The Hora-Panchami Procession of Lakshmi
As the Master lay thus in the trance of love, Pratap Rudra entered the
garden alone, casting off his royal robes and dressed as a [common]
Vaishnav, according to the advice of Sarvabhauma. With folded hands he
took permission of every bhakta and then mustered enough courage to fall
down clasping the Master's feet. The Master lay on the ground, His eyes
closed in love; the king eagerly nursed His feet. Pratap Rudra recited
the stanzas of the Rasa dance, (_Bhagabat_, X. xxxi. i). Infinite was
the Master's delight as He heard the verses, and He repeatedly cried "Go
on." When the king proceeded to the stanza beginning with _"The
nectar-like discourse of thee"_, the Master in devotion rose up and
embraced the king, saying "You have given me many priceless gems. I have
nothing to give in return, save this embrace." So saying He read the
verses over and over again, both quivering and showering tears.
_"The nectar-like discourse of thee, O darling! is life to the afflicted,
the theme of praise to sages, and the antidote to sin. The hearing of it
does good and gives peace. Blessed are they who spread it far and wide
on earth, for they are truly givers of much alms."_ (_Bhagabat_, X.
xxxi. 9).
Crying the 'giver of much alms', the Master embraced the king, not
knowing now who he was. The king's lowly service had won for him the
Master's pity, who now made him a gift of His grace without any inquiry.
Lo! the power of Chaitanya's grace, which bears fruit without
questioning. The Master asked, "Who art thou, my benefactor, that hast
poured by surprise into my ears the nectar of Krishna's deeds?" The king
replied, "I am the slave of thy slaves. My only desire is that you may
make me the servant of your servants." Then the Master revealed His
godhead to the king, forbidding him to tell it to anybody. Though
knowing everything at heart, He outwardly showed as if He did not know
that the visitor was a king. The _bhaktas_ extolled the king for his
good fortune. Pratap Rudra took leave after prostrating him self, and
then with folded palms bowed to all the _bhaktas_, and went away. At
noon the Master with His followers breakfasted on the plentiful prasad
sent by the king by the hands of Vaninath, Sarvabhauma and Ramananda.
The prasad from the Balgandi _bhog_ was excellent and of infinite
variety, but none of them was cooked food. [Details of the dishes.]
. . .
Knowing the fatigue of the _kirtan_ singers, Chaitanya resolved to
feast them. He seated them in rows and began to serve the food Himself.
Each man was given one leaf and ten cups of _Keya_ leaves. Swarup
informed Him that as none would dine before the Master, He ought to sit
down to meal. Then the Master sat down with His circle and fed all to
their fill. The excess of _prasad_ that was left over sufficed to feed
a thousand men. Govinda, at the Master's bidding, brought in beggars to
eat this food. At the sight of the beggars feast the Master taught them
to chant Hari's name, and they were carried away on the stream of love
as they shouted _Hari-bol_.
Now came the time for dragging the car of Jagannath. The Bengal athletes
pulled at the rope, but the car did not move. So they gave up the work
in despair. The king and his Court hastened thither in alarm. He set the
wrestlers to draw the car and applied his own hand to it; but still the
car did not move. Then powerful elephants were harnessed to the car, but
it did not advance a step in spite of their utmost efforts. Hearing this
the Master arrived with His followers and gazed at the furious elephants
pulling at the car. The elephants shrieked at the blows of the goad, but
the car stirred not, and the people lamented.
Then the Master took away the elephants, gave the ropes to His
followers, and Himself pushed the car from behind with His head. The car
sped along rattling. The _bhaktas_ merely held the ropes; they had not
really to pull, as the car advanced of itself. In delight the people
shouted "Glory! Glory to Jagannath!" No other sound was heard. In a
twinkle the car reached the gate of the Gundicha garden, the people
marvelling at the power of Chaitanya. They set up a roar of "Glory to
Gaurchandra! Glory to Krishna-Chaitanya!" At the sight of the Master's
might, Pratap Rudra and his courtiers swelled with enthusiasm. Then the
servitors performed the ceremony of dismounting Jagannath from his car
and conveying him to the Gundicha people. The three images were placed
on their thrones, and the ceremony of the gods bath and dinner
commenced. The Master began a joyous dance and _kirtan_ in the
courtyard in delight. His love welled out in blissfulness, and the sight
of it swept away the beholders in a torrent of love. In the evening He
witnessed the adoration with lamps, and came to the _Ai-tota_ garden
for reposing. Adwaita and eight other leading followers invited Him for
nine days. Among the rest as many got a chance of entertaining Him as
there were days in the "four months," while the rank and file of His
followers had a day free for each individually; so two or three of them
combined to give Him a joint entertainment on one day.
Thus did the Master play at dining out. After His morning bath He
visited Jagannath, where He danced and sang with His followers, now
bidding Adwaita dance, now Nityananda, Haridas, Achyutananda, Vakreshwar
or some other bhakta. Thrice in the day did He sing _kirtan_ in the
Gundicha garden, imagining that Krishna had come to Brindaban and that
the period of separation was over. Cherishing in His heart the idea that
Krishna was then dallying with Radha there, He remained absorbed in that
emotion (of gratification), acting in many gardens the feats of Krishna
at Brindaban, disporting in the tank of Indradyumna, splashing His
_bhaktas_ with water, while they splashed Him from all sides, now
forming one circle, now many, and clapping their hands while croaking
like frogs. Sometimes a pair of them wrestled in the water, the Master
looking on to see who would win. Adwaita and Nityananda tried to
overwhelm each other with water; the former was beaten and vented his
feelings in abuse. Vidyanidhi struggled with Swarup, Shribas with
Gadadhar, Raghav Pandit with Vakreshwar, Sarvabhauma with Ramananda Ray.
The gravity of the last two disappeared and they became boys again!
Seeing their excitement the Master smiled and said to Gopinath Acharya,
"Both are grave scholars and venerable men, but they are acting like
wild boys. Stop them." Gopinath replied, "When the ocean of your grace
surges up, a single drop of it can easily drown tall mountains like Meru
and Mandar, what to speak of these two small stones? It is thy grace
only that has given the nectar of _lila_ to one whose life was formerly
spent in chewing the dry husks of logical disputation." Laughing, the
Master brought Adwaita there and made him lie on his back on the water
like the _Shesha_ serpent, while He Himself reclined on him (like
Vishnu). Thus did He act the _lila_ of Vishnu reposing on the serpent.
Adwaita, putting forth his strength, began to float on the water bearing
the Master.
After disporting in the water for some time He returned with His
followers to the _Ai-tota_. At the Acharya's house He dined with His
leading followers. The _prasad_ brought by Vaninath served to feed the
other followers. In the evening He visited the god and danced before
him, and at night returned to the garden to sleep.
In the garden, in company with His _bhaktas_ He sported as at
Brindaban. The trees and creepers blossomed at His sight, the bee and
the black-bird sang, the zephyr blew. Under each tree He danced, Vasudev
Datta alone singing. Each (_bhakta_) sang under a different tree;
Chaitanya alone danced in supreme rapture. Then He bade Vakreshwar
dance, while He sang. Swarup and other _kirtanias_ joined the Master in
singing, forgetful of all else in the vehemence of their love.
After performing this woodland sport, He went to the Narendra tank for
water-sport. Then He returned to the garden and dined out with His
_bhaktas_. For the nine days that Jagannath remained at Gundicha, such
was the Master's life. He lodged in the large flower garden named
_Jagannath-vallabh_.
When the time came for the ceremony of _Hora-Panchami_, the king spoke
earnestly to Kashi Mishra, "To-morrow is Hora-Panchami, the day of
Lakshmi's triumph. Let the celebration be of unprecedented splendour, so
that the Master may be filled with wonder. Let extraordinary
arrangements be made for the ceremony. Let coloured cloths, bells,
fly-whiskers and umbrellas be brought out of my wardrobe as well as
Jagannath's, and let the flagstaff, flag, bell, &c. be decorated. Let
(Lakshmi's) litter be set forth with varied music and dance. The
expenditure should be double (the ordinary), so that the ceremony may
eclipse the Car festival. Act so that the Master may be drawn to come
out with His followers to behold it."
Next morning the Master with His party visited Jagannath at Gundicha,
and then returned to the temple eager to behold the Hora-Panchami
festival. Kashi Mishra with great honour seated the Master and His party
in a good position. Chaitanya wished to hear about a particular emotion
and smilingly asked Swarup, "Though Jagannath lives at Dwaraka,
manifesting his natural be-pretext of a ride in his car. From the temple
he goes to visit Brindaban. The parks here resemble Brindaban; he longs
to see them therefore, and leaves his temple on the pretext of a ride in
his car. From the temple he goes to Gundicha and there disports day and
night in the many gardens. But why does he not take Lakshmi with him?"
Swarup answered, "Listen, Master, to the reason. Lakshmi has no access
to Brindaban, as Krishna's playmates there are milk-maids. So none but
the latter can ravish Krishna's heart." The Master continued, "Krishna
sets out on the plea of a ride. Subhadra and Baladev accompany him. His
dalliance with the milk-maids is done in secret in the parks, unknown to
others. Krishna does not overt offence. Why then does Lakshmi fly into a
rage at his journey to Gundicha?" Swarup replied, "Such is the nature of
a loving mistress. Indifference on the part of her sweetheart rouses her
anger."
Just then Lakshmi arrived in an angry mood at the Lion Gate, riding a
golden litter set with many gems, and accompanied by rows of men bearing
flags, fly-whiskers, umbrellas and standards, with many musicians, and
preceded by the dedicated dancing-girls (_devdasi_). A hundred richly
dressed hand-maids bearing betel-leaf caskets, goglets of water, fans
and fly-whiskers, and much display of wealth and retinue came in her
train. Her maids chained the chief servitors of Jagannath and dragged
them to her feet, punishing them like thieves and fining them heavily.
She beat them till they almost fainted, and abused them in feigned
anger. The Master's followers laughed hiding their faces with their
hands as they beheld the forwardness of Lakshmi and her maids. [Swarup
gave a long explanation of Lakshmi's mood, with illustrative quotations
from Sanskrit treatises on love].
At his words Shribas laughed and said "Hark you, Damodar! behold the
vast wealth of my Lakshmi. Brindaban can boast of only flowers, leaves,
hills, peacock plumes, and the _Gunchha_ fruit. And yet Jagannath has
gone to visit Brindaban! Lakshmi might naturally suspect Krishna's
motive in leaving such wealth for poor Brindaban." As he was laughing
Lakshmi turned to chastise him, saying "Behold, your god has left such
splendour and gone to the Gundicha garden for the sake of flowers,
leaves and fruits! Why does the chief of the wise act thus? Bring your
lord before Lakshmi!" So saying, Lakshmi's handmaids brought the
Master's attendants tied with their waist-bands, made them bow at her
mercy. They beat (Jagannath's) car with their sticks, and treated
Jagannath's officers like thieves, until they cried with folded hands,
"To-morrow shall we produce Jagannath before you." Then Lakshmi was
pacified and returned to her abode. . . [Swarup again shows Lakshmi's
conduct as natural in a true lover].
The Master listened with absorption to his exposition of the pure
emotion of Radha, and began to dance in rapture while Swarup sang. "Sing
on! Sing on!" He cried with ears on the alert. His enthusiasm welled
forth on hearing the song of the love-making at Brindaban, and He
flooded the village of Puri with devotion. Lakshmi went back to her own
place in time, but the Master danced on till the third quarter of the
day. The four parties grew tired with singing, but His ardour became
doubly intense. Under the influence of Radha's love He became an image
of the passion. Nityananda seeing Him from afar prayed to Him, but came
not near in consideration of His ecstasy. None but Nityananda could hold
the Master [and force Him to stop dancing]. His ecstasy did not cease,
and the _kirtan_ therefore had to continue. So, Swarup by gesture
informed Him how the party was exhausted. At this the Master came to
Himself, and returned to the garden. After taking rest He had His midday
bath and dined pleasantly with His party on the many dishes sent from
Jagannath's and Lakshmi's prasad. In the evening He bathed again and
visited Jagannath, dancing and singing before the god.
He sported in the Narendra tank with His _bhaktas_, and held a picnic
in the garden. Thus He spent eight days, after which came the return
journey of Jagannath in his car to his temple, at which the Master in
supreme delight danced and sang as during the outward ride.
When Jagannath again occupied his throne, the Master returned with His
followers to His quarters. [Text, canto 14.]