Chaitanya's Life And Teachings - free ebook by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmi

JADUNATH SARKAR, M.A., I.E.S.

SECOND EDITION, Revised and enlarged, with topographical notes. 1922 M. C. SARKAR &amp; SONS, CALCUTTA, LUZAC &amp; Co., LONDON. Rs. 2. PUBLISHED BY S. C. SARKAR M. C. Sarkar &amp; Sons, 90/2A, Harrison Road, Calcutta....

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PRINTER: S. C. MAZUMDAR

SRI GOURANGA PRESS 71/1, Mirzapur Street, Calcutta. 1481/21. TO Professor RAJA GOPALACHARIAR, M.A., B.L., WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH TO MAKE THE VAISHNAV SAINTS OF THE SOUTH KNOWN TO US, I DEDICATE THIS ATTEMPT TO PLACE THE ORIGINAL LIFE OF CHAITANYA—THE GREATEST VAISHNAV TEACHER OF THE NORTH WITHIN THE REACH OF ALL READERS OF ENGLISH WHO KNOW NOT THE BENGALI TONGUE. PATNA COLLEGE, 10th April, 1913. J. SARKAR THE AUTHOR AND HIS BOOK A SHORT LIFE OF CHAITANYA GLOSSARY CHAPTER I. At the House of Adwaita

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THE AUTHOR AND HIS BOOK

Krishna-das Kaviraj, the author of the Chaitanya-charit-amrita , was born in the Vaidya caste, at Jhámatpur, a village of the Kátwá sub-division of the Burdwan district in Bengal, (1496 A.D.) Having lost his parents in early life, he was brought up by his late father's sister. He read Persian at the village school, and then began to study Sanskrit in order to qualify himself for practising Hindu medicine, the profession of his caste. Every part of his great poem bears evidence to his profound ma

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A SHORT LIFE OF CHAITANYA

Navadwip, a town in the Nadia district of Bengal, situated on the river Ganges, 75 miles north of Calcutta, was a great trading centre and seat of Hindu learning in the 15th century. Sanskrit logic ( nyáy ) for which Bengal is most famous among all the provinces of India, was very highly developed and studied here, and the fame of its scholars was unsurpassed in the land. But, if we may believe the biographers of Chaitanya, the atmosphere of the town was sceptical and unspiritual. There was a la

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GLOSSARY

Abadhut —an ascetic who has renounced the world. Acharya —a family name or title of Brahmans, lit. , teacher. Adwaita Acharya —an elderly scholar of Shantipur and associate in Chaitanya's devotions before he became a sannyasi. Arati —divine service performed to a god in the early morning or after dusk, with lamps, incense, and instrumental music, especially bells. Balarám —the elder brother of Krishna; the images of the two with that of their sister Subhadrá between them, are worshipped in the t

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CHAPTER I

At the House of Adwaita Glory to Shri Chaitanya! Glory to Nityánanda, to Adwaita, and to all followers of Gaur! In the month of Mágh when the Master completed His twenty-fourth year, in the bright fortnight, He turned hermit. Then led by devotion He set off for Brindában, and wandered for three days in the Rárh country, hallowing it with His footsteps and chanting the following verse in rapture: "I too shall cross the terrible and dark ocean of the world by means of devotion to the Supreme Being

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CHAPTER II.

The Miracles of Madhav Puri So the Master went to the Niláchal, with His four companions, absorbed in the kirtan (singing) of Krishna. One day He entered a village and brought back a large quantity of rice by personally begging for alms. On the way the ferrymen did not refuse Him a crossing. He blessed them and came to Remuna, [ 1 ] where He devoutly visited the charming image of Gopinath. As He bowed down at the feet of the image, the bunch of flowers on its crown dropped upon His head. At this

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CHAPTER III

The Legend of Gopal the Witness Glory to Chaitanya! Glory to Nityánanda! Glory to Adwaita! and Glory to the followers of Chaitanya! On His way the Master came to the village of Jajpur, where He bowed to the image of Varáha. He danced and sang in love and prayed long, passing the night in that village. To Katak [ 1 ] He went to see the Sakshi-Gopal, whose beauty threw Him into a rapture. After dance and song He prayed to the Gopal with abstraction. That night during His halt there with His discip

