Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Sri Caitanya Caritamrta

CC Adi 17 Summary

CC Adi 17.1: Let me offer my respectful obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by whose mercy even unclean yavanas become perfectly well bred gentlemen by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Such is the power of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC Adi 17.2: All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu! All glories to Lord Nityananda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Acarya! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!

CC Adi 17.3: I have already given a synopsis of the kaisora-lila of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now let me enumerate His youthful pastimes in chronological order.

CC Adi 17.4: Exhibiting His scholarship, beauty and fine dress, Lord Caitanya danced and chanted as He distributed the holy name of the Lord to awaken dormant love of Krsna. Thus Lord Sri Gaurasundara shone in His youthful pastimes.

CC Adi 17.5: As He entered His youth, the Lord decorated Himself with ornaments, dressed Himself in fine cloth, garlanded Himself with flowers and smeared Himself with sandalwood.

CC Adi 17.6: By dint of pride in His education, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, not caring for anyone else, defeated all kinds of learned scholars while executing His studies.

CC Adi 17.7: In His youth the Lord exhibited His ecstatic love of Krsna on the plea of disturbances of the bodily airs. Accompanied by His confidential devotees, He enjoyed various pastimes in this way.

CC Adi 17.8: Thereafter the Lord went to Gaya. There He met Srila Isvara Puri.

CC Adi 17.9: In Gaya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was initiated by Isvara Puri, and immediately afterwards He exhibited signs of love of Godhead. He again displayed such symptoms after returning home.

CC Adi 17.10: Thereafter the Lord delivered love of Krsna to His mother, Sacidevi, nullifying her offense at the feet of Advaita Acarya. Thus there was a meeting with Advaita Acarya, who later had a vision of the Lord's universal form.

CC Adi 17.11: Srivasa Thakura then worshiped Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu by the process of abhiseka. Sitting on a cot, the Lord exhibited transcendental opulence.

CC Adi 17.12: After this function at the house of Srivasa Thakura, Nityananda Prabhu appeared, and when He met with Lord Caitanya He got the opportunity to see Him in His six-armed form.

CC Adi 17.13: One day Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited to Lord Nityananda Prabhu a six-armed form bearing a conchshell, disc, club, lotus flower, bow and flute.

CC Adi 17.14: Thereafter the Lord showed Him His four-armed form, standing in a three-curved posture. With two hands He played upon a flute, and in the other two He carried a conchshell and disc.

CC Adi 17.15: Finally the Lord showed Nityananda Prabhu His two-armed form of Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda, simply playing on His flute, His bluish body dressed in yellow garments.

CC Adi 17.16: Nityananda Prabhu then arranged to offer Vyasa-puja, or worship of the spiritual master, to Lord Sri Gaurasundara. But Lord Caitanya carried the plowlike weapon called musala in the ecstasy of being Nityananda Prabhu.

CC Adi 17.17: Thereafter mother Sacidevi saw the brothers Krsna and Balarama in Their manifestation of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda. Then the Lord delivered the two brothers Jagai and Madhai.

CC Adi 17.18: After this incident, the Lord remained in an ecstatic position for twenty-one hours, and all the devotees saw His specific pastimes.

CC Adi 17.19: One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu felt the ecstasy of the boar incarnation and got up on the shoulders of Murari Gupta. Thus they both danced in Murari Gupta's courtyard.

CC Adi 17.20: After this incident the Lord ate raw rice given by Suklambara Brahmacari and explained very elaborately the import of the "harer nama" sloka mentioned in the Brhan-naradiya Purana.

CC Adi 17.21: "'In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.'

CC Adi 17.22: "In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krsna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.

CC Adi 17.23: "This verse repeats the word 'eva' ['certainly'] three times for emphasis, and it also three times repeats 'harer nama' ['the holy name of the Lord'], just to make common people understand.

CC Adi 17.24: "The use of the word 'kevala' ['only'] prohibits all other processes, such as the cultivation of knowledge, practice of mystic yoga, or performance of austerities and fruitive activities.

CC Adi 17.25: "This verse clearly states that anyone who accepts any other path cannot be delivered. This is the reason for the triple repetition 'nothing else, nothing else, nothing else,' which emphasizes the real process of self-realization.

CC Adi 17.26: "To chant the holy name always, one should be humbler than the grass in the street and devoid of all desire for personal honor, but one should offer others all respectful obeisances.

CC Adi 17.27: "A devotee engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord should practice forbearance like that of a tree. Even if rebuked or chastised, he should not say anything to others to retaliate.

CC Adi 17.28: "For even if one cuts a tree, it never protests, and even if it is drying up and dying, it does not ask anyone for water.

CC Adi 17.29: "Thus a Vaisnava should not ask anything from anyone else. If someone gives him something without being asked, he should accept it, but if nothing comes, a Vaisnava should be satisfied to eat whatever vegetables and fruits are easily available.

CC Adi 17.30: "One should strictly follow the principle of always chanting the holy name, and one should be satisfied with whatever he gets easily. Such devotional behavior solidly maintains one's devotional service.

CC Adi 17.31: "One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord."

CC Adi 17.32: Raising my hands, I declare, "Everyone please hear me! String this verse on the thread of the holy name and wear it on your neck for continuous remembrance."

CC Adi 17.33: One m7ust strictly follow the principles given by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in this verse. If one simply follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and the Gosvamis, certainly he will achieve the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Sri Krsna.

CC Adi 17.34: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu regularly led congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra in the house of Srivasa Thakura every night for one full year.

CC Adi 17.35: This ecstatic chanting was performed with the doors closed so that nonbelievers who came to make fun could not gain entrance.

CC Adi 17.36: Thus the nonbelievers almost burned to ashes and died out of envy. To retaliate, they planned various ways to give trouble to Srivasa Thakura.

CC Adi 17.38: One night while kirtana was going on inside Srivasa Thakura's house, a brahmana named Gopala Capala, the chief of the nonbelievers, who was talkative and very rough in his speech, placed all the paraphernalia for worshiping the goddess Durga outside Srivasa Thakura's door.

CC Adi 17.39: On the upper portion of a plantain leaf he placed such paraphernalia for worship as oda-phula, turmeric, vermilion, red sandalwood and rice.

CC Adi 17.40: He placed a pot of wine beside all this, and in the morning when Srivasa Thakura opened his door he saw this paraphernalia.

