Meeting with Vallabh Bhatta; the Master stints His food
Thus did the luminous Gaur (Chaitanya) perform many feats in many a
playful way with His _bhaktas_ at Nilachal. Though His heart was inly
pierced with the pang of separation from Krishna, yet He did not express
it outwardly lest His disciples should grieve. When, however, His
intense love-sickness [for Krishna] did break forth, His agony baffled
description. The Krishna-talk of Ramananda and the [sacred] singing of
Swarup saved the Master's life amidst the pain of separation from
Krishna. In the day time His mind was diverted by the diverse company
that He met, but in [the solitude of] night His love-sickness waxed
strong. To please Him these two always kept Him company and consoled Him
with verses and songs about Krishna.
[Account of how Raghunath-das, the son of a very rich revenue-farmer,
escaped from his home at Saptagram in Bengal, joined the Master at Puri
and lived in utter lowliness by begging.]
One year Vallabh Bhatta came and met the Master, bowing at His feet. The
Master embraced him as an adorer of Vishnu (_bhagabat_) and with honour
made him sit close to Himself.
Meekly did the Bhatta address the Master, "Long have I desired to see
you and to-day Jagannath has gratified that wish. Lucky is he who can
behold you, for you are as it were God in a visible form. Even to
remember you [from a distance] hallows a man. No wonder, then, that the
sight of you makes one blessed. (_Bhagabat_, I. xix. 30.) The
distinctive religion of the modern age is the _kirtan_ of Krishna's
name, and this religion cannot be established without Krishna's own
power. That you have founded this faith proves that you are inspired
with Krishna's divine force. Whosoever beholds you, swims in the stream
of the love of Krishna. Only Krishna's spirit can call forth this love,
as the scriptures say that Krishna is the sole inspirer of _prem_
(love)."
The Master replied, "Listen, great-minded Bhatta! I was a _sannyasi_
following the theory of illusion (_maya-vad_); I knew not _bhakti_ for
Krishna. The Goswami Adwaita Acharya is God incarnate; _his_ society
has cleansed my mind. He has no peer in the knowledge of all the
Shastras and in devotion to Krishna, and therefore he has been rightly
named _A-dwaita_ without a second. Nityananda, Sarvabhauma
Bhattacharya, Ramananda Ray, Damodar Swarup, Haridas Thakur, Acharya
Ratna and many other _bhaktas_ have all taught me Krishna-love and true
_bhakti_, and have preached to the world love for the Krishna-name."
So spoke the Master artfully, as he knew the Bhatta to be very proud of
his learning, and to have long cherished the conceit that he knew all
the _bhakti_-theology of the Vaishnavs and could expound the _Shrimad
Bhagabat_ best. The Master's words curbed this pride of the Bhatta, and
he longed to know the many disciples whose Vaishnav character the Master
had just extolled. He asked, "Where do these Vaishnavs live? How can I
meet them?" The Master replied, "Some live here, some on the bank of the
Ganges (_i.e._, at Navadwip, Panihati etc.). These latter have all come
here for the Car festival, and have taken up lodgings in this place.
Here will you meet all of them."
Next day when all the Vaishnavs came to the Master's place, He
introduced them to the Bhatta. Their Vaishnav-splendour filled the
Bhatta with amazement and he looked like a firefly in their company.
Then he feasted the Master and His disciples on huge quantities of
_maha-prasad_. The _sannyasis_ sat down with Paramananda Puri on one
side. The Master sat down between Adwaita and Nityananda, while His
disciples sat before and behind. The _bhaktas_ from Bengal were
countless; they filled the yard row on row. Vallabh Bhatta marvelled at
the sight of them and bowed at the feet of each. He himself served the
_maha-prasad_ to the Master and the _sannyasis_. They shouted _Hari!
Hari!_ on receiving the _prasad_. The roar of Hari's name filled the
universe. The Bhatta gave away garlands, sandal-paste, betel-leaf and
nuts and delighted all with his reverence.
On the day of the Car procession, the Master began _kirtan_. As before,
He formed seven distinct groups of singers, under Adwaita, Nityananda,
Haridas, Vakreshwar, Shribas, Raghav Pandit, and Gadadhar, who sang at
different places. The Master roamed about shouting _Hari_, while
fourteen drums (_madal_) lifted up the din of the _sankirtan_. The
sight filled Vallabh Bhatta with marvel; he flew into a transport of
delight and could not control himself. Then the Master stopped the dance
of the others and began to dance Himself. As he gazed on the Master's
beauty and the exuberance of His _prem_, the Bhatta believed that the
Master was Krishna himself!
After the festival the Bhatta begged the Master, saying, "I have written
a commentary on the _Bhagabat_ and want to read it to you." The Master
replied, "I do not understand the meaning of the _Bhagabat_ and am not
qualified to hear [and judge] any interpretation of it. I only sit down
and recite Krishna's name, and even then fail to complete the promised
number of recitations in twenty-four hours." The Bhatta rejoined, "I
have made an exposition of the meaning of Krishna's name in my
commentary. Listen to it." But the Master objected, "I do not pay any
regard to the many senses of Krishna's name; I only know that he is
Yashoda's darling son and darkly beautiful [like the _Tamal_ leaves].
This only I know for truth, and I have not arrived at any other meaning
of the name." At the Master's slight, the Bhatta went back to his
quarters, downcast in mind. (He took his commentary to the chief
disciples, and even read out parts of his own motion, but they slighted
it and he was abashed).
Daily did Vallabh Bhatta go to the Master's place and dispute with
[Adwaita] Acharya and other disciples. Whenever he established a
proposition, the Acharya used immediately to refute it. Before them
Vallabh Bhatta appeared like a crane in the company of majestic swans.
One day the Bhatta asked the Acharya, "Mankind is feminine, and Krishna
is their husband, so you hold. No devoted wife utters her husband's
name. And yet you repeat Krishna's name. What sort of _dharma_ is
this?" The Acharya replied, "_Dharma_ in the flesh is sitting before
you. Ask Him, and He will justify it."
Then the Master broke in, "You do not know the essence of _dharma_. It
is the _dharma_ of a true wife to obey her husband's commands. Our
husband has commanded us to chant his name ceaselessly. No true wife can
disobey his command, and so we chant his name and derive from it the
fruit of the birth of love for Krishna's feet." This silenced Vallabh
Bhatta and he went home sorrowing at his public humiliation.
Another day he came to the Master's assembly and said rather boastfully,
"I have refuted [Shridhar] Swami's commentary on the _Bhagabat_. I
cannot accept his interpretation Where his view differs from mine, I do
not follow the Swami." The Master smiled and remarked,. "One who does
not follow (her) _swami_ (=husband) is ranked among harlots!"
Chaitanya had come to earth as an _avatar_ for the good of mankind; by
various humiliations He purified the proud heart of the Bhatta. At night
Vallabh Bhatta began to reflect in his own house, "Formerly the Master
favoured me greatly at Allahabad, when He accepted my invitation to
dinner in the company of His disciples. Why then is His heart turned
away from me now? Let my heart be free from the pride of gaining
victories in debate. The God-souled does good to all. I am filled with
the pride of asserting myself, and He humiliates me in order to cure me
of this pride."
So thinking, next morning he came to the Master and meekly praising Him
took refuge at His feet, saying, "I am ignorant and have foolishly
displayed my learning before you. You are God and out of your natural
grace you have removed my pride by means of disgrace. The blindness of
pride has been removed from my eyes through the collyrium of your grace
now, and true knowledge has dawned on me. I have sinned. Forgive me;
take refuge with thee; lay thy feet on my head."
The Master checked him saying, "You are a scholar and a devotee at the
same time. Where these two qualities are present, there pride cannot
exist. You have written a commentary on the _Bhagabat_ in scorn of
Shridhar Swami! I understand the _Bhagabat_ through the grace of
Shridhar Swami; he is the world's _guru_, my _guru_. What you write
contrary to Shridhar is labour lost; no one will accept it. Therefore,
write your commentary on the _Bhagabat_ in the footsteps of Shridhar.
Leave off your pride and adore the Lord Krishna. Give up your failings
and join the _kirtan_ of Krishna, and you will soon attain to Krishna's
feet."
Then the Master agreed to dine at Vallabh Bhatta's house once again. The
Bhatta used to meditate on God as the child Gopal. But the society of
Gadadhar Pandit turned his mind, and he longed to adore the youthful
Gopal. He begged the Pandit to teach him the _mantra_ and ceremonial of
this kind of adoration, but Gadadhar declined to act without the
Master's permission ... Another day Gadadhar Pandit invited the Master,
who agreed and at the dinner permitted Vallabh Bhatta to be initiated by
Gadadhar.
HOW THE MASTER STINTED HIS FOOD
Ramchandra Puri Goswami came to Nilachal and there met the Master and
Paramananda Puri Jagadananda Pandit invited Ramchandra Puri and fed him
on the _prasad_ of Jagannath. After the meal the Puri asked Jagadananda
to feed on the food left over, and serving the _prasad_ repeatedly made
him eat much. And thereafter, washing his hands and mouth, Ramchandra
Puri began to cavil, "I had heard that Chaitanya's _bhaktas_ were great
gluttons. Now I see it with my own eyes to be true. By gorging
_sannyasis_ with so much food, their piety is destroyed. You are
_bairagis_ and yet you are such huge eaters! Your _bairagya_ is not
sincere."
Ramchandra Puri was notorious as the universal fault finder, having been
cursed for it by his own religious preceptor, Madhavendra Puri. He now
dwelt at Nilachal, detached by nature, staying at one place for some
time, taking his meal at some [other] place without having been bidden,
and taking note of what others ate.
The Master was daily fed at different houses, at a cost of four _pan_
of _cowries_ [_i.e._, one anna] for the three of them,--the Master,
Kashishwar, and Govinda (His body-servant.) Ramchandra Puri closely
inquired into the Master's abode, manners, food, bed and travels. He
could not reach the Master's merits, but roaming in search of His
defects, could not find any. Then he began to slander the Master to all
the people, saying, "He is a _sannyasi_ and yet eats sweetmeats. How
can such luxury enable him to control the lusts of the flesh?"
He daily came to visit the Master, but only to pry into His
shortcomings,--for that was the only work of the Puri,--while the Master
did him reverence as His _guru_. He knew of the slanders spoken by the
Puri [against Him], but welcomed and honoured him greatly. One day the
Puri came to the Master's house in the morning, and noticing some ants
on the floor, delivered this covert attack, "Verily sweetmeats were
brought here last night, for ants are running about. A wonder
_sannyasis_ dead to the world have such gluttonous cravings!" And then
he left in a hurry.
The Master now saw with His own eyes what He had only heard before,
[about the slander spread against Him]. He called Govinda and told him,
"From to-day my meal will be one packet of rice and curry of the
_pinda-bhog_ worth 20 cowries [i.e., one quarter-anna]. Don't accept
any food above this for me. If you bring more, you will not see me
here."
Half of this the Master ate and the other half He left for Govinda, and
both remained famished. Then He commanded Govinda and Kashishwar to beg
their food elsewhere. Thus some days passed in great hardship. Hearing
of it, Ramchandra Puri came to the Master and smiling told Him, "It is
not a sannyasi's _dharma_ to gratify his appetite. He eats just enough
to fill his stomach anyhow. I find you lean and hear that you eat only
half your fill. This drying _bairagya_ is not a sannyasi's _dharma_. A
sannyasi performs true _jnan-yog_ when he fills his stomach as far as
is necessary but does not enjoy his food. (_Gita_, vi. 16-17.)"
The Master replied, "I am an ignorant child and your pupil. It is my
good fortune that you are teaching me." Ramchandra Puri then left.
Next day the _bhaktas_ headed by Paramananda Puri complained to the
Master against Ramchandra as a universal fault-finder and instigator of
gluttony, which he afterwards censured. They urged Him not to listen to
Ramchandra and famish Himself, but to return to His old diet and accept
invitations. But the Master replied, "Why do you blame Ramchandra Puri?
He expounds the natural _dharma_, and has done no wrong. It is very
wrong for a sannyasi to have a lustful palate. It is a sannyasi's duty
to eat just as little as will keep body and soul together." They all
pressed Him hard, and yielding to their entreaty He fixed His rations at
one-half of its former cost, _viz._ at two pan of _cowries_ [_i.e._,
half anna], which was shared by two, sometimes three persons. If a
Brahman whose cooking He could not eat, invited Him, He took only
_prasad_ worth two _pan_ of _cowries_. If it was a Brahman whose
cooking He could eat, He took a little of _prasad_ [purchased with
money] and a little of the meal cooked in His host's house. But at the
houses of Pandit Goswami, Adwaita Acharya, and Sarvabhauma, He ate
whatever they asked Him, for there He had no independence; He had come
down to earth to render His devotees happy.
After a time Ramchandra Ptiri left Nilachal on a pilgrimage, to the
intense delight of the Vaishnavs, who felt that a heavy stone had been
lifted from their heads! They now freely invited the Master to _kirtan_
and dance, and all freely partook of the _prasad_.