In the morning on the way to the river for a bath, Shrinivasa met Sarkar Thakura who had come from Gajipura. The beautiful complexion of the boy suddenly reminded him about the gracious feet of Prabhu. He thought he was observing Prabhu in front of him because he knew that he was Shrinivasa of a brahmin family. The boy was also standing before him after bowing at his feet. Sarkara Thakura asked him his name and whereabouts. Shrinivasa polietly replied, "I am Shrinivasa of Cakandi and the servant of your feet." On hearing the name of Shrinivasa, Sarkar Thakura at once understood that he was the embodiment of Shri Chaitanya. He gladly embraced him with tears in his eyes. He told Shrinivasa, "Nityananda is eagerly waiting for you. I have also cherished the hope of meeting you which now has come true. Viracandra told me in the presence of Jahnava to send you, Shrinivasa, to Vrndavana. He told me about your birth in a village on the bank of the Ganges. It is the grace of Chaitanya that I got you. Here you have nothing to do. Go with me to Khanda and we will be happy there." But Shrinivasa said that his parents had been waiting for him in the house. So he returned to his house. Since then he became madly ecstatic in love. He began to behave like a mad person, sometimes he would laugh, sometimes cry and at times fall on the ground. Sometimes he would cry loudly. His parents could not understand what had happened to their son. Acarya asked him, "Why are you crying my son after coming back from your bath?" One by one all the inhabitants of the village assembled in the house but no one could understand anything. Among them there was an old brahmin who reported, "Be patient you all, listen to me. The boy met Narahari Sarkara Thakura of Khanda on his way to the river this morning. After that meeting, the boy is behaving like this. Do not worry he will tell us everything in due time." Hearing the name of Narahari, he laughed and controlled himself. But once that day his repenting increased because of the separation from Shri Chaitanya. Shrinivasa began to lament saying, "O how unfortunate I am for not seeing Shri Chaitanya. Alas, I cannot see the feet of Nityananda. O, I cannot visualise the feature of Advaita. I cannot get Svarupa Raya, Rupa or Sanatana. I cannot take part in sankirtana with the devotees. O how miserable my life is."
In this way he began to lament all the time. Suddenly an oracle came in the sky. "Why are you thinking so you as your birth is casued through love? The propagation of the pastimes of Radha Krishna will be manifested through you. You will flood the universe with the love of Chaitanya. Rupa and Sanatana are still engaged in writing books for you while living in Vrndavana. This has been arranged by Shri Mahaprabhu for you, the two brothers are eagerly waiting for you. If you want to meet them go to Vrndavana as soon as possible or you will miss them. But Vrndavana will increase your misery. Though your parents will be in great sorrow, you should try and go away." When all the people returned to their houses, his parents became relieved to see their son in a calm mood and quiet. Shrinivasa wanted some food and his mother gladly gave him his lunch.
Shrinivasa began to think as to how he would leave his house while his parents were alive. Above all he was a little boy, how could he go alone to Vrndavana? He began to pray to Chaitanya for his grace. Suddenly Chaitanya dasa got fever and within seven days he departed from this world. Shrinivasa became grief stricken; more his mother who was completely helpless. She said in lamentation, "You have given a son to a childless family like us, but our desires are still not fulfilled. Why do you torment this little boy in such an unbearable way. How can I manage him? I have no one to whom I can turn. O my Shrinivasa, where has your father gone?" Shrinivasa was very much agrieved to see his mother lamenting in this way. He also began to lament loudly for his father. After all these lamentations, he performed the funeral rites of his father on the banks of the Ganges. The ladies came and consoled Lakshmipriya and said, "Why are you breaking apart? Look at your son and be patient." In the meantime an oracle appeared in the sky saying, "Why are you lamenting Thakurani? Do you not know the real identity of your son? Go to Jajigrama and then you will understand everything. He is blessed by Shri Chaitanya and Nityananda. For him Rupa has begun writing books. Listen Lakshmipriya, try to take care of your son. Do not grieve in useless lamentation and be patient." From this she got a bit of consolation and performed the funeral ceremony of her husband.