CC Adi 17.41: Srivasa Thakura called for all the respectable gentlemen of the neighborhood and smilingly addressed them as follows.

CC Adi 17.42: "Gentlemen, every night I worship the goddess Bhavani. Since the paraphernalia for the worship is present here, now all you respectable brahmanas and members of the higher castes can understand my position."

CC Adi 17.43: Then all the assembled gentlemen exclaimed, "What is this? What is this? Who has performed such mischievous activities? Who is that sinful man?"

CC Adi 17.44: They called for a sweeper [hadi], who threw all the items of worship far away and cleansed the place by mopping it with a mixture of water and cow dung.

CC Adi 17.45: After three days, leprosy attacked Gopala Capala, and blood oozed from sores all over his body.

CC Adi 17.46: Incessantly covered with germs and insects biting him all over his body, Gopala Capala felt unbearable pain. His entire body burned in distress.

CC Adi 17.47: Since leprosy is an infectious disease, Gopala Capala left the village to sit down on the bank of the Ganges underneath a tree. One day, however, he saw Caitanya Mahaprabhu passing by and spoke to Him as follows.

CC Adi 17.48: "My dear nephew, I am Your maternal uncle in our village relationship. Please see how greatly this attack of leprosy has afflicted me.

CC Adi 17.49: "As an incarnation of God, You are delivering so many fallen souls. I am also a greatly unhappy fallen soul. Kindly deliver me by Your mercy."

CC Adi 17.50: Hearing this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared greatly angry, and in that angry mood He spoke some words chastising him.

CC Adi 17.51: "O sinful person, envious of pure devotees, I shall not deliver you! Rather, I shall have you bitten by these germs for many millions of years.

CC Adi 17.52: "You have made Srivasa Thakura appear to have been worshiping the goddess Bhavani. Simply for this offense, you will have to fall down into hellish life for ten million births.

CC Adi 17.53: "I have appeared in this incarnation to kill the demons [pasandis] and, after killing them, to preach the cult of devotional service."

CC Adi 17.54: After saying this, the Lord left to take His bath in the Ganges, and that sinful man did not give up his life but continued to suffer.

CC Adi 17.56: When Sri Caitanya, after accepting the renounced order of life, went to Jagannatha Puri and then came back to the village of Kuliya, upon His return that sinful man took shelter at the Lord's lotus feet. The Lord, being merciful to him, gave him instructions for his benefit.

CC Adi 17.57-58: "You have committed an offense at the lotus feet of Srivasa Thakura," the Lord said. "First you must go there and beg for his mercy, and then if he gives you his blessings and you do not commit such sins again, you will be freed from these reactions."

CC Adi 17.59: Then the brahmana, Gopala Capala, went to Srivasa Thakura and took shelter of his lotus feet, and by Srivasa Thakura's mercy he was freed from all sinful reactions.

CC Adi 17.60: Another brahmana came to see the kirtana performance, but the door was closed, and he could not enter the hall.

CC Adi 17.61: He returned home with an unhappy mind, but on the next day he met Lord Caitanya on the bank of the Ganges and spoke to Him.

CC Adi 17.62: That brahmana was expert in talking harshly and cursing others. Thus he broke his sacred thread and declared, "I shall now curse You, for Your behavior has greatly aggrieved me."

CC Adi 17.63: The brahmana cursed the Lord, "You shall be bereft of all material happiness!" When the Lord heard this, He felt great jubilation within Himself.

CC Adi 17.64: Any faithful person who hears of this brahmana's cursing Lord Caitanya is delivered from all brahminical curses.

CC Adi 17.65: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu blessed Mukunda Datta with punishment and in that way vanquished all his mental depression.

CC Adi 17.66: Lord Caitanya respected Advaita Acarya as His spiritual master, but Advaita Acarya Prabhu was greatly aggrieved by such behavior.

CC Adi 17.67: Thus He whimsically began to explain the path of philosophical speculation, and the Lord, in His anger, seemingly disrespected Him.

CC Adi 17.68: At that time Advaita Acarya was greatly pleased. The Lord understood this, and He was somewhat ashamed, but He offered Advaita Acarya His benediction.

CC Adi 17.69: Murari Gupta was a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra. When Lord Caitanya heard Lord Ramacandra's glories from his mouth, He immediately wrote on his forehead "ramadasa" [the eternal servant of Lord Ramacandra].

CC Adi 17.70: Once Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the house of Sridhara after kirtana and drank water from his damaged iron pot. Then He bestowed His benediction upon all the devotees according to their desires.

CC Adi 17.71: After this incident the Lord blessed Haridasa Thakura and vanquished the offense of His mother at the home of Advaita Acarya.

CC Adi 17.72: Once when the Lord explained the glories of the holy name to the devotees, some ordinary students who heard Him fashioned their own interpretation.

CC Adi 17.73: When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student's face henceforward.

CC Adi 17.74: Without even removing His garments, Lord Caitanya took a bath in the Ganges with His companions. There He explained the glories of devotional service.

CC Adi 17.75: "By following the paths of speculative philosophical knowledge, fruitive activity or mystic yoga to control the senses, one cannot satisfy Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Unalloyed devotional love for Krsna is the only cause for the Lord's satisfaction.

CC Adi 17.76: [The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, said:] "My dear Uddhava, neither through astanga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me."

CC Adi 17.77: Lord Caitanya then praised Murari Gupta, saying, "You have satisfied Lord Krsna." Hearing this, Murari Gupta quoted a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam.

CC Adi 17.78: "'Since I am but a poor, sinful brahma-bandhu, not brahminically qualified although born in a brahmana family, and You, Lord Krsna, are the shelter of the goddess of fortune, it is simply wonderful, my dear Lord Krsna, that You have embraced me with Your arms.'"

CC Adi 17.79: One day the Lord performed sankirtana with all His devotees, and when they were greatly fatigued they sat down.

CC Adi 17.80: The Lord then sowed a mango seed in the yard, and immediately the seed fructified into a tree and began to grow.

CC Adi 17.81: As people looked on, the tree became fully grown, with fruits that fully ripened. Thus everyone was struck with wonder.

CC Adi 17.82: The Lord immediately picked about two hundred fruits, and after washing them He offered them to Krsna to eat.

CC Adi 17.83: The fruits were all red and yellow, with no seed inside and no skin outside, and eating one fruit would immediately fill a man's belly.

