Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

Chapter 11: The Passing of Haridasa Thakura

CC Antya 11.1: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Haridasa Thakura and his master, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who danced with the body of Haridasa Thakura on His lap.

CC Antya 11.2: All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is very merciful and who is very dear to Advaita Acarya and Lord Nityananda!

CC Antya 11.3: All glories to the master of Srinivasa Thakura! All glories to the master of Haridasa Thakura! All glories to the dear master of Gadadhara Pandita! All glories to the master of the life of Svarupa Damodara!

CC Antya 11.4: All glories to Lord Sri Caitanya, who is very dear to Kasi Misra! He is the Lord of the life of Jagadananda and the Lord of Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.

CC Antya 11.5: All glories to the transcendental form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is Krishna Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead! My dear Lord, kindly give me shelter at Your lotus feet by Your causeless mercy.

CC Antya 11.6: All glories to Lord Nityananda, who is the life and soul of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! My dear Lord, kindly give me engagement in devotional service at Your lotus feet.

CC Antya 11.7: All glories to Advaita Acarya, who is treated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as superior due to His age and respectability! Please give me engagement in devotional service at Your lotus feet.

CC Antya 11.8: All glories to all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, for the Lord is their life and soul! All of you, kindly bestow devotional service upon me.

CC Antya 11.9: All glories to Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami, Jiva Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami and Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the six Gosvamis of Vrindavana! They are all my masters.

CC Antya 11.10: I am writing this narration of the pastimes and attributes of the Lord by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates. I do not know how to write properly, but I am purifying myself by writing this description.

CC Antya 11.11: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thus resided at Jagannatha Puri with His personal devotees and enjoyed the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

CC Antya 11.12: In the daytime Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu engaged in dancing and chanting and in seeing the temple of Lord Jagannatha. At night, in the company of His most confidential devotees, such as Ramananda Raya and Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, He tasted the nectar of the transcendental mellows of Lord Sri Krishna's pastimes.

CC Antya 11.13: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very happily passed His days in this way at Nilacala, Jagannatha Puri. Feeling separation from Krishna, He exhibited many transcendental symptoms all over His body.

CC Antya 11.14: Day after day the symptoms increased, and at night they increased even more. All these symptoms, such as transcendental anxiety, agitation and talking like a madman, were present, just as they are described in the sastras.

CC Antya 11.15: Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and Ramananda Raya, the chief assistants in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pastimes, remained with Him both day and night.

CC Antya 11.16: One day Govinda, the personal servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, went in great jubilation to deliver the remnants of Lord Jagannatha's food to Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.17: When Govinda came to Haridasa, he saw that Haridasa Thakura was lying on his back and chanting his rounds very slowly.

CC Antya 11.18: "Please rise and take your maha-prasadam," Govinda said.Haridasa Thakura replied, "Today I shall observe fasting.

CC Antya 11.19: "I have not finished chanting my regular number of rounds. How, then, can I eat? But you have brought maha-prasadam, and how can I neglect it?"

CC Antya 11.20: Saying this, he offered prayers to the maha-prasadam, took a little portion, and ate it.

CC Antya 11.21: The next day, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Haridasa's place and inquired from him, "Haridasa, are you well?"

CC Antya 11.22: Haridasa offered his obeisances to the Lord and replied, "My body is all right, but my mind and intelligence are not well."

CC Antya 11.23: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired from Haridasa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?"Haridasa Thakura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."

CC Antya 11.24: "Now that you have become old," the Lord said, "you may reduce the number of rounds you chant daily. You are already liberated, and therefore you need not follow the regulative principles very strictly.

CC Antya 11.25: "Your role in this incarnation is to deliver the people in general. You have sufficiently preached the glories of the holy name in this world."

CC Antya 11.26: The Lord concluded, "Now, therefore, please reduce the fixed number of times you chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra."Haridasa Thakura replied, "Kindly hear my real plea.

CC Antya 11.27: "I was born in an inferior family, and my body is most abominable. I always engage in low work. Therefore, I am the lowest, most condemned of men.

CC Antya 11.28: "I am unseeable and untouchable, but You have accepted me as Your servant. This means that You have delivered me from a hellish condition and raised me to the Vaikuntha platform.

CC Antya 11.29: "My dear Lord, You are the fully independent Personality of Godhead. You act by Your own free will. You cause the whole world to dance and act as You like.

CC Antya 11.30: "My dear Lord, by Your mercy You have made me dance in many ways. For example, I was offered the sraddha-patra, which should have been offered to first-class brahmanas. I ate from it even though I was born in a family of meat-eaters.

CC Antya 11.31: "I have had one desire for a very long time. I think that quite soon, my Lord, You will bring to a close Your pastimes within this material world.

CC Antya 11.32: "I wish that You not show me this closing chapter of Your pastimes. Before that time comes, kindly let my body fall down in Your presence.

CC Antya 11.33: "I wish to catch Your lotuslike feet upon my heart and see Your moonlike face.

