Thakura:
"This account originally appeared in a short work by Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura entitled, 'Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts.'(dated
20th August 1896.)" This was taken from "Prologue" to "Teachings of Lord
Caitanya"(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 1974. pages xiii-xxii.) Who
better could we find to include here than the pure unalloyed devotee, and
foremost scholar in Vaisnava circles Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura to perform
this task. He starts his essay;
"Caitanya Mahaprabhu was born in Mayapur in the town of Nadia just after
sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phalguna (1407 Sakadba), answering to the
18th of February 1486 of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the
time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual
on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhagirathi with loud cheers of Haribol.
His father, Jagannatha Misra, a poor 'brahmana' of the Vedic order, and His
mother, Saci-devi, a model good woman, both descended from 'brahmana' stock
originally residing in Sylhet. Mahaprabhu was a beautiful child, and the
ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. His mother's father,
Pandita Nilambara Cakravarti, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child
would be a great personage in time; and he, therefore, gave him the name
Visvambhara. The ladies of the neighbourhood styled him Gaurahari on account
of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimai on account of the
'nimba' tree near which He was born. Beautiful as the lad was, everyone
heartily loved to see Him every day. As He grew up He became a whimsical and
frolicsome lad. After His fifth year, He was admitted into a pathasala where
He picked up Bengali in a very short time.
"Most of His contemporary biographers have mentioned certain anecdotes
regarding Caitanya which are simple records of His early miracles. It is
said that when He was an infant in His mother's arms He wept continually,
and when the neighbouring ladies cried 'Haribol' He used to stop. Thus there
was a continuation of utterance of 'Haribol' in the house, foreshewing the
future mission of the hero. It has also been stated that when His mother
gave Him sweetmeats to eat, He ate clay instead of the food. His mother,
asking for the reason, He stated that as every sweetmeat was nothing but
clay transformed, He could eat clay as well. His mother, who was also the
consort of a 'pandita', explained that every article in a special state was
adapted to a special use. Earth, while in the state of a jug, could be used
as a water pot, but in the state of a brick such a use was not possible.
Clay, therefore in the form of sweetmeats was usable as food, but clay in
its other states was not. The lad was convinced and admitted His stupidity
in eating clay and agreed to avoid the mistake in the future. Another
miraculous act has been related. It is said that a brahmana on pilgrimage
became a guest in His house, cooked food and read grace with meditation upon
Krsna. In the meantime the lad came and ate up the cooked rice. The
'brahmana', astonished at the lad's act, cooked again at the request of
Jagannatha Misra. The lad again ate up the cooked rice while the 'brahmana'
was offering the rice to Krsna with meditation. The 'brahmana' was persuaded
to cook for the third time. This time all the inmates of the house had
fallen asleep, and so the lad showed Himself as Krsna to the traveller and
blessed him. The 'brahmana' was then lost in ecstasy at the appearance of
the object of his worship. It has also been stated that two thieves stole
away the lad from His father's door with a view to purloin His jewels and
gave Him sweetmeats on the way. The lad exercised His illusory energy and
deceived the thieves back towards His own house. The thieves, for fear of
detection, left the boy there and fled. Another miraculous act that has been
described is the lad's demanding and getting from Hiranya and Jagadisa all
the offerings they had collected for worshiping Krsna on the day of Ekadasi.
When only four years of age He sat on rejected cooking pots which were
considered unholy by His mother. He explained to His mother that there was
no question of holiness and unholiness as regards to earthen pots thrown
away after the cooking was over. These anecdotes relate to His tender age up
to the fifth year.
"In His eighth year, He was admitted into the tola of Gangadasa Pandita in
Ganganagara close by the village of Mayapur. In two years He became well
read in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric. His readings after that were of the
nature of self-study in His own house, where He had found all-important
books belonging to His father, who was a 'pandita' himself. It appears that
He read the 'smrti' in His own study, and the 'nyaya' also, in competition
with His friends, who were then studying under the celebrated 'pandita'
Raghunatha Siromani.
"Now, after the tenth year of His age, Caitanya became a passable scholar
in grammar, rhetoric, the 'smrti' and the 'nyaya'. It was after this that
his elder brother Visvarupa left his house and accepted the 'ashrama'
(status) of a 'sannyasi' (ascetic). Caitanya, though a very young boy,
consoled His parents, saying that He would serve them with a view to please
God. Just after that, His father left this world. His mother was exceedingly
sorry, and Mahaprabhu, with His usual contented appearance, consoled His
widowed mother.
