Chaitanya's Life And Teachings Part 2

So saying the two returned to their homes, the young man serving the other like an elder. The old man now reflected, "I pledged my word to this Brahman in a holy place, but how can I keep it? I must consult my wife, sons, kindred and friends." So, one day he gathered his own folk and told them the whole story, at which they lamented and cried "Never utter such words again! You will lose your _kul_ if you wed your daughter to a low-born man. You will be a laughing stock to all!" The Brahman urged, "How can I retract a promise made in a holy place? Come what may, I will give him my daughter." His kinsfolk threatened to boycott him, and his wife and children to take poison. The Brahman pleaded, "He will make a case of it by calling his witness. When he wins my daughter by a decree, my faith will be proved worthless!" His son answered, "Oh! the witness is an idol in a far-off land. Who will bear testimony against you? Do not be alarmed. You need not tell the lie that you had never made him such a promise; you will only have to pretend forgetfulness. If you do that I shall beat the Brahman in court." At this the Brahman, full of anxiety, prayed intently to Gopal, "Gopal, to thee I appeal: save my faith and save my kindred, save both sides!"

One day the younger Brahman visited him, bowed reverently, and said with folded hands, "You promised me your daughter, but are now silent on the point! Is this your sense of justice?" The old man remained silent; but his son ran with a stick to beat the visitor, crying, "Wretch! you want to wed my sister! Dwarf, you wish to catch the moon!" The youth fled, but another day he called all the villagers together, who summoned the old man. Then the younger Brahman spoke, "This man promised his daughter to me. Ask him why he does not give her up now." On being questioned by the people, the elder Brahman replied, "Listen, friends, I do not remember what I said so long ago." At this his son got the chance to put in his words boldly, "My father had much money with him during his pilgrimage. This villain, his only companion, coveted the money, intoxicated him with _dhutura_, robbed him and said that thieves had taken away his money, and then spread the tale that he had promised his daughter to him. Judge ye all, whether he is a worthy match for my sister." The a.s.sembled people were filled with suspicion, as greed often makes men commit sin. The younger Brahman pleaded, "Hear, my masters, he is lying to win the case. His father, pleased with my attendance, promised me his daughter voluntarily, and when I declined alleging my unworthiness and our disparity in wealth, learning and _kul_, he repeatedly pressed me to accept her, and at my suggestion called Gopal to witness his promise. I conjured the G.o.d to bear testimony for me, should this Brahman break his word. He is my witness, whose word is held true in the three worlds." The old man replied, "This is good. If Gopal appears here and bears testimony, I shall certainly give you my daughter." His son agreed to it. The old man only thought, "Kind is Krishna. Surely he will bear my word out." His son was confident that the image would not come to act as a witness. So thinking diversely they agreed. At the younger Brahman's request both parties signed a written deed of agreement to abide by this test, to prevent future disputes. It was left with an umpire. The young man continued, "Listen, all ye here!

This Brahman is pious and true of speech, never wis.h.i.+ng to retract his word. It is only his fear of the suicide of his kinsfolk that has made him tell a lie. Thanks to his piety, I will bring Krishna as a witness and enable Hm to keep his word." At this the sceptics laughed; some said, "G.o.d is good, He may come."

Then the younger Brahman went to Brindaban, prostrated himself and prayed to the image, "G.o.d of the Brahmans! thou art ever kind. Have pity and save the honour of two Brahmans. I mind not whether I get the girl or not, but it would be a great pity if a Brahman's promise is broken.

For this reason, do thou bear witness, for he who will not bear testimony to the truth that he knows, commits a sin." Krishna replied, "Brahman! return home, a.s.semble the public, and meditate on me. I shall appear and give my evidence. But my image can not be taken there." The Brahman protested, "Even if you appear in your four-armed form, none will believe you. But if this very image goes there and speaks out of its mouth, then all will deem it true." Krishna said, "n.o.body ever heard of an idol travelling!" The Brahman replied "Why do you speak of being an idol? You are not a mere image but the Darling of Brindaban. Do an unprecedented act for the sake of a Brahman." Laughingly Gopal said, "Hear, Brahman, I shall travel after you; but do not look behind, or else I shall stop there. You will hear (on the way) only the jingling of my _nupur_, and thus know that I am going on. Give me one _seer_ of rice [daily], which I shall eat when accompanying you." Next day, after taking the Lord's leave, the Brahman set out on his return, delighted to hear the jingle of the _nupur_ behind him, and offering excellent rice to the image. So he arrived near his village and then thought, "Now have I come to my village and shall go home and tell the people of the arrival of my witness. But I cannot believe if I do not see him with my own eyes. It will be no harm if he stays here. So he looked behind him; and Gopal stopped there, saying with a smile, "Go home; here will I stay without going any further."

When the Brahman reported the tale, the people marvelled at it, and came to see the witness. They bowed to Gopal, delighted with his beauty and amazed to hear that the image had travelled thither. Then the old Brahman in joy prostrated himself before Gopal, who gave his evidence before the people, and the younger Brahman got his betrothed bride. The Lord spoke to the two Brahmans, "You will be my servants birth after birth. I am pleased with you; beg a boon." They prayed together, "Grant us this that you remain here, so that all may know your favour to your servants." Gopal remained there, and the two served him. The people of the country flocked to see him. The king of the land heard the wonderful legend and beheld the Gopal with supreme delight. He built a temple and endowed the service of the G.o.d, who became famous under the name of GOPAL THE WITNESS. Thus has _Saks.h.i.+-Gopal_ accepted, wors.h.i.+p and stayed at Vidya-nagar for long. Purushottam, the Rajah of Orissa, conquered the country in battle and seized the many-jewelled throne named _manik-sinhasan_. Purushottam Dev was a great devotee and entreated Gopal to go to his capital. Gopal, pleased with his piety, consented and was taken to Katak, where his wors.h.i.+p was installed. The Rajah gave the _manik-sinhasan_ to Jagannath. His queen, when visiting Gopal, gave him many ornaments in devotion. A costly pearl hung from her nose, and wis.h.i.+ng to give it too she reflected, "Ah, if there had been a hole in the Lord's nose, I, his hand maid, could have made him put this pearl on!" With this thought she bowed and returned home. At the end of the night Gopal appeared to her in a dream and said, "In my infancy my mother had bored my nose and very tenderly hung there a pearl. The hole is there still. Make me wear the pearl you wished to give." The queen spoke to her husband, and the two went to the temple with the pearl, hung it from the hole in the nose which was found out, and a great festival of joy was held. From that day on has Gopal stayed at Katak and been known as _Saks.h.i.+-Gopal_.

The master with all His disciples heard the legend of Gopal from Nityananda and was delighted. While He stood before Gopal, the faithful seemed to see them both as of one body, of one complexion, large-limbed, red-robed, grave of mien, beaming with glory, lotus-eyed, moon-faced, both of them in rapture for each other.

At the sight of both, Nityananda in great joy winked at the faithful and they all smiled. So the night was pa.s.sed in great entertainment, and next morning, after witnessing the matin service, they set off.

Brindaban-das has described fully how He visited Bhubaneshwar on the way (to the Blue Mountain). At Kamalpur He bathed in the Bhagi [2] river, and gave His mendicant's stick to Nityananda to carry. With his disciples He went to see Kapoteshwar [s.h.i.+va]. Here Nityananda broke the Master's stick into three and threw it (into the river). From that s.h.i.+va shrine the Master returned, and was thrown into ecstasy by the sight of the spire [3] of the temple of Jagannath. He prostrated Himself and danced in love; the disciples too, in love, danced and sang, following the Master on the highway. He laughed, wept, danced, roared and shouted, and made a thousand leagues of those six miles. On reaching Athara-nala (Eighteen Water courses) the Master came to His senses a little and asked Nityananda for His stick. But Nityananda answered, "It was broken into three bits. You fell down in a swoon of devotion, and as I caught you, we two tumbled on the stick which was broken by our weight. I know not where it was dropped. Through my fault was your stick broken. Punish me as you think fit." The Master was sad and spoke a little bitterly, "You have all done me great good, forsooth, by coming to the Blue Mountain! You could not even preserve the stick, my only property. You go before me to see Jagannath or let me go there before you. But we will not go together." Mukunda Datta said, "Master, go thou before us; we shall arrive after and not in thy company". The Master hastened there.

None could understand the cause why one Master broke the other's stick and why the latter suffered it to be done, or was angry at the result.

The deep mystery of the breaking of the stick can be understood only by him who has constant faith in the two Masters. [Text, canto 5.]

[1] The image of _Saks.h.i.+-Gopal_ is now installed at a village of the same name 48 miles south of Katak town.

[2] _Indian Atlas_ (sheet 116) names the river here as _Bargovee_.

[3] The place meant is evidently Jagannath Vallabh, six miles north of Puri; from this place the spire of the temple of Jagannath can be seen.

_Athara-nala_ is two miles north of Puri.

CHAPTER IV

The Conversion of Sarvabhauma

The Master went in an ecstatic mood to the temple of Jagannath, and was beside Himself with love at the sight of the G.o.d. He rushed to embrace the image, but fell down on the temple floor, senseless with devotion.

Happily Sarvabhauma noticed Him, and stopped the door keeper (_Parichha_, mace-bearer) who was about to beat the Master. Sarvabhauma marvelled exceedingly as he gazed on the beauty of the Master and His transport of love. The hour of _bhog_ arrived, yet the Master did not come to His senses. Sarvabhauma then thought of a plan, and had Him conveyed by his disciple the door-keeper to his house and laid Him down on a clean spot. But the Master showed no respiration, no heaving of the chest. The Bhattacharya grew alarmed. He held a fine piece of cotton to the Master's nose; it stirred, and he was rea.s.sured. The Bhattacharya sat musing thus, "This is the _sattvika_ form of the pa.s.sion for Krishna. It is named the "bright-pure" (_sudipta sattvika_), and is displayed only by a devotee who has attained to constant realization (_nitya-siddhi_). This ecstasy is possible only in one whose devotion is extreme. I wonder to see it manifested in an [ordinary] man's person."

While he was pondering thus, Nityananda and the others arrived at the main gate, and overheard the people talking among themselves, "A _sannyasi_ came here and swooned away at the sight of Jagannath; he is still in a trance. Sarvabhauma has conveyed him to his own house." They knew from this that it was the Great Master. Just then came there Gopinath Acharya, the son-in-law of Visharad of Nadia, and a devotee and acquaintance of the Master. He knew Mukunda from before, and was surprised to see him there. Mukunda bowed, the Acharya embraced him and asked him news of the Master. Mukunda replied, "The Master has come here, and we with Him." The Acharya bowed to Nityananda Goswami, and again asked them all about the Master. Mukunda said, "After taking the monastic vow, the Master came to the Blue Mountain taking us with Him.

Leaving us behind He came to visit this temple, and we have arrived now to seek Him. From what we have heard from others, we conclude that He is in Sarvabhauma's house, whither He was removed on fainting at the sight of the G.o.d. I have met you luckily, just as I was wis.h.i.+ng for your sight. Let us go to Sarvabhauma's house, and after seeing the Master we shall visit the temple."

Gopinath in delight conducted them to Sarvabhauma's house, where he beheld the Master and felt mingled joy and grief. He introduced them all to Sarvabhauma, and took them inside. Sarvabhauma bowed to Nityananda Goswami and saluted the others in the proper mode. Then he sent them all in charge of his son Chandaneshwar, to the temple. They joyed to behold the G.o.d. Nityananda went out of himself in devotion, but the others quieted him. The servitor of the shrine presented them with the garland and _prasad_ of the G.o.d, to their great delight. Then they returned to the Master, and chanted the divine name loud and long. In the third quarter [of the day], Chaitanya awoke, and rose up shouting, _Hari!

Hari!_ Reverently Sarvabhauma took the dust of His feet [to place it on his own head], and entreated Him, "Take your midday meal soon. I shall feed you to-day with Jagannath's _maha-prasad_." The Master quickly came back from His bath in the sea, and feasted with His followers on the rice, broth and other kinds of _prasad_, which Sarvabhauma served to them from golden dishes. The Master said, "Help me with the hash of gourd (_lau_) and other vegetables, and serve these others with cakes and sweets." But the Bhattacharya entreated Him with folded palms, "How has Jagannath himself fed? Do you too taste all of these," and so made Him eat the cakes and sweets too. After the dinner, he helped the Master to wash, then took leave to retire with Gopinath Acharya and eat their own meals. When they returned, [the Acharya] bowed saying "I salute Narayan," and the Master responded with "Be thy mind constant in Krishna!" At these words Sarvabhauma knew Him to be a Vaishnav hermit.

