20210810 Lord Caitanya Returns to Nīlācala Without Going to Vṛndāvana

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation By His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 10th August 2021 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, todays chapter entitled is:

Lord Caitanya Returns to Nīlācala Without Going to Vṛndāvana 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.105: Crossing over fare for being ferried over the Ganges river for each person was one kākinī (kaḍi—small conchshells) for a very long time. But, even though there were many speed boats, still the kārṣāpaṇa (kāhana-rupee) fare gradually increased. (All due to the eagerness of the people to see the Lord)

Jayapatākā Swami: So, at that time Bengal a rupee was divided into 80 conchshell, so this is somehow explaining the fare to cross the river was one conchshell, so very small, very small conchshell. So many people wanted to see the Lord, many people queued up to cross the river.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.106: Every night Mādhava dasa built citadel stronghold by using strong bamboo and every morning by the collision of the crowds of people, they were thrown apart. The crowds of people eager to see the Lord were so great that He was not even able to bathe in the Ganges even though desiring to take bath in Ganges.

Jayapatākā Swami: So many people wanted to see Lord Caitanya that they didn’t observe any etiquette, they were fanatical. They tore apart Lord Caitanya’s bamboo house and made it impossible for Him to take bath in Ganges. I personally had an experience bathing in the Ganges and having thousands of people watching.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.107: After staying for seven days there, the Lord continued His journey on the Ganges shore. Wherever the Lord went, by hearing the arrival news of the Lord beforehand, the crowds of people were present beforehand, and it increased again much more and more that the earth planet was trampled by such huge crowd that it surprised the serpent king Ananta.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, crowds of people who came to see Lord Caitanya were very great and so this is one of the reasons why Lord Caitanya did not go to Vṛndāvana at this time. Because going to Vṛndāvana with huge crowd is not so appropriate.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.108: I heard that when followed by a large crowd, the Lord entered the capitol of the King of Bengal on the farther shore of the Ganges, then the King saw this by climbing on the top of the terrace on the banks of Ganges. He became struck with wonder. He asked, "What is this?" His minister Keśava Vasu replied, "O King, this is an exalted personality named Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. He is now travelling from Puruṣottama-kṣetra to Mathurā. The people following Him are very eager to see Him." Then the King said, "He must be the Supreme Personality of Godhead to have so many people following Him being attracted to Him." I heard that after travelling a little farther, the Lord turned back and did not continue His journey by that path, but, after returning to Puruṣottama-kṣetra, went to Mathurā by the forest path. I don't know whether that story is true or not.

Jayapatākā Swami: Caitanya-caritāmṛta describes Lord Caitanya passage to Vṛndāvana via the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.109 [A Voice From Behind the Scenes]: It's true, dear, it's true. All of a sudden Lord Caitanya came alone and gazed at Lord Jagannātha, the tilaka decoration of Nīlācala. Secretly, He went to Mathurā by the forest path fearing great crowds.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka is written as a drama.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.110: Mahārāja Pratāparudra: (struck with wonder) I hear the sound of Kāśī Miśra's voice. Call for him.

(Kāśī Miśra hastily enters).

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.111: Kāśī Miśra says to Maharaja Prataprudra: My Lord, even without being called I have come.

Caitanya Candrodaya Nāṭaka 9.112: Mahārāja Pratāparudra says: Tell me, what is all this?

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.9: “Dear Lord, if You go to that solitary place in the company of so many followers, what happiness will You feel there? O Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, with the sword of Your mercy, You have cut the strong shackles of my ministerial post and so forth which bound me to samsāra.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is the Rūpa Sanātana prayer to Lord Caitanya. They advised Him, if He goes to Vṛndāvana with so many crowds of people what happiness He will obtain?

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.10: Now that I have obtained Your direct association, if it pleases You, kindly empower me to fulfill Your mission.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one can only fulfill the mission of the Lord, if they are empowered by the Lord. Śrīla AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda had prayed for this empowerment and thus he was able to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.11: After drinking the ambrosia of Śrī Sanātana's words, Prabhu replied laughingly, “Certainly Śrī Kṛṣṇa always satisfies every desire of His great bhaktas like your good self.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.12-13: After fully satisfying heart of Sanātana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya then went to Kānāi Naṭaśālā. That night He thought, “The statement of the learned Sanātana is undoubtedly true. Lord Mādhava has spoken to Me through his mouth. Alas! Truly the solitary forest of Vṛndā is very difficult to attain.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya was contemplating on the words of Sanātana Gosvāmī and this shows the intimate relationship between His devotees and Him.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.14: “Without doubt, it is always a source of botheration to travel with many people on pilgrimage. Only after giving up this group of followers shall I go to Vṛndāvana. Presently I shall proceed southwards.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So now Lord Caitanya decided to return to Nīlācala and then go to Vṛndāvana later.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.15: So considering, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the embodiment of condensed ānanda-rasa, rose early that morning with Nityānanda.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here Lord Caitanya is described as Kṛṣṇa, since Lord Caitanya is incarnation of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.16: In a joyous mood, He travelled speedily to the abode of Advaitācārya. Engladdening that bhakta's heart, He rested there and was well honored by Him.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this shows that from Kānāi Nāṭaśālā, He went south to Śāntipura and there He rested at the house of Advaita Ācārya.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.17: The Lord expanded ceaselessly in blissful eagerness, delighting in joking mellows with Advaita's son, Acyutānanda. He also showed incomparable mercy to Ṭhākura Haridāsa.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the pastime of Lord Caitanya with Acyutānanda should actually come here.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.18: At night, surrounded by His devotees, He performed hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, dancing with Nityānanda in the spirit of parama-prema.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in Śāntipura Lord Caitanya was performing saṅkīrtana-yajña with Lord Nityānanda and other devotees.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.19: That crest-jewel among devoted sons then called for His mother and all the Navadvīpa-bhaktas. Thus they become fully freed from all melancholy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the devotees of Nādia and Śacī mātā were feeling great separation from Lord Caitanya. So, the Lord, by calling them to Śāntipura, they became relieved and blissful.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.20: In accordance with Śacī-nandana's requirements, Śacī Devī cooked the four kinds of food, and the Lord enjoyed them in the company of hundreds of blissful bhaktas, of whom Nityānanda was the chief celebrant.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here also hundreds of devotees headed by Lord Nityānanda were associating with Lord and prasāda for everyone was prepared.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca 3.18.21: In the same way, from home to home, from village to village, to wherever His bhaktas dwelled, Mahāprabhu went accepting food and drink and awarding joy. Then He departed for Śrī Puruṣottama Dhāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, on the way from Puruṣottama to Rāmakeli, some details are given. Now, here the Lord on His return journey, He visited houses of various devotees, but the details are not given. So we can understand that many of the same devotees received the Lordś mercy.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.245–246

