Cleansing Jagannath's garden-house
Before this, when the Master returned from the South, King Pratap Rudra
Gajapati, eager to see Him, wrote to Sarvabhauma from Katak to get the
Master's consent to an interview. On Bhattacharya replying that the
consent was withheld, the king wrote again, "Entreat the _bhaktas_ of
the Master to intercede with Him for me. Through their favour I may
reach His feet. I like not my kingship if I cannot gain His grace. If
Chaitanya does not take pity on me, I shall give up my throne and turn a
religious mendicant." Bhattacharya in great alarm went to the
_bhaktas_, told them of the king's plight and showed them the letter.
They marvelled at the king's devotion to the Master and said, "He will
never receive the king. If we entreat Him, it will only grieve Him." But
Sarvabhauma said, "Let us all go to Him. We shall tell Him about the
king's conduct without pressing Him to grant an interview."
So they all repaired to the Master's presence, eager to speak and yet
silent. He asked, "What is it that you have all come to say? I see you
have of something in your minds. Why then do you not speak it out?"
Nityananda replied, "We have a prayer to make. We cannot keep it back,
and yet we fear to speak. Proper or improper we shall report it all to
you. If you do not see him the king wishes to turn hermit." The Master's
heart was secretly softened by the speech, but with a show of harshness
He said, "I see that you all wish to take me to see the king at Katak!
Not to speak of the next world, even the people (of the earth) will
blame me. Not to speak of other people, even Damodar will condemn me. If
I ever receive the king it will be with Damodar's approval and not at
your request." Damodar said, "You are God and a free being. You know
best what is proper (for you) and what is not. How can a petty creature
like me lay down the rule to you? I shall witness your granting him an
audience of your own accord. The king loves you, love compels you,
therefore his love will make you touch him. A free God as you are, it is
your nature to be swayed by love."
Nityananda broke in, "Where is the man that dares bid you interview the
king? But it is the nature of devoted ones that they give up their lives
if they fail to obtain the object of their adoration. Witness how the
sacrificing Brahman's wife gave up her life on failing to go out and see
Krishna [_Bhagabat_, X. xxiii]. There is one way, however, if you will
only listen to it, by which you will not meet the king and yet his life
will be saved: give him of thy grace thy wearing apparel, by getting
which he will hold to life."
The Master replied, "You are all highly learned. Do whatever you think
fit." Then Nityananda begged from Govinda one of the _dhotis_ of the
Master, and sent it by Sarvabhauma to the king, who gleefully adored the
cloth as if it were the Master Himself.
Thereafter when Ramananda Ray came back from the South and entreated the
king to let him stay with the Master, the king gladly consented, and
pressed him to entreat the Master, whose favourite he was, to grant him
an interview. Then the two arrived at Puri, and Ramananda waited on the
Master and reported to Him the king's love and devotion. He repeatedly
took occasion to mention the subject, being a minister expert in
diplomacy, and succeeded in softening the Master's mind.
Pratap Rudra could not contain himself in his eagerness, and again
pressed Ramananda, who begged the Master to show His feet only once to
the king. But the Master replied, "Judge for yourself, Ramananda,
whether a hermit ought to receive a king. Such an interview ruins a
hermit in this world and the next, and makes him a butt of ridicule."
Ramananda pleaded, "You are God and your own master; whom fear you? You
are subject to none!" The Master replied, "I am a _sannyasi_ living in
human habitations, and I fear worldly dealings with all my soul and
body. Even the most trifling failing of a _sannyasi_ is talked of by
all men, just as a spot of ink on a white cloth cannot be hidden." The
Ray urged, "You have saved (by your touch) many a sinner, while this
king is a devotee of God and your _bhakta_." The Master parried the
argument thus, "Just as a jar full of milk is shunned if it contains
even one drop of wine, so is Pratap Rudra, clad in all the virtues,
defiled by his title of King. Still, if you are keen about it, introduce
his son to me. The Shastras say, _the son is one's own self born
again_. My interview with the son will be equivalent to a meeting with
the father."
The Ray reported it to the king and conducted the Prince to the Master.
