“Caitanya-caritamrita – Madhya Lila” by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Summary: Caitanya-caritamrita is the biography of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, written by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami in the 16th century, now published with elaborate translations and commentaries in English by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. The multi- volume Caitanya-caritamrita is divided into three sections, Adi Lila, Madhya Lila, and Antya Lila, representing the beginning, middle, and concluding pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This file comprises the text of the several volumes that make up the Madhya Lila section. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This is an evaluation copy of the printed version of this book, and is NOT FOR RESALE. This evaluation copy is intended for personal non- commercial use only, under the “fair use” guidelines established by international copyright laws. 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Chapter 1 The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu In this chapter there is a summary description of all the pastimes performed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during the middle period of His activities as well as the six years at the end of His activities. All of these are described in brief. There is also a description of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's ecstasy that occurred when He recited the verse beginning yah kaumara-harah, and there is also an explanation of that ecstasy given in the verse priyah so 'yam krsnah, by Srila Rupa Gosvami. Because he wrote that verse, Srila Rupa Gosvami was specifically blessed by the Lord. There is also a description of the many books written by Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami. There is also a description of the meeting between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami in the village known as Ramakeli. TEXT 1 TEXT yasya prasadad ajno 'pi sadyah sarva-jnatam vrajet sa sri-caitanya-devo me bhagavan samprasidatu SYNONYMS yasya--of whom; prasadat--by the mercy; ajnah api--even a person who has no knowledge; sadyah--immediately; sarva-jnatam--all knowledge; vrajet--can achieve; sah--that; sri-caitanya-devah--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; me--on me; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; samprasidatu--may He bestow His causeless mercy. TRANSLATION Even a person with no knowledge can immediately acquire all knowledge simply by the benediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore I am praying to the Lord for His causeless mercy upon me. TEXT 2 TEXT vande sri-krsna-caitanya- nityanandau sahoditau gaudodaye puspavantau citrau san-dau tamo-nudau SYNONYMS vande--I offer respectful obeisances; sri-krsna-caitanya--to Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya; nityanandau--and to Lord Nityananda; saha-uditau--simultaneously arisen; gauda-udaye--on the eastern horizon of Gauda; puspavantau--the sun and moon together; citrau--wonderful; sam-dau--bestowing benediction; tamah-nudau-- dissipating darkness. TRANSLATION I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all. TEXT 3 TEXT jayatam suratau pangor mama manda-mater gati mat-sarvasva-padambhojau radha-madana-mohanau SYNONYMS jayatam--all glory to; su-ratau--most merciful, or attached in conjugal love; pangoh--of one who is lame; mama--of me; manda-mateh--foolish; gati--refuge; mat--my; sarva-sva--everything; pada-ambhojau--whose lotus feet; radha-madana- mohanau--Radharani and Madana-mohana. TRANSLATION Glory to the all-merciful Radha and Madana-mohana! I am lame and ill-advised, yet They are my directors, and Their lotus feet are everything to me. TEXT 4 TEXT divyad-vrndaranya-kalpa-drumadhah- srimad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau srimad-radha-srila-govinda-devau presthalibhih sevyamanau smarami SYNONYMS divyat--shining; vrnda-aranya--in the forest of Vrndavana; kalpa-druma-- desire tree; adhah--beneath; srimat--most beautiful; ratna-agara--in a temple of jewels; simha-asana-sthau--sitting on a throne; srimat--very beautiful; radha-- Srimati Radharani; srila-govinda-devau--and Sri Govindadeva; prestha-alibhih--by most confidential associates; sevyamanau--being served; smarami--I remember. TRANSLATION In a temple of jewels in Vrndavana, underneath a desire tree, Sri Sri Radha- Govinda, served by Their most confidential associates, sit upon an effulgent throne. I offer my humble obeisances unto Them. TEXT 5 TEXT sriman rasa-rasarambhi vamsi-vata-tata-sthitah karsan venu-svanair gopir gopinathah sriye 'stu nah SYNONYMS sriman--the most beautiful form; rasa--of the rasa dance; rasa-arambhi--the initiator of the mellow; vamsi-vata--the celebrated place named Vamsivata; tata- -on the bank of Yamuna; sthitah--being situated; karsan--attracting; venu- svanaih--by the sounds of the flute; gopih--all the gopis; gopi-nathah--the master of all the gopis; sriye--the opulence of love and affection; astu--let there be; nah--upon us. TRANSLATION May Gopinathaji, who attracts all the gopis with the song of His flute and who has begun the most melodious rasa dance on the bank of the Yamuna in Vamsivata, be merciful upon us. TEXT 6 TEXT jaya jaya gauracandra jaya krpa-sindhu jaya jaya saci-suta jaya dina-bandhu SYNONYMS jaya jaya--all glories; gauracandra--to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jaya--all glories; krpa-sindhu--to the ocean of mercy; jaya jaya--all glories unto You; saci-suta--the son of Saci; jaya--all glories unto You; dina-bandhu--the friend of the fallen. TRANSLATION All glories unto Sri Gaurahari, who is an ocean of mercy! All glories unto You, the son of Sacidevi, for You are the only friend of all fallen souls! TEXT 7 TEXT jaya jaya nityananda jayadvaita-candra jaya srivasadi jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda SYNONYMS jaya jaya--all glories; nityananda--to Lord Nityananda; jaya advaita-candra-- all glories to Advaita Prabhu; jaya--all glories; srivasa-adi--to all the devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura; jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda--all glories unto the devotees of Lord Gaurasundara. TRANSLATION All glories unto Lord Nityananda and Advaita Prabhu, and all glories unto all the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa Thakura! TEXT 8 TEXT purve kahilun adi-lilara sutra-gana yaha vistariyachena dasa-vrndavana SYNONYMS purve--previously; kahilun--I have described; adi-lilara--of the adi-lila; sutra-gana--the synopsis; yaha--which; vistariyachena--has elaborately explained; dasa-vrndavana--Vrndavana dasa Thakura. TRANSLATION I have previously described in synopsis the adi-lila [initial pastimes], which have already been fully described by Vrndavana dasa Thakura. TEXT 9 TEXT ataeva tara ami sutra-matra kailun ye kichu visesa, sutra-madhyei kahilun SYNONYMS ataeva--therefore; tara--of that; ami--I; sutra-matra--only the synopsis; kailun--did; ye kichu--whatever; visesa--specifics; sutra-madhyei kahilun--I have already stated within the synopsis. TRANSLATION I have therefore given only a synopsis of those incidents, and whatever specifics were to be related have already been given in that synopsis. TEXT 10 TEXT ebe kahi sesa-lilara mukhya sutra-gana prabhura asesa lila na yaya varnana SYNONYMS ebe--now; kahi--I describe; sesa-lilara--of the pastimes at the end; mukhya-- chief; sutra-gana--synopsis; prabhura--of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; asesa-- unlimited; lila--pastimes; na yaya varnana--it is not possible to describe. TRANSLATION To describe the unlimited pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not possible, but I now wish to relate the chief incidents and give a synopsis of those pastimes occurring at the end. TEXTS 11-12 TEXT tara madhye yei bhaga dasa-vrndavana 'caitanya-mangale' vistari' karila varnana sei bhagera ihan sutra-matra likhiba tahan ye visesa kichu, ihan vistariba SYNONYMS tara madhye--amongst them; yei--which; bhaga--portion; dasa-vrndavana--Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura; caitanya-mangale--in his book Caitanya-mangala; vistari'--elaborating; karila varnana--has described; sei bhagera--of that portion; ihan--here in this book; sutra-matra--the synopsis only; likhiba--I shall write; tahan--there; ye--whatever; visesa--special details; kichu-- something; ihan vistariba--I shall describe elaborately. TRANSLATION I shall describe only in synopsis that portion which Vrndavana dasa Thakura has described very elaborately in his book Caitanya-mangala. Whatever incidents are outstanding, however, I shall later elaborate. TEXT 13 TEXT caitanya-lilara vyasa----dasa vrndavana tanra ajnaya karon tanra ucchista carvana SYNONYMS caitanya-lilara vyasa--the Vyasadeva, or compiler of the pastimes, of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; dasa vrndavana--Vrndavana dasa Thakura; tanra--of him; ajnaya--upon the order; karon--I do; tanra--his; ucchista--of the remnants of food; carvana--chewing. TRANSLATION Actually the authorized compiler of the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Srila Vrndavana dasa, the incarnation of Vyasadeva. Only upon his orders am I trying to chew the remnants of food that he has left. TEXT 14 TEXT bhakti kari' sire dhari tanhara carana sesa-lilara sutra-gana kariye varnana SYNONYMS bhakti kari'--with great devotion; sire--on my head; dhari--I hold; tanhara-- his; carana--lotus feet; sesa-lilara--of the pastimes at the end; sutra-gana-- the synopsis; kariye--I do; varnana--describe. TRANSLATION Placing his lotus feet upon my head in great devotion, I shall now describe in summary the Lord's final pastimes. TEXT 15 TEXT cabbisa vatsara prabhura grhe avasthana tahan ye karila lila----'adi-lila' nama SYNONYMS cabbisa vatsara--for twenty-four years; prabhura--of the Lord; grhe--at home; avasthana--residing; tahan--there; ye--whatever; karila--He performed; lila-- pastimes; adi-lila nama--are called adi-lila. TRANSLATION For twenty-four years, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained at home, and whatever pastimes He performed during that time are called the adi-lila. TEXT 16 TEXT cabbisa vatsara sese yei magha-masa tara sukla-pakse prabhu karila sannyasa SYNONYMS cabbisa vatsara--of those twenty-four years; sese--at the end; yei--which; magha-masa--the month of Magha (January-February); tara--of that month; sukla- pakse--during the fortnight of the waxing moon; prabhu--the Lord; karila-- accepted; sannyasa--the renounced order of life. TRANSLATION At the end of His twenty-fourth year, in the month of Magha, during the fortnight of the waxing moon, the Lord accepted the renounced order of life, sannyasa. TEXT 17 TEXT sannyasa kariya cabbisa vatsara avasthana tahan yei lila, tara 'sesa-lila' nama SYNONYMS sannyasa kariya--after accepting the order of sannyasa; cabbisa vatsara--the twenty-four years; avasthana--remaining in this material world; tahan--in that portion; yei lila--whatever pastimes (were performed); tara--of those pastimes; sesa-lila--the pastimes at the end; nama--named. TRANSLATION After accepting sannyasa, Lord Caitanya remained within this material world for another twenty-four years. Within this period, whatever pastimes He enacted are called the sesa-lila, or pastimes occurring at the end. TEXT 18 TEXT sesa-lilara 'madhya' 'antya',----dui nama haya lila-bhede vaisnava saba nama-bheda kaya SYNONYMS sesa-lilara--of the sesa-lila, or pastimes at the end; madhya--the middle; antya--the final; dui--two; nama--names; haya--are; lila-bhede--by the difference of pastimes; vaisnava--the devotees of the Supreme Lord; saba--all; nama-bheda--different names; kaya--say. TRANSLATION The final pastimes of the Lord, occurring in His last twenty-four years, are called madhya [middle] and antya [final]. All the devotees of the Lord refer to His pastimes according to these divisions. TEXT 19 TEXT tara madhye chaya vatsara----gamanagamana nilacala-gauda-setubandha-vrndavana SYNONYMS tara madhye--within that period; chaya vatsara--for six years; gamana- agamana--going and coming; nilacala--from Jagannatha Puri; gauda--to Bengal; setubandha--and from Cape Comorin; vrndavana--to Vrndavana-dhama. TRANSLATION For six years of the last twenty-four, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu traveled all over India from Jagannatha Puri to Bengal and from Cape Comorin to Vrndavana. TEXT 20 TEXT tahan yei lila, tara 'madhya-lila' nama tara pache lila----'antya-lila' abhidhana SYNONYMS tahan--in those places; yei lila--all the pastimes; tara--of those; madhya- lila--the middle pastimes; nama--named; tara pache lila--all the pastimes after that period; antya-lila--last pastimes; abhidhana--the nomenclature. TRANSLATION All the pastimes performed by the Lord in those places are known as the madhya-lila, and whatever pastimes were performed after that are called the antya-lila. TEXT 21 TEXT 'adi-lila', 'madhya-lila', 'antya-lila' ara ebe 'madhya-lilara' kichu kariye vistara SYNONYMS adi-lila madhya-lila antya-lila ara--therefore there are three periods, namely the adi-lila, madhya-lila and antya-lila; ebe--now; madhya-lilara--of the madhya-lila; kichu--something; kariye--I shall do; vistara--elaboration. TRANSLATION The pastimes of the Lord are therefore divided into three periods--the adi- lila, madhya-lila and antya-lila. Now I shall very elaborately describe the madhya-lila. TEXT 22 TEXT astadasa-varsa kevala nilacale sthiti apani acari' jive sikhaila bhakti SYNONYMS astadasa-varsa--for eighteen years; kevala--only; nilacale--in Jagannatha Puri; sthiti--staying; apani--personally; acari'--behaving; jive--unto the living entities; sikhaila--instructed; bhakti--devotional service. TRANSLATION For eighteen continuous years, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu remained at Jagannatha Puri and, through His personal behavior, instructed all living entities in the mode of devotional service. TEXT 23 TEXT tara madhye chaya vatsara bhakta-gana-sange prema-bhakti pravartaila nrtya-gita-range SYNONYMS tara madhye--within that period; chaya vatsara--for six years; bhakta-gana- sange--with all the devotees; prema-bhakti--the loving service of the Lord; pravartaila--introduced; nrtya-gita-range--in the matter of chanting and dancing. TRANSLATION Of these eighteen years at Jagannatha Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spent six years with His many devotees. By chanting and dancing, He introduced the loving service of the Lord. TEXT 24 TEXT nityananda-gosanire pathaila gauda-dese tenho gauda-desa bhasaila prema-rase SYNONYMS nityananda-gosanire--Nityananda Gosvami; pathaila--sent; gauda-dese--to Bengal; tenho--He; gauda-desa--the tract of land known as Gauda-desa, or Bengal; bhasaila--overflooded; prema-rase--with ecstatic love of Krsna. TRANSLATION Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sent Nityananda Prabhu from Jagannatha Puri to Bengal, which was known as Gauda-desa, and Lord Nityananda Prabhu overflooded this country with the transcendental loving service of the Lord. TEXT 25 TEXT sahajei nityananda----krsna-premoddama prabhu-ajnaya kaila yahan tahan prema-dana SYNONYMS sahajei--by nature; nityananda--Lord Nityananda Prabhu; krsna-prema-uddama-- very much inspired in transcendental loving service to Lord Krsna; prabhu- ajnaya--by the order of the Lord; kaila--did; yahan tahan--anywhere and everywhere; prema-dana--distribution of that love. TRANSLATION Sri Nityananda Prabhu is by nature very much inspired in rendering transcendental loving service to Lord Krsna. Now, being ordered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He distributed this loving service anywhere and everywhere. TEXT 26 TEXT tanhara carane mora koti namaskara caitanyera bhakti yenho laoyaila samsara SYNONYMS tanhara carane--unto His lotus feet; mora--my; koti--unlimited; namaskara-- obeisances; caitanyera--of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakti--the devotional service; yenho--one who; laoyaila--caused to take; samsara--the whole world. TRANSLATION I offer innumerable obeisances unto the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is so kind that He spread the service of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. TEXT 27 TEXT caitanya-gosani yanre bale 'bada bhai' tenho kahe, mora prabhu----caitanya-gosani SYNONYMS caitanya-gosani--Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; yanre--unto whom; bale--says; bada bhai--elder brother; tenho--He; kahe--says; mora prabhu--My Lord; caitanya- gosani--the supreme master, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. TRANSLATION Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to address Nityananda Prabhu as His elder brother, whereas Nityananda Prabhu addressed Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as His Lord. TEXT 28 TEXT yadyapi apani haye prabhu balarama tathapi caitanyera kare dasa-abhimana SYNONYMS