Shri Chaitanya-bhagavata

Adi-khanda -

By

Vyasa Avatara Shrila Vrindavana dasa Thakura

Chapter Five: Eating the Mendicant Brahmana’s Offerings

 

 

CB Adi-khanda 5.51

TEXT 51

randhana, bhojana vipra karena yavat

ara-badi laye shishu rakhaha tavat”

TRANSLATION

“Therefore please take Him to another house until the brahmana finishes cooking and eating.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.52

TEXT 52

tabe shacidevi putre kole ta’ kariya

calilena ara-badi prabhure laiya

TRANSLATION

Shacidevi then took her son in her arms and went to the neighbor’s house.

CB Adi-khanda 5.53

TEXT 53

saba nari-gana bole,-“shuna re nimai

emata kariya ki viprera anna khai!”

TRANSLATION

All the ladies there said, “Listen, Nimai, You shouldn’t have eaten the brahmana’s rice like that.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.54

TEXT 54

hasiya bolena prabhu shri-candra-vadane

“amara ki dosha, vipra dakila apane?”

TRANSLATION

The Lord smiled with His moonlike face and replied, “What is My fault? The brahmana called Me.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.55-56

TEXTS 55-56

sabei bolena,-“aye nimai dhangati!

ki kariba, ebe ye tomara gela jati?”

kothakara brahmana, kon kula, keba cine?

tara bhata khai’ jati rakhiba kemane?”

TRANSLATION

Everyone then said, “O deceitful Nimai, what will You do now that You have lost Your caste? Who knows that brahmana? What is his caste? Where is he from? Now that You have eaten his rice, how will You maintain Your caste?”

COMMENTARY

The word dhangati refers to a person who cheats, who is duplicitous, or who is overly clever.

 

The ladies are saying, “O Nimai, in order to display Your cheating, duplicity, and cleverness, You have accepted the foodstuff touched by this unknown brahmana. Therefore You have fallen from the exalted status of Your family.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.57

TEXT 57

hasiya kahena prabhu,-“ami ye goyala!

brahmanera anna ami khai sarva-kala

TRANSLATION

The Lord smiled and said, “I am a cowherd boy, and I always eat brahmana’s rice.

COMMENTARY

The Lord replied, “I belong to the cowherd community, so I always eat foodstuffs given by the brahmanas.” From this statement it is established both that the Lord is the knower of past, present, and future, and that the Lord is controlled by the brahmanas. Furthermore, His mischievous cowherd boy nature is also established.

CB Adi-khanda 5.58

TEXT 58

brahmanera anne ki gopera jati yaya?”

eta bali’ hasiya sabare prabhu caya

TRANSLATION

“How can a cowherd boy lose his caste by eating a brahmana’s rice?” Saying this, the Lord looked at everyone and smiled.

CB Adi-khanda 5.59

TEXT 59

chale nija-tattva prabhu karena vyakhyana

tathapi na bujhe keha,-hena maya tana

TRANSLATION

In this way the Lord revealed His identity while speaking deceptively. But by the influence of His maya, no one could understand Him.

COMMENTARY

The word nija-tattva refers to His personal form as Shri Krishna.

CB Adi-khanda 5.60

TEXT 60

sabei hasena shuni’ prabhura vacana

vaksha haite edite kaharo nahi mana

TRANSLATION

Everyone laughed upon hearing the Lord’s explanation. No one wanted to set Him down from their embrace.

COMMENTARY

The word edite means “to set down” or “to leave.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.61

TEXT 61

hasiya yayena prabhu ye-janara kole

sei jana ananda-sagara-majhe bule

TRANSLATION

As the Lord smiled and sat on various people’s laps, whoever held Him merged in an ocean of bliss.

CB Adi-khanda 5.62

TEXT 62

sei vipra punar-bara kariya randhana

lagilena vasiya karite nivedana

TRANSLATION

Meanwhile, the brahmana finished cooking again, so he sat down to make the offering.

CB Adi-khanda 5.63

TEXT 63

dhyane bala-gopala bhavena vipra-vara

janilena gauracandra cittera ishvara

TRANSLATION

In meditation the brahmana called Bala-gopala to eat, and Lord Gaurasundara, the Supersoul, immediately came to know this.