CC Adi 17.84: Seeing the quality of the mangoes, the Lord was greatly satisfied, and thus after eating first, He fed all the other devotees.

CC Adi 17.85: The fruits had no seeds or skins. They were full of nectarean juice and were so sweet that a man would be fully satisfied by eating only one.

CC Adi 17.86: In this way, fruits grew on the tree every day throughout the twelve months of the year, and the Vaisnavas used to eat them, to the Lord's great satisfaction.

CC Adi 17.87: These are confidential pastimes of the son of Saci. Other than devotees, no one knows of this incident.

CC Adi 17.88: In this way the Lord performed sankirtana every day, and at the end of sankirtana there was a mango-eating festival every day for twelve months.

CC Adi 17.89: Once while Caitanya Mahaprabhu was performing kirtana, clouds assembled in the sky, and the Lord, by His own will, immediately stopped them from pouring rain.

CC Adi 17.90: One day the Lord ordered Srivasa Thakura to read the Brhat-sahasra-nama [the thousand names of Lord Visnu], for He wanted to hear them at that time.

CC Adi 17.91: As he read the thousand names of the Lord, in due course the holy name of Lord Nrsimha appeared. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard the holy name of Lord Nrsimha, He became fully absorbed in thought.

CC Adi 17.92: In the mood of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Lord Caitanya ran through the city streets, club in hand, ready to kill all the atheists.

CC Adi 17.93: Seeing Him appearing very fierce in the ecstasy of Lord Nrsimha, people ran from the street and fled here and there, afraid of His anger.

CC Adi 17.94: Seeing the people so afraid, the Lord came to His external senses and thus returned to the house of Srivasa Thakura and threw away the club.

CC Adi 17.95: The Lord became morose and said to Srivasa Thakura, "When I adopted the mood of Lord Nrsimhadeva, people were greatly afraid. Therefore I stopped, since causing fear among people is an offense."

CC Adi 17.96: Srivasa Thakura replied, "Anyone who takes Your holy name vanquishes ten million of his offenses immediately.

CC Adi 17.97: "There was no offense in Your appearing as Nrsimhadeva. Rather, any man who saw You in that mood was immediately liberated from the bondage of material existence."

CC Adi 17.98: After saying this, Srivasa Thakura worshiped the Lord, who was then greatly satisfied and returned to His own home.

CC Adi 17.99: On another day a great devotee of Lord Siva, chanting of Lord Siva's qualities, came to Lord Caitanya's house, where he began dancing in the courtyard and playing his damaru [a musical instrument].

CC Adi 17.100: Then Lord Caitanya, adopting the mood of Lord Siva, got on the man's shoulders, and thus they danced together for a long time.

CC Adi 17.101: On another day a mendicant came to beg alms from the Lord's house, but when he saw the Lord dancing, he also began to dance.

CC Adi 17.102: He danced with the Lord because he was favored by love of Krsna. Thus he flowed in the mellows of love of Godhead.

CC Adi 17.103: On another day an astrologer came who was said to know everything -- past, present and future. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu received him with all honor and put this question before him.

CC Adi 17.104: "Please tell Me who I was in My previous birth," the Lord said. "Please tell Me by your astrological computations." Hearing the words of the Lord, the astrologer immediately began to calculate.

CC Adi 17.105: Through calculation and meditation, the all-knowing astrologer saw the greatly effulgent body of the Lord, which is the resting place of all the unlimited Vaikuntha planets.

CC Adi 17.106: Seeing Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be the same Absolute Truth, the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead, the astrologer was confused.

CC Adi 17.107: Struck with wonder, the astrologer remained silent, unable to speak. But when the Lord again put the question before him, he replied as follows.

CC Adi 17.108: "My dear sir, in Your previous birth You were the shelter of all creation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full of all opulences.

CC Adi 17.109: "You are now the same Personality of Godhead that You were in Your previous birth. Your identity is inconceivable eternal happiness."

CC Adi 17.110: When the astrologer was speaking so highly of Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stopped him and began to smile. "My dear sir," He said, "I think you do not know very clearly what I was, for I know that in My previous birth I was a cowherd boy.

CC Adi 17.111: "In My last birth I was born in the family of cowherd men, and I gave protection to the calves and cows. Because of such pious activities, I have now become the son of a brahmana."

CC Adi 17.112: The astrologer said, "What I saw in meditation was full of opulence, and therefore I was confused.

CC Adi 17.113: "I am certain that Your form and the form I saw in my meditation are one and the same. If I see any difference, this is an act of Your illusory energy."

CC Adi 17.114: The all-knowing astrologer concluded, "Whatever You may be or whoever You may be, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You!" By His causeless mercy, the Lord then gave him love of Godhead, thus rewarding him for his service.

CC Adi 17.115: One day the Lord sat down in the corridor of a Visnu temple and began calling very loudly, "Bring some honey! Bring some honey!"

CC Adi 17.116: Nityananda Prabhu Gosani, understanding the ecstatic mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, brought a pot of Ganges water as a token and put it before Him.

CC Adi 17.117: After drinking the water, Lord Caitanya became so ecstatic that He began to dance. Thus everyone saw the pastime of attracting the river Yamuna.

CC Adi 17.118: When the Lord, in His ecstasy of Baladeva, was moving as if intoxicated by the beverage, Advaita Acarya, the chief of the acaryas [acarya sekhara], saw Him in the form of Balarama.

CC Adi 17.119: Vanamali Acarya saw a golden plow in the hand of Balarama, and the devotees all assembled together and danced, overwhelmed by ecstasy.

CC Adi 17.120: In this way they danced continuously for twelve hours, and in the evening they all took a bath in the Ganges and then returned to their homes.

CC Adi 17.121: The Lord ordered all the citizens of Navadvipa to chant the Hare Krsna mantra, and in each and every home they began performing sankirtana regularly.

CC Adi 17.122: [All the devotees sang this popular song along with the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.] "Haraye namah, krsna yadavaya namah/ gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana."

CC Adi 17.123: When the sankirtana movement thus started, no one in Navadvipa could hear any sound other than the words "Hari! Hari!" and the beating of the mrdanga and clashing of hand bells.

CC Adi 17.124: Hearing the resounding vibration of the Hare Krsna mantra, the local Muslims, greatly angry, submitted a complaint to the Kazi.

CC Adi 17.125: Chand Kazi angrily came to one home in the evening, and when he saw kirtana going on, he broke a mrdanga and spoke as follows.

