20230209 Govinda Serves Prasāda and Lord Caitanya Eats Enough for a Hundred People

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on February 9th, 2023 in Śrī Dhāma 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!

Continuation of the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book,

Govinda Serves Prasāda and Lord Caitanya Eats Enough for a Hundred People 
Under the section: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Accepts Prasādam from His Devotees 

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.102

gaurabhaktera nitya-geya prabhura parimuṇḍā-nṛtyaḥ —

saṅkṣepe kahiluṅ ei pari-muṇḍā-nṛtya
adyāpiha gāya yāhā caitanyera bhṛtya

Translation: Thus I have briefly described Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s dancing in the hall of the Jagannātha temple.

The servants of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sing about this dancing even now.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya's dancing would attract everyone and every group of devotees thought that the Lord was dancing with them.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.103

bhaktagaṇasaha guṇḍicā-mārjanaḥ—

ei-mata mahāprabhu lañā nija-gaṇa
guṇḍicā-gṛhera kailā kṣālana, mārjana

Translation: Accompanied by His personal associates, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed and swept the Guṇḍicā temple, cleansing it as usual.

Jayapatākā Swami: Guṇḍicā-mārjana is described in great detail elsewhere.

This was the annual sevā that Lord Caitanya with His followers did.

All our temples in ISKCON, they do the Guṇḍicā-mārjanaḥ, cleaning of the temple just before Ratha-yātrā.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.104

āiṭoṭāya prasāda-sevanaḥ—

pūrvavat kailā prabhu kīrtana, nartana
pūrvavat ṭoṭāya kailā vanya-bhojana

Translation: The Lord danced and chanted and then enjoyed a picnic in the garden as He had done before.

Jayapatākā Swami: Previously it was described how Lord Caitanya and His associates would take Jagannātha prasāda in the nearby garden.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.105

rathāgre nartana o herā-pañcamī-darśanaḥ—

pūrvavat ratha-āge karilā nartana
herā-pañcamī-yātrā kailā daraśana

Translation: As previously, He danced in front of the Jagannātha car and observed the festival of Herā-pañcamī.

Jayapatākā Swami: As described before the Lord danced in seven kīrtana-maṇḍalas and Pratāparudra Mahārāja, He saw seven Lord Caitanyas.

Every group thought Lord Caitanya was with them.

After the Ratha-yātrā on the fifth day, Lakṣmī devī came and the Herā-pañcamī festival was observed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.106

cāturmmāsya paryanta gauḍīya-bhaktagaṇera purīte avasthānaḥ —

cāri-māsa varṣāya rahilā saba bhakta-gaṇa
janmāṣṭamī ādi yātrā kailā daraśana

Translation: All the devotees from Bengal stayed in Jagannātha Purī for the four months of the rainy season and observed many other ceremonies, such as the anniversary of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birth.

Jayapatākā Swami: There are four months in the calendar considered as the rainy season, it starts right after the Ratha-yātrā and continues for four months.

Since the roads at that time were not paved so travelling during the rainy season was very difficult.

So, the devotees spent their time with Lord Caitanya in Jagannātha Purī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.107

gauḍa haite bhaktagaṇa-saṁgṛhīta naivedyaḥ—

pūrve yadi gauḍa ha-ite bhakta-gaṇa āila
prabhure kichu khāoyāite sabāra icchā haila

Translation: Formerly, when all the devotees had arrived from Bengal, they all desired to give Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu something to eat.

Jayapatākā Swami: As the devotees with their wives had come to Jagannātha Purī they were desirous of feeding Lord Caitanya some prasāda.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.108

prabhura sevanārtha govindasamīpe taddravyādi-pradānaḥ—

keha kona prasāda āni’ deya govinda-ṭhāñi
’ihā yena avaśya bhakṣaṇa karena gosāñi’

Translation: Each devotee would bring a certain type of prasādam.