After that she went to Jajigrama with her son leaving his birth place. Shrinivasa was very depressed and met Narahari. He decided to leave his mother in Jajigrama and went elsewhere. At night he dreamt about Shri Chaitanya who ordered him, "Go to Vrndavana." Waking up from his sleep, Shrinivasa began to think, "How can I leave this place so early, keeping my mother here, above all I cannot go to Vrndavana as I cannot practise austerity fully. But Thakura Narahari has advised me not to waste time." So after spending some days in Cakandi he came to Jajigrama and settled there. The zamindar of the village met Shrinivasa and became impressed by the spirit of the boy. He requested him to settle in the village. So Shrinivasa stayed there for a pretty long time and then desired to go to Khanda. He built a beautiful cottage on the western part of the village and leaving his mother there, he went to Khanda.
Before the gate of the house of Narahari Thakura, Shrinivasa met Shri Raghunandana under a tree. Observing the spirit of the boy Shri Raghunandana asked him, "What is your name and where are you from?" Shrinivasa gave his identity. Hearing the name Shrinivasa, Raghunandana became ecstatic in love and embraced him with outstretched hands. He said to Shrinivasa, "I have heard everything about you from Shri Thakura. Now I am happy to meet you, let us go to Shri Thakura where both of us will spend our days in worship and meditation. He held the hands of Shrinivasa and went inside to meet Shri Thakura. "Come in, come in, my son Shrinivasa, take a seat. Prabhu Viracandra has ordered me to send you to Vrndavana as soon as possible," saying so Shri Thakura caressed the body of Shrinivasa and at once fell in a trance. Nayana Sena Mahasaya was standing there. He quickly held Shrinivasa and took him to his house.
In the afternoon Thakura asked Raghunandana where Shrinivasa was and ordered him to bring Shrinivasa to him as he would tell him about going to Vrndavana. At that very moment Shrinivasa came in with a smiling face. Thakura asked Shrinivasa, "Shrinivasa, when and how will you start for Vrndavana?" Shrinivasa said, "I am homeless, what can I do." Thakura said, "For you Chaitanya has instructed Bhatta who will help you to learn the methods of meditation." Shrinivasa cried out and said, "Why are you trying to deceive me on the pretext of sending me to Vrndavana? After coming from Cakandi, I got your darshan and dedicated myself at your feet." Thakura said, "Yes, it is true but Gopala Bhatta will be your guru, not I, and I dare not disobey the orders of Prabhu. Stay here for a few days but remember that Harinama is the spirit of Prabhu Himself."
After that Shrinivasa took his leave to think as to from whom would he take nama. In deep thoughts he passed most of the night but at the end of the night, due to the wish of Prabhu he fell asleep and got the darshan of Prabhu Gaura Candra who told him, "Listen Shrinivasa, you are the embodiment of love. Why are you waiting for a shelter? Go to Vrndavana without wasting any time and take refuge at the feet of Gopala Bhatta who belongs to Tailanga Desa (South India) and who is my life. Rupa and Sanatana are of the same soul and they will hand over all the books to you which they have been writing so long. They have become very anxious because you are delaying in going there." In ecstasy, Shrinivasa bowed at the feet of Prabhu and his dream came to an end. He now began to think about his dream. He went to Sarkara Thakura and told him everythng. Narahari understood that Mahaprabhu had favored Shrinivasa so he also blessed Shrinivasa by keeping his hand on his head. He said, "May Vrndavana do favor to you. I sent a letter to Viracandra telling him about you. You stay here until a reply comes from him." He stayed in Khanda for some time. Then he decided to visit Jagannatha Deva. He also cherished the hope of reading the Shri Bhagavata to Shri Pandita and after that he would go to Vrndavana. So he went to Narahari and told him his desires. Narahari permitted him and ordered a certain vaishnava to go with Shrinivasa. He wrote a letter and gave it to that Vaishnava. Both of them started for Nilacala. There they