COMMENTARY

The words cittera ishvara refers to Lord in the heart, or the Supersoul.

CB Adi-khanda 5.64

TEXT 64

mohiya sakala-loka ati alakshite

ailena vipra-sthane hasite hasite

TRANSLATION

Putting everyone into illusion, the Lord secretly came before the brahmana with a smile on His face.

COMMENTARY

The word mohiya means “bewildering.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.65

TEXT 65

alakshite eka-mushti anna lana kare

khaiya calila prabhu,-dekhe vipra-vare

TRANSLATION

Unseen by others, the Lord then took a handful of rice and ate it as the brahmana watched.

CB Adi-khanda 5.66

TEXT 66

“haya haya” kariya uthila vipra-vara

thakura khaiya bhata kila eka rada

TRANSLATION

The brahmana immediately cried, “Alas! Alas!” and the Lord, after eating the rice, fled away.

COMMENTARY

The word rada means “run.” In Bangladesh the word is lada.

CB Adi-khanda 5.67

TEXT 67

sambhrame uthiya mishra hate vadi laiya

krodhe thakurere laiya yaya dhaoyaiya

TRANSLATION

Enraged, Jagannatha Mishra got up, took a stick in his hand, and chased after the Lord in anger.

COMMENTARY

In this verse the word sambhrame means “enraged.” The word vadi means “stick.” In Bangladesh it is called a thenga. The word thakurere means “to the Lord.” The word dhaoyaiya means “to follow” or “to chase swiftly.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.68

TEXT 68

maha-bhaye prabhu palaila eka-ghare

krodhe mishra pache thaki’ tarjagarja kare

TRANSLATION

The Lord fearfully fled into another room with Jagannatha Mishra chasing behind and chastising Him in anger.

COMMENTARY

The word tarjagarja refers to verbal chastisement or angrily scolding to instill fear.

CB Adi-khanda 5.69

TEXT 69

mishra bole,-“aji dekha’ karon tora karya

tora mate parama-abodha ami arya!

TRANSLATION

Jagannatha Mishra said, “Just wait and see what I’ll do to You today! Although I’m an Aryan, You consider me a fool!

COMMENTARY

Jagannatha Mishra said, “O naughty boy, today I will punish You for Your mischief. I am so learned and respectable, and You consider me a great fool. This is extremely unreasonable.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.70

TEXT 70

hena maha-cora shishu kara ghare ache?”

eta bali’ krodhe mishra dhaya prabhu-pache

TRANSLATION

“Who has such a great thief for a son?” Saying this, Jagannatha Mishra chased after the Lord in anger.

CB Adi-khanda 5.71

TEXT 71

sabe dharilena yatna kariya mishrere

mishra bole,-“eda, aji marimu uhare”

TRANSLATION

Everyone present tried to restrain Mishra, but he said, “Leave me alone. Today I’ll beat Him!”

CB Adi-khanda 5.72

TEXT 72

sabei bolena,-“mishra, tumi ta’ udara

uhare mariya kon sadhutva tomara?

TRANSLATION

They then pleaded, “O Mishra, you are by nature magnanimous. What kind of intelligence would you exhibit by beating Him?

COMMENTARY

The word eda means “leave me alone” or “stay away.” The Bangladesh word marimu means “I will beat” or “I will punish.” The word sadhutva means “supremacy” or “intelligence.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.73

TEXT 73

bhala-manda-jnana nahi uhara sharire

parama abodha, ye emana shishu mare

TRANSLATION

“He doesn’t understand what is right and what is wrong. Whoever beats such a child is a great fool.

CB Adi-khanda 5.74

TEXT 74

marilei kon va shikhibe, hena naya

svabhavei shishura cancala mati haya”

TRANSLATION

“He will not learn simply by being beaten. Children are all restless by nature.”

COMMENTARY

“Children are mischievous by nature, therefore even if you try to teach Him, He won’t learn.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.75

TEXT 75

athe-vyathe asi’ sei tairthika brahmana

mishrera dhariya hate bolena vacana

TRANSLATION

At that time the mendicant brahmana hastily came there. Holding the hands of Jagannatha Mishra, he spoke.