The royal youth was handsome and dark, clad in a yellow robe and jewels,
--so that he reminded one of Krishna. On seeing him, the Master thought of
Krishna, lovingly received him, and said, "A very pious personage is
this youth, the sight of whom makes all men remember the Darling of
Braja's lord. Blessed am I that I have seen him." So saying He
repeatedly embraced the Prince, who was transported by the touch and
began to perspire, tremble, weep, exult and stand inert, and (then)
danced and wept chanting Krishna's name. The _bhaktas_ present praised his
good fortune. Then the Master composed him and bade him come there
daily.
The Ray took the Prince away to the king who rejoiced at his son's
exploit, and in embracing his son felt the touch of the Master's person
as it were. Thenceforth the lucky Prince was numbered among the Master's
_bhaktas_.
So did He pass His time blissfully in ceaseless _sankirtan_ with His
followers. He was feasted with His companions by the Acharya and others
successively. Thus some time passed and the day of the Car Festival
approached. At the outset He called for Kashi Mishra, the _Parichha_
minister and Sarvabhauma, and smilingly said, "I beg to undertake the
service of cleansing the Gundicha temple." The _Parichha_ replied, "We
are all your servants, bound to do whatever you wish for. On me has been
laid the special command of my king to quickly perform whatever you bid.
Cleaning the temple is not a task worthy of you; but it is one of your
playful acts; do whatever you like. But many pitchers and brooms will be
required. Permit me to bring them here to-day." So he delivered to the
Master a hundred new pitchers and brooms.
Next morning the Master rubbed His followers over with sandal-paste,
gave each a broom and went with them to the Gundicha temple to clean it.
First He swept and cleaned the inside, the roof, and the throne. The two
temples, large and small, were swept and washed, and then the
dancing-hall in front. The hundred _bhaktas_ plied their brooms, the
Master in the middle guiding them by His own manner of sweeping.
Following Him they gleefully chanted Krishna's name while at work. The
dust covered His fair form; now and then His tears washed the ground.
The god's dining-hall was swept and then the court-yard. At last all the
rooms were cleaned. He made a bundle of the collection of straw, dust
and pebbles in His outer clothing and threw them outside. So did His
followers, too. The Master said, "I shall learn the amount of the labour
done by each from the size of his bundle of sweepings." So their bundles
were heaped together, but the Master's own bundle was seen to exceed the
entire heap.
After cleansing the interior, He divided the work again among them,
telling them to make the place thoroughly tidy by removing all the fine
dust, small straws and gravel. He rejoiced to see the cleansing finished
a second time by His party of Vaishnavs. A hundred other followers had
been waiting with a hundred pitchers of water from the outset, for their
turn. As soon as the Master called for water they placed the hundred
pots before Him. He first washed the temple, top-floor, wall, and the
throne in the interior. The water was dashed in earthen cups on to the
top, and thus the upper walls were washed. He Himself washed the throne,
while the _bhaktas_ washed the inner shrine, and scrubbed it with their
own hands. Some poured water on the Master's hands, some on His feet,
and some covertly drank up the water (so consecrated). Some begged this
water from others. After the temple had been cleansed they poured water
into the drain and thus the court-yard was submerged. With His own cloth
the Master wiped the building and the throne. It took a hundred pitchers
of water to wash the temple.
The purified temple became spotless, cool and delicious, like His own
mind laid bare to view. A hundred filled their pitchers at the tank, or,
if crowded out, at the well. A hundred _bhaktas_ brought the filled
pitchers in, while another hundred ran off with the empty ones. Only
Nityananda, Adwaita, Swarup, the Bharati, and the Puri did not draw
water. (In their hurry) many pitchers were knocked together and broken,
but men brought hundreds of new pots to replace them. They shouted
_Krishna! Krishna!_ as they filled their pots, or broke them, delivered
the filled pitchers or begged for new ones. No other word was uttered
there; Krishna's name became a mystic word to express all their
different purposes. In ecstasy of devotion the Master chanted Krishna's
name and did alone the work of a hundred men, as if He had put forth a
hundred arms in washing and scrubbing. He also went up to each to
instruct him, praising those whose tasks were well done and gravely
chiding those who were slovenly. "You have done well, teach others to do
the like,"--at these words of His they were put on the alert and did
their work with all their heart. Then they washed the _Jagmohan_[1] the
dining room, the dancing-hall, the court-yard, the kitchen, the environs
of the temple, and all nooks and private places.