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CHAPTER IV

The Conversion of Sárvabhauma The Master went in an ecstatic mood to the temple of Jagannáth, and was beside Himself with love at the sight of the god. He rushed to embrace the image, but fell down on the temple floor, senseless with devotion. Happily Sárvabhauma noticed Him, and stopped the door keeper ( Parichhá , mace-bearer) who was about to beat the Master. Sárvabhauma marvelled exceedingly as he gazed on the beauty of the Master and His transport of love. The hour of bhog arrived, yet the

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CHAPTER V

Healing the leper Vasudev The Master renounced the world in the bright fortnight of Mágh, and came to reside at Puri in Fálgun. At the end of the latter month He witnessed the swinging ceremony of Jagannáth and danced and sang long in ecstasy. In Chaitra He liberated Sárvabhauma. Early in Baishakh He wished to travel to the South. He assembled His followers, embraced them, held them by the hand, and spoke humbly, "I know you to be dearer than life. Life I can part with, but not with you. You my

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CHAPTER VI

The Meeting with Rámánanda Ráy Thus did the Master wend His way. On reaching the temple of the Nrisingha (Man-lion) Incarnation at Jiyad, [ 1 ] He made His bow and rapturously sang and danced long in honour of the god, saying, "Glory to Nrisingha! Glory to Nrisingha! Prahlad's Lord! Glory to you, O Lotus-lipped, O Bee on the Lotus!" [The Bhágabat , VII. ix. I. verse quoted in Shridhar Goswámi's commentary]. Many such verses did the Master recite as He prayed to the god. The serving priest presen

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CHAPTER VII

The Pilgrimage to the South The Master travelled very extensively in the South, visiting thousands of holy places. At His touch they became the holiest of holy places. Under the pretext of a pilgrimage He delivered the people of that country. I shall only give a list of the places without arranging them in the order in which they were visited. As before, whoever met Him on the way and all the people of every village that He lodged in, were turned into Vaishnavs and made to chant Hari's name. The

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NOTES ON THE PLACES VISITED BY CHAITANYA IN THE SOUTH

[In this connection we should bear in mind that no record of Chaitanya's pilgrimage was kept at the time it was made. His disciples heard of it, evidently piece-meal, from his lips long after-wards. A diary constructed on this basis by Govinda-das has been lost. Our author, Krishna-das Kaviraj, frankly admits (at the beginning of canto ix) that he has not been able to name the holy places, of the South in the order in which they were visited by the Master. We should also note that this pilgrimag

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CHAPTER VIII

The Reunion of the Vaishnavs After the Master had set out for the South, King Pratap Rudra summoned Sárvabhauma, seated him after due salutation, and asked him concerning the Master, saying, "I hear that a very gracious person has come to your house from Bengal. People say that he has shown you much kindness. Do please help me to see him." The Bhatta replied, "True is what you have heard. But you cannot see him; he is a sannyasi withdrawn from the world, living in seclusion, and not visiting kin

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CHAPTER IX

The Grand Chanting (Bera Kirtan) One day Sárvabhauma said, "Master, may I make bold to submit a thing?" He replied, "Say thy say without hesitation. If it is a proper request, I shall keep it, if not, not." Sárvabhauma said, "Here is Pratap Rudra Ray, eager to meet you." The Master clapped His hands to His ears, murmured an appeal to God, and replied, "Why such an improper speech, Sárvabhauma? I am a hermit withdrawn from the world. For me to meet a king or a woman is fatal like a draught of poi

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CHAPTER X

Cleansing Jagannath's garden-house Before this, when the Master returned from the South, King Pratap Rudra Gajapati, eager to see Him, wrote to Sárvabhauma from Katak to get the Master's consent to an interview. On Bhattáchárya replying that the consent was withheld, the king wrote again, "Entreat the bhaktas of the Master to intercede with Him for me. Through their favour I may reach His feet. I like not my kingship if I cannot gain His grace. If Chaitanya does not take pity on me, I shall give

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CHAPTER XI

The Dance before Jagannáth's Car. Next day the Master took care to bathe with His followers before it was dawn. Pratap Rudra himself accompanied by his Court showed the Master's bhaktas the ceremony of Jagannáth leaving his throne to take his seat in the car. Girt round by Adwaita, Nityánanda and other bhaktas , the Master delightedly witnessed the scene. The stout pándás [attendants on an idol] like so many wild elephants, conveyed Jagannáth in their arms, some holding the god's neck and some h