It was at the age of 14 or 15 that Mahaprabhu was married to Laksmidevi,
the daughter of Vallabhacarya, also of Nadia. He was at this age considered
one of the best scholars of Nadia, then renowned seat of 'nyaya' philosophy
and Sanskrit learning. Not to speak of the 'smarta panditas', the
'Naiyayikas' were all afraid of confronting Him in literary discussions.
Being a married man, He went to Eastern Bengal on the banks of the Padma for
acquirement of wealth. There He displayed His learning and obtained a good
sum of money. It was at this time that He preached Vaisnavism at intervals.
After teaching him the principles of Vaisnavism, He ordered Tapanamisra to
go to and live in Benares. During His residence in East Bengal, His wife
Laksmidevi left this world from the effects of snake bite. On returning
home, He found His mother in a mourning state. He consoled her with a
lecture on the uncertainty of human affairs. It was at His mother's request
that He married Visnupriya, the daughter of Raja Pandita Sanatana Misra. His
comrades joined Him on His return from pravasa or sojourn. He was now so
renowned that He was considered to be the best pandita in Nadia. Kesava
Misra of Kashmir, who had called himself the Great Digvijayi, came to Nadia
with a view to discuss with the 'pandita' of that place. Afraid of the
so-called conquering pandita, the tola professors of Nadia left their town
on pretence of invitation. Kesava met Mahaprabhu at the Barokona-ghata in
Mayapur, and after a very short discussion with Him he was defeated by the
boy, and mortification obliged him to decamp. Nimai Pandita was now the most
important 'pandita' of His times.
"It was at the age of 16 or 17 that He travelled to Gaya with a host of His
students and there took His spiritual initiation from Isvara Puri, a
Vaisnava 'sannyasi' and a disciple of the renowned Madhavendra Puri. Upon
His return to Nadia, Nimai Pandita turned religious preacher, and His
religious nature became so strongly represented that Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa
and others who had before the birth of Caitanya already accepted the
Vaisnava faith were astonished at the change of the young man. He was then
no more a contending 'naiyayika', a wrangling 'smarta' and a criticizing
rhetorician. He swooned at the name of Krsna and behaved as an inspired man
under the influence of His religious sentiment. It has been described by
Murari Gupta, an eye-witness, that He showed His heavenly powers in the
house of Srivasa Pandita in the presence of hundreds of His followers, who
were mostly well-read scholars. It was at this time that He opened a
nocturnal school of 'kirtana' in the compound of Srivasa Pandita with His
sincere followers. There He preached, there He sang, there He danced, and
there He expressed all sorts of religious feelings. Nityananda Prabhu, who
was then a preacher of Vaisnavism and who had then completed His travels all
over India, joined Him at that time. In fact, a host of 'pandita' preachers
of Vaisnavism, all sincere at heart, came and joined Him from different
parts of Bengal. Nadia now became the regular seat of a host of Vaisnava
'acaryas' whose mission it was to spiritualize mankind with the highest
influence of the Vaisnava creed.
"The first mandate that He issued to Prabhu Nityananda and Haridasa was
this: 'Go, friends, go through the streets of the town, meet every man at
his door and ask him to sing the name of Hari with a holy life, and you then
come and report to Me every evening the result of your preaching.' Thus
ordered, the two preachers went on and met Jagai and Madhai, two most
abominable characters. They insulted the preachers on hearing Mahaprabhu's
mandate, but were soon converted by the influence of 'bhakti' (devotion)
inculcated by their Lord. The people of Nadia were now surprised. They said,
'Nimai Pandita is not only a gigantic genius, but He is certainly a
missionary from God Almighty.' From this time to His twenty-third year,
Mahaprabhu preached His principles not only in Nadia but in all important
towns and villages around His city. In the houses of His followers He shewed
miracles, taught the esoteric principles of 'bhakti' and sang His
'sankirtan' with other bhaktas. His followers of the town of Nadia commenced
to sing the holy name of Hari in the streets and bazaars. This created a
sensation and roused different feelings in different quarters. The 'bhaktas'
were highly pleased. The 'smarta brahmanas' became jealous of Nimai
Pandita's success and complained to Chand Kazi against the character of
Caitanya as un-Hindu. The Kazi came to Srivasa Pandita's house and broke a
'mrdanga' ('khola' drum) there and declared that unless Nimai Pandit ceased
to make noise about His queer religion he would be obliged to enforce
Mohammedanism on Him and His followers. This was brought to Mahaprabhu's
notice. He ordered the townspeople to appear in the evening each with a
torch in his hand. This they did, and Nimai marched out with His 'sankirtan'
divided in 14 groups, and on His arrival in the Kazi's house, He held a long
conversation with the Kazi and in the end communicated into his heart His
Vaisnava influence by touching his body. The Kazi then wept and admitted
that he had felt a keen spiritual influence which had cleared up his doubts
and produced in him a religious sentiment which gave him the highest
ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the sankirtan party. The world was astonished
at the spiritual power of the Great Lord, and hundreds and hundreds of
heretics converted and joined the banner of Visvambhara after this affair.
"It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded 'brahmanas' of
Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahaprabhu and collected a party to oppose Him.
Nimai Pandita was naturally a soft-hearted person, though strong in His
principles. He declared that party feelings and sectarianism were the two
great enemies of progress and that as long as He should continue to be an
inhabitant of Nadia belonging to a certain family, His mission would not
meet with complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by
cutting His connection with His particular family, caste and creed, and with
this resolution He embraced the position of a 'sannyasi' at Katwa, under the
guidance of Keshava Bharati of that town, on the 24th year of His age. His
mother and wife wept bitterly for His separation, but our hero, though soft
in heart, was a strong person in principle. He left His little world in His
house for the unlimited spiritual world of Krsna with man in general.
"After His 'sannyasa', He was induced to visit the house of Advaita Prabhu
in Santipura. Advaita managed to invite all His friends and admirers from
Nadia and brought Sacidevi to see her son. Both pleasure and pain invaded
her heart when she saw her son in the attire of a 'sannyasi'. As a
'sannyasi', Krsna Caitanya put on nothing but a 'kaupina' (two pieces of
cloth, a loin cloth) and a 'bahirvasa' (outer covering). His head was
without hair, and His hands bore a 'danda' (stick) and a 'kamandalu'
(hermit's water pot). The Holy Son fell at the feet of His beloved mother
and said, "Mother! This body is yours, and I must obey your orders. Permit
me to go to Vrndavana for My spiritual attainments." The mother, in
consultation with Advaita and others, asked her son to reside in Puri (the
town of Jagannatha) so that she might obtain His information now and then.
Mahaprabhu agreed to that proposition and in a few days left Santipura for
Orissa. His biographers have described the journey of Krsna Caitanya (that
was the name He got after His 'sannyasa') from Santipura to Puri in great
detail. He travelled along the side of the Bhagirathi as far as Chatrabhoga,
situated now in Thana Mathurapura, Diamond Harbour, 24 Parganas. There He
took a boat and went as far as Prayaga-ghata in the Midnapura District.
Thence He walked through Balasore and Cuttack to Puri, seeing the temple of
Bhuvanesvara on His way. Upon His arrival at Puri He saw Jagannatha in the
temple and resided with Sarvabhauma at the request of the latter.
Sarvabhauma was a gigantic 'pandita' of the day. His readings knew no
bounds. He was the best 'naiyayika' of the times and was known as the most
erudite scholar in the Vedanta philosophy of the school of Sankaracarya. He
was born in Nadia (Vidyanagara) and taught innumerable pupils in the 'nyaya'
philosophy in his tola there. He had left for Puri some time before the
birth of Nimai Pandita. His brother-in-law Gopinatha Misra introduced our
new sannyasi to Sarvabhauma, who was astonished at His personal beauty and
feared that it would be difficult for the young man to maintain
'sannyasa-dharma' during the long run of His life. Gopinatha, who had known
Mahaprabhu from Nadia, had a great reverence for Him and declared that the
'sannyasi' was not a common human being. On this point Gopinatha and
Sarvabhauma had a hot discussion. Sarvabhauma then requested Mahaprabhu to
hear his recitation of the Vedanta-sutras, and the latter tacitly submitted.
Caitanya heard with silence what the great Sarvabhauma uttered with gravity
for seven days, at the end of which the latter said, 'Krsna-Caitanya! I
think You do not understand the Vedanta, for You do not say anything after
hearing my recitation and explanations.' The reply of Caitanya was that He
understood the sutras very well, but He could not make out what Sankaracarya
meant by his commentaries. Astonished as this, Sarvabhauma said, 'How is it
that you understand the meanings of the 'sutras' and do not understand the
commentaries which explain the 'sutras'? All well! If You understand the
'sutras', please let me have Your interpretations.' Mahaprabhu thereon
explained all the 'sutras' in His own way without touching the pantheistic
commentary of Sankara. The keen understanding of Sarvabhauma saw the truth,
beauty and harmony of arguments in the explanations given by Caitanya and
obliged Him to utter that it was the first time that he had found one who
could explain the Brahma-sutras in such a simple manner. He admitted also
that the commentaries of Sankara never gave such natural explanations of the
Vedanta-sutras as he had obtained from Mahaprabhu. He then submitted himself
as an advocate and follower. In a few days Sarvabhauma turned out to be one
of the best Vaisnavas of the time. When reports of this came out, the whole
of Orissa sang the praise of Krsna Caitanya, and hundred and hundreds came
to Him and became His followers. In the meantime Mahaprabhu thought of
visiting Southern India, and He started with one Krsnadasa Brahmana for the
journey.
"His biographers have given us a detail of the journey. He went first to
Kurmaksetra, where He performed a miracle by curing a leper named Vasudeva.
He met Ramananda Raya, the Governor of Vidyanagara, on the banks of the
Godavari and had a philosophical conversation with him on the subject of
'prema-bhakti'. He worked another miracle by touching (making them
immediately disappear) the seven 'tala-trees' through which Ramacandra, the
son of Dasaratha, had shot His arrow and killed the great Bali Raja. He
preached Vaisnavism and 'nama-sankirtana' throughout the journey. At
Rangaksetra He stayed for four months in the house of one Venkata Bhatta in
order to spend the rainy season. There He converted the whole family of
Venkata from Ramanuja Vaisnavism to Krsna-bhakti, along with the son of
Venkata, a boy of ten years named Gopala, who afterwards came to Vrndavana
and became one of the six Goswamis or prophets serving under their leader
Sri Krsna Caitanya. Trained up in Sanskrit by his uncle Prabodhananda
Sarasvati, Gopala wrote several books on Vaisnavism.
"Sri Caitanya visited numerous places in Southern India as far as Cape
Comorin and returned to Puri in two years by Pandepura on the Bhima. In this
latter place He spiritualized one Tukarama, who became from that time a
religious preacher himself. This fact has been admitted in his 'adhangas',
which have been collected in a volume by Mr. Satyendra Nath Tagore of the
Bombay Civil Service. During His journey He had several discussions with the
Buddhists, the Jains and the 'mayavadis' in several places and converted His
opponents to Vaisnavism.
"Upon His return to Puri, Raja Prataparudra-deva and several 'pandita
brahmanas' joined the banner of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was now twenty-seven
years of age. In His twenty-eighth year He went to Bengal as far as Gauda in
Mald. There He picked up two great personages named Rupa and Sanatana.
Though descended from the lines of Karnatic brahmanas, these two brothers
turned demi-Moslems by their continual contact with Hussain Shah, the then
Emperor of Gauda. Their names had been changed by the Emperor into Dabir
Khas and Sakara Mallik, and their master loved them heartily since they were
both learned in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit and were loyal servants of the
state. The two gentlemen had found no way to come back as regular Hindus and
had written to Mahaprabhu for spiritual help while He was at Puri.
Mahaprabhu had written in reply that He would come to them and extricate
them from their spiritual difficulties. Now that He had come to Gauda, both
the brothers appeared before Him with their long-standing prayer. Mahaprabhu
ordered them to go to Vrndavana and meet Him there.
"Caitanya returned to Puri through Santipura, where He again met His dear
mother. After a short stay at Puri He left for Vrndavana. This time He was
accompanied by one Balabhadra Bhattacarya. He visited Vrndavana and came
down to Prayag (Allahabad), converting a large number of Mohammedans to
Vaisnavism by argument from the Koran. The descendant of those converts are
still known as Pathana Vaisnavas. Rupa Goswami met Him in Allahabad.
Caitanya trained him up in spirituality in ten days and directed him to go
to Vrndavana on missions. His first mission was to write theological works
explaining scientifically pure 'bhakti' and 'prema'. The second mission was
to revive the places where Krsnacandra had in the end of 'Dvapara-yuga'
exhibited His spiritual 'lila' (pastimes) for the benefit of the religious
world. Rupa Goswami left Allahabad for Vrndavana, and Mahaprabhu came down
to Benares. There He resided in the house of Candrasekhara and accepted His
daily 'bhiksa' (meal) in the house of Tapana Misra. Here it was that
Sanatana Goswami joined him and took instruction for two months in spiritual
matters. The biographers, especially Krsnadasa Kaviraja, have given us
details of Caitanya's teachings to Rupa and Sanatana. Krsnadasa was not a
contemporary writer, but he gathered his information from the Goswamis
themselves, the direct disciples of Mahaprabhu. Jiva Goswami, who was the
nephew of Sanatana and Rupa and who has left us his invaluable work of
Sat-sandarbha, has philosophized on the precept of his great leader. We have
gathered and summarised the precepts of Caitanya from the books of those
great writers.
"While at Benares, Caitanya had an interview with the learned 'sannyasis'
of that town in the house of a Maratha 'brahmana' who had invited all the
'sannyasis' for entertainment. At this interview, Caitanya shewed a miracle
which attracted all the 'sannyasis' to Him. Then ensued reciprocal
conversation. The 'sannyasis' were headed by their most learned leader
Prakasananda Sarasvati. After a short controversy, they submitted to
Mahaprabhu and admitted that they had been misled by the commentaries of
Sankaracarya. It was impossible even for learned scholars to oppose Caitanya
for a long time, for there was some spell in Him which touched their hearts
and made them weep for their spiritual improvement. The 'sannyasis' of
Benares soon fell at the feet of Caitanya and asked for His grace ('krpa').
Caitanya then preached pure 'bhakti' and instilled into their hearts
spiritual love for Krsna which obliged them to give up sectarian feelings.
The whole population of Benares, on this wonderful conversion of the
'sannyasis', turned Vaisnavas, and they made a master 'sankirtana' with
their new Lord. After sending Sanatana to Vrndavana, Mahaprabhu went to Puri
again through the jungles with His comrade Balabhadra. Balabhadra reported
that Mahaprabhu had shown a good many miracles on His way to Puri, such as
making tigers and elephants dance on hearing the name of Krsna.
"From this time, that is, from His 31st year, Mahaprabhu continually lived
in Puri the house of Kasi Misra until His disappearance in His forty-eighth
year at the time of sankirtana in the temple of Tota-gopinatha. During these
18 years, His life was one of settled love and piety. He was surrounded by
numerous followers, all of whom were of the highest order of Vaisnavas and
who were distinguished from the common people by their purest character and
learning, firm religious principles and spiritual love of Radha-Krsna.
Svarupa Damodara, who had been known by the name of Purusottamacarya while
Mahaprabhu was in Nadia, joined Him from Benares and accepted service as His
secretary. No production of any poet or philosopher could be laid before
Mahaprabhu unless Svarupa had passed it as pure and useful. Raya Ramananda
was His second mate. Both he and Svarupa would sing while Mahaprabhu
expressed His sentiments on a certain point of worship. Paramananda Puri was
His minister in matters of religion. There are hundreds of anecdotes
described by His biographers which we do not think it meet here to
reproduce. Mahaprabhu slept short. His sentiments carried Him far and wide
in the firmament of spirituality every day and night, and all His admirers
and followers watched Him throughout. He worshipped, communicated with His
missionaries at Vrndavana, and conversed with those religious men who newly
came to visit Him. He sang and danced, took no care of Himself and of-times
lost Himself in religious beatitude. All who came to Him believed in Him as
the all-beautiful God appearing in the nether world for the benefit of
mankind. He loved His mother all along and sent her 'mahaprasada' now and
then with those who went to Nadia. He was most amiable in nature. Humility
was personified in Him. His sweet appearance gave cheer to all who came in
contact with Him. He appointed Prabhu Nityananda as the missionary in charge
of Bengal. He dispatched six disciples (Goswamis) to Vrndavana to preach
love in the upcountry. This he markedly did in the case of Junior Haridasa.
He never lacked in giving proper instructions in life to those who solicited
them. This will be seen in His teachings to Raghunatha dasa Goswami. His
treatment to Haridasa (senior) will show how He loved spiritual men and how
He defied caste distinction in spiritual brotherhood."(Thakura Bhaktivinoda.
20th August 1896.)
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