Just then an honest simple Bengali emptied his pitcher at the Master's
feet and drank the water. At this the Master turned angry and sorry. He
inly felt pleased, but for the instruction of others outwardly professed
anger, calling out to Swarup "Look at the conduct of your _Gauriya_. He
has washed my feet in God's temple and drunk the water. From this sin
where can I hope for salvation? Your Bengal man has caused me this
misery." Then Swarup took the man by the nape of his neck, shoved him
out of the temple, and on his return entreated the Master to pardon the
man. The Master was now satisfied. He seated all in two rows and sat in
the middle, picking up straws and brambles with His own hands. "I shall
see what a heap the gleaning of each can make. He whose collection is
small must forfeit his cake and syrup to me!" Thus was the temple made
clean, cool and pure, like His own mind. The water running down the
drain looked like a new river flowing to the ocean.
He then cleansed the Man-lion temple in and out, rested a little, and
then set up dancing. And in the same manner He swept the roads in front
of the temple. The _bhaktas_ danced around, while the Master danced in
their midst like a raging lion, perspiring, trembling, turning pale,
being thrilled, and roaring. After washing His body He marched in
advance, showering down tears, while the _bhaktas_ washed themselves
clean, like unto the deluge of rain from the clouds in the month of
_Shravan_. The loud _sankirtan_ filled the sky, the vigorous dance of
the Master shook the earth. The resonant singing of Swarup pleased the
Master, who danced wildly in delight. After dancing thus, He took rest
at the proper time.
Shri Gopal, the son of the Acharya, when allowed by the Master to dance,
was so overcome by devotion that he fell down in a fit. The father
hurriedly took him up in his arms, and was afflicted to see his
breathing stopped. Uttering with a sky-splitting roar the "spell of
Nrisingha" he dashed water on the youth's face. But the youth did not
regain consciousness, in spite of all their efforts. The Acharya wept,
the _bhaktas_ wept too. Then the Master laid His hand on the youth's
breast and cried out, "Rise Gopal!" and lo! at the cry Gopal came round.
The _bhaktas_ danced chanting Hari's name.
After a short rest, the Master disported with His followers in the tank.
On rising from the water He put on dry clothes, bowed to Nrisingha, and
went to sit in the garden, with His followers around Him. Then Vaninath,
accompanied by Kashi Mishra and Tulsi _Parichha_, brought to Him the
_maha-prasad_, rice, cakes, and syrup, enough to feed five hundred men.
The Master delighted at the sight. On the terrace He sat down to meal
with the Puri, Brahmananda Bharati, Adwaita Acharya, Nityananda,
Acharya-Ratna, Acharya-Nidhi, Shribas, Gadadhar, Shankar Nyayacharya,
Raghav, Vakreshwar and Sarvabhauma. Then the _bhaktas_ sat down in the
successive terraces below them, in due order. The garden was filled with
them. The Master repeatedly called for Haridas, who from afar off
replied, "Partake of thy repast with the _bhaktas_, Master. I am all
too unworthy to sit with thee. Govinda will afterwards give me _prasad_
outside the gate." Knowing his intent, the Master did not press him
further. The food was served up by Swarup, Jagadananda, Damodar,
Kashishwar, Gopinath, Vaninath and Shankar, while the _bhaktas_ shouted
_Hari! Hari!_ at intervals. The Master remembered the picnic on the
Jamuna bank which Krishna had held of yore. He checked, as inopportune,
the rapture of devotion which seized His mind (at the thought), and
said, Serve me with sauce and fry only, and let the _bhaktas_ have the
sweets. Being omniscient He knew who liked which dish, and directed
Swarup to serve each according to his taste. Jagadananda, in the course
of his serving, dropped sweet things unawares on the Master's plate, and
though the Master angrily protested, he supplied more by force or
cunning, as such serving was his delight. As Jagadananda came there on
his rounds again and gazed at the sweets he had served before, the
Master in fear of him ate a little of them, lest Jagadananda should
himself fast! Swarup with his hands full of sweet _prasad_ stood before
the Master praying "Taste a little of this _maha-prasad_ and see what
Jagannath has eaten!" He placed them on the plate, and the Master moved
by his kindness, ate a little. Thus did these two _bhaktas_ repeatedly
show their wonderful tender regard for Him. Sarvabhauma, who sat at the
Master's side, smiled at their loving conduct. The Master ordered sweets
to be served to Sarvabhauma and repeatedly pressed him to eat. Gopinath
Acharya placed nice dishes before Sarvabhauma and said sweetly,
"Bhattacharya! where is your former line of conduct now? Whence do you
feel such supreme bliss? Answer me that." Sarvabhauma replied, "I was a
sophistical disputant. Your grace has made me attain to this fortune.