CC Antya 11.34: "With my tongue I shall chant Your holy name, 'Sri Krishna Caitanya!' That is my desire. Kindly let me give up my body in this way.

CC Antya 11.35: "O most merciful Lord, if by Your mercy it is possible, kindly grant my desire.

CC Antya 11.36: "Let this lowborn body fall down before You. You can make possible this perfection of all my desires."

CC Antya 11.37: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "My dear Haridasa, Krishna is so merciful that He must execute whatever you want.

CC Antya 11.38: "But whatever happiness is Mine is all due to your association. It is not fitting for you to go away and leave Me behind."

CC Antya 11.39: Catching the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Haridasa Thakura said, "My Lord, do not create an illusion! Although I am so fallen, You must certainly show me this mercy!

CC Antya 11.40: "My Lord, there are many respectable personalities, millions of devotees, who are fit to sit on my head. They are all helpful in Your pastimes.

CC Antya 11.41: "My Lord, if an insignificant insect like me dies, what is the loss? If an ant dies, where is the loss to the material world?

CC Antya 11.42: "My Lord, You are always affectionate to Your devotees. I am just an imitation devotee, but nevertheless I wish that You fulfill my desire. That is my expectation."

CC Antya 11.43: Because He had to perform His noon duties, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu got up to leave, but it was settled that the following day, after He saw Lord Jagannatha, He would return to visit Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.44: After embracing him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu left to perform His noon duties and went to the sea to take His bath.

CC Antya 11.45: The next morning, after visiting the Jagannatha temple, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, accompanied by all His devotees, went hastily to see Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.46: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the devotees came before Haridasa Thakura, who offered his respects to the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all the Vaishnavas.

CC Antya 11.47: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, "My dear Haridasa, what is the news?"Haridasa Thakura replied, "My Lord, whatever mercy You can bestow upon me."

CC Antya 11.48: Upon hearing this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately began great congregational chanting in the courtyard. Vakresvara Pandita was the chief dancer.

CC Antya 11.49: Headed by Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, all the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu surrounded Haridasa Thakura and began congregational chanting.

CC Antya 11.50: In front of all the great devotees like Ramananda Raya and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to describe the holy attributes of Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.51: As He described the transcendental attributes of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu seemed to possess five mouths. The more He described, the more His great happiness increased.

CC Antya 11.52: After hearing of the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura, all the devotees present were struck with wonder. They all offered their respectful obeisances to the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.53: Haridasa Thakura made Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sit down in front of him, and then he fixed his eyes, like two bumblebees, on the lotus face of the Lord.

CC Antya 11.54: He held the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on his heart and then took the dust of the feet of all the devotees present and put it on his head.

CC Antya 11.55: He began to chant the holy name of Sri Krishna Caitanya again and again. As he drank the sweetness of the face of the Lord, tears constantly glided down from his eyes.

CC Antya 11.56: While chanting the holy name of Sri Krishna Caitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body.

CC Antya 11.57: Seeing the wonderful death of Haridasa Thakura by his own will, which was just like a great mystic yogi's, everyone remembered the passing away of Bhishma.

CC Antya 11.58: There was a tumultuous noise as they all chanted the holy names "Hari" and "Krishna." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.

CC Antya 11.59: The Lord raised the body of Haridasa Thakura and placed it on His lap. Then He began to dance in the courtyard in great ecstatic love.

CC Antya 11.60: Because of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's ecstatic love, all the devotees were helpless, and in ecstatic love they also began to dance and chant congregationally.

CC Antya 11.61: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced for some time, and then Svarupa Damodara Gosvami informed Him of other rituals for the body of Thakura Haridasa.

CC Antya 11.62: The body of Haridasa Thakura was then raised onto a carrier that resembled an airship and taken to the sea, accompanied by congregational chanting.

CC Antya 11.63: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced in front of the procession, and Vakresvara Pandita, along with the other devotees, chanted and danced behind Him.

CC Antya 11.64: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed the body of Haridasa Thakura in the sea and then declared, "From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site."

CC Antya 11.65: Everyone drank the water that had touched the lotus feet of Haridasa Thakura, and then they smeared remnants of Lord Jagannatha's sandalwood pulp over Haridasa Thakura's body.

CC Antya 11.66: After a hole was dug in the sand, the body of Haridasa Thakura was placed into it. Remnants from Lord Jagannatha, such as His silken ropes, sandalwood pulp, food and cloth, were placed on the body.

CC Antya 11.67: All around the body, the devotees performed congregational chanting, and Vakresvara Pandita danced in jubilation.

CC Antya 11.68: With His transcendental hands, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally covered the body of Haridasa Thakura with sand, chanting "Haribol! Haribol!"

CC Antya 11.69: The devotees covered the body of Haridasa Thakura with sand and then constructed a platform upon the site. The platform was protected all around by fencing.

CC Antya 11.70: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced and chanted all around the platform, and as the holy name of Hari roared tumultuously, the whole universe became filled with the vibration.

CC Antya 11.71: After sankirtana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bathed in the sea with His devotees, swimming and playing in the water in great jubilation.

CC Antya 11.72: After circumambulating the tomb of Haridasa Thakura, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the Simha-dvara gate of the Jagannatha temple. The whole city chanted in congregation, and the tumultuous sound vibrated all over the city.

CC Antya 11.73: Approaching the Simha-dvara gate, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spread His cloth and began to beg prasadam from all the shopkeepers there.

CC Antya 11.74: "I am begging prasadam for a festival honoring the passing away of Haridasa Thakura," the Lord said. "Please give Me alms."

CC Antya 11.75: Hearing this, all the shopkeepers immediately came forward with big baskets of prasadam, which they jubilantly delivered to Lord Caitanya.

CC Antya 11.76: However, Svarupa Damodara stopped them, and the shopkeepers returned to their shops and sat down with their baskets.

CC Antya 11.77: Svarupa Damodara sent Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu back to His residence and kept with him four Vaishnavas and four servant carriers.

CC Antya 11.78: Svarupa Damodara said to all the shopkeepers, "Deliver to me four palmfuls of prasadam from each and every item."

CC Antya 11.79: In this way varieties of prasadam were collected, then packed up in different loads and carried on the heads of the four servants.

CC Antya 11.80: Not only did Svarupa Damodara Gosvami bring prasadam, but Vaninatha Pattanayaka and Kasi Misra also sent large quantities.

CC Antya 11.81: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made all the devotees sit in rows and personally began to distribute the prasadam, assisted by four other men.

CC Antya 11.82: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was not accustomed to taking prasadam in small quantities. He therefore put on each plate what at least five men could eat.

CC Antya 11.83: Svarupa Damodara Gosvami requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "Please sit down and watch. With these men to help me, I shall distribute the prasadam."

CC Antya 11.84: The four men -- Svarupa Damodara, Jagadananda, Kasisvara and Sankara -- distributed the prasadam continuously.

CC Antya 11.85: All the devotees who sat down would not eat the prasadam as long as the Lord had not eaten. On that day, however, Kasi Misra had extended an invitation to the Lord.

CC Antya 11.86: Therefore Kasi Misra personally went there and delivered prasadam to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu with great attention and made Him eat.

CC Antya 11.87: With Paramananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sat down and accepted the prasadam. When He began to eat, so did all the Vaishnavas.

CC Antya 11.88: Everyone was filled up to the neck because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu kept telling the distributors, "Give them more! Give them more!"

CC Antya 11.89: After all the devotees finished accepting prasadam and had washed their hands and mouths, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decorated each of them with a flower garland and sandalwood pulp.

CC Antya 11.90: Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered a benediction to all the devotees, which all the devotees heard with great satisfaction.

CC Antya 11.91-93: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this benediction: "Anyone who has seen the festival of Sri Haridasa Thakura's passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here, anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridasa Thakura, and anyone who has joined this festival to partake of the prasadam will achieve the favor of Krishna very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.94: "Being merciful upon Me, Krishna gave Me the association of Haridasa Thakura. Being independent in His desires, He has now broken that association.

CC Antya 11.95: "When Haridasa Thakura wanted to leave this material world, it was not within My power to detain him.

CC Antya 11.96: "Simply by his will, Haridasa Thakura could give up his life and go away, exactly like Bhishma, who previously died simply by his own desire, as we have heard from sastra.

CC Antya 11.97: "Haridasa Thakura was the crown jewel on the head of this world; without him, this world is now bereft of its valuable jewel."

CC Antya 11.98: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told everyone, "Say 'All glories to Haridasa Thakura!' and chant the holy name of Hari." Saying this, He personally began to dance.

CC Antya 11.99: Everyone began to chant, "All glories to Haridasa Thakura, who revealed the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord!"

CC Antya 11.100: Thereafter, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bade farewell to all the devotees, and He Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.

CC Antya 11.101: Thus I have spoken about the victorious passing away of Haridasa Thakura. Anyone who hears this narration will certainly fix his mind firmly in devotional service to Krishna.

CC Antya 11.102: From the incident of Haridasa Thakura's passing away and the great care Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took in commemorating it, one can understand just how affectionate He is toward His devotees. Although He is the topmost of all sannyasis, He fully satisfied the desire of Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.103: When Haridasa Thakura was at the last stage of his life, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him His company and allowed him to touch Him. Thereafter, He took the body of Thakura Haridasa on His lap and personally danced with it.

CC Antya 11.104: Out of His causeless mercy the Lord personally covered the body of Haridasa Thakura with sand and personally begged alms from the shopkeepers. Then He conducted a great festival to celebrate the passing away of Haridasa Thakura.

CC Antya 11.105: Haridasa Thakura was not only the topmost devotee of the Lord but also a great and learned scholar. It was his great fortune that he passed away before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC Antya 11.106: The life and characteristics of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are exactly like an ocean of nectar, one drop of which can please the mind and ear.

CC Antya 11.107: Anyone who desires to cross over the ocean of nescience, please hear with great faith the life and characteristics of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

CC Antya 11.108: Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krishnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, following in their footsteps.