and at that time the glories of Kṛṣṇa’s name awoke in my heart.

Text 37: “Sir, You are that Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. This is my conclusion.” Saying this, the brāhmaṇa fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Text 38: After showing mercy to the brāhmaṇa, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left the next day and arrived at Vṛddhakāśī, where He visited the temple of Lord Śiva.

Text 39: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then left Vṛddhakāśī and proceeded further. In one village He saw that most of the residents were brāhmaṇas, and He took His rest there.

Text 40: Due to the influence of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, many millions of men came just to see Him. Indeed, the assembly being unlimited, its members could not be counted.

Text 41: The Lord’s bodily features were very beautiful, and in addition He was always in the ecstasy of love of Godhead. Simply by seeing Him, everyone began chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, and thus everyone became a Vaiṣṇava devotee.

Text 42: There are many kinds of philosophers. Some are logicians who follow Gautama or Kaṇāda. Some follow the Mīmāṁsā philosophy of Jaimini. Some follow the Māyāvāda philosophy of Śaṅkarācārya, and others follow Kapila’s Sāṅkhya philosophy or the mystic yoga system of Patañjali. Some follow the smṛti-śāstra composed of twenty religious scriptures, and others follow the Purāṇas and the tantra-śāstra. In this way there are many different types of philosophers.

Text 43: All of these adherents of various scriptures were ready to present the conclusions of their respective scriptures, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu broke all their opinions to pieces and established His own cult of bhakti based on the Vedas, Vedānta, the Brahma-sūtra and the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

Text 44: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu established the devotional cult everywhere. No one could defeat Him.

Text 45: Being thus defeated by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all these philosophers and their followers entered into His cult. In this way Lord Caitanya made South India into a country of Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 46: When the nonbelievers heard of the erudition of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they came to Him with great pride, bringing their disciples with them.

Text 47: One of them was a leader of the Buddhist cult and was a very learned scholar. To establish the nine philosophical conclusions of Buddhism, he came before the Lord and began to speak.

Text 48: Although the Buddhists are unfit for discussion and should not be seen by Vaiṣṇavas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke to them just to decrease their false pride.

Text 49: The scriptures of the Buddhist cult are chiefly based on argument and logic, and they contain nine chief principles. Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defeated the Buddhists in their argument, they could not establish their cult.

Text 50: The teacher of the Buddhist cult set forth the nine principles, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu broke them to pieces with His strong logic.

Text 51: All mental speculators and learned scholars were defeated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and when the people began to laugh, the Buddhist philosophers felt both shame and fear.

Text 52: The Buddhists could understand that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a Vaiṣṇava, and they returned home very unhappy. Later, however, they began to plot against the Lord.

Text 53: Having made their plot, the Buddhists brought a plate of untouchable food before Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and called it mahā-prasādam.

Text 54: When the contaminated food was offered to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, a very large bird appeared on the spot, picked up the plate in its beak and flew away.

Text 55: Indeed, the untouchable food fell upon the Buddhists, and the large bird dropped the plate on the head of the chief Buddhist teacher. When it fell on his head, it made a big sound.

Text 56: The plate was made of metal, and when its edge hit the head of the teacher, it cut him, and the teacher immediately fell to the ground unconscious.

Text 57: When the teacher fell unconscious, his Buddhist disciples cried aloud and ran to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for shelter.

Text 58: They all prayed to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, addressing Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself and saying, “Sir, please excuse our offense. Please have mercy upon us and bring our spiritual master back to life.”

Text 59: The Lord then replied to the Buddhist disciples, “You should all chant the names of Kṛṣṇa and Hari very loudly near the ear of your spiritual master.

Text 60: “By this method your spiritual master will regain his consciousness.” Following Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s advice, all the Buddhist disciples began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa congregationally.

Text 61: When all the disciples chanted the holy names Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and Hari, the Buddhist teacher regained consciousness and immediately began to chant the holy name of Lord Hari.

Text 62: When the spiritual master of the Buddhists began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and submitted to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the people who were gathered there were astonished.

Text 63: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of Śacīdevī, then suddenly and playfully disappeared from everyone’s sight, and it was impossible for anyone to find Him.

Text 64: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next arrived at Tirupati and Tirumala, where He saw a four-handed Deity. Then He proceeded toward Veṅkaṭa Hill.

Text 65: After arriving at Tirupati, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Rāmacandra. He offered His prayers and obeisances before Rāmacandra, the descendant of King Raghu.

Text 66: Everywhere Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went, His influence astonished everyone. He next arrived at the temple of Pānā-nṛsiṁha. The Lord is so merciful.

Text 67: In great ecstatic love, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered obeisances and prayers unto Lord Nṛsiṁha. The people were astonished to see Lord Caitanya’s influence.

Text 68: Arriving at Śiva-kāñcī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the deity of Lord Śiva. By His influence, He converted all the devotees of Lord Śiva into Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 69: The Lord then visited a holy place known as Viṣṇu-kāñcī. There He saw Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa Deities, and He offered His respects and many prayers to please Them.

Text 70: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at Viṣṇu-kāñcī for two days, He danced and performed kīrtana in ecstasy. When all the people saw Him, they were converted into devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 71: After visiting Trimalaya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to see Trikāla-hasti. There He saw Lord Śiva and offered him all respects and obeisances.

Text 72: At Pakṣi-tīrtha, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Śiva. Then He went to the Vṛddhakola place of pilgrimage.

Text 73: At Vṛddhakola, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Śveta-varāha, the white boar incarnation. After offering Him respects, the Lord visited the temple of Lord Śiva, wherein the deity is dressed with yellow garments.

Text 74: After visiting the temple of Śiyālī-bhairavī [a form of the goddess Durgā], Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, went to the bank of the river Kāverī.

Text 75: The Lord then visited a place known as Go-samāja, where He saw Lord Śiva’s temple. He then arrived at Vedāvana, where He saw another deity of Lord Śiva and offered him prayers.

Text 76: Seeing the Śiva deity named Amṛta-liṅga, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His obeisances. Thus He visited all the temples of Lord Śiva and converted the devotees of Lord Śiva into Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 77: At Devasthāna, Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Viṣṇu, and there He talked with the Vaiṣṇavas in the disciplic succession of Rāmānujācārya. These Vaiṣṇavas are known as Śrī Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 78: At Kumbhakarṇa-kapāla, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw a great lake and then the holy place named Śiva-kṣetra, where a temple of Lord Śiva is located.

Text 79: After visiting the holy place named Śiva-kṣetra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at Pāpanāśana and there saw the temple of Lord Viṣṇu. Then He finally reached Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra.

Text 80: After bathing in the river Kāverī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the temple of Raṅganātha and offered His ardent prayers and obeisances. Thus He felt Himself successful.

Text 81: In the temple of Raṅganātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced in ecstatic love of Godhead. Seeing His performance, everyone was struck with wonder.

Text 82: A Vaiṣṇava known as Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa then invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home with great respect.

Text 83: Śrī Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa took Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home. After he washed the Lord’s feet, all the members of his family drank the water.

Text 84: After offering lunch to the Lord, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa submitted that the period of Cāturmāsya had already arrived.

Text 85: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa said, “Please be merciful to me and stay at my house during Cāturmāsya. Speak about Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and kindly deliver me by Your mercy.”

Text 86: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at the house of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa for four continuous months. The Lord passed His days in great happiness, enjoying the transcendental mellow of discussing Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

Text 87: While there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His bath in the river Kāverī and visited the temple of Śrī Raṅga. Every day the Lord also danced in ecstasy.

Text 88: The beauty of Lord Caitanya’s body and His ecstatic love of God were witnessed by everyone. Many people used to come see Him, and as soon as they saw Him, all their unhappiness and distress vanished.

Text 89: Many hundreds of thousands of people from various countries came to see the Lord, and after seeing Him they all chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Text 90: Indeed, they did not chant anything but the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and all of them became Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. Thus the general populace was astonished.

Text 91: All the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas residing in Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra invited the Lord to their homes. Indeed, He had an invitation every day.

Text 92: Each day the Lord was invited by a different brāhmaṇa, but some of the brāhmaṇas did not get the opportunity to offer Him lunch because the period of Cāturmāsya came to an end.

Text 93: In the holy place of Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra, a brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava used to visit the temple daily and recite the entire text of the Bhagavad-gītā.

Text 94: The brāhmaṇa regularly read the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā in great transcendental ecstasy, but because he could not pronounce the words correctly, people used to joke about him.

Text 95: Due to his incorrect pronunciation, people sometimes criticized him and laughed at him, but he did not care. He was full of ecstasy due to reading the Bhagavad-gītā and was personally very happy.

Text 96: While reading the book, the brāhmaṇa experienced transcendental bodily transformations. The hairs on his body stood on end, tears welled up in his eyes, and his body trembled and perspired as he read. Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy.

Text 97: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the brāhmaṇa, “My dear sir, why are you in such ecstatic love? Which portion of the Bhagavad-gītā gives you such transcendental pleasure?”

Text 98: The brāhmaṇa replied, “I am illiterate and therefore do not know the meaning of the words. Sometimes I read the Bhagavad-gītā correctly and sometimes incorrectly, but in any case I am doing this in compliance with the orders of my spiritual master.”

Text 99: The brāhmaṇa continued, “Actually I only see Lord Kṛṣṇa sitting on a chariot as Arjuna’s charioteer. Taking the reins in His hands, He appears very beautiful and blackish.

Text 100: “While seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa sitting in a chariot and instructing Arjuna, I am filled with ecstatic happiness.

Text 101: “As long as I read the Bhagavad-gītā, I simply see the Lord’s beautiful features. It is for this reason that I am reading the Bhagavad-gītā, and my mind cannot be distracted from this.”

Text 102: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told the brāhmaṇa, “Indeed, you are an authority in the reading of the Bhagavad-gītā. Whatever you know constitutes the real purport of the Bhagavad-gītā.”

Text 103: After saying this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced the brāhmaṇa, and the brāhmaṇa, catching the lotus feet of the Lord, began to cry.

Text 104: The brāhmaṇa said, “Upon seeing You, my happiness is doubled. I take it that You are the same Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Text 105: The mind of the brāhmaṇa was purified by the revelation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he could understand the truth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in all details.

Text 106: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then taught the brāhmaṇa very thoroughly and requested him not to disclose the fact that He was Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Text 107: That brāhmaṇa became a great devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and for four continuous months he did not give up the Lord’s company.

Text 108: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained at the house of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa and constantly talked with him about Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way He was very happy.

Text 109: Being a Vaiṣṇava in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa worshiped the Deities of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa. Seeing his pure devotion, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very satisfied.

Text 110: Constantly associating with each other, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa gradually developed a friendly relationship. Indeed, sometimes they laughed and joked together.

Text 111: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu told the Bhaṭṭācārya, “Your worshipable goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, always remains on the chest of Nārāyaṇa, and she is certainly the most chaste woman in the creation.

Text 112: “However, my Lord is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, a cowherd boy who is engaged in tending cows. Why is it that Lakṣmī, being such a chaste wife, wants to associate with My Lord?

Text 113: “Just to associate with Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuṇṭha and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities.”

Text 114: Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “ ‘O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. Even the goddess of fortune, for this end, performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and observing austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya got such an opportunity.’ ”

Text 115: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa then said, “Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Nārāyaṇa are one and the same, but the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are more relishable due to their sportive nature.

Text 116: “Since Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa are the same personality, Lakṣmī’s association with Kṛṣṇa does not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Text 117: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa continued, “ ‘According to transcendental realization, there is no difference between the forms of Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. Yet in Kṛṣṇa there is a special transcendental attraction due to the conjugal mellow, and consequently He surpasses Nārāyaṇa. This is the conclusion of transcendental mellows.’

Text 118: “The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Rather, by associating with Kṛṣṇa she could enjoy the benefit of the rāsa dance.”

Text 119: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa further explained, “Mother Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, is also an enjoyer of transcendental bliss; therefore if she wanted to enjoy herself with Kṛṣṇa, what fault is there? Why are You joking so about this?”

Text 120: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “I know that there is no fault on the part of the goddess of fortune, but still she could not enter into the rāsa dance. We hear this from the revealed scriptures.