CB Adi-khanda 5.76

TEXT 76

“balakera nahi dosha, shuna, mishra-raya

ye dine ye habe, taha haibare caya

TRANSLATION

“Listen, Mishra, this child is not at fault. Whatever is meant to happen on a particular day will certainly take place.

COMMENTARY

The word raya refers to one’s worshipable lord or master. As stated in the Hitopadesha: yad abhavi na tad bhavi bhavi cen na tad anyatha-“Whatever is not meant to be will never be, and whatever is meant to be cannot be otherwise.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.77

TEXT 77

aji krishna anna nahi likhena amare

sabe ei marma-katha kahilun tomare

TRANSLATION

“Today Krishna has not allotted me any rice. I’m telling you, this is my realization.”

COMMENTARY

Lord Krishna is the bestower of the fruits of work and the supreme controller. In this verse the word likhena means “will supply,” that is, “today no food is allotted for me.” The word marma-katha means “mystery” or “confidential topics of the mind.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.78

TEXT 78

duhkhe jagannatha-mishra nahi tole mukha

matha heta kariya bhavena mane duhkha

TRANSLATION

Feeling distressed, Jagannatha Mishra was unable to raise his head. He looked at the ground and simply lamented.

CB Adi-khanda 5.79

TEXT 79

henai samaye vishvarupa bhagavan

sei-sthane ailena maha-jyotir-dhama

TRANSLATION

At that time the most powerful and effulgent Vishvarupa came there.

CB Adi-khanda 5.80

TEXT 80

sarva-ange nirupama lavanyera sima

catur-dasha-bhuvaneo nahika upama

TRANSLATION

There is no comparison to the matchless sweetness of Vishvarupa’s bodily limbs.

CB Adi-khanda 5.81

TEXT 81

skandhe yajna-sutra, brahma-teja murti-manta

murti-bhede janmila apani nityananda

TRANSLATION

A brahmana thread hung on His shoulder. He is the source of the Brahman effulgence and, though in a different form, He is directly Lord Nityananda.

CB Adi-khanda 5.82

TEXT 82

sarva-shastrera artha sada sphuraye jihvaya

krishna-bhakti-vyakhya matra karaye sadaya

TRANSLATION

The purport of all scriptures is eternally manifest on the tongue of Vishvarupa. Thus He is always engaged in preaching devotional service to Lord Krishna.

COMMENTARY

The light that illuminates material objects is called jyotih, but the light that illuminates spiritual objects is called shuddha-sattva, pure goodness, or maha-jyotih. The source of this jyotih is Shri Baladeva, and Shri Vishvarupa is nondifferent from Him.

 

Lord Nityananda manifests in another form as Shri Vishvarupa. Vishvarupa always explained the purport of all scriptures to be devotional service to Lord Krishna. In other words, He never misinterpreted the purport of the scriptures and induced the living entities to engage in material enjoyment.

CB Adi-khanda 5.83

TEXT 83

dekhiya apurva murti tairthika brahmana

mugdha haiya eka-drishtye cahe ghane-ghana

TRANSLATION

Seeing His extraordinary beauty, the mendicant brahmana was struck with wonder and stared at Him continuously.

CB Adi-khanda 5.84

TEXT 84

vipra bole,-“kara putra ei mahashaya?”

sabei bolena,-“ei mishrera tanaya”

TRANSLATION

The brahmana then said, “Whose son is this?” The people replied, “He is the son of Jagannatha Mishra.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.85

TEXT 85

shuniya santoshe vipra kaila alingana

“dhanya pita-mata, yara e-hena nandana”

TRANSLATION

The brahmana was satisfied to hear this. He embraced Vishvarupa and remarked, “Glorious are the father and mother of such a son.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.86

TEXT 86

viprere kariya vishvarupa namaskara

vasiya kahena katha amritera dhara

TRANSLATION

Vishvarupa offered obeisances to the brahmana. He then sat down and began speaking words that were like a stream of nectar.

CB Adi-khanda 5.87

TEXT 87

“shubha dine tara mahabhagyera udaya

tumi-hena atithi yahara grihe haya

TRANSLATION

“Whoever receives a guest like you has attained great fortunate on that auspicious day.