CC Adi 17.126: "For so long you did not follow the regulative principles of the Hindu religion, but now you are following them with great enthusiasm. May I know by whose strength you are doing so?

CC Adi 17.127: "No one should perform sankirtana on the streets of the city. Today I am excusing the offense and returning home.

CC Adi 17.128: "The next time I see someone performing such sankirtana, I shall certainly chastise him by not only confiscating all his property but also converting him into a Muslim."

CC Adi 17.129: After saying this, the Kazi returned home, and the devotees, greatly shocked that they were forbidden to chant Hare Krsna, submitted their grief to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC Adi 17.130: Lord Caitanya ordered, "Go perform sankirtana! Today I shall kill all the Muslims!"

CC Adi 17.131: Returning home, all the citizens began performing sankirtana, but because of the order of the Kazi, they were not carefree but always full of anxiety.

CC Adi 17.132: Understanding the anxiety within the people's minds, the Lord called them together and spoke to them as follows.

CC Adi 17.133: "In the evening I shall perform sankirtana in each and every town. Therefore you should all decorate the city in the evening.

CC Adi 17.134: "In the evening, burn torchlights in every home. I shall give protection to everyone. Let us see what kind of Kazi comes to stop our kirtana."

CC Adi 17.135: In the evening Lord Gaurasundara went out and formed three parties to perform kirtana.

CC Adi 17.136: In the front party danced Thakura Haridasa, and in the middle party danced Advaita Acarya with great jubilation.

CC Adi 17.137: Lord Gaurasundara Himself danced in the rear party, and Sri Nityananda Prabhu moved with Lord Caitanya's dancing.

CC Adi 17.138: By the grace of the Lord, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has elaborately described this incident in his Caitanya-mangala [now Caitanya-bhagavata].

CC Adi 17.139: Performing kirtana in this way, circumambulating through every nook and corner of the city, they finally reached the door of the Kazi.

CC Adi 17.140: Murmuring in anger and making a roaring sound, the people, under the protection of Lord Caitanya, became mad through such indulgence.

CC Adi 17.141: The loud sound of the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra certainly made the Kazi very much afraid, and he hid himself within his room. Hearing the people thus protesting, murmuring in great anger, the Kazi would not come out of his home.

CC Adi 17.142: Naturally some of the people who were very much agitated began to retaliate the Kazi's actions by wrecking his house and flower garden. Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has elaborately described this incident.

CC Adi 17.143: Thereafter, when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu reached the Kazi's house, He sat down by the doorway and sent some respectable persons to call for the Kazi.

CC Adi 17.144: When the Kazi came, his head bowed down, the Lord gave him proper respect and a seat.

CC Adi 17.145: In a friendly way, the Lord said, "Sir, I have come to your house as your guest, but upon seeing Me you hid yourself in your room. What kind of etiquette is this?"

CC Adi 17.146: The Kazi replied, "You have come to my house in a very angry mood. To pacify You, I did not come before You immediately but kept myself hidden.

CC Adi 17.147: "Now that You have become pacified, I have come to You. It is my good fortune to receive a guest like Your Honor.

CC Adi 17.148: "In our village relationship, Nilambara Cakravarti Thakura was my uncle. Such a relationship is stronger than a bodily relationship.

CC Adi 17.149: "Nilambara Cakravarti is Your maternal grandfather, and by this relationship You are thus my nephew.

CC Adi 17.150: "When a nephew is very angry, his maternal uncle is tolerant, and when the maternal uncle commits an offense, the nephew does not take it very seriously."

CC Adi 17.151: In this way the Kazi and the Lord talked with each other with various indications, but no outsider could understand the inner meaning of their conversation.

CC Adi 17.152: The Lord said, "My dear uncle, I have come to your home just to ask you some questions.""Yes," the Kazi replied, "You are welcome. Just tell me what is in Your mind."

CC Adi 17.153: The Lord said, "You drink cows' milk; therefore the cow is your mother. And the bull produces grains for your maintenance; therefore he is your father.

CC Adi 17.154: "Since the bull and cow are your father and mother, how can you kill and eat them? What kind of religious principle is this? On what strength are you so daring that you commit such sinful activities?"

CC Adi 17.155: The Kazi replied, "As You have Your scriptures called the Vedas and Puranas, we have our scripture, known as the holy Koran.

CC Adi 17.156: "According to the Koran, there are two ways of advancement -- through increasing the propensity to enjoy, and through decreasing the propensity to enjoy. On the path of decreasing attachment [nivrtti-marga], the killing of animals is prohibited.

CC Adi 17.157: "On the path of material activities, there is regulation for killing cows. If such killing is done under the guidance of scripture, there is no sin."

CC Adi 17.158: As a learned scholar, the Kazi challenged Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "In Your Vedic scriptures there is an injunction for killing a cow. On the strength of this injunction, great sages performed sacrifices involving cow-killing."

CC Adi 17.159: Refuting the Kazi's statement, the Lord immediately replied, "The Vedas clearly enjoin that cows should not be killed. Therefore every Hindu, whoever he may be, avoids indulging in cow-killing.

CC Adi 17.160: "In the Vedas and Puranas there are injunctions declaring that if one can revive a living being, one can kill it for experimental purposes.

CC Adi 17.161: "Therefore the great sages sometimes killed old cows, and by chanting Vedic hymns they brought them back to life for perfection.

CC Adi 17.162: "The killing and rejuvenation of such old and invalid cows was not truly killing but an act of great benefit.

CC Adi 17.163: "Formerly there were powerful brahmanas who could make such experiments using Vedic hymns, but now, because of the Kali-yuga, brahmanas are not so powerful. Therefore the killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.

CC Adi 17.164: "'In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife.'

CC Adi 17.165: "Since you Muslims cannot bring killed cows back to life, you are responsible for killing them. Therefore you are going to hell; there is no way for your deliverance.

CC Adi 17.166: "Cow-killers are condemned to rot in hellish life for as many thousands of years as there are hairs on the body of the cow.

CC Adi 17.167: "There are many mistakes and illusions in your scriptures. Their compilers, not knowing the essence of knowledge, gave orders that were against reason and argument."

CC Adi 17.168: After hearing these statements by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Kazi, his arguments stunned, could not put forward any more words. Thus, after due consideration, the Kazi accepted defeat and spoke as follows.

CC Adi 17.169: "My dear Nimai Pandita, what You have said is all true. Our scriptures have developed only recently, and they are certainly not logical and philosophical.

CC Adi 17.170: "I know that our scriptures are full of imagination and mistaken ideas, yet because I am a Muslim I accept them for the sake of my community, despite their insufficient support.

CC Adi 17.171: "The reasoning and arguments in the scriptures of the meat-eaters are not very sound," the Kazi concluded. Upon hearing this statement, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu smiled and inquired from him as follows.

CC Adi 17.172: "My dear maternal uncle, I wish to ask you another question. Please tell Me the truth. Do not try to cheat Me with tricks.

CC Adi 17.173: "In your city there is always congregational chanting of the holy name. A tumultuous uproar of music, singing and dancing is always going on.

CC Adi 17.174: "As a Muslim magistrate, you have the right to oppose the performance of Hindu ceremonies, but now you do not forbid them. I cannot understand the reason why."

CC Adi 17.175: The Kazi said, "Everyone calls You Gaurahari. Please let me address You by that name.

CC Adi 17.176: "Kindly listen, O Gaurahari! If You come to a private place, I shall then explain the reason."

CC Adi 17.177: The Lord replied, "All these men are My confidential associates. You may speak frankly. There is no reason to be afraid of them."

CC Adi 17.178-179: The Kazi said, "When I went to the Hindu's house, broke the drum and forbade the performance of congregational chanting, in my dreams that very night I saw a greatly fearful lion, roaring very loudly, His body like a human being's and His face like a lion's.

CC Adi 17.180: "While I was asleep, the lion jumped on my chest, laughing fiercely and gnashing His teeth.

CC Adi 17.181: "Placing its nails on my chest, the lion said in a grave voice, 'I shall immediately bifurcate your chest as you broke the mrdanga drum!

CC Adi 17.182: "'You have forbidden the performance of My congregational chanting. Therefore I must destroy you!' Being very much afraid of Him, I closed my eyes and trembled.

CC Adi 17.183: "Seeing me so afraid, the lion said, 'I have defeated you just to teach you a lesson, but I must be merciful to you.

CC Adi 17.184: "'On that day you did not create a very great disturbance. Therefore I have excused you and not taken your life.

CC Adi 17.185: "'But if you perform such activities again, I shall not be tolerant. At that time I shall kill you, your entire family and all the meat-eaters.'

CC Adi 17.186: "After saying this, the lion left, but I was very much afraid of Him. Just see the marks of His nails on my heart!"

CC Adi 17.187: After this description, the Kazi showed his chest. Having heard him and seen the marks, all the people there accepted the wonderful incident.

CC Adi 17.188: The Kazi continued, "I did not speak to anyone about this incident, but on that very day one of my orderlies came to see me.

CC Adi 17.189: "After coming to me, the orderly said, 'When I went to stop the congregational chanting, suddenly flames struck my face.

CC Adi 17.190: "'My beard was burned, and there were blisters on my cheeks.' Every orderly who went gave the same description.

CC Adi 17.191: "After seeing this, I was very much afraid. I asked them not to stop the congregational chanting but to go sit down at home.

CC Adi 17.192: "Then all the meat-eaters, hearing that there would be unrestricted congregational chanting in the city, came to submit a petition.

CC Adi 17.193: "'The religion of the Hindus has increased unlimitedly. There are always vibrations of "Hari! Hari!" We do not hear anything but this.'

CC Adi 17.194: "One meat-eater said, 'The Hindus say, "Krsna, Krsna," and they laugh, cry, dance, chant and fall on the ground, smearing their bodies with dirt.

CC Adi 17.195: "'Vibrating "Hari, Hari," the Hindus make a tumultuous sound. If the king [patasaha] hears it, certainly he will punish you.'

CC Adi 17.196: "I then inquired from these yavanas, 'I know that these Hindus by nature chant "Hari, Hari."

CC Adi 17.197: "'The Hindus chant the name Hari because that is the name of their God. But you are Muslim meat-eaters. Why do you chant the name of the Hindus' God?'

CC Adi 17.198: "The meat-eater replied, 'Sometimes I joke with the Hindus. Some of them are called Krsnadasa, and some are called Ramadasa.

CC Adi 17.199: "'Some of them are called Haridasa. They always chant "Hari, Hari," and thus I thought they would steal the riches from someone's house.

CC Adi 17.200: "'Since that time, my tongue also always vibrates the sound "Hari, Hari." I have no desire to say it, but still my tongue says it. I do not know what to do.'

CC Adi 17.201-202: "Another meat-eater said, 'Sir, please hear me. Since the day I joked with some Hindus in this way, my tongue chants the Hare Krsna hymn and cannot give it up. I do not know what mystic hymns and herbal potions these Hindus know.'

CC Adi 17.203: "After hearing all this, I sent all the mlecchas back to their homes. Five or seven nonbelieving Hindus then approached me.

CC Adi 17.204: "Coming to me, the Hindus complained, 'Nimai Pandita has broken the Hindu religious principles. He has introduced the sankirtana system, which we never heard from any scripture.

CC Adi 17.205: "'When we keep a night-long vigil to observe religious performances for the worship of Mangalacandi and Visahari, playing on musical instruments, dancing and chanting are certainly fitting customs.

CC Adi 17.206: "'Nimai Pandita was previously a very good boy, but since He has returned from Gaya He conducts Himself differently.

CC Adi 17.207: "'Now He loudly sings all kinds of songs, claps, and plays drums and hand cymbals, making a tumultuous sound that deafens our ears.

CC Adi 17.208: "'We do not know what He eats that makes Him become mad, dancing, singing, sometimes laughing, crying, falling down, jumping up and rolling on the ground.

CC Adi 17.209: "'He has made all the people practically mad by always performing congregational chanting. At night we cannot get any sleep; we are always kept awake.

CC Adi 17.210: "'Now He has given up His own name Nimai and introduced Himself by the name Gaurahari. He has spoiled the Hindu religious principles and introduced the irreligion of nonbelievers.

CC Adi 17.211: "'Now the lower classes are chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra again and again. For this sinful activity, the entire city of Navadvipa will become deserted.

CC Adi 17.212: "'According to Hindu scripture, God's name is the most powerful hymn. If everyone hears the chanting of the name, the potency of the hymn will be lost.

CC Adi 17.213: "'Sir, you are the ruler of this town. Whether Hindu or Muslim, everyone is under your protection. Therefore please call Nimai Pandita and make Him leave the town.'

CC Adi 17.214: "After hearing their complaints, in sweet words I told them, 'Please go back home. I shall certainly prohibit Nimai Pandita from continuing His Hare Krsna movement.'

CC Adi 17.215: "I know that Narayana is the Supreme God of the Hindus, and I think that You are the same Narayana. This I feel within my mind."

CC Adi 17.216: After hearing the Kazi speak so nicely, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu touched him and smilingly spoke as follows.

CC Adi 17.217: "The chanting of the holy name of Krsna from your mouth has performed a wonder -- it has nullified the reactions of all your sinful activities. Now you have become supremely pure.

CC Adi 17.218: "Because you have chanted three holy names of the Lord -- Hari, Krsna and Narayana -- you are undoubtedly the most fortunate and pious."

CC Adi 17.219: After the Kazi heard this, tears flowed down from his eyes. He immediately touched the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke the following sweet words.

CC Adi 17.220: "Only by Your mercy have my bad intentions vanished. Kindly favor me so that my devotion may always be fixed upon You."

CC Adi 17.221: The Lord said, "I wish to beg you for one favor in charity. You must pledge that this sankirtana movement will not be checked, at least in the district of Nadia."

CC Adi 17.222: The Kazi said, "To as many descendants as take birth in my dynasty in the future, I give this grave admonition: No one should check the sankirtana movement."

CC Adi 17.223: Hearing this, the Lord got up, chanting "Hari! Hari!" Following Him, all the other Vaisnavas also got up, chanting the vibration of the holy name.

CC Adi 17.224: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went back to perform kirtana, and the Kazi, his mind jubilant, went with Him.

CC Adi 17.225: The Lord asked the Kazi to go back home. Then the son of mother Saci came back to His own home, dancing and dancing.

CC Adi 17.226: This is the incident concerning the Kazi and the Lord's mercy upon him. Anyone who hears this is also freed from all offenses.

CC Adi 17.227: One day the two brothers Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were dancing in the holy house of Srivasa Thakura.

CC Adi 17.228: At that time a calamity took place -- Srivasa Thakura's son died. Yet Srivasa Thakura was not at all sorry.

CC Adi 17.229: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu caused the dead son to speak about knowledge, and then the two brothers personally became the sons of Srivasa Thakura.

CC Adi 17.230: Thereafter the Lord charitably bestowed His benediction upon all His devotees. He gave the remnants of His food to Narayani, showing her special respect.

CC Adi 17.231: There was a tailor who was a meat-eater but was sewing garments for Srivasa Thakura. The Lord, being merciful to him, showed him His own form.

CC Adi 17.232: Saying "I have seen! I have seen!" and dancing in ecstatic love as though mad, he became a first-class Vaisnava.

CC Adi 17.233: In ecstasy the Lord asked Srivasa Thakura to deliver His flute, but Srivasa Thakura replied, "Your flute has been stolen away by the gopis."

CC Adi 17.234: Hearing this reply, the Lord said in ecstasy, "Go on talking! Go on talking!" Thus Srivasa described the transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Sri Vrndavana.

CC Adi 17.235: In the beginning Srivasa Thakura described the transcendental sweetness of Vrndavana's pastimes. Hearing this, the Lord felt great and increasing jubilation in His heart.

CC Adi 17.236: Thereafter the Lord again and again asked him, "Speak on! Speak on!" Thus Srivasa again and again described the pastimes of Vrndavana, vividly expanding them.

CC Adi 17.237: Srivasa Thakura extensively explained how the gopis were attracted to the forests of Vrndavana by the vibration of Krsna's flute and how they wandered together in the forest.

CC Adi 17.238: Srivasa Pandita narrated all the pastimes enacted during the six changing seasons. He described the drinking of honey, the celebration of the rasa dance, the swimming in the Yamuna and other such incidents.

CC Adi 17.239: When the Lord, hearing with great pleasure, said, "Go on speaking! Go on speaking!" Srivasa Thakura described the rasa-lila dance, which is filled with transcendental mellows.

CC Adi 17.240: As the Lord thus requested and Srivasa Thakura spoke, the morning appeared, and the Lord embraced Srivasa Thakura and satisfied him.

CC Adi 17.241: Thereafter a dramatization of Krsna's pastimes was performed in the house of Sri Candrasekhara Acarya. The Lord personally took the part of Rukmini, the foremost of Krsna's queens.

CC Adi 17.242: The Lord sometimes took the part of Goddess Durga, Laksmi [the goddess of fortune] or the chief potency, Yogamaya. Sitting on a cot, He delivered love of Godhead to all the devotees present.

CC Adi 17.243: One day when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had finished His dancing, a woman, the wife of a brahmana, came there and caught hold of His lotus feet.

CC Adi 17.244: As she took the dust of His lotus feet again and again, the Lord became unlimitedly unhappy.

CC Adi 17.245: Immediately He ran to the river Ganges and jumped in to counteract the sinful activities of that woman. Lord Nityananda and Haridasa Thakura caught Him and raised Him from the river.

CC Adi 17.246: That night the Lord stayed at the house of Vijaya Acarya. In the morning the Lord took all His devotees and returned home.

CC Adi 17.247: One day the Lord, in the ecstasy of the gopis, was sitting in His house. Very morose in separation, He was calling, "Gopi! Gopi!"

CC Adi 17.248: A student who came to see the Lord was astonished that the Lord was chanting "Gopi! Gopi!" Thus he spoke as follows.

CC Adi 17.249: "Why are You chanting the names 'gopi gopi' instead of the holy name of Lord Krsna, which is so glorious? What pious result will You achieve by such chanting?"

CC Adi 17.250: Hearing the foolish student, the Lord became greatly angry and rebuked Lord Krsna in various ways. Taking up a stick, He rose to strike the student.

CC Adi 17.251: The student ran away in fear, and the Lord followed him. But somehow or other the devotees checked the Lord.

CC Adi 17.252: The devotees pacified the Lord and brought Him home, and the student ran away to an assembly of other students.

CC Adi 17.253: The brahmana student ran to a place where a thousand students were studying together. There he described the incident to them.

CC Adi 17.254: Hearing of the incident, all the students became greatly angry and joined together in criticizing the Lord.

CC Adi 17.255: "Nimai Pandita alone has spoiled the entire country," they accused. "He wants to strike a caste brahmana. He has no fear of religious principles.

CC Adi 17.256: "If He again performs such an atrocious act, certainly we shall retaliate and strike Him in turn. What kind of important person is He, that He can check us in this way?"

CC Adi 17.257: When all the students thus resolved, criticizing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, their intelligence was spoiled. Thus although they were learned scholars, because of this offense the essence of knowledge was not manifested in them.

CC Adi 17.258: But the proud student community did not become submissive. On the contrary, the students spoke of the incident anywhere and everywhere. In a laughing manner they criticized the Lord.

CC Adi 17.259: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being omniscient, could understand the degradation of these students. Thus He sat at home, contemplating how to rescue them.

CC Adi 17.260: "All the so-called professors and scientists and their students generally follow the regulative principles of religion, fruitive activities and austerities," the Lord thought, "yet at the same time they are blasphemers and rogues.

CC Adi 17.261: "If I do not induce them to take to devotional service, because of committing the offense of blasphemy none of these people will be able to take to it.

CC Adi 17.262: "I have come to deliver all the fallen souls, but now just the opposite has happened. How can these rogues be delivered? How may they be benefited?

CC Adi 17.263: "If these rogues offer Me obeisances, the reactions of their sinful activities will be nullified. Then, if I induce them, they will take to devotional service.

CC Adi 17.264: "I must certainly deliver all these fallen souls who blaspheme Me and do not offer Me obeisances.

CC Adi 17.265: "I shall accept the sannyasa order of life, for thus people will offer Me their obeisances, thinking of Me as a member of the renounced order.

CC Adi 17.266: "Offering obeisances will relieve them of all the reactions to their offenses. Then, by My grace, devotional service [bhakti] will awaken in their pure hearts.

CC Adi 17.267: "All the unfaithful rogues of this world can be delivered by this process. There is no alternative. This is the essence of the argument."

CC Adi 17.268: After coming to this firm conclusion, the Lord continued to stay at home. In the meantime Kesava Bharati came to the town of Nadia.

CC Adi 17.269: The Lord offered him respectful obeisances and invited him to His house. After feeding him sumptuously, He submitted to him His petition.

CC Adi 17.270: "Sir, you are directly Narayana. Therefore please be merciful unto Me. Deliver Me from this material bondage."

CC Adi 17.271: Kesava Bharati replied to the Lord, "You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul. I must do whatever You cause me to do. I am not independent of You."

CC Adi 17.272: After saying this, Kesava Bharati, the spiritual master, went back to his village, Katwa. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu went there and accepted the renounced order of life [sannyasa].

CC Adi 17.273: When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyasa, three personalities were with Him to perform all the necessary activities. They were Nityananda Prabhu, Candrasekhara Acarya and Mukunda Datta.

CC Adi 17.274: Thus I have summarized the incidents of the adi-lila. Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has described them elaborately [in his Caitanya-bhagavata].

CC Adi 17.275: The same Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared as the son of mother Yasoda has now appeared as the son of mother Saci, relishing four kinds of devotional activities.

CC Adi 17.276: To taste the mellows of Srimati Radharani's loving affairs in Her relationship with Krsna, and to understand the reservoir of pleasure in Krsna, Krsna Himself, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, accepted the mood of Radharani.

CC Adi 17.277: Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the mood of the gopis, who accept Vrajendranandana, Sri Krsna, as their lover.

CC Adi 17.278: It is firmly concluded that the ecstatic mood of the gopis is possible only before Krsna, and no one else.

CC Adi 17.279: He has a bluish complexion, a peacock feather on His head, a gunja garland and the decorations of a cowherd boy. His body is curved in three places, and He holds a flute to His mouth.

CC Adi 17.280: If Lord Krsna gives up this original form and assumes another Visnu form, nearness to Him cannot invoke the ecstatic mood of the gopis.

CC Adi 17.281: "Once Lord Sri Krsna playfully manifested Himself as Narayana, with four victorious hands and a very beautiful form. When the gopis saw this exalted form, however, their ecstatic feelings were crippled. Even a learned scholar, therefore, cannot understand the gopis' ecstatic feelings, which are firmly fixed upon the original form of Lord Krsna as the son of Nanda Maharaja. The wonderful feelings of the gopis in ecstatic parama-rasa with Krsna constitute the greatest mystery in spiritual life."

CC Adi 17.282: During the season of springtime, when the rasa dance was going on, suddenly Krsna disappeared from the scene, indicating that He wanted to be alone with Srimati Radharani.

CC Adi 17.283: Krsna was sitting in a solitary bush, waiting for Srimati Radharani to pass by. But while He was searching, the gopis arrived there, like a phalanx of soldiers.

CC Adi 17.284: "Just see!" the gopis said, seeing Krsna from a distant place. "Here within a bush is Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja."

CC Adi 17.285: As soon as Krsna saw all the gopis, He was struck with emotion. Thus He could not hide Himself, and out of fear He became motionless.

CC Adi 17.286: Krsna assumed His four-armed Narayana form and sat there. When all the gopis came, they looked at Him and spoke as follows.

CC Adi 17.287: "He is not Krsna! He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana." After saying this, they offered obeisances and the following respectful prayers.

CC Adi 17.288: "O Lord Narayana, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You. Kindly be merciful to us. Give us the association of Krsna and thus vanquish our lamentation."

CC Adi 17.289: After saying this and offering obeisances, all the gopis dispersed. Then Srimati Radharani came and appeared before Lord Krsna.

CC Adi 17.290: When Lord Krsna saw Radharani, He wanted to maintain the four-armed form to joke with Her.

CC Adi 17.291: In front of Srimati Radharani, Sri Krsna had to hide the two extra arms. He tried His best to keep four arms before Her, but He was completely unable to do so.

CC Adi 17.292: The influence of Radharani's pure ecstasy is so inconceivably great that it forced Krsna to come to His original two-armed form.

CC Adi 17.293: "Prior to the rasa dance, Lord Krsna hid Himself in a grove just to have fun. When the gopis came, their eyes resembling those of deer, by His sharp intelligence He exhibited His beautiful four-armed form to hide Himself. But when Srimati Radharani came there, Krsna could not maintain His four arms in Her presence. This is the wonderful glory of Her love."

CC Adi 17.294: Father Nanda, the King of Vrajabhumi, is now Jagannatha Misra, the father of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And mother Yasoda, the Queen of Vrajabhumi, is now Sacidevi, Lord Caitanya's mother.

