Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Carita | Book 1 Chapter 2

Second Sarga

The Lamentation of Śrī Nārada

1

Now, that Jagannātha was once awarded by his guru the title of a professor of the Absolute Truth, "Śrīmān Miśra Purandara," because of his under-standing of the essential teaching of all Vedic literature.

2-3

One day, the great soul Śrīman Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, who was expert in promoting the best interests of his family, called for that learned and virtuous brāhmaṇa and offered him his daughter Śacī in marriage. Accepting her, Jagannātha prospered like Indra in the company of his own wife, Śacī.

4

Thereafter as he dwelt in his home, Jagannātha thrived in his occupational duties. These consisted of receiving guests and performing ceremonies to relieve them of the results of past impious deeds, from defilement caused by the death of a relative. He also assisted them in achieving the results of their daily pious activities.

5

As time passed, Śacī Devī bore eight beautiful daughters. But by the design of Providence one after another they died.

6

Burning with paternal sorrow, Śacī took shelter of Lord Hari within her heart, and Jagannātha performed a sacrifice for his ancestors with the purpose of begetting a son.

7

After some time had passed, He indeed received a son who verily appeared like the son of a god. Jagannātha became very glad, like a penniless man who finds a valuable treasure.

8-9

His father named the boy Śrīmān Viśvarūpa. That great-hearted child was always linked in meditation on the Supreme Lord. After studying only a short time, He mastered the Vedas and the Nyāya-śāstra. He was all-knowing, very thoughtful, and strived to benefit everyone.

10

Viśvarūpa was always absorbed in contemplating Śrī Hari within His heart. His mind never strayed towards sense-objects, but he found incessant delight in relishing the mellows of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

11

Although He is the unborn Supreme Lord and origin of all worlds, still Śrī Hari took birth as the younger brother of Viśvarūpa, just as Vāmana-deva was born as the son of Aditī and Kaśyapa Muni, and thus appeared to be the younger brother of Indra.

12

And by His own sweet will that Lord immersed the three worlds in hari-nāma- saṅkīrtana, while residing in the best of holy places known as Puruṣottama Kṣetra.

13

He taught men Hari-bhakti and inspired them to teach it to others. He tasted the relishable sweetness of Śrī Vṛndāvana and made all the humanity taste it also.

14

Assisted by the residents of Vaikuṇṭha, He led all living beings of the cosmos across the hurdle of birth and death, and then joyously returned to His own abode, where His internal potency flourishes in wonderful ways.

15

There was a sense-controlled brahmacārī of the name Śrī Dāmodara Paṇḍita, whose heart was thrilled by the topics of Śrī Caitanya. He had heard of this wonderful history.

16

Dāmodara said to me, "Narrate to me this divine and miraculous history, for it will cleanse the polluted consciousness of these material worlds. By hearing it, mankind can become freed from this repeated cycle of birth and death which is plagued with horrible sins.

17

"Therefore please narrate the chronicle of Śrī Hari's pastimes by which the transcendental opulences of love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa-caraṇāmbhoja can awaken in the hearts of all people.

18

"What was the reason that the omnipresent and omnipotent Personality of Godhead took birth on this earth, and what did the universal Lord accomplish during His manifest presence in this world?

19

"You should proclaim His sublime and auspicious deeds, for by hearing them the burning anguish existing amongst the inhabitants of these material worlds will be pacified, and pure Kṛṣṇa-prema will awaken in the hearts of great souls."

20

Hearing the words of that noble and magnanimous scholar, Murāri Gupta felt pleased and answered, "Hear me.

21

"O virtuous devotee! Best of brāhmaṇas! Surely I shall relate to you the history of the Lord, as much as I am able, but I shall only give a summary, for even the eloquent Bṛhaspati, descendant of Bhṛgu, would be unable to tell every detail."

22-24

The immensely powerful and saintly Nārada is the foremost among vaiṣṇavas. His lustre is equal to the full moon, and His appearance resembles the peak of Mount Kailāśa. He is ornamented by a very beautiful belt, and is dressed in deerskin. Since he is an empowered expansion of Lord Viṣṇu, he is dear to all people. Once, he wandered through the space of the universal globe, engaged in the welfare of all. As he joyously plucked on the strings of his vīnā and loudly chanted the names of Hari, he came to the planet known as Bhārata.

25

As He sought throughout the earth, Śrī Nārada thought, "Oh where can I find a vaiṣṇava? If I can find one, for the present I shall make my residence with him.

26

"Now the earth has become dried up by terrible taxation at the hands of barbarians, who have abandoned spiritual culture, and by the influence of Kali, the friend of Sin, her spotless fame has become tarnished."

27

He saw that due to a sinful life-style the people had become diseased. They were mischievous rogues, short-lived, small in stature, and much attached to speaking ill of their neighbours.

28

The leaders of those people were also men of the lowest calibre. Having fallen from the path of the Vedas, they had become degraded meat-eaters, expert at promoting evil, attached to denigrating the spiritual culture of divine virtues, and preoccupied with exploiting the wealth of their citizens.

29

Nārada saw that even persons who had knowledge of scriptures were blasphemers of saints and were inflated by self-prestige. Having seen these many kinds of people, Nārada thought as follows...

Thus ends the Second Sarga entitled "The Lamentation of Śrī Nārada," in the First Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.