nitāi advaitādi sakala-bhaktasamīpe prabhura purī haiyā vṛndāvana-gamane anujñā-yācñā:—

ihāṅ prabhu ekatra kari’ saba bhakta-gaṇa
advaita-nityānandādi yata bhakta-jana

sabā āliṅgana kari’ kahena gosāñi
sabe ājñā deha’—āmi nīlācale yāi

Translation: Meanwhile, at Śāntipura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu assembled all His devotees— headed by Advaita Ācārya and Nityānanda Prabhu— embraced them all and asked their permission to return to Jagannātha Purī.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the Lord, He had loving exchanges and He embraced all His devotees. embraced Since He was going to return to Jagannātha Purī, he asked them for their permission, although He doesn’t need it, but out of loving affection He does so.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 1.234

tāṅra ājñā lañā punaḥ karilā gamane
vinaya kariyā vidāya dila bhakta-gaṇe

Translation: Taking permission from His mother, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu then started for Jagannātha Purī. When the devotees followed Him, He humbly begged them to remain and bade them all farewell.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya didn’t want to go with a huge crowd of devotees, so He humbly asked them, “please go back to your homes” and He bid all of them farewell.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.247

ai vatsara purīte yāite sakalake niṣedhājñā:— 
sabāra sahita ihāṅ āmāra ha-ila milana
e varṣa ’nīlādri’ keha nā kariha gamana

Translation: Because He had met them all at Śāntipura, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested all the devotees not to go to Jagannātha Purī that year.

Jayapatākā Swami: This was a very practical request, He had met all the devotees and He had come to Bengal, now there was no reason for them to go to Jagannātha Purī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.248

tāhāṅ haite avaśya āmi ‘vṛndāvana’ yāba
sabe ājñā deha’, tabe nirvighne āsiba

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “I shall certainly go to Vṛndāvana from Jagannātha Purī. If all of you give Me permission, I shall return here again without difficulty.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in this way Lord Caitanya is promising them that HE would come back to Bengal and He wants to from Nīlācala by some other path to Vṛndāvana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.249

śacīra nikaṭa sadainye anumati grahaṇa:— 
mātāra caraṇe dhari’ bahu vinaya karila
vṛndāvana yāite tāṅra ājñā la-ila

Translation: Clasping the feet of His mother, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very humbly requested her permission. Thus she gave Him leave to go to Vṛndāvana.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we remember that it was at the request of Śacī-mātā that Lord Caitanya based Himself in Jagannātha Purī, which He did but He just wants to visit Vṛndāvana and come back. So, he requested His mother to give Her blessings.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.250

mātāke śāntipura haite navadvīpe preraṇa, purī-yātrā:— 
tabe navadvīpe tāṅre dila pāṭhāñā
nīlādri calilā saṅge bhakta-gaṇa lañā

Translation: Śrīmatī Śacīdevī was sent back to Navadvīpa, and the Lord and His devotees started for Jagannātha Purī, Nīlādri.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 1.235

janā dui saṅge āmi yāba nīlācale
āmāre milibā āsi’ ratha-yātrā-kāle

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although requesting all the devotees to go back, allowed two people to follow Him. He requested all the devotees to come to Jagannātha Purī and meet Him during the car festival.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Lord Caitanya would take a couple of devotees to assist Him but didn’t want big crowds.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 1. 236

balabhadra bhaṭṭācārya, āra paṇḍita dāmodara
dui-jana-saṅge prabhu āilā nīlācala

Translation: The two persons who accompanied Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Jagannātha Purī [Nīlācala] were Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and Dāmodara Paṇḍita.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya and Paṇḍita Dāmodara are described previously in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.251

purīte āgamana:— 
sei saba loka pathe karena sevana
sukhe nīlācala āilā śacīra nandana

Translation: The devotees who accompanied Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu rendered all kinds of service on the way to Nīlācala, Jagannātha Purī. Thus in great happiness the Lord returned.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these two devotees rendered all the services that Lord Caitanya needed and Lord Caitanya thus happily returned to Nīlācala.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Lord Caitanya Returns to Nīlācala Without Going to Vṛndāvana 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana