Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat

The sweet ambrosia of love of Godhead led the Lord to act like a mad man. the Lord whose body was the object of even Lord Brahma's worship was besmeared with dust from rolling on the ground. The devotees satiated Their vision seeing the Lord submerged in an ocean of divine bliss. And in those times when He emerged out of the blissful state of unconsciousness, He would sometimes sit surrounded by His associates; other times go to the Ganga to take a bath. On some occasions after dancing for a long time the Lord would come and sit with His devotees, who would then give Him a shower in the house with Ganga water.

One of the maid servants of Srivas Pandita named Dukhi would carry all the Ganga water for the Lord's bath while the Lord was still engaged in dancing. She would watch the beautiful form of the Lord dancing in spiritual exultation and tears would well out in drops, and then she went out again to bring more pots of Ganga water for His bath. When the Lord saw the water pots full of Ganga water neatly arranged in rows He was very pleased. He enquired about this from Srivas Pandit, "who brings the Ganga water daily?" Srivas Pandit replied, "Dukhi, the maid servant brings them daily." The Lord said, "then you all should name her 'Sukhi' or happy instead of 'Dukhi' which means 'sad'. The name "Dukhi' is not fitting to her. I think 'Sukhi' is the most appropriate name for her."

The devotees were moved to tears seeing the unlimited mercy of the Lord upon this poor maid servant. they began to call her now as 'Sukhi' and Srivas Pandit now stopped seeing her and treating her as a maidservant. This shows that one can easily attain Krishna's lotus feet by loving devotional service to Him; one cannot avoid the jaws of death merely by shaving ones head as a mark of renunciation. Material knowledge, high birth, beauty or wealth are useless if not used for Krishna's satisfaction with attachment. Lord Chaitanya, the Supreme Lord incarnated to play the part of an ideal personality. All his actions conform exactly to the Vedic injunctions. The blessings this maid servant Dukhi received from the Lord is never seen by those who are blinded by false pride. One can imagine the Divinity grace on Srivas Pandit whose servants and maidservants are so fortunate.

One day, as was usual, the Lord was dancing in Srivas Pandit's house. The devotees, including Srivas surrounded the Lord and sang and danced. Just then in the inner quarters of the house Srivas'son passed away due to some illness: the ladies helplessly looked on. Outside the kirtan was in full progress and the Lord danced in ecstacy. Suddenly sounds of loud wailing filled the air. Srivas Pandit hurried inside the house and saw his son lying dead on the bed. Srivas Pnadit was a very elevated devotee, grave and knowledgeable; he took charge of the situation and forbade the ladies to lament so bitterly. He said, "you are all aware of Lord Krishna's transcendental potencies, hence restrain your tears and contain the sorrow in your heart. The Lord, whose holy name is capable of purifying even the most dreadful sinner just on a simple utterance and elevates him to the spiritual world, is now present here in person and dancing in ecstacy with His servitors who are each one of them like Lord Brahma himself. And in this auspicious moment if someone leaves his body why should anyone lament. I would consider myself very fortunate if I had the same fate as this boy. Although you are unable to gain distance from the attachments of family life, you should at least stop your crying. Nobody else should learn about this incident lest this raises an alarm and disturbs the Lord's bliss in dancing and if this happens then I shall certainly throw myself into the Ganges." These words had a sobering effect on the women and they stopped crying; Srivas Pandit went back to join the kirtan. He was soon heaved high in the waves of divine bliss generated by the kirtan and the Lord's presence. Srivas Pandit was very exalted and rare, and such are indeed the characteristics of a servant of Lord Chaitanya.

The Lord danced for a while relishing the bliss of dancing. Soon the news of Srivas Pandit's son's passing away reached the devotees. Still no one openly expressed anything, but were profoundly moved within. Lord Chaitanya, the omniscent Supreme Personality knew everyone's heart; He enquired, "today something perturbs My thoughts, what distress has cast its dark shadow in your house Pandit?" Srivas replied, "my Lord, what distress can effect me, since Your benign smiling face is illuminates my house." Finally the leading devotees informed the Lord about Srivas' sons demise. Gravely the Lord asked, "when did this happen" and was told that it occured in the early past of the evening at about four." The Lord was told, "you were not informed of this matter because Srivas was concerned about disturbing Your dancing. His son passed away about two and a half hours earlier and with Your permission we can begin the necessary last rites now. When Lord Chaitanya heard this wonderful story about Srivas Pandit, He was amazed.