The Master is the only Gracious One. Who else could have turned a crow
(like me) into a _garuda_ (the favourite bird of Vishnu)? Formerly I used
to howl with the sophist jackals, and now out of the same mouth I utter
Krishna's name! What was my former concourse with externalist logician
disciples, and what is this society of saints like merging in the ocean
waves!" The Master said, "Your devotion to Krishna had already matured
(before I met you). It is your society that has made us all devoted to
Krishna!" There is none like the Master, in the three worlds, to exalt
the glory of the _bhakta_ and to soothe a _bhakta's_ heart. Then the
Master sent cakes and syrup from the leavings of His plate, to each
_bhakta_ by name.
Adwaita and Nityananda, sitting together began a mock quarrel, the
former saying, "I have dined in the same row with a hermit (_abadhut_).
Who knows what my fate will be in the next world? The Master Himself is
a _sannyasi_, and as such is above defilement from food-contact (with a
casteless man like an _abadhut_), for so the Shastras say. But I am a
Brahman householder, and therefore liable to defilement. It has been a
great sin on my part to dine in the same row with a man whose birth,
pedigree, conduct and character are unknown to me!"
Nityananda replied, "You are Adwaita Acharya. According to the theory of
_Adwaita_ system (Monism), the duty is abstract _bhakti_. He who
accepts your theory recognizes only one principle and no second. With
such a person as you have I dined! I know not what led me to join your
company." So they wrangled, really praising one another in the garb of
abuse.
After the dinner, the Vaishnavs rose up shouting _Hari_ loudly enough
to split earth and heaven. The Master gave to each of them a garland
with His own hand. Next the waiters, Swarup and the other six, sat down
to their repast within the room. Govinda laid aside the leavings of the
Master's plate, to be given to Haridas. The _bhaktas_ and even Govinda
himself took a little of this hallowed food. Various are the sports of
the free God, such as this ceremony of washing and cleaning.
For a fortnight the people had been denied sight of the god Jagannath
[while his image was being painted anew]; and their grief changed into
joy when, at the expiry of the period, the eye-painting (i.e., the last
stage) being over, they could again see him. The Master went thither
with all His followers. First marched Kashishwar, making a lane through
the crowd, next went Govinda with a bowl of water. In front of the
Master walked the Puri and the Bharati, and by His side Swarup and
Adwaita, the other _bhaktas_ bringing up the rear. Anxiously did He go to
Jagannath's temple and in passion of longing stepped beyond the rules,
asking to see the fair face of the god in the dining room. The thirsty
eyes of the Master ardently drank in the face of Krishna, like a pair of
bees sucking in a lotus. The god's eyes surpassed the blooming lotus in
beauty, his cheeks flashed radiance like a polished turquoise mirror,
his lower lip was sweet as the Bandhuli flower, a light smile spread a
ripple of nectar over his form. As the _bhaktas_ gazed on, the charm of
the god's countenance increased every moment; their thirst increased
with its gratification; their eyes could not move from that face. Thus
did the Master with His following gaze at the god till noon, perspiring,
trembling, weeping incessantly, and again checking these outbursts in
order to have a clearer view of the deity. At the time of _bhog_ He began
to sing _kirtan_, forgetful of everything else in the bliss of gazing.
The _bhaktas_ led Him back to His quarters at noon. The servitors offered
to the god a double quantity of prasad, knowing that the Car Festival
would take place next morning. [Text, canto 12.]
[1] A quadrangle in front of the inner shrine, where the worshippers stand
when gazing on the idol.