Text 121: “ ‘When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was dancing with the gopīs in the rāsa-līlā, the gopīs were embraced around the neck by the Lord’s arms. This transcendental favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or the other consorts in the spiritual world. Nor was such a thing ever imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, girls whose bodily luster and aroma exactly resemble the beauty and fragrance of lotus flowers. And what to speak of worldly women, who may be very, very beautiful according to material estimation?’

Text 122: “But can you tell Me why the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, could not enter the rāsa dance? The authorities of Vedic knowledge could enter the dance and associate with Kṛṣṇa.

Text 123: “ ‘Great sages conquer the mind and senses by practicing the mystic yoga system and controlling the breath. Thus engaging in mystic yoga, they see the Supersoul within their hearts and ultimately enter into impersonal Brahman. But even the enemies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead attain that position simply by thinking of the Supreme Lord. However, the damsels of Vraja, the gopīs, being attracted by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, simply wanted to embrace Him and His arms, which are like serpents. Thus the gopīs ultimately tasted the nectar of the lotus feet of the Lord. Similarly, we Upaniṣads can also taste the nectar of His lotus feet by following in the footsteps of the gopīs.’ ”

Text 124: Having been asked by Caitanya Mahāprabhu why the goddess of fortune could not enter into the rāsa dance whereas the authorities on Vedic knowledge could, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa replied, “I cannot enter into the mysteries of this behavior.”

Text 125: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa then said, “I am an ordinary human being. Since my intelligence is very limited and I am easily agitated, my mind cannot enter within the deep ocean of the pastimes of the Lord.

Text 126: “You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself. You know the purport of Your activities, and the person whom You enlighten can also understand Your pastimes.”

Text 127: The Lord replied, “Lord Kṛṣṇa has a special characteristic: He attracts everyone’s heart by the mellow of His personal conjugal love.

Text 128: “By following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of the planet known as Vrajaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana, one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. However, in that planet the inhabitants do not know that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Text 129: “There someone may accept Him as a son and sometimes bind Him to a grinding mortar. Someone else may accept Him as an intimate friend and, attaining victory over Him, playfully mount His shoulders.

Text 130: “The inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi know Kṛṣṇa as the son of Mahārāja Nanda, the King of Vrajabhūmi, and they consider that they can have no relationship with the Lord in the rasa of opulence.

Text 131: “One who worships the Lord by following in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi attains Him in the transcendental planet of Vraja, where He is known as the son of Mahārāja Nanda.”

Text 132: Caitanya Mahāprabhu then quoted, “ ‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the son of mother Yaśodā, is accessible to those devotees engaged in spontaneous loving service, but He is not as easily accessible to mental speculators, to those striving for self-realization by severe austerities and penances, or to those who consider the body the same as the self.’

Text 133: “The authorities in the Vedic literature who are known as the śruti-gaṇas worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa in the ecstasy of the gopīs and followed in their footsteps.

Text 134: “The personified authorities on the Vedic hymns acquired bodies like those of the gopīs and took birth in Vrajabhūmi. In those bodies they were allowed to enter into the Lord’s rāsa-līlā dance.

Text 135: “Lord Kṛṣṇa belongs to the cowherd community, and the gopīs are the dearmost lovers of Kṛṣṇa. Although the wives of the denizens of the heavenly planets are most opulent within the material world, neither they nor any other women in the material universe can acquire Kṛṣṇa’s association.

Text 136: “The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, wanted to enjoy Kṛṣṇa and at the same time retain her spiritual body in the form of Lakṣmī. However, she did not follow in the footsteps of the gopīs in her worship of Kṛṣṇa.

Text 137: “Vyāsadeva, the supreme authority on Vedic literature, composed the verse beginning ‘nāyaṁ sukhāpo bhagavān’ because no one can enter into the rāsa-līlā dance in any body other than that of a gopī.”

Text 138: Before this explanation was given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa thought that Śrī Nārāyaṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Text 139: Thinking in this way, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa believed that worship of Nārāyaṇa was the supreme form of worship, superior to all other processes of devotional service, for it was followed by the Śrī Vaiṣṇava disciples of Rāmānujācārya.

Text 140: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had understood this misconception of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa’s, and to correct it the Lord talked so much in a joking way.

Text 141: The Lord then continued, “My dear Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, please do not continue doubting. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this is the conclusion of the Vedic literatures.

Text 142: “Lord Nārāyaṇa, the opulent form of Kṛṣṇa, attracts the minds of the goddess of fortune and her followers.

Text 143: “ ‘All these incarnations of Godhead are either plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions of the puruṣa-avatāras. But Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In every age He protects the world through His different features when the world is disturbed by the enemies of Indra.’

Text 144: “Because Kṛṣṇa has four extraordinary qualities not possessed by Lord Nārāyaṇa, the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, always desires His company.

Text 145: “You have recited the śloka beginning with ‘siddhāntatas tv abhede ’pi.’ That very verse is evidence that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Text 146: “ ‘According to transcendental realization, there is no difference between the forms of Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa. Yet in Kṛṣṇa there is a special transcendental attraction due to the conjugal mellow, and consequently He surpasses Nārāyaṇa. This is the conclusion of transcendental mellows.’

Text 147: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, attracts the mind of the goddess of fortune, but Lord Nārāyaṇa cannot attract the minds of the gopīs. This proves the superexcellence of Kṛṣṇa.

Text 148: “To say nothing of Lord Nārāyaṇa personally, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Nārāyaṇa just to play a joke on the gopīs.

Text 149: “Although Kṛṣṇa assumed the four-armed form of Nārāyaṇa, He could not attract the serious attention of the gopīs in ecstatic love.

Text 150: “ ‘Once Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa playfully manifested Himself as Nārāyaṇa, with four victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopīs saw this exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. A learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopīs’ ecstatic feelings, which are firmly fixed upon the original form of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the son of Nanda Mahārāja. The wonderful feelings of the gopīs in ecstatic parama-rasa with Kṛṣṇa constitute the greatest mystery in spiritual life.’ ”

Text 151: In this way Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu deflated the pride of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, but just to make him happy again, He spoke as follows.

Text 152: The Lord pacified Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa by saying, “Actually whatever I have said is by way of jest. Now you can hear from Me the conclusion of the śāstras, in which every Vaiṣṇava devotee has firm faith.

Text 153: “There is no difference between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Nārāyaṇa, for They are of the same form. Similarly, there is no difference between the gopīs and the goddess of fortune, for they also are of the same form.

Text 154: “The goddess of fortune enjoys the association of Kṛṣṇa through the gopīs. One should not differentiate between the forms of the Lord, for such a conception is offensive.

Text 155: “There is no difference between the transcendental forms of the Lord. Different forms are manifested due to different attachments of different devotees. Actually the Lord is one, but He appears in different forms just to satisfy His devotees.

Text 156: “ ‘When the jewel known as vaidūrya touches various other materials, it appears to be separated into different colors, and consequently its forms also appear different. Similarly, according to the meditational ecstasy of the devotee, the Lord, who is known as Acyuta [“the infallible one”], appears in different forms, although He is essentially one.’ ”

Text 157: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa then said, “I am an ordinary fallen living entity, but You are Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

Text 158: “The transcendental pastimes of the Lord are unfathomable, and I do not know anything about them. Whatever You say I accept as the truth.

Text 159: “I have been engaged in the service of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, and it is due to Their mercy that I have been able to see Your lotus feet.

Text 160: “Out of Your causeless mercy You have told me of the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. No one can reach the end of the opulence, qualities and forms of the Lord.

Text 161: “I can now understand that devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme form of worship. Out of Your causeless mercy You have made my life successful simply by explaining the facts.”

Text 162: After saying this, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa fell down before the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord, out of His causeless mercy, embraced him.

Text 163: When the period of Cāturmāsya was completed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took permission to leave from Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa, and after visiting Śrī Raṅga, He proceeded further toward southern India.

Text 164: Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa did not want to return home but also wanted to go with the Lord. It was with great endeavor that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bade him farewell.

Text 165: When He did so, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa fell down unconscious. Such are the pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, at Śrī Raṅga-kṣetra.

Text 166: When the Lord arrived at Ṛṣabha Hill, He saw the temple of Lord Nārāyaṇa and offered obeisances and various prayers.

Text 167: Paramānanda Purī had stayed at Ṛṣabha Hill during the four months of the rainy season, and when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this, He immediately went to see him.

Text 168: Upon meeting Paramānanda Purī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered him all respects, touching his lotus feet, and Paramānanda Purī embraced the Lord in ecstasy.

Text 169: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed with Paramānanda Purī in the brāhmaṇa’s house where he was residing. The two of them passed three days there discussing topics of Kṛṣṇa.

Text 170: Paramānanda Purī informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he was going to see Puruṣottama at Jagannātha Purī. After seeing Lord Jagannātha there, he would go to Bengal to bathe in the Ganges.

Text 171: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then told him, “Please return to Jagannātha Purī, for I will return there very soon from Rāmeśvara [Setubandha].

Text 172: “It is My desire to stay with you, and therefore if you would return to Jagannātha Purī, you would show great mercy to Me.”

Text 173: After talking in this way with Paramānanda Purī, the Lord took his permission to leave and, very pleased, departed for southern India.

Text 174: Thus Paramānanda Purī started for Jagannātha Purī, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began walking toward Śrī Śaila.

Text 175: In Śrī Śaila Lord Śiva and his wife Durgā lived in the dress of brāhmaṇas, and when they saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they became very pleased.

Text 176: Lord Śiva, dressed like a brāhmaṇa, gave alms to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and invited Him to spend three days in a solitary place. Sitting there together, they talked very confidentially.

Text 177: After talking with Lord Śiva, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took his permission to leave and went to Kāmakoṣṭhī-purī.

Text 178: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at southern Mathurā from Kāmakoṣṭhī, He met a brāhmaṇa.

Text 179: The brāhmaṇa who met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu invited the Lord to his home. This brāhmaṇa was a great devotee and an authority on Lord Śrī Rāmacandra. He was always detached from material activities.

Text 180: After bathing in the river Kṛtamālā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the brāhmaṇa’s house to take lunch, but He saw that the food was unprepared because the brāhmaṇa had not cooked it.

Text 181: Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear sir, please tell Me why you have not cooked. It is already noon.”

Text 182: The brāhmaṇa replied, “My dear Lord, we are living in the forest. For the time being we cannot get all the ingredients for cooking.

Text 183: “When Lakṣmaṇa brings all the vegetables, fruits and roots from the forest, Sītā will do the necessary cooking.”

Text 184: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very satisfied to hear about the brāhmaṇa’s method of worship. Finally the brāhmaṇa hastily made arrangements for cooking.

Text 185: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His lunch at about three o’clock, but the brāhmaṇa, being very sorrowful, fasted.

Text 186: While the brāhmaṇa was fasting, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, “Why are you fasting? Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so worried?”

Text 187: The brāhmaṇa replied, “I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water.

Text 188: “My dear Sir, mother Sītā is the mother of the universe and the supreme goddess of fortune. She has been touched by the demon Rāvaṇa, and I am troubled upon hearing this news.

Text 189: “Sir, due to my unhappiness I cannot continue living. Although my body is burning, my life is not leaving.”

Text 190: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Please do not think this way any longer. You are a learned paṇḍita. Why don’t you consider the case?”

Text 191: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Sītādevī, the dearmost wife of the Supreme Lord Rāmacandra, certainly has a spiritual form full of bliss. No one can see her with material eyes, for no materialist has such power.

Text 192: “To say nothing of touching mother Sītā, a person with material senses cannot even see her. When Rāvaṇa kidnapped her, he kidnapped only her material, illusory form.

Text 193: “As soon as Rāvaṇa arrived before Sītā, she disappeared. Then just to cheat Rāvaṇa she sent an illusory, material form.

Text 194: “Spiritual substance is never within the jurisdiction of the material conception. This is always the verdict of the Vedas and Purāṇas.”

Text 195: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then assured the brāhmaṇa, “Have faith in My words and do not burden your mind any longer with this misconception.”

Text 196: Although the brāhmaṇa was fasting, he had faith in the words of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and accepted food. In this way his life was saved.

Text 197: After thus assuring the brāhmaṇa, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu proceeded further into southern India and finally arrived at Durvaśana, where He bathed in the river Kṛtamālā.

Text 198: At Durvaśana Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the temple of Lord Rāmacandra, and on the hill known as Mahendra-śaila He saw Lord Paraśurāma.

Text 199: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Setubandha [Rāmeśvara], where He took His bath at the place called Dhanus-tīrtha. From there He visited the Rāmeśvara temple and then took rest.

Text 200: There, among the brāhmaṇas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu listened to the Kūrma Purāṇa, wherein is mentioned the chaste woman’s narration.

Text 201: Śrīmatī Sītādevī is the mother of the three worlds and the wife of Lord Rāmacandra. Among chaste women she is supreme, and she is the daughter of King Janaka.

Text 202: When Rāvaṇa came to kidnap mother Sītā and she saw him, she took shelter of the fire-god, Agni. The fire-god covered the body of mother Sītā, and in this way she was protected from the hands of Rāvaṇa.

Text 203: Upon hearing from the Kūrma Purāṇa how Rāvaṇa had kidnapped a false form of mother Sītā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very satisfied.

Text 204: The fire-god, Agni, took away the real Sītā and brought her to the place of Pārvatī, goddess Durgā. An illusory form of mother Sītā was then delivered to Rāvaṇa, and in this way Rāvaṇa was cheated.

Text 205: After Rāvaṇa was killed by Lord Rāmacandra, Sītādevī was brought before the fire and tested.

Text 206: When the illusory Sītā was brought before the fire by Lord Rāmacandra, the fire-god made the illusory form disappear and delivered the real Sītā to Lord Rāmacandra.

Text 207: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard this story, He was very pleased, and He remembered the words of Rāmadāsa Vipra.

Text 208: Indeed, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu heard these conclusive statements from the Kūrma Purāṇa, He felt great happiness. After asking the brāhmaṇas’ permission, He took possession of the manuscript leaves of the Kūrma Purāṇa.

Text 209: Since the Kūrma Purāṇa was very old, the manuscript was also very old. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took possession of the original leaves in order to have direct evidence. The text was copied onto new leaves in order that the Purāṇa be replaced.

Text 210: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned to southern Mathurā [Madurai] and delivered the original manuscript of the Kūrma Purāṇa to Rāmadāsa Vipra.

Texts 211-212: “When he was petitioned by mother Sītā, the fire-god, Agni, brought forth an illusory form of Sītā, and Rāvaṇa, who had ten heads, kidnapped the false Sītā. The original Sītā then went to the abode of the fire-god. When Lord Rāmacandra tested the body of Sītā, it was the false, illusory Sītā that entered the fire. At that time the fire-god brought the original Sītā from his abode and delivered her to Lord Rāmacandra.”

Text 213: Rāmadāsa Vipra was very pleased to receive the original leaf manuscript of the Kūrma Purāṇa, and he immediately fell down before the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to cry.

Text 214: After receiving the manuscript, the brāhmaṇa, being very pleased, said, “Sir, You are Lord Rāmacandra Himself and have come in the dress of a sannyāsī to give me audience.

Text 215: “My dear Sir, You have delivered me from a very unhappy condition. I request that You take Your lunch at my place. Please accept this invitation.

Text 216: “Due to my mental distress I could not give You a very nice lunch the other day. Now, by good fortune, You have come again to my home.”

Text 217: Saying this, the brāhmaṇa very happily cooked food, and a first-class dinner was offered to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Text 218: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu passed that night in the house of the brāhmaṇa. Then, after showing him mercy, the Lord started toward the Tāmraparṇī River in Pāṇḍya-deśa.

Text 219: There were nine temples of Lord Viṣṇu at Naya-tripati, on the bank of the river Tāmraparṇī, and after bathing in the river, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the Deities with great curiosity and wandered on.

Text 220: After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to a holy place known as Ciyaḍatalā, where He saw the Deities of the two brothers Lord Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa. He then proceeded to Tila-kāñcī, where He saw the temple of Lord Śiva.

Text 221: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited the holy place named Gajendra-mokṣaṇa, where He went to a temple of Lord Viṣṇu. He then came to Pānāgaḍi, a holy place where He saw the Deities of Lord Rāmacandra and Sītā.

Text 222: Later the Lord went to Cāmtāpura, where He saw the Deities of Lord Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa. He then went to Śrī Vaikuṇṭha and saw the temple of Lord Viṣṇu there.

Text 223: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Malaya-parvata and offered prayers to Agastya Muni. He then visited Kanyā-kumārī [Cape Comorin].

Text 224: After visiting Kanyā-kumārī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to Āmlitalā, where He saw the Deity of Śrī Rāmacandra. Thereafter He went to a place known as Mallāra-deśa, where a community of Bhaṭṭathāris lived.

Text 225: After visiting Mallāra-deśa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Tamāla-kārtika and then to Vetāpani. There He saw the temple of Raghunātha, Lord Rāmacandra, and passed the night.

Text 226: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was accompanied by His servant, Kṛṣṇadāsa. He was a brāhmaṇa, but he met with the Bhaṭṭathāris there.

Text 227: With women the Bhaṭṭathāris allured the brāhmaṇa Kṛṣṇadāsa, who was simple and gentle. By virtue of their bad association, they polluted his intelligence.

Text 228: Allured by the Bhaṭṭathāris, Kṛṣṇadāsa went to their place early in the morning. The Lord also went there very quickly just to find him.

Text 229: Upon reaching their community, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the Bhaṭṭathāris, “Why are you keeping My brāhmaṇa assistant?

Text 230: “I am in the renounced order of life, and so are you. Yet you are purposefully giving Me pain, and I do not see any good logic in this.”

Text 231: Upon hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the Bhaṭṭathāris came running from all sides with weapons in their hands, desiring to hurt the Lord.

Text 232: However, their weapons fell from their hands and struck their own bodies. When some of the Bhaṭṭathāris were thus cut to pieces, the others ran away in the four directions.

Text 233: While there was much roaring and crying at the Bhaṭṭathāri community, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu grabbed Kṛṣṇadāsa by the hair and took him away.

Text 234: That very night, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His assistant Kṛṣṇadāsa arrived at the bank of the Payasvinī River. They took their bath and then went to see the temple of Ādi-keśava.

Text 235: When the Lord saw the Ādi-keśava temple, He was immediately overwhelmed with ecstasy. Offering various obeisances and prayers, He chanted and danced.

Text 236: All the people there were greatly astonished to see the ecstatic pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They all received the Lord very well.

Text 237: In the temple of Ādi-keśava, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed spiritual matters among highly advanced devotees. While there, He found a chapter of the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Text 238: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was greatly happy to find a chapter of that scripture, and symptoms of ecstatic transformation — trembling, tears, perspiration, trance and jubilation — were manifest in His body.

Texts 239-240: There is no scripture equal to the Brahma-saṁhitā as far as the final spiritual conclusion is concerned. Indeed, that scripture is the supreme revelation of the glories of Lord Govinda, for it reveals the topmost knowledge about Him. Since all conclusions are briefly presented in the Brahma-saṁhitā, it is essential among all the Vaiṣṇava literatures.

Text 241: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu copied the Brahma-saṁhitā, and then with great pleasure He went to a place known as Ananta Padmanābha.

Text 242: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained for two or three days at Ananta Padmanābha and visited the temple there. Then, in great ecstasy He went to see the temple of Śrī Janārdana.

Text 243: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced at Śrī Janārdana for two days. He then went to the bank of the Payasvinī River and visited the temple of Śaṅkara-nārāyaṇa.

Text 244: Then He saw the monastery known as Śṛṅgeri-maṭha, the abode of Ācārya Śaṅkara. He then visited Matsya-tīrtha, a place of pilgrimage, and took a bath in the river Tuṅgabhadrā.

Text 245: Caitanya Mahāprabhu next arrived at Uḍupī, the place of Madhvācārya, where the philosophers known as Tattvavādīs resided. There He saw the Deity of Lord Kṛṣṇa and became mad with ecstasy.

Text 246: While at the Uḍupī monastery, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw “dancing Gopāla,” a most beautiful Deity. This Deity appeared to Madhvācārya in a dream.

Text 247: Madhvācārya had somehow or other acquired the Deity of Kṛṣṇa from a heap of gopī-candana that had been transported in a boat.

Text 248: Madhvācārya brought this dancing Gopāla Deity to Uḍupī and installed Him in the temple. To date, the followers of Madhvācārya, known as Tattvavādīs, worship this Deity.

Text 249: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu received great pleasure in seeing this beautiful form of Gopāla. For a long time He danced and chanted in ecstatic love.

Text 250: When the Tattvavādī Vaiṣṇavas first saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they considered Him a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. Therefore they did not talk to Him.

Text 251: Later, after seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in ecstatic love, they were struck with wonder. Then, considering Him a Vaiṣṇava, they gave Him a nice reception.

Text 252: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu could understand that the Tattvavādīs were very proud of their Vaiṣṇavism. He therefore smiled and began to speak to them.

Text 253: Considering them very proud, Caitanya Mahāprabhu began His discussion.

Text 254: The chief ācārya of the Tattvavāda community was very learned in the revealed scriptures. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu humbly questioned him.

Text 255: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I do not know very well the aim of life and how to achieve it. Please tell Me of the best ideal for humanity and how to attain it.”

Text 256: The ācārya replied, “When the activities of the four castes and the four āśramas are dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, they constitute the best means whereby one can attain the highest goal of life.

Text 257: “When one dedicates the duties of varṇāśrama-dharma to Kṛṣṇa, he is eligible for five kinds of liberation. Thus he is transferred to the spiritual world in Vaikuṇṭha. This is the highest goal of life and the verdict of all revealed scriptures.”

Text 258: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “According to the verdict of the śāstras, the process of hearing and chanting is the best means to attain loving service to Kṛṣṇa.

Texts 259-260: “ ‘This process entails hearing, chanting and remembering the holy name, form, pastimes, qualities and entourage of the Lord, offering service according to the time, place and performer, worshiping the Deity, offering prayers, always considering oneself the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him. These nine items of devotional service, when directly offered to Kṛṣṇa, constitute the highest attainment of life. This is the verdict of the revealed scriptures.’

Text 261: “When one comes to the platform of loving service to Lord Kṛṣṇa by executing these nine processes, beginning with hearing and chanting, he has attained the fifth platform of success and the limit of life’s goals.

Text 262: “ ‘When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.’

Text 263: “In every revealed scripture there is condemnation of fruitive activities. It is advised everywhere to give up engagement in fruitive activities, for no one can attain the highest goal of life, love of Godhead, by executing them.

Text 264: “ ‘Occupational duties are described in the religious scriptures. If one analyzes them, he can fully understand their qualities and faults and then give them up completely to render service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A person who does so is considered a first-class man.’

Text 265: “ ‘Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.’

Text 266: “ ‘As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened his taste for devotional service by śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions.’

Text 267: “Pure devotees reject the five kinds of liberation; indeed, for them liberation is very insignificant because they see it as hellish.

Text 268: “ ‘Pure devotees always reject the five kinds of liberation, which include living in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets, possessing the same opulences as those possessed by the Supreme Lord, having the same bodily features as the Lord’s, associating with the Lord and merging into the body of the Lord. The pure devotees do not accept these benedictions without the service of the Lord.’

Text 269: “ ‘It is very difficult to give up material opulence, land, children, society, friends, riches, wife or the blessings of the goddess of fortune, which are desired even by great demigods. But King Bharata did not desire such things, and this was quite befitting his position, because for a pure devotee whose mind is always engaged in the service of the Lord, even liberation, or merging into the existence of the Lord, is insignificant. And what to speak of material opportunities?’

Text 270: “ ‘A person who is a devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa is not afraid of a hellish condition, because he considers it the same as elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation. The devotees of Lord Nārāyaṇa are accustomed to seeing all these things on the same level.’

Text 271: “Both liberation and fruitive activity are rejected by devotees. You are trying to establish these things as life’s goal and the process for attaining it.”