He then asked Gopinath Acharya about the worldly life of the Master. The Acharya replied, "His home was at Navadwip; his father Jagannath Mishra, surnamed Purandar Mishra, gave him the name of Vishwambhar. His maternal grandfather was Nilambar Chakravarti." Sarvabhauma added "Nilambar Chakravarti! why, he was a fellow-student of my father Visharad, who, I know, had a high regard for Purandar Mishra, too. I honour both for their connection with my father."

Delighted to hear that Chaitanya was a man of Nadia, Sarvabhauma thus addressed Him, "You are of honourable birth, and a _sannyasi_ in addition. Make me, therefore, your personal disciple." At this the Master cried out, "O Vishnu! O Vishnu!" and then spoke humbly to the Bhattacharya, "You are the teacher of the world and the benefactor of mankind. You teach _Vedanta_ and [thereby] benefit men of monastic life. I am a young monk, ignorant of good and evil. I have sought refuge with you, regarding you as my teacher. For your society have I come here, hoping that you will train me in all ways. You saved me in my great danger to-day." The Bhattacharya said, "Never go to the temple alone, but always with me or one of my men." The Master replied, "I shall not enter the shrine, but gaze from the Garuda [pillar in the quadrangle]." Then Sarvabhauma addressed Gopinath Acharya, "You will be guide to this Goswami in visiting the temple. Lodge him in the house of my mother's sister, which is a quiet place, and look to all his needs."

So he did. Next day Gopinath took the Master to the temple to show Him Jagannath as he rose from his bed. Mukunda Datta led Him back to Sarvabhauma's house, who spoke thus, "This _sannyasi_ is meek in disposition, lovely in form. I daily love Him the more. Tell me what order He has joined and what name He has chosen." Gopinath replied, "He has been named Shri Krishna-Chaitanya; His spiritual guide is Keshav Bharati, blessed man!" Sarvabhauma remarked, "His name is well-chosen, but the Bharati order is not ranked high [among the ten cla.s.ses of _sannyasis_]."

Gopinath answered, "He does not care for outward [dignity]. Hence His indifference to the more famous orders of monks." The Bhattacharya joined in, "Ah, He is in the full bloom of youth. How can He keep the monastic rules? However, I shall ceaselessly teach Him Vedanta, and lead Him on to the rank of a recluse of the Monist school (_adwaita_). If He then wishes it, I shall robe Him anew with the yellow robe of a yogi, purify Him, and enter Him into one of the higher orders."

Gopinath and Mukunda grieved to hear it; and the former expostulated, "Bhattacharya! You know not His greatness. The signs of divinity have reached their extreme limit in Him! Hence He is famed as the Great G.o.d.

But in a place of ignorance even the wise know nothing."

The [Sarvabhauma's] disciples asked, "What proof is there of His divinity?" The Acharya replied, "The belief of the wise is proof of divinity." The disciples objected, saying, "It is by inference that G.o.d is recognized." But the Acharya answered, "No, G.o.d is not known by inference, but only by those on whom He bestows His grace, even a particle of it. Witness Brahma's praise of Vishnu in the _Shrimad Bhagabat_, Book X. canto xiv. verse 28:

_"'Lord! true it is that knowledge can gain salvation, but Thy glories can be known only by him who has been blessed even with a particle of favour from Thy lotus-like feet. O Perfect Being! A man lacking Thy grace, may be free from earthly l.u.s.ts, may have studied the scriptures for ages, but still he cannot know Thee fully!'_

"O Sarvabhauma, you may be the World's Teacher, a master of theology, unrivalled in the world in scholars.h.i.+p. But you have not gained G.o.d's grace, hence you cannot know G.o.d. I do not blame you, but the scripture says clearly that the knowledge of G.o.d cannot come from mere scholars.h.i.+p."

Sarvabhauma replied, "Weigh thy words well, Acharya! How do you prove that you have gained G.o.d's grace?" The Acharya replied, "We know a material thing by observing it. Our knowledge of the nature of a thing is proved by grace. On this sannyasi's person are all the marks of divinity. You yourself witnessed his ecstasy of spiritual love. And yet you know not G.o.d! Such are the ways of G.o.d's illusion, materialists see Him and yet recognize Him not!"

