Madhya-līlāChapter 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Travels to the Holy Places

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Madhya 9.96

pulakāśru, kampa, sveda, — yāvat paṭhana

dekhi' ānandita haila mahāprabhura mana

SYNONYMS

pulaka — standing of the hairs of the body; aśru — tears; kampa — trembling; sveda — perspiration; yāvat — during; paṭhana — the reading of the book; dekhi' — seeing this; ānandita — very happy; haila — became; mahāprabhura — of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; mana — the mind.

TRANSLATION

While reading the book, the brāhmaṇa experienced transcendental bodily transformations. The hairs on his body stood on end, tears welled up in his eyes, and his body trembled and perspired as he read. Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very happy.

PURPORT

Although the brāhmaṇa could not pronounce the words very well due to illiteracy, he still experienced ecstatic symptoms while reading the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased to observe these symptoms, and this indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased by devotion, not by erudite scholarship. Even though the words were imperfectly pronounced, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, did not think this very serious. Rather, the Lord was pleased by the bhāva (devotion). In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.11) this is confirmed:

tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo

yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api

nāmāny anantasya yaśo-'ńkitāni yat

śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ

"On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest."

The purport to this verse may be considered for further information on this subject.

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