Ninth Sarga
Gaura Hari Honours the Food Remnants of Śrī Śiva
1
After bathing in Bindu-Sarovara and taking darśana of Śrī Bhuvaneśvara, the all- opulent Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya sat contentedly, wholly immersed in the bliss of prema.
2
Mahāprabhu then ate choice foods prepared by the bhaktas, and afterwards as He rested contentedly, He contemplated the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
3
The illustrious Lord thought, "If somehow the mahā-prasāda of the trident- wielding god of gods could be obtained, then we could truly take pleasure."
4
As He was reflecting thus, a certain brāhmaṇa came before Him, bearing in his hands a small portion of Mahādeva's prasāda.
5
He said, "Please accept this prasāda of Mahādeva." Hearing this, Lord Gaura at once stood up and accepted the prasāda with bowed head.
6
They all gathered together around the mahā-prasāda, and the Lord honoured it with His servants as though it were immortal nectar. Thus Gaura Hari showed how dear Śiva is to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
7
Again Gaura Hari arose very early in great happiness, and after bathing quickly in Bindu-Sarovara, He bowed before Śrī Śiva and then left on His way.
8
When the powerful brāhmaṇa Śrī Dāmodara Paṇḍita heard that the Lord had eaten the remnants of Śiva's food, He said:
9
"One should not eat the remnants of Lord Śiva because Bhṛgu Muni has placed a curse on those who worship him. Why then did the all-opulent transcendental Lord, knowing this, eat that food?"
10
Hearing this, Murāri replied to the noble vipra, "Hear from me the reason for which the Lord ate those nectarine remnants of Śrī Śiva-deva."
11
When Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya made His auspicious arrival, Mahādeva joyously accepted Him as an honoured guest. Please hear somewhat further.
12
When bhaktas worship Mahādeva thinking of him as the best among vaiṣṇavas, Maheśvara accepts that offering from them, and that food should be considered great and pure prasāda.
13
Those who in a sectarian spirit differentiate between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his bhaktas indeed fall down. Śrī Hari personally advented in the form of a bhakta as Caitanya Mahāprabhu in order to instruct such inimical persons.
14
The Lord of all gods, who is the supreme controller of the cosmic manifestation, certainly seeks to benefit all embodied beings. Thus, by His reverential acceptance of Śrī Śiva's food-remnants, He teaches them by His example.
15
Wherever the liṅgam is established and worshipped with a conception that Śrī Śiva and Śrī Hari have separate parties, there Bhrigu’s curse will act, because of this offense of a dualistic concept.
16
Hari and Śaṅkara have one interest. If in the presence of a Śiva liṅgam someone worships Them without a dualistic concept, the curse will not have effect.
17
By people understand Their unity of interest, love will increase for both Hari and Śaṅkara, and worship for Them both will increase.
18
By tasting such mahā-prasāda one can attain liberation, be cured from terrible diseases, and obtain undisturbed prosperity.
19
Those who out of delusion do not eat such mahā-prasāda become offenders to both Hari and Śiva. They become diseased and bereft of opulence.
20-21
Wherever the beginningless liṅgam of Śrī Śiva is worshipped with great respect by vaiṣṇavas in order to develop love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there will be no doubt about accepting the remnants of Śrī Śiva's food.
O vipra, such devotional service is verily auspicious for all embodied beings.
Thus ends the Ninth Sarga entitled "Gaura Hari Honours the Food Remnants of Śrī Śiva," in the Third Prakrama of the great poem Śrī Caitanya Carita.