He would entrust it to Govinda and request him, “Please arrange that the Lord will surely eat this prasāda.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Everyone wanted that Lord Caitanya accept their prasāda, they were pleading with Govinda to arrange this.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.109

naivedya-vaicitrya: —

keha paiḍa, keha nāḍu, keha piṭhā-pānā
bahu-mūlya uttama-prasāda-prakāra yāra nānā

Translation: Some brought paiḍa [a coconut preparation], some brought sweetballs, and some brought cakes and sweet rice.

The prasādam was of different varieties, all very costly.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, prasāda was prepared with great love and devotion, fully Caitanya conscious and they were hopeful that the Lord would accept their offering.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.110

prabhu bhojana nā karāya, naivedyarāśi puñjībhūtaḥ—

‘amuk ei diyāche’ govinda kare nivedana
‘dhari’ rākha’ bali’ prabhu nā karena bhakṣaṇa

Translation: Govinda would present the prasādam and say to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “This has been given by such-and-such devotee.” The Lord, however, would not actually eat it.

He would simply say, “Keep it in storage.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, as much of the preparations were sweetmeats it should last for a long time, so Lord Caitanya said, to keep them away.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.111

dharite dharite gharera bharila eka koṇa
śata-janera bhakṣya yata haila sañcayana

Translation: Govinda kept accumulating the food, and soon it filled a corner of the room.

There was quite enough to feed at least a hundred people.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.112

sva-sva-datta-naivedya-sevana-viṣaye bhaktagaṇera govindake jijñāsāḥ—

govindere sabe puche kariyā yatana
‘āmā-datta prasāda prabhure ki karāilā bhakṣaṇa?

Translation: All the devotees asked Govinda with great eagerness, “Have you given Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu the prasādam brought by me?”

Jayapatākā Swami: Each devotee was were very eager to have the Lord accept their prepared prasāda, and they were asking Govinda dāsa in this regard.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.113

chalavākye naivedyadātāke govindera sāntvanāḥ—

kāhāṅ kichu kahi’ govinda kare vañcana
āra dina prabhure kahe nirveda-vacana

Translation: When the devotees questioned Govinda, he had to tell them lies.

Therefore one day he spoke to the Lord in disappointment.

Jayapatākā Swami: Govinda would only like to tell the truth, but if he told the truth then the devotees would be very disappointed.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.114

prabhusamīpe govindera nivedanaḥ—

“ācāryādi mahāśaya kariyā yatane
tomāre khāoyāite vastu dena mora sthāne

Translation: “Many respectable devotees, headed by Advaita Ācārya, make a great endeavor to entrust me with varieties of food for You.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.115

tumi se nā khāo, tāṅrā puche bāra bāra
kata vañcanā karimu, kemane āmāra nistāra?”

Translation: “You do not eat it, but they ask me again and again.

How long shall I go on cheating them? How shall I be freed from this responsibility?”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Govinda was very frustrated to have to tell all these devotees lies, but what could he do?

So he asked Lord Caitanya.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.116

prabhukarttṛka bhaktagaṇera duḥkha-kāraṇa-jijñāsāḥ —

prabhu kahe,—‘ādi-vasyā’ duḥkha kāṅhe māne?
kebā ki diyāche, tāhā ānaha ekhāne

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Why are you so foolishly unhappy?

Bring here to Me whatever they have given you.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that the word ādi-vasyā refers to one who has been living with another for a very long time.

Govinda was addressed as ādi-vasyā because he had been living with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for a very long time, whereas other devotees, who were mostly new, would come and go.

In effect, the Lord told Govinda, “Since you have been living with Me for a long time, you should not be foolishly disappointed in this situation.

Bring all the food to Me, and you will see that I can eat it.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, we will see that Lord Caitanya had been offered food for hundred people!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.117

prabhura bhojane upaveśana; govindera pratyeka naivedyadātā gauḍīya-bhaktera nāmollekhapūrvaka naivedya-pariveśanaḥ—

eta bali’ mahāprabhu vasilā bhojane
nāma dhari’ dhari’ govinda kare nivedane

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down to eat.

Then Govinda offered Him the preparations one after another, and as he did so he spoke the name of the person who had given each one.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.118

“ācāryera ei paiḍa, pānā-sara-pūpī
ei amṛta-guṭikā, maṇḍā, karpūra-kūpī

Translation: “These preparations — paiḍa, sweet rice, cakes made with cream, and also amṛta-guṭikā, maṇḍā and a pot of camphor — have been given by Advaita Ācārya.

Jayapatākā Swami: Govinda was relaying who these wonderful preparations were, prepared by the loving associates of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.119

śrīvāsa-paṇḍitera ei aneka prakāra
piṭhā, pānā, amṛta-maṇḍā padma-cini āra

Translation: “Next there are varieties of food — cakes, cream, amṛta-maṇḍā and padmacini — given by Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita.

Jayapatākā Swami: Śrīvāsa a member of the Pañca tattva had given all these wonderful preparations.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.120

ācāryaratnera ei saba upahāra
ācāryanidhira ei, aneka prakāra

Translation: “All these are gifts of Ācāryaratna, and these varieties of gifts are from Ācāryanidhi.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, these are the other associates of the Lord who had offered wonderful preparations.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.121

vāsudeva-dattera ei murāri-guptera āra
buddhimanta-khāṅnera ei vividha prakāra

Translation: “And all these varieties of food have been given by Vāsudeva Datta, Murāri Gupta and Buddhimanta Khān.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is known as bhakta-vatsala very kind to His devotees.

So, He was given these prepaations by these wonderful devotees.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.122

śrīmān-sena, śrīmān-paṇḍita, ācārya-nandana
tāṅ-sabāra datta ei karaha bhojana

Translation: “These are gifts given by Śrīmān Sena, Śrīmān Paṇḍita and Nandana Ācārya.

Please eat them all.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.123

kulīna-grāmera ei āge dekha yata
khaṇḍa-vāsī lokera ei dekha tata”

Translation: “Here are the preparations made by the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma, and these have been made by the inhabitants of Khaṇḍa.”

Jayapatākā Swami: These special villages had many devotees, these are known as Kulīna-grāma and Khaṇḍa.

So many devotees were from these places and therefore they are offered together.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.124

prabhura sakalerai pradatta naivedya-bhojanaḥ—

aiche sabāra nāma lañā prabhura āge dhare
santuṣṭa hañā prabhu saba bhojana kare

Translation: In this way, Govinda gave everyone’s name as he put the food before the Lord.

Being very satisfied, the Lord began to eat it all.

Jayapatākā Swami: This reminds me of the pastime when they offered bhoga to the Govardhana Hill, He kept saying bring more bring more, Anīyor! Anīyor!

He was eating everything.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10. 125-126

paryyuṣita haileo sadya nirmmitera nyāya prasādasamūha svādu o sugandhiḥ –

yadyapi māsekera vāsi mukutā nārikela
amṛta-guṭikādi, pānādi sakala

tathāpi nūtana-prāya saba dravyera svāda
vāsi’ visvāda nahe sei prabhura prasāda

Translation: The hard sweets made of coconut (mukutā nārikela), the sweetballs, the many kinds of sweet drinks and all the other preparations were at least a month old, but although they were old, they had not become tasteless or stale.

Indeed, they had all stayed fresh.

That is the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami: Normally the prasāda after some days becomes stale and tasteless, but by the mercy of Lord Caitanya all the prasāda was very fresh and tasty.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, 10.127

śata-janera bhakṣya prabhu daṇḍeke khāilā!
‘āra kichu āche?’ bali’ govinde puchilā

Translation: Within a very short time, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ate enough for a hundred people.

Then He asked Govinda, “Is there anything more left?”

Jayapatākā Swami: In one of the verses of the six Gosvāmī, they say that an avatāra does things that are ordinarily not possible.

So, ordinarily one person cannot eat hundred people’s prasāda and ask, ‘Is there anything else?” So life with Lord Caitanya was filled with these ecstatic pastimes!

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Govinda Serves Prasāda and Lord Caitanya Eats Enough for a Hundred People
Under the Section: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Accepts Prasādam from His Devotees

Haribol!