visited the temple of Jagannatha and went to the house of Shri Gopinath where Pandit Gosvami had been spending his days in utter misery due to the separation of Chaitanya. Shrinivasa bowed at his feet by uttering the names of Chaitanya Nityananda. Hearing the name of Chaitanya, Gosvami became very much perturbed and asked, "Who are you?" and opened his eyes. "Come on, come on my son, I want to embrace you. What a sweet name you uttered in my ears. I dreamt that a certain Shrinivasa will come from Gauda who is the son of Chaitanya dasa and Lakshmipriya of Cakandi. That Shrinivasa will manifest Radha Krishna lila in this world. Let me know your name and thereby cool my heart." When Shrinivasa humbly gave his identity, Gosvami said, "It is good that you are here. Prabhu has ordered me to teach you the Bhagavata. At the end of his pastimes Prabhu told me to talk about Krishnalila to you. Until your coming here Prabhu has ordered me to stay here and send you to Vrndavana with a letter to Rupa and Sanatana. From them you will take the books and carry them to Gauda. But my Shrimad Bhagavatam has become illegible with my tears. I shall give a letter to Narahari in which I shall direct him to give you a new book. Do not delay because it is the order of Prabhu to me."
Shrinivasa said, "I have heard that Shri Gopala Bhatta is Gunamanjari of Radha Krishna lila. I cherish the hope of being a disciple of Gopala Bhatta." Hearing the name Gunamanjari, Pandita Gosvami became very glad as it was also the order of Prabhu to Bhatta alias Gunamanjari. He advised Shrinivasa to quickly go to Gauda otherwise he would not see him again. After that he began to lament in various ways taking the names of Chaitanya Nityananda. Shrinivasa understood that if he made delay, he would not see him again. So he started for Gauda and then went to meet Narahari again. That day in the house of Viracandra there was a great assembly of devotees. Shrinivasa stood before Narahari after bowing at his feet. Narahari said, "It is good that you have come today. Read this letter from Vrndavana, after completing your course in Bhagavatam start for Vrndavana. I understand everything from the letter of Pandita Gosvami." He read out the letter to Viracandra. All of them permitted Shrinivasa to complete his studies of the Bhagavatam and they told him not to delay as then he would miss him. They also ordered Shrinivasa to go to Kshetra first. This time also Narahari selected a vaishnava to accompany Shrinivasa.
They started the journey taking the names of Gadadhara Chaitanya. Shrinivasa with a disturbed mind reached Yajpura but before entering into the village, he got the news of Gadadhara's departure from the world. At once Shrinivasa fell unconscious on the ground. Being very afraid and holding the feet of Shrinivasa the vaishnava tried to bring back his senses. When Shrinivasa regained his senses, he bowed at the feet of the vaishnava. In great disappointment, Shrinivasa spent that night fasting and was very weak the next morning. The vaishnava became very nervous and could not understand how he would take Shrinivasa to Gauda. After many efforts he was able to feed Shrinivasa. Then Shrinivasa came to Gauda crying all the way. In the afternoon they entered the village Shri Khanda. Everyone in the village began to lament as Shrinivasa was thinking of going to Vrndavana. In the morning they left Shri Khanda and came to Navadvipa where Shrinivasa halted in front of the house of Prabhu in great apathy. He began to cry loudly the name of Pandita Gosvami and remained in fasting for four days. He realised that on an empty stomach, the practise of austerity was impossible, so he collected a little quantity of rice and cooked it while sitting on the bank of the Ganges. On the eight day he became more weak than before. At that time he met Vamsivadan Dasa who asked Shrinivasa his name and address. Vamsidasa said that he had been spending his days in extreme misery caused by the separation from Gadadhara. Shrinivasa said, "I am Shrinivasa from Yajigrama. Prabhu ordered me to take lessons in Bhagavata from Gadadhara Pandita. But I am an extremely unfortunate person." Saying so he began to cry.
In the meantime Isana came to that place and became very moved to see Shrinivasa in such a weak state of health. But he understood that this boy had been given the power of Prabhu. So he came to the house of Isvari (Vishnupriya) and told her, "I met a beautiful boy on the bank of the Ganges who is lamenting helplessly the name of Gadadhara. His weak health has caused me pain. Please allow me to give him some food. Later I shall bring him here and have mercy on him." So Isana took some rice for Shrinivasa and went to him. He told Shrinivasa to cook it himself, Shrinivasa obeyed his order. Isvari then understood everything and became very happy. As soon as Shrinivasa completed his cooking, ten ascetics came to him and told him that they were very hungry. Shrinivasa was very glad to meet them and offered them the prasadm rice to eat. It was the grace of Prabhu that eleven vaishnavas (including Shrinivasa) could manage to eat a stomach full from such a small quantity of rice.
When Isvari learnt of this, she became eager to know the identity of the boy. She expressed her desire to meet the boy. At night on her way to the river for a bath with her maidservants she saw the boy and was very happy to see him. She thought, "How can I talk to the boy, how can I look at the face of an unknown man? If I get Prabhu's grace all shame will be gone." She ordered Isana to bring the boy and Isana told Shrinivasa, "Come with me to the house of Prabhu for Shri Isvari is calling you." Being overwhelmed with joy, Shrinivasa began to dance and at the same time cry. When he reached the house of Prabhu with Isana, he felt too nervous to enter into the inside. He entered into the inner apartments with a trembling body and stood at a far distance. Isana introduced Shrinivasa to Shri Isvari. She saw him standing behind a curtain and realised he was the embodiment of her Prabhu. By putting aside her shame she called Shrinivasa before her and asked him why he had been crying. Shrinivasa humbly reported about Pandita Gosvami and his desire to go to Vrndavana. She advised him to go back to his own house for at such a young age he would not bear the life of an ascetic. Shrinivasa with folded hands requested her repeatedly to favor him and enable him to go to Vrndavana. He also told her that he had no one but his mother. She said, "Only the grace of Prabhu can help you at this moment. You had better stay here until you grow up enough." Vishnupriya who had been in deep sorrow at the separation of Shri Gauranga, now became more perplexed to see Shrinivasa. Isana informed Isvari that Shrinivasa had spent his night in crying for Pandita Gosvami.
Now I am narrating the effort of taking nama from Shri Isvari. She used to keep two new earthern bowls - one was empty and the other was half full of rice. She used to do japa 16 times with 32 letters and put one rice grain in the empty bowl. Up till midnight she would practise this and then she would cook the quantity of rice which she had put into the empty bowl after her japa. She used to offer that rice to Prabhu with tears and then she used to eat the prasadam. Who can describe the great efforts of Devi Vishnupriya, the favorite wife of Prabhu who used to do Harinama all the time? The harinama done by her was the spirit of Prabhu Himself because harinama at a great number could take away all sorts of sin. Harinama in the Kaliyuga was the only thing that could take away damnation. In this way at the dead of night she used to lie down on the ground. At the end of the night, the two brothers (Gaura-Nitai) after their sankirtana, appeared in a dream of Sacimata and told her, "O mother, your daughter-in-law while keeping Shrinivasa outside is enjoying her sleep inside her room. Shrinivasa has taken the charge of completing my duties. Please send him to Abhirama through Isana." Sacimata at once left her bed because she could not sleep that night because of the separation from her son. Isana had been in a deep sleep. After a long time he awoke and became very ashamed. With folded hands he went to Vishnupriya who ordered him to bring Shrinivasa quickly to her. Isana obeyed her order. Shri Isvari ordered Shrinivasa to go and meet Abhirama. Saying so she covered herself with a cloth, came out of her room ad put her foot on the head of Shrinivasa. The touch of her foot made Shrinivasa burst into tears. To pacify him, she said, "Listen to me Shrinivasa, you are a fortunate man as you bear the spirit of Prabhu. You should first go to Santipura and meet Advaita Gosvami. Then go to visit Nityananda in Khardaha. Jahnava will be very glad to see you. After meeting everyone start for Vrndavana. I wish you all success."
After bowing at her feet Shrinivasa reached Santipura but was at a loss as to where to go as Isvari had advised him to go to Advaita and he knew that Advaita had left this world 13 years ago. How could he get his darshan? Suddenly a gigantic figure with long stretching hands and an enormous figure appeared before him. Shrinivasa could not stand before the spirit, neither could he look at him. The superman told Shrinivasa, "My dear son, welcome to Santipura. I am Advaita standing in front of you." Shrinivasa at once fell at his feet. Advaita began to lament for Chaitanya Nityananda, Svarupa and Rama Raya and others. He put his hand on the head of Shrinivasa and embraced Shrinivasa and told him. "I am happy to see you, Prabhu has sent Gopala Bhatta for you, go to the servant of Gopala Bhatta. Being angry with me Prabhu has created you to carry out his mission. He sent Rupa Sanatana to Vrndavana and ordered them to write devotional books for you so that you can propagate Prabhu's love in the world. I appeared just to meet you. Do not disclose it to anyone, you will get pleasure in Khardaha and after meeting Jahnava start for Vrndavana. You can get the darshan of Shri Rupa and then you should meet and worship the feet of Gopala Bhatta. Do not think about Advaita Govinda alias Nagara whom I have discarded from being my disciple." Saying all this Advaita disappeared. Out of disappointment Shrinivasa began to cry. In the meantime Sita devi (wife of Advaita Prabhu) was passing by on her way for taking a bath in the Ganges. She saw the jewel-like boy crying at the side of the road. She at once took him in her lap like a son. She began to pacify him with sweet words and asked him, "Why are you crying, I think you got the darshan of my Prabhu. O my boy who are you?" Shrinivasa replied, "I am Shrinivasa of Cakandi. Isvariji had ordered me to meet you." Now she remembered the prophecy of Acyutananda and became very glad to see Shrinivasa.
At that time Gopala Gosvami was passing by that place. He at once fell at the feet of Sita devi who ordered him to look after Shrinivasa until she came back from her bath. After taking a bath Sita devi took Shrinivasa and Gopala to her house. She offered the leftover prasadam to Shri Advaita, and then went to cook for them. After offering the food to Krishna, she served food to Gopala and Shrinivasa. They spent that night in Santipura in peace.
In the morning Shrinivasa went to take his leave of Sita Mata. He asked her about Advaita Govinda. Sita devi told him, "What is the use in hearing it, do your own duty my boy." She knew that the boys were very adamant in their requests so she started the story saying, "Listen to it carefully and try to believe it. At the time of the deliverance Jagai and Madhai by Nityananda, Gosvami told Haridasa angrily, `if Gosvami (Gaura Nitai) do not give me Prema yoga (do not deliver me) I shall suck all his loves. Then do not accuse me for doing this'. He wrote a tarja (satire). Nityananda sent Jagadananda Prabhu to Nilacala with that tarja. Prabhu took it as true and to help Nityananda in his preaching mission sent Ramdasa and Sundaranandana and others to assist him. He sent Kamdeva, Nagara, Nandini and some others to Advaita. But Nagar began to announce being angry with Advaita that he was the person with whom Prabhu had come with to Gauda. i.e. he was the main helper of Mahaprabhu in his preaching program. Hearing these proud words, Sita devi, the wife of Advaita outcasted Nagara Kamdeva, Nandini etc. from the group of disciples of Advaita. Sita devi and Advaita used to like their elder son Acyutananda more, he was a completely apathetic and ascetic minded person. Their other sons also took mantra from their father but they were family men. Sita devi used to say that she was the maidservant of Chaitanya and those who would quarrel with the son of the maid servant of Chaitanya i.e Acyutananda, should have no link with Advaita and his group of disciples." Shrinivasa was very glad to hear this and bowed again and again at the feet of Sita devi. He then took his leave of Sita devi.
Being faithful to the feet of Shri Jahnava and Viracandra, Nityananda dasa writes Prem Vilasa.
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