Smilingly spoke Sarvabhauma, "We are arguing in a friendly spirit. Don't get warm. Blame me not, I am only arguing from the strict standpoint of view of _Shastra_. Chaitanya Goswami is [I admit] a great saint. But there is no incarnation of Vishnu in the Kali era. Hence Vishnu's epithet _Tri-yug_ or the Lord of Three. But scripture tells us that the Kali era is without an incarnation."

Sadly did the Acharya answer, "You pride yourself on your knowledge of scripture, but you do not mind the _Bhagabat_ and the _Mahabharat_, which are the chief of scriptures. Both of them a.s.sert that G.o.d will appear in the human form in the Kali era, and yet you maintain the contrary! As G.o.d will not appear in Kali for mere earthly exploits [but only for purifying faith], we call him _Tri-yug_. In every era Krishna appears for the spiritual needs of the age. You are a logician, and yet you do not perceive this!"

Texts quoted in support; _Bhagabat_, X viii. 9, XI. v. 28, 29; _Mahabharat_, a.n.u.shasan Parva, Dan-dharma, canto 149, v. 75-92.

"I need not waste these many words on you. They will bear no more fruit than seed sown on sterile soil. When His grace is on you, you will be convinced. Your disciple, who is plying me with all sorts of sophistic arguments, I blame him not; he is under illusion (_maya_). As the _Bhagabat_, Book VI. canto iv. verse 26, puts it:

_[The words of Daksha to G.o.d], I bow to the Omnipotent Supreme G.o.d, whose power of illusion raises endless controversies among logicians fond of dispute, and keeps their souls ever wrapt in delusion!_

"Again, the _Bhagabat_, XI. xxii. 3, [Krishna's words to Uddhava]."

Then Sarvabhauma said, "Go to the monk [Chaitanya] and invite him and his followers to my house. First feed them with _prasad_, and then give me lessons [in theology]!" The Acharya, being Sarvabhauma's sister's husband, could [boldly] blame, praise, laugh at or school him.

Mukunda was greatly pleased with the Acharya's reasoning, as he was inly grieved and angry at the speech of Sarvabhauma.

The Acharya came to Chaitanya's house and invited Him on behalf of the Bhattacharya. As he talked with Mukunda he spoke ill of Sarvabhauma in a pained spirit. But the Master broke in with, "Say not so. The Bhattacharya has really favoured me; he wants to safeguard my monastic life, and has taken pity on me out of tenderness. Why blame him for it?"

Next day, the Master visited the temple of Jagannath in the company of the Bhattacharya, and then accompanied him to his house. The Bhattacharya seated the Master first and began to teach Him _Vedanta_.

With mingled tenderness and reverence he said, "It is a _sannyasi's_ duty to hear the Vedanta read. You should constantly attend to it." The Master answered, "Show me thy favour. Whatever you bid me is indeed my duty."

For seven days did the Master thus listen to the expounding of the Vedanta, without making any comment of His own. On the eighth day, Sarvabhauma asked Him, "For seven days have you heard me in unbroken silence. I know not whether you follow me or not." The Master replied, "I am ignorant, and have not studied [the subject]. I merely listen at your bidding. I listen only because such is a sannyasi's duty. But I cannot follow your interpretation." The Bhattacharya retorted, "He who is conscious of his own ignorance asks for a second explanation. But you remain ever silent as you listen. I know not your mind's workings." The Master replied, "I understand the verses clearly enough. But it is your commentary that puzzles me. A commentary should elucidate the text, whereas your exposition conceals the text! You do not expound the plain meaning of the aphorisms, but cover them up with your fanciful interpretation. The primary meaning is the plain sense of the terms of the _Upanishad_, and Vyas says it in his aphorisms. You [on the other hand] let the primary sense go, and give a conjectural secondary sense.

You reject the meanings of words as given in lexicons, and attribute to them meanings evolved from your imagination. _Shruti_ is the chief of proofs. The primary meaning as given by _Shruti_ can alone carry conviction.