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CHAPTER XII

The Hora-Panchami Procession of Lakshmi As the Master lay thus in the trance of love, Pratap Rudra entered the garden alone, casting off his royal robes and dressed as a [common] Vaishnav, according to the advice of Sárvabhauma. With folded hands he took permission of every bhakta and then mustered enough courage to fall down clasping the Master's feet. The Master lay on the ground, His eyes closed in love; the king eagerly nursed His feet. Pratap Rudra recited the stanzas of the Rasa dance, ( B

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CHAPTER XIII

The Dinner at Sárvabhauma's House Thus did the Master live at the Niláchal with His followers, engaged in dancing, singing, and delight. In the first year (of His stay) He used to visit Jagannáth to whom He bowed, hymned, danced and sang. When the god's Upala-bhog was offered, He issued from the temple and took Haridas home with Himself, and there chanted Hari's name. Adwaita arriving there adored the Master, washed His feet with perfumed water, rubbed Him all over with fragrant sandal-paste, pl

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CHAPTER XIV

The Return to Bengal Pratap Rudra grew sad when he heard that the Master wished to visit Brindában; calling Sárvabhauma and Rámánanda, the king entreated them, "The Master's mind is inclined to go away from Puri. Try to keep Him here. Without Him this kingdom is of no delight to me. Try every means to detain the hermit." When the Master was taking counsel with the two about making a pilgrimage to Brindában, they said, "Wait to see the Car Festival, and set out in the month of Kártik." In Kártik

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CHAPTER XV

The Pilgrimage to Brindában With the coming of early autumn the Master's mind turned to His pilgrimage. He secretly took counsel with Rámánanda and Swarup, saying, "If you two help me, I can visit Brindában. At night I shall quit my bed and escape by the forest path without taking a single attendant. If any one afterwards seeks to follow me, do you detain him, letting none depart. Mind not the sorrow. Be of good cheer and give me leave. If I leave you pleased, my way-faring will be happy." The t

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CHAPTER XVI

The Master's doings at Brindában Dancing thus the Master reached the village of Arith, where He suddenly recovered His senses. He asked the people about the Rádhá pool ( kunda ); but they knew it not, nor did the Brahman guide. But the omniscient discovered the hidden tirthas and bathed in shallow pools in two rice-fields. The villagers wondered at the spectacle. The Master began to praise the Radha pool in love: "Radha is dearest to Krishna among all the milk-maids. So is the Radha- kunda dear

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CHAPTER XVII

How the Master favoured Rup Rup and Sanátan, after meeting the Master at the village of Rámkeli, went back to their own quarters. The two brothers devised how to get rid of their worldly ties. They secured two priests with costly gifts, and performed two ceremonies preparatory to a journey ( purashcharan ) in the mantra of Krishna, hoping thereby to attain speedily to Chaitanya's feet. Then Rup came to his own house by boat with much wealth, of which he distributed one half to Brahmans and Vaish

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CHAPTER XVIII

Sanátan meets the Master and is taught of God's forms At Gaur, Sanátan lay in prison, when to his delight he received Rup's letter. Then he spoke to his Muslim jailor: "You are a living saint, a very pious man, well-read in the Quran . [There it is written that] if a man ransoms a captive with his wealth, God gives him salvation. Formerly I had done you good turns; now show your gratitude by reliasing me. I offer you five thousand Rupees. Accept the sum, and by setting me free gain both money an

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CHAPTER XIX

On the sweetness of Krishna's attributes [The Master continued His teaching of Sanátan thus:] "God in His all-embracing form dwells in the highest Space ( para-byom ). The diverse Vaikunthas are beyond count. The extent of each Vaikuntha is millions and millions of miles. Ananda inspired by chit fills all the Vaikunthas. All of [His] attendants are filled with the six attributes ( aishwaryya ). The endless Vaikunthas and Space are His retinue; above all of them is Krishna's Heaven, like the seed

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CHAPTER XX

Discourse on Devotion as the Aim [The Master continued His address to Sanátan thus]: "The Vedas teach that Krishna is the sole Essence. Now let me speak of the signs of the aim ( abhidheya ), from which one can get Krishna and the treasure of Krishna's love. All the Shastras speak of faith in Krishna as the aim. Hence the sages declare, 'We know for certain that thou, O Lord, art our refuge, because the mode of thy worship that Mother Shruti lays down in answer to our questions, is also indicate

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CHAPTER XXI

On Love, the fruit of Devotion [The Master continued]—"Listen now, Sanátan, to love, the fruit of bhakti , the hearing of which gives knowledge of the spirit of bhakti . When passion ( rati ) in Krishna is deepened it is called prem (love), the permanent form of bhakti in Krishna. It also has two aspects, viz. , swarup and tatastha . If any man has the grace to feel shraddhá , he consort with pious men, from which companionship result the hearing and chanting of Krishna's name. From the attainme

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CHAPTER XXII

The Master converts the people of Benares and returns to Jagannáth Thus did the Master in two months instruct Sanátan in the entire lore of the philosophy of faith. Chandra Shekhar's comrade, Paramánanda Kirtaniá, an expert artist, performed kirtan before the Master. As the Master had slighted the sannyasis they everywhere spoke ill of Him. At this the Maratha [Brahman] sadly reflected, Whosoever has a close view of the Master's character feels Him to be God indeed, and admits Him as such. If I

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CHAPTER XXIII [1]

The Master teaches His disciples at Puri; the meeting with Sanátan Author's words in commencing the Last Acts (Antya Lila) :—"I bow to the Lord God Krishna-Chaitanya, whose grace enables a cripple to cross mountains and a dumb man to recite the scriptures. I am blind; this path is difficult, and I am again and again stumbling on it. May the saints be my support by lending me the staff of their compassion! "I adore the feel of my six gurus ,—Rup, Sanátan, Raghunath Bhatta, Jiv, Gopal Bhatta, and

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CHAPTER XXIV

Meeting with Vallabh Bhatta; the Master stints His food Thus did the luminous Gaur (Chaitanya) perform many feats in many a playful way with His bhaktas at Niláchal. Though His heart was inly pierced with the pang of separation from Krishna, yet He did not express it outwardly lest His disciples should grieve. When, however, His intense love-sickness [for Krishna] did break forth, His agony baffled description. The Krishna-talk of Rámánanda and the [sacred] singing of Swarup saved the Master's l

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HOW THE MASTER STINTED HIS FOOD

Ramchandra Puri Goswámi came to Niláchal and there met the Master and Paramananda Puri Jagadananda Pandit invited Ramchandra Puri and fed him on the prasád of Jagannáth. After the meal the Puri asked Jagadananda to feed on the food left over, and serving the prasád repeatedly made him eat much. And thereafter, washing his hands and mouth, Ramchandra Puri began to cavil, "I had heard that Chaitanya's bhaktas were great gluttons. Now I see it with my own eyes to be true. By gorging sannyasis with

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CHAPTER XXV

The love of the pilgrims from Bengal The Bengal bhaktas came to Niláchal [carrying loving presents,—food and preserves, for the Master]. It was the day of Jagannáth's sporting in the water of the Narendra tank. The Master came there with His followers to see the water-sport and there the Bengal pilgrims met Him. The Bengal musical parties were singing the kirtan ; on meeting the Master they began to weep in love. The water-sport, instrumental music, song, dance and kirtan created a tumult on the

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CHAPTER XXVI

The Master's love-sickness for Krishna; His visions and transports of bhakti The Master felt his separation from Krishna just as the milk-maids did after Krishna had left Brinidabán for Mathura. Gradually He began to break out in wild lamentations, even as Rádhá had talked in delirium on meeting with Uddhav. Ever did the Master consider Himself as Radha, and felt [and acted] like her. No wonder, for such is the course of divya-unmád (spiritual ecstasy). One night when He was sleeping, He dreamt

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CHAPTER XXVII

The Master's last year on earth Thus did the Master in love-madness for Krishna lament night and day. Jagadananda Pandit was very dear unto Him, and was every year sent by Him to Nadia to console his forlorn mother Shachi. "Go to Nadia", so the Master charged Jagadananda, "convey my salutation to mother, touch her feet on my behalf. Tell her to remember that I go there daily (in the spirit) to bow to her. That I have taken the sannyasi's vow leaving her service only shows that I am mad and have

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THE LAST CHARGE TO THE APOSTLES

Thrilled with delight, the Master spoke, "Listen, Swarup and Rámánanda Ray! the supreme healer in this iron age is sankirtan of the Name . It is [equivalent to] the Vedic sacrifice, and the true sacrificer in it is rewarded with Krishna's feet. Sankirtan enables us to conquer sin and the world; it creates purity of soul, all kinds of bhakti and devotional practice. Chant the Name at meals, in bed, here there and every where. It is not restricted to a particular place or time, it works everywhere

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