CB Adi-khanda 5.88

TEXT 88

jagat shodhite se tomara paryatana

atmanande purna hai’ karaha bhramana

TRANSLATION

“Although you are self-satisfied, still you travel about in order to sanctify the world.

COMMENTARY

Shri Vishvarupa Prabhu described the pure characteristics of a parivrajaka to the mendicant brahmana. The devotees of the Lord are always self-satisfied; they are filled with ecstasy by serving Krishna. Therefore, rather than traveling like mundane tourists, they visit attached householders in order to revive their Krishna consciousness.

CB Adi-khanda 5.89

TEXT 89

bhagya bada,-tumi-hena atithi amara

abhagya va ki kahiba,-upasa tomara

TRANSLATION

“It is our great fortune that we have a guest like you. But we are also unfortunate because you are fasting.

COMMENTARY

The word upasa means upavasa, or “fasting.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.90

TEXT 90

tumi upavasa kari’ thaka’ yara ghare

sarvatha tahara amangala-phala dhare

TRANSLATION

“If you fast while staying in someone’s house it will simply bear inauspicious fruits.

CB Adi-khanda 5.91

TEXT 91

harisha painu bada tomara darshane

vishada painu bada e saba shravane

TRANSLATION

“I’m greatly satisfied by seeing you, but I’m very sad to hear about what has happened.”

COMMENTARY

“By seeing you I’m jubilant, but because you are fasting I’m unhappy; therefore I am both happy and sad.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.92

TEXT 92

vipra bole,-“kichu duhkha na bhaviha mane

phala mula kichu ami kariba bhojane

TRANSLATION

The brahmana said, “Please do not feel sad. I will eat some fruits and roots.

CB Adi-khanda 5.93

TEXT 93

vanavasi ami, anna kothaya va pai

praya ami vane phala-mula matra khai

TRANSLATION

“I live in the forest, so where can I get rice? I am accustomed to eat fruits and roots in the forest.

COMMENTARY

In the Shrimad Bhagavatam (11.25.25) it is stated: vanam tu sattviko vaso gramo rajasa ucyate-“Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, while residence in a town is in the mode of passion.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.94

TEXT 94

kadacit kona divase va khai anna

seha yadi nirvirodhe haya upasanna

TRANSLATION

“I seldom eat rice, only when it is easily available.

COMMENTARY

The word nirvirodhe means “without obstacle,” and the word upasanna means “present” or “arrived.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.95

TEXT 95

ye santosha pailana toma’ darashane

tahatei koti-koti karilun bhojane

TRANSLATION

“I have become so satisfied by seeing You that I feel as if I have eaten millions of meals.

CB Adi-khanda 5.96

TEXT 96

phala, mula, naivedya ye-kichu thake ghare

taha ana’ giya, aji kariba ahare”

TRANSLATION

“Please go and bring any fruits, roots, or prasada that you have, and I will eat that today.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.97

TEXT 97

uttara na kare kichu mishra-jagannatha

duhkha bhave mishra shire diya dui hata

TRANSLATION

Jagannatha Mishra, however, did not speak anything. He just held his head in his hands in distress.

CB Adi-khanda 5.98

TEXT 98

vishvarupa bolena,-“balite vasi bhaya

sahaje karuna-sindhu tumi mahashaya

TRANSLATION

Vishvarupa said, “I hesitate to speak, but I know that you are an ocean of mercy.

COMMENTARY

The word vasi means “to feel,” “to realize,” “to think,” or “to get.”

CB Adi-khanda 5.99

TEXT 99

para-duhkhe katara-svabhava sadhu-jana

parera ananda se badaya anukshana

TRANSLATION

“It is the nature of saintly persons to be distressed on seeing the sufferings of others. They always try to make others happy.

CB Adi-khanda 5.100

TEXT 100

eteke apane yadi niralasya haiya

krishnera naivedya kara randhana kariya

TRANSLATION

“So if it is not too much trouble, please cook for Krishna again.

COMMENTARY

The phrase niralasya haiya means “accepting some voluntary hardship.”

 

Commentary and Chapter Summaries of His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Shri Shrimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.