"What are conchsh.e.l.ls and cowdung but naturally unclean things, _viz._, the bone and ordure of animals? And yet they are taken as very pure, because _Shruti_ says so. Of the spiritual truth that is held forth [in Vedanta] the meaning is plain and self-evident. Fanciful interpretation only spoils the clear sense. The sense of Vyas's aphorisms is clear like the sun; you are only enveloping it with the cloud of your conjectural commentary. The _Vedas_ and the _Purans_ tell us how to discern Brahma. That Brahma is [only another name for] G.o.d in His totality. The Supreme Being is full of all powers, and yet you describe Him as formless? The _Shrutis_ that speak of Him as abstract (_nir-bishesha_), exclude the natural and set up the unnatural.

"From Brahma originates the Universe, it lives in Brahma, and it is merged again in the same Brahma. The three attributes of G.o.d are that He is the three cases, Ablative, Instrumental and Locative [in relation to the Universe]. These three qualities particularize G.o.d. When He desired to be many, He looked at [=employed] His natural powers. The physical mind and eye could not have then existed. Therefore, the Immaterial Brahma had an eye to see and a mind to will with. The terms Brahma means the Perfect Supreme Being (_Bhagaban_), and the scriptures affirm that Krishna is the Supreme Being. The meaning of the Vedas is too deep for human understanding, the Purans make their senses clear. Witness Brahma's address to G.o.d in the _Bhagabat_, X. xiv. 31:--

_'Blessed, blessed are Nanda the cowherd and other citizens of Mathura, whose friend is the Beatific Perfect Eternal Brahma'._

"_Shruti_ itself denies to Brahma material hands and feet, and yet it says that G.o.d moves swiftly and receives everything! Therefore, _Shruti_ a.s.serts Brahma to be particular (_sa-bishesha_). It is only a fanciful interpretation as opposed to a direct one, that speaks of Brahma as abstract (_nir-bishesha_). How do you call that G.o.d formless who has the six qualities and is supremely blissful? You conclude Him to be powerless, who has the three natural powers, as is evident from the _Vishnu Puran_, VI. vii. 60 and 61, and I. xii. 41.

"G.o.d's nature consists of _sat_, _chit_ and _ananda_. The _chit_ power a.s.sumes three different forms in three aspects; it becomes _hladini_ from the _ananda_ aspect; it becomes _sandhini_ in the _sat_ aspect, and _sambita_ (known as knowledge of Krishna) in the _chit_ aspect. The _chit_ power is G.o.d's very essence [or inner nature]; the life power (_jiba-shakti_) appertains to Him only occasionally; _maya_ is entirely outside Him [i.e., affects creation only]. But all these three offer devotion in the form of love. The Lord's six powers are only manifestations of the _chit_ power. And yet you have the presumption to deny such a power? G.o.d and creation differ as the master and the slave of illusion respectively, and yet you affirm that creation is identical with the Creator! In the _Gita_ creation is recognized as a force exerted by G.o.d, and yet you make such creation one with G.o.d! See the _Gita_, vii. 4, the words of Shri Krishna to Arjun:--

_Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, sense, and self-consciousness these eight powers (or natures) have emanated from me._

"Again, the next verse in the _Gita_:

_Valiant hero! the eight natures_ (prakriti) _about which I have already spoken to you, are inferior. Beyond them I have a higher or living nature which upholds this Universe._

"G.o.d's form is composed of _sat_, _chit_ and _ananda_; and yet you a.s.sert that form to be a corruption of the _satwa_ quality! He is a wretch who denies form to G.o.d; touch not, behold not that slave of Death. The Buddhists are atheists from not respecting the Vedas. Atheism in a believer of the Vedas is a worse heresy than Buddhism. Vyas composed his aphorisms for the salvation of men, but the interpretation of these aphorisms by the 'school of illusion' (_maya-vadi_) is the cause of perdition.

"Vyas's aphorisms accept the theory of effect (_parinam_). G.o.d is an incomprehensible power, but He is manifested as creation. The philosopher's stone produces gold without undergoing any change in itself, similarly G.o.d takes the form of creation without suffering any corruption. Objecting to this aphorism as an error of Vyas, you have set up the theory of _bivarta_ by a fanciful interpretation [of it]. Error consists in a creature imagining I am one with the Creator. But creation is not unreal, it is only perishable. The great word _Pranaba_ is the image of G.o.d; from that _Pranaba_ all the Vedas have sprung in this world. The words Thou art That (_tat-twam asi_) when applied to creation are only fractional (_prades.h.i.+ka_), but you, without minding the _Pranaba_, call these words the supreme truth."