He said, "how can I ever live without such an extrodinary companion?" and began to weep. He said, "how am I going to leave such a saintly person's association who is unaffected by the demise of his son due to his love for Me?" Speaking in this manner the Lord broke down and wept bitterly. The devotees were perplexed to hear the Lord's words which indicated He was going away. it did not make much sense to them for none of them knew that in the future the Lord would leave home to embrace the mendicants life of a sannyasa.

When the Lord calmed Himself He took all the devotees to attend to the dead boy. In the presence of all the devotees Lord addressed the deceased son of Srivas Pandit, "what reasons made you leave Srivas Pandit's house?" The devotees were indeed surprised that the Lord was speaking to a dead body; their surprise turned to sheer wonderment when the deceased young boy spoke up saying, "my Lord everything happens according to Your will alone, who can influence Your will?" The devotees listened attentively to each word. The boy continued, "I have enjoyed in this body for the time prescribed my presence in it now the time period is over I am leaving to take up another body. And my Lord although I must leave my present body please be merciful to me so that I may never forget You. Who is one's father, and who is one's son, everyone is here to act on the result of ones individual karma. As long as my destiny allowed me to remain in Srivas Pandit's house I have stayed, but now I must leave for yet another residence. My Lord I offer my humble obesiances unto You and Your dear associates, please forgive all my offenses and permit me to take Your leave." With these parting words the child lay still.

This wonderful miracle of the dead boy speaking such words of wisdom was a crowning experience for the devotees, they were reaching heights of exultation: the entire family of Srivas was now carried on the waves of ecstacy: their lamentation was a past dream. Experiencing the bliss of love of Godhead they threw themselves at the Lord's lotus feet and said, "O Lord birth after birth You are the father, mother, and son; may we never forget the shade of Your lotus feet. Let us take birth in any condition and place but please let our devotion at Your lotus feet be unflinching." Srivas Pandit and his three brothers prayed earnestly to the Lord and all the devotees cried out in appreciation and joy.

The Lord said, "listen to Me Srivas! You are well conversant with the knowledge of family and material life. You are unaffected by the distressful conditions of family life. Not only that, you are so elevated that anyone who sees you will also become free from this entanglement.. Nityananda and Myself are Your two sons, so remove the pain of seperation in your heart." The devotees jubilantly greeted these words of divine compassion and love from the Lord.

The Lord accompanied all the devotees as they carried Srivas' son to the Ganga; performing kirtan all the way. The required rites completed they all bathed in the Ganga and each went his way home, chanting tthe holy name of Krishna. Srivas' family went back satisfied with the last rites. All these confidential pastimes of the Lord are extraordinary and faithful hearing of thase narrations gives love of Godhead. And I offer my obesiances at the lotus feet of Srivas, whose sons are none other then my Lord Nityananda and GauraChandra."

These were the wonderful pastimes being enacted in Nabadwip and they are known and seen only by devotees. Madhya Khanda has tried to describe the pastime of the dead boy speaking words of wisdom to the best of the author's ability.

The Lord was so deeply immersed in the ocean of love of Godhead that He had no attraction for family life. He could not even properly perform worship of the deities what to speak of doing other activities. As the Lord would sit down to worship the deities afer bathing His clothes would become drenched with tears of love of Godhead. Unrestrained they flowed from His eyes, such were the surging within His spiritual emotions. He immediately came out of the deity room and changed into fresh clothes. Again in a matter of moments His clothes becames soaked with tears of spiritual love. In this way He was unable to perform any worship of the deity. Ultimately He requested Gadadhara Pandit to offer worship to the deity saying to him that He was not fortunate enough to worship the deity. Such were the supra mundane activities of the Lord of Vaikuntha as He relished the nectar of love of Godhead.

Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya and Nityananda Prabhu are my life and soul, I Vrndavan das humbly offer this song at Their lotus feet.

Sri Chaitanya
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