Text 272: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued speaking to the Tattvavādī ācārya: “Seeing that I am a mendicant in the renounced order of life, you have been playing with Me in a duplicitous way. You have not actually described the process and ultimate objective.”

Text 273: After hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the ācārya of the Tattvavāda sampradāya became very much ashamed. Upon observing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s rigid faith in Vaiṣṇavism, he was struck with wonder.

Text 274: The Tattvavādī ācārya replied, “What You have said is certainly factual. It is the conclusion of all the revealed scriptures of the Vaiṣṇavas.

Text 275: “Still, whatever Madhvācārya has established as the formula for our party we practice as a party policy.”

Text 276: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Both the fruitive worker and the speculative philosopher are considered nondevotees. We see both elements present in your sampradāya.

Text 277: “The only qualification that I see in your sampradāya is that you accept the form of the Lord as truth.”

Text 278: Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu broke the pride of the Tattvavādīs to pieces. He then went to the holy place known as Phalgu-tīrtha.

Text 279: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, next went to Tritakūpa, and after seeing the Viśālā Deity there, He went to the holy place known as Pañcāpsarā-tīrtha.

Text 280: After seeing Pañcāpsarā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Gokarṇa. While there, He visited the temple of Lord Śiva, and then He went to Dvaipāyani. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the crown jewel of all sannyāsīs, then went to Sūrpāraka-tīrtha.

Text 281: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited the town of Kolāpura, where He saw the goddess of fortune in the temple of Kṣīra-bhagavatī and saw Lāṅga-gaṇeśa in another temple, known as Cora-pārvatī.

Text 282: From there Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Pāṇḍarapura, where He happily saw the temple of Viṭhṭhala Ṭhākura.

Text 283: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced in various ways as usual. A brāhmaṇa, seeing Him in ecstatic love, was very pleased and invited the Lord to his home for lunch.

Text 284: The brāhmaṇa offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu food with great respect and love. After finishing His lunch, the Lord received auspicious news.

Text 285: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu received word that Śrī Raṅga Purī, one of the disciples of Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, was present in that village at the home of a brāhmaṇa.

Text 286: Hearing this news, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately went to see Śrī Raṅga Purī at the brāhmaṇa’s home. Upon entering, the Lord saw him sitting there.

Text 287: As soon as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Śrī Raṅga Purī, He immediately offered him obeisances in ecstatic love, falling flat on the ground. The symptoms of transcendental transformation were visible — namely, tears, jubilation, trembling and perspiration.

Text 288: Upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in such an ecstatic mood, Śrī Raṅga Purī said, “Your Holiness, please get up.

Text 289: “Your Holiness is certainly related to Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, without whom there is no fragrance of ecstatic love.”

Text 290: After saying this, Śrī Raṅga Purī lifted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu up and embraced Him. As they embraced shoulder to shoulder, they both began to cry in ecstasy.

Text 291: After some moments, they came to their senses and became patient. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then informed Śrī Raṅga Purī about His relationship with Īśvara Purī.

Text 292: They were both inundated by the wonderful ecstasy of love that was aroused in them. Finally they sat down and respectfully began to converse.

Text 293: In this way they discussed topics about Lord Kṛṣṇa continually for five to seven days.

Text 294: Out of curiosity, Śrī Raṅga Purī asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about His birthplace, and the Lord informed him that it was Navadvīpa-dhāma.

Text 295: Śrī Raṅga Purī had formerly gone to Navadvīpa with Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, and he therefore remembered the incidents that had taken place there.

Text 296: As soon as Śrī Raṅga Purī recalled Navadvīpa, he also recalled accompanying Śrī Mādhavendra Purī to the house of Jagannātha Miśra, where Raṅga Purī had taken lunch. He even remembered the taste of an unprecedented curry made of banana flowers.

Text 297: Śrī Raṅga Purī also remembered the wife of Jagannātha Miśra. She was very devoted and chaste. As for her affection, she was exactly like the mother of the universe.

Text 298: He also remembered how Śrī Jagannātha Miśra’s wife, Śacīmātā, was expert in cooking. He recalled that she was very affectionate toward the sannyāsīs and fed them exactly like her own sons.

Text 299: Śrī Raṅga Purī also remembered that one of her deserving sons had accepted the renounced order at a very young age. His name was Śaṅkarāraṇya.

Text 300: Śrī Raṅga Purī informed Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that the sannyāsī named Śaṅkarāraṇya had attained perfection in that holy place, Pāṇḍarapura.

Text 301: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “In My previous āśrama, Śaṅkarāraṇya was My brother and Jagannātha Miśra was My father.”

Text 302: After finishing his talks with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Raṅga Purī started for Dvārakā-dhāma.

Text 303: After Śrī Raṅga Purī departed for Dvārakā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained with the brāhmaṇa at Pāṇḍarapura for four more days. He took His bath in the Bhīmā River and visited the temple of Viṭhṭhala.

Text 304: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next went to the bank of the Kṛṣṇa-veṇvā River, where He visited many holy places and the temples of various gods.

Text 305: The brāhmaṇa community there was composed of pure devotees. They regularly studied a book entitled Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, which was composed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

Text 306: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to hear the book Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, and with great eagerness He had it copied and took it with Him.

Text 307: There is no comparison to the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta within the three worlds. By studying this book, one is elevated to the knowledge of pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.

Text 308: One who constantly reads the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta can fully understand the beauty and melodious taste of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Text 309: The Brahma-saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta were two books that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered to be most valuable jewels. Therefore He took them with Him on His return trip.

Text 310: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next arrived at the banks of the river Tāpī. After bathing there, He went to Māhiṣmatī-pura. While there, He saw many holy places on the banks of the river Narmadā.

Text 311: The Lord next arrived at Dhanus-tīrtha, where He took His bath in the river Nirvindhyā. He then arrived at Ṛṣyamūka Mountain and then went to Daṇḍakāraṇya.

Text 312: Within the Daṇḍakāraṇya forest Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited a place called Saptatāla. The seven palm trees there were very old, very bulky and very high.

Text 313: Upon seeing the seven palm trees, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced them. As a result, they all returned to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual world.

Text 314: After the seven palm trees had departed for Vaikuṇṭha, everyone was astonished to see that they were gone. The people then began to say, “This sannyāsī called Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be an incarnation of Lord Rāmacandra.

Text 315: “Only Lord Rāmacandra has the power to send seven palm trees to the spiritual Vaikuṇṭha planets.”

Text 316: Eventually Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrived at a lake known as Pampā, where He took His bath. He then went to a place called Pañcavaṭī, where He rested.

Text 317: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then visited Nāsika, where He saw the deity of Tryambaka [Lord Śiva]. He then went to Brahmagiri and then to Kuśāvarta, the source of the river Godāvarī.

Text 318: After visiting many other holy places, the Lord went to Sapta-godāvarī. At last He returned to Vidyānagara.

Text 319: When Rāmānanda Rāya heard of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s arrival, he was very pleased, and he immediately went to see Him.

Text 320: When Rāmānanda Rāya fell flat, touching the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord immediately raised him to his feet and embraced him.

Text 321: In great ecstatic love they both began to cry, and thus their minds were slackened.

Text 322: After some time they regained their senses and sat together to discuss various subjects.

Text 323: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave Rāmānanda Rāya a vivid description of His travels to the holy places and told him how He had acquired the two books named Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta and Brahma-saṁhitā. The Lord delivered the books to Rāmānanda Rāya.

Text 324: The Lord said, “Whatever you have told Me about devotional service is all supported by these two books.”

Text 325: Rāmānanda Rāya was very happy to receive these books. He tasted their contents along with the Lord and made a copy of each.

Text 326: News spread in the village of Vidyānagara about the arrival of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and everyone came to see Him once again.

Text 327: After seeing the people who gathered there, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya returned to his own home. At noon, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got up to take His lunch.

Text 328: Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya returned at night, and he and the Lord discussed topics concerning Kṛṣṇa. Thus they passed the night.

Text 329: Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed Kṛṣṇa day and night, and thus they passed from five to seven days in great happiness.

Text 330: Rāmānanda Rāya said, “My dear Lord, with Your permission I have already written a letter to the King with great humility.

Text 331: “The King has already given me an order to return to Jagannātha Purī, and I am making arrangements to do this.”

Text 332: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then said, “It is for this purpose alone that I have returned. I want to take you with Me to Jagannātha Purī.”

Text 333: Rāmānanda Rāya said, “My dear Lord, it is better that You proceed to Jagannātha Purī alone because with me there will be many horses, elephants and soldiers, all roaring tumultuously.

Text 334: “I shall make arrangements within ten days. Following You, I shall go to Nīlācala without delay.”

Text 335: Giving orders to Rāmānanda Rāya to come to Nīlācala, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu departed for Jagannātha Purī with great pleasure.

Text 336: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu returned by the same road He had formerly taken to Vidyānagara, and all the Vaiṣṇavas along the way saw Him again.

Text 337: Wherever Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went, the holy name of Śrī Hari was vibrated. Seeing this, the Lord became very happy.

Text 338: When the Lord reached Ālālanātha, He sent His assistant Kṛṣṇadāsa ahead to call for Nityānanda Prabhu and other personal associates.

Text 339: As soon as Nityānanda Prabhu received news of the arrival of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He immediately got up and started out to see Him. Indeed, He was very impatient in His great ecstasy.

Text 340: Śrī Nityānanda Rāya, Jagadānanda, Dāmodara Paṇḍita and Mukunda all became ecstatic in their happiness, and dancing along the way, they went to meet the Lord.

Text 341: Gopīnātha Ācārya also went in a very happy mood. They all went to meet the Lord, and they finally contacted Him on the way.

Text 342: The Lord was also filled with ecstatic love, and He embraced them all. Out of their love, they began to cry with pleasure.

Text 343: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also went to see the Lord with great pleasure, and he met Him on the beach by the sea.

Text 344: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord pulled him up and embraced him.

Text 345: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya cried in great ecstatic love. Then the Lord, accompanied by them all, went to the temple of Jagannātha.

Text 346: Due to ecstatic love experienced upon visiting Lord Jagannātha, inundations of trembling, perspiration, tears and jubilation swept the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Text 347: In ecstatic love Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced and chanted. At that time all the attendants and priests came to offer Him a garland and the remnants of Lord Jagannātha’s food.

Text 348: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became patient after receiving the garland and prasādam of Lord Jagannātha. All the servants of Lord Jagannātha met Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with great pleasure.

Text 349: Afterward, Kāśī Miśra came and fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord respectfully embraced him.

Text 350: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then took the Lord with him to his home, saying, “Today’s luncheon will be at my home.” In this way he invited the Lord.

Text 351: Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya brought various types of food remnants that had been left by Lord Jagannātha. He brought all kinds of cakes and condensed-milk preparations.

Text 352: Accompanied by all His associates, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya’s house and took His noon lunch there.

Text 353: After offering food to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya made Him lie down to rest, and he personally began to massage the legs of the Lord.

Text 354: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then sent Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya to take his lunch, and the Lord remained that night in his home just to please him.

Text 355: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His personal associates remained with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. They all stayed awake the entire night as the Lord spoke of His pilgrimage.

Text 356: The Lord told Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, “I have traveled to many holy places, but I could not find a Vaiṣṇava as good as you anywhere.”

Text 357: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “I received much pleasure from the talks of Rāmānanda Rāya.”

Text 358: Thus I have ended my narration about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, describing it in brief. It cannot be described very broadly.

Text 359: The pastimes of Lord Caitanya are unlimited. No one can properly describe His activities, yet I make the attempt out of greed. This but reveals my shamelessness.

Text 360: Whoever hears of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage to various holy places attains the riches of very deep ecstatic love.

Text 361: Please hear the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith and devotion. Giving up envy of the Lord, everyone chant the Lord’s holy name, Hari.

Text 362: In this Age of Kali there are no genuine religious principles other than those established by Vaiṣṇava devotees and the Vaiṣṇava scriptures. This is the sum and substance of everything.

Text 363: The pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are just like an unfathomable ocean. It is not possible for me to enter into it. Simply standing on the shore, I am but touching the water.

Text 364: The more one hears the pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with faith, analytically studying them, the more one attains the ecstatic riches of love of Godhead.

Text 365: Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.