Third Sarga
Śrī Caitanya Disperses the Thunder-clouds
1
Prabhu entered His home shining with a thousand rays like the lord of the night. Then He inquired, "Who are these people who have come to reside here, they who are four-faced, six-faced and five-faced?"
2
That most pure of pure-hearted brāhmaṇas named Śrīvāsa replied, "Prabhu, the gods headed by Brahmā, Kārttikeya and Śiva have come to render service to You, who resemble a mellifluous ambrosial ocean of prema."
3
When the morrow came, the Lord of pure devotional service sat on an exalted seat amidst His bhaktas and touched His feet to their bodies.
4
Beginning with Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita, all of them bowed their heads to the ground before Śrī Hari and prayed for loving devotion to those same feet, for such devotion is the treasure most rarely obtained in this world.
5
The Lord, feeling affectionate to His devotees, awarded to each of them the boons which they coveted. Then Śuklāmbara Brahmacārī addressed that best of persons:
6
"O all-opulent Lord, You know that although I have visited Mathurā and Dvāravatī, I remain very unhappy. Therefore please award prema-bhakti unto me to free me from this misery." Prabhu replied to him:
7
"Jackals also travel to those places, do they not? Then for Me what is the value of your journeying?" Hearing this, Śuklāmbara fell to the ground and Janārdana Caitanya said to him:
8
"So be it! May you attain prema this very day!" The brahmacārī instantly became overwhelmed by the influence of ecstatic love of God and again fell weeping at the feet of Viṣṇu.
9
Then, in the company with Gaura Hari, the bhaktas sang songs made of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's names, and as they repeated them again and again their hearts filled with exultation.
10
Born of pure lineage, the very wise brāhmaṇa named Gadādhara was a devotee absorbed in pure love for the Lord and always remained near His feet.
11
Once as he stayed in company with Śrī Gaura by night, the Lord spoke pleasantly to Him, "At sunrise, your grace should distribute a little prasāda to all the vaiṣṇavas."
12-13
So saying, Śrī Hari placed the garlands from His body in Gadādhara's hand. Then in the pure light of dawn, when the bhaktas all arrived, Gadādhara distributed to each of them whatever the Lord had given him. Next, with joyous hearts they bathed in the water of the river of the gods.
14
Having first worshipped their family Deities of the Lord of the universe and having offered eatables to Him, everyone again joyously returned to Gaura Hari, who is the Master of even Viṣṇu, the God of gods.
15
Every day Gadādhara happily anointed the Lord's limbs with pulp of sandal and frequently made presentations of pleasing articles such as flower-garlands.
16
In the sleeping chamber, Gadādhara would faithfully prepare the Lord's bed in His presence and then happily sleep near Him. Now hear with faith the words of nectar (which he would sing).
17
As sometimes in the land of Vraja, within a jewelled mansion, Śrī Rādhā prepared Śrī Kṛṣṇa's bed in His presence and then slept next to Him immersed in loving sentiments (thus in Navadvīpa, Gadādhara does so for Śrī Gaurāṅga).
18
Every day at sunset, the son of Śacī eagerly performed kīrtana in the company of those divine personalities who were His associates.
19
And as they danced and sang, they also became intoxicated in the joy of saṅkīrtana, and along with resplendent Viśvambhara, everyone tasted the delights of transcendental bliss.
20
One day the sky became fully covered with clouds that made deep rumblings, and it was brightly illumined by lightning and accompanied by thunderclaps.
21
All of the vaiṣṇavas became unhappy, for the clouds were creating an impediment to the Hari-kīrtana, and thus they became overwhelmed by anxiety.
22
Understanding the situation, Śrī Hari came to the temple and gave great satisfaction to His devotees as He sang the names of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in their company.
23
At that, the winds suddenly dispersed the thunderclouds and distributed them through outer space, and the pleasing rays of the moon then shone in a cloudless sky.
24
As the sādhus became absorbed in saṅkīrtana, Mahāprabhu danced and the golden anklets upon His lotus feet rang.
25
From the lotus mouths of saintly brāhmaṇīs came a loud and resonant sound (ulu ulu), which engladdened everyone present while a great shower of delightfully fragrant flowers fluttered in all directions.
26
Amongst the host of Suras situated above them in outer space, a great festival of Śrī- Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana also took place, which is the most attractive spiritual practice to be found in all the Vedic literature.
27
While the demigods in heaven headed by Indra-deva, smasher of mountains felt bliss, so also did Gaura's bhaktas. They who throughout many births had accumulated pious deeds as numerous as the waves of the ocean now found themselves dancing in the company of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus they felt unfathomable peace. As they danced, their bodies became covered by tears and pulakas.
Thus ends the Third Sarga entitled "Śrī Caitanya Disperses the Thunder- clouds," in the Second Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.