CC Adi 17.295: The former son of Nanda Maharaja is now Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the former Baladeva, Krsna's brother, is now Nityananda Prabhu, the brother of Lord Caitanya.

CC Adi 17.296: Sri Nityananda Prabhu always feels the ecstatic emotions of paternity, servitude and friendship. He always assists Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in that way.

CC Adi 17.297: Sri Nityananda Prabhu overflooded the entire world by distributing transcendental loving service. No one can understand His character and activities.

CC Adi 17.298: Srila Advaita Acarya Prabhu appeared as an incarnation of a devotee. He is in the category of Krsna, but He descended to this earth to propagate devotional service.

CC Adi 17.299: His natural emotions were always on the platform of fraternity and servitude, but the Lord sometimes treated Him as His spiritual master.

CC Adi 17.300: All the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, headed by Srivasa Thakura, have their own emotional humors in which they render service unto Him.

CC Adi 17.301: Personal associates like Gadadhara, Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Raya, and the six Gosvamis (headed by Rupa Gosvami) are all situated in their respective transcendental humors. Thus the Lord submits to various positions in various transcendental mellows.

CC Adi 17.302: In krsna-lila the Lord's complexion is blackish. Holding a flute to His mouth, He enjoys as a cowherd boy. Now the selfsame person has appeared with a fair complexion, sometimes acting as a brahmana and sometimes accepting the renounced order of life.

CC Adi 17.303: Therefore the Lord Himself, accepting the emotional ecstasy of the gopis, now addresses the son of Nanda Maharaja, "O master of My life! O My dear husband!"

CC Adi 17.304: He is Krsna, yet He has accepted the mood of the gopis. How is it so? It is the inconceivable character of the Lord, which is very difficult to understand.

CC Adi 17.305: One cannot understand the contradictions in Lord Caitanya's character by putting forward mundane logic and arguments. Consequently one should not maintain doubts in this connection. One should simply try to understand the inconceivable energy of Krsna; otherwise one cannot understand how such contradictions are possible.

CC Adi 17.306: The pastimes of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu are inconceivable and wonderful. His ecstasy is wonderful, His qualities are wonderful, and His behavior is wonderful.

CC Adi 17.307: If one simply adheres to mundane arguments and therefore does not accept this, he will boil in the hell of Kumbhipaka. For him there is no deliverance.

CC Adi 17.308: "Anything transcendental to material nature is called inconceivable, whereas arguments are all mundane. Since mundane arguments cannot touch transcendental subject matters, one should not try to understand transcendental subjects through mundane arguments."

CC Adi 17.309: Only a person who has firm faith in the wonderful pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu can approach His lotus feet.

CC Adi 17.310: In this discourse I have explained the essence of the devotional conclusion. Anyone who hears this develops unalloyed devotional service to the Lord.

CC Adi 17.311: If I repeat what is already written, I may thus relish the purpose of this scripture.

CC Adi 17.312: We can see in the scripture Srimad-Bhagavatam the conduct of its author, Sri Vyasadeva. After speaking the narration, he repeats it again and again.

CC Adi 17.313: Therefore I shall enumerate the chapters of the Adi-lila. In the First Chapter I offer obeisances to the spiritual master, for this is the beginning of auspicious writing.

CC Adi 17.314: The Second Chapter explains the truth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, the son of Maharaja Nanda.

CC Adi 17.315: Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krsna Himself, has now appeared as the son of mother Saci. The Third Chapter describes the general cause of His appearance.

CC Adi 17.316: The Third Chapter specifically describes the distribution of love of Godhead. It also describes the religion of the age, which is simply to distribute the holy name of Lord Krsna and propagate the process of loving Him.

CC Adi 17.317: The Fourth Chapter describes the main reason for His appearance, which is to taste the mellows of His own transcendental loving service and His own sweetness.

CC Adi 17.318: The Fifth Chapter describes the truth of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, who is none other than Balarama, the son of Rohini.

CC Adi 17.319: The Sixth Chapter considers the truth of Advaita Acarya. He is an incarnation of Maha-Visnu.

CC Adi 17.320: The Seventh Chapter describes the Panca-tattva -- Sri Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa. They all combined together to distribute love of Godhead everywhere.

CC Adi 17.321: The Eighth Chapter gives the reason for describing Lord Caitanya's pastimes. It also describes the greatness of Lord Krsna's holy name.

CC Adi 17.322: The Ninth Chapter describes the desire tree of devotional service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself is the gardener who planted it.

CC Adi 17.323: The Tenth Chapter describes the branches and subbranches of the main trunk and the distribution of their fruits.

CC Adi 17.324: The Eleventh Chapter describes the branch called Sri Nityananda Prabhu. The Twelfth Chapter describes the branch called Sri Advaita Prabhu.

CC Adi 17.325: The Thirteenth Chapter describes the birth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which took place with the chanting of the holy name of Krsna.

CC Adi 17.326: The Fourteenth Chapter gives some description of the Lord's childhood pastimes. The Fifteenth briefly describes the Lord's boyhood pastimes.

CC Adi 17.327: In the Sixteenth Chapter I have indicated the pastimes of the kaisora age [the age prior to youth]. In the Seventeenth Chapter I have specifically described His youthful pastimes.

CC Adi 17.328: Thus there are seventeen varieties of subjects in the first canto, which is known as the Adi-lila. Twelve of these constitute the preface of this scripture.

CC Adi 17.329: After the chapters of the preface, I have described five transcendental mellows in five chapters. I have described them very briefly rather than expansively.

CC Adi 17.330: By the order and strength of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura has elaborately described in his Caitanya-mangala all that I have not.

CC Adi 17.331: The pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are wonderful and unlimited. Even personalities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Sesa Naga cannot find their end.

CC Adi 17.332: Anyone who describes or hears any part of this elaborate subject will very soon receive the causeless mercy of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC Adi 17.333: [Herein the author again describes the Panca-tattva.] Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya.

CC Adi 17.334: I offer my respectful obeisances to all the residents of Vrndavana. I wish to place their lotus feet on my head in great humbleness.

CC Adi 17.336: I wish to place the lotus feet of the Gosvamis on my head. Their names are Sri Svarupa Damodara, Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Sri Jiva Gosvami. Placing their lotus feet on my head, always hoping to serve them, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness