First Sarga
Gaurāṅga Reveals His Ecstatic Moods
1
After Dāmodara Paṇḍita had heard from Murāri Gupta of Śrī Gaura Hari's return from Gayā, he inquired from him, "Dear sir, what further pleasure-pastimes did our Master, who resembles a jewel-filled ocean of divine pastimes, perform while residing in Navadvīpa?
2
"Speak to me in great depth about Him, who is the elixirean abode of all rasa for my ears." So Murāri began to speak further, thereby greatly enlivening that brāhmaṇa:
3
"O hear this great tale of wonder as I narrate it in brief. After bowing low to the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya, Master of the gods, I shall first speak of those feet."
4
O Caitanya Candra, may the radiance from the moonlike nails of Your lotus feet completely pervade from within and without the body and eleven senses encasing this spirit-soul who has taken shelter of You, and may You thus perpetually nurture and engladden me.
5
O all-pervasive moon of Śrī Caitanya, those who are overwhelmed by the folly of ignorance, who are bereft of the ecstasy of a relationship with You, and who are bewildered by the grandeur of Your illusory energy, are unable to accept You as the Supreme Lord, even though they may see Your feet, soft as the lotus flower.
6
O moon of Śrī Caitanya, since even the gods are certainly incapable of comprehending the transcendental value of Your lotus feet, then what to speak of others? O Lord Mukuṇḍa, whose face shines brightly like the kunda flower, Your heart is melting with mercy. Those to whom You show that mercy can adore You, offer obeisances unto You and know You always.
7
Bowing down to Your feet, which are situated on a thousand-petalled lotus, I pray, O all-pervasive Lord, may Your order endow my words with potency to distill fully the essential nectar of Your pastimes. O my heart's desire! O Śrī Hari in Your human- like form! O ocean of undying compassion!
8
Śrī Kṛṣṇa Hari, His eyes brimming with tears of love, then entered His home. And that ocean of compassion gave lessons daily to brāhmaṇas in that home.
9
One day the saintly Śacī Devī saw that as her son slept in His room tears were falling from His eyes. Mystified, she inquired, "Nimāi, why are You weeping?"
10
Viśvambhara heard her question, but being immersed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa-prema, He said nothing. Then Śacī Devī became very thoughtful.
11
At that time she could understand by Hari's mercy that the symptoms she observed in Viśvambhara were symptoms of prema, and very meekly Śacī begged Him to award her also with devotion for Śrī Govinda:
12
"Whenever in the past Your Grace received any wealth, You would always give it to me. In Gayā You have acquired a wealth known as Kṛṣṇa prema, which is difficult to obtain even by the devas.
13
"Dear son, if You feel any compassion for me, today please give me that prema. For thus I may incessantly delight in the ocean of realisable relationships with Kṛṣṇa."
14
Hearing His mother's words, Gaurāṅga addressed her affectionately, "Dear mother, by the mercy of the vaiṣṇavas, this your desire for prema will surely be satisfied."
15
Hearing these words of her son, that saintly lady became jubilant and fixed in devotion. Śrī Caitanya-deva respectfully addressed the brāhmaṇas as follows:
16
"My mother earnestly yearns to obtain love for Śrī Hari. Kindly fix your hearts on her prayer so that she may receive that most rare Hari-bhakti."
17
Hearing this, they all replied, "That loving devotion for the Lord of the universe of which You have spoken shall certainly be hers, though it is obtained with difficulty even by great sages."
18
When Śrī Śacī Devī heard this, although she is herself personified bhakti, she obtained ever-increasing unflinching devotion to Śrī Hari, whereupon her love for Him overflowed.
19
After that, at times Śrī Gaura Hari wept and thus became covered by many streams of tears, and from His nostrils came forth two currents of phlegm.
20-21
One day the Lord rolled on the earth at the āśrama of Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī, incessantly yielding currents of phlegm. Śuklāmbara continually took away that phlegm and disposed of it at a distant place. However, Gaura Candra, always full in rasa remained pure.
22
Throughout the day He would weep til dusk; then He finally became conscious of the outside world and would inquire, "Is it day?" "It is night, the people replied,."
23
So with a heart made tender by prema, the Lord wept throughout the night. After the day had advanced three hours, Hari awoke to external consciousness.
24
Then He asked, "What time of the night is it?" A someone replied, "It is now day." Out of His great love for Kṛṣṇa, Gaura Sundara became unaware of whether it was day or night.
25
Sometimes merely by hearing the mahā-mantra chanted in meditation or in song, He became immersed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He would fall like a rod to the earth, and at times His entire body would tremble.
26
Sometimes with great reverence and faltering voice He would sing, "O Govinda! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!" Sometimes His body would quiver violently and all His hairs would bristle profusely.
27
After being thus entranced, He would sometimes awake to the external world. Then the Lord of all worlds would bathe and offer worship to His family Deity.
28
Having offered foodstuffs to the Lord, He would then eat the remnants as prasādam. Then for some time He would teach the brāhmaṇas, and at night He would sing and dance.
29
Thus in manifold ways, Gaurāṅga displayed the glory of love for Śrī Hari by great devotion.
30
Through all His activities, the all-opulent Lord Gaura-Kṛṣṇa, the guru of humanity, always instructed them, seeking to show them mercy.
Thus ends the First Sarga entitled "Gaurāṅga Reveals His Ecstatic Moods," in the Second Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.