In the brilliant autumn moonlight, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu mistook the sea for the river Yamunā. Greatly afflicted by separation from Kṛṣṇa, He ran and dove into the sea and remained unconscious in the water the entire night. In the morning, He was found by His personal devotees. May that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the son of mother Śacī, protect us by His transcendental pastimes.
All glories to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu! All glories to Nityānanda Prabhu! All glories to Advaita Ācārya! And all glories to all the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu!
rāsa-līlāra eka śloka yabe paḍe, śune pūrvavat tabe artha karena āpane
[raasa-leelaara eka shloka yabe pade, shune poorvavat tabe artha karena aapane]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rāsa-līlāra eka śloka yabe paḍe, śune pūrvavat tabe artha karena āpane
When He heard Svarūpa Dāmodara recite a verse concerning the rāsa-līlā or He Himself recited one, He would personally explain it, as He had previously done.
dvādaśa vatsare ye ye līlā kṣaṇe-kṣaṇe ati-bāhulya-bhaye grantha nā kailuṅ likhane
[dvaadasha vatsare ye ye leelaa kshane-kshane ati-baahulya-bhaye grantha naa kailun likhane]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dvādaśa vatsare ye ye līlā kṣaṇe-kṣaṇe ati-bāhulya-bhaye grantha nā kailuṅ likhane
So as not to increase the size of this book, I have not written about all the Lord’s pastimes, for He performed them every moment of every day for twelve years.
If Ananta, with His one thousand hoods, tried to describe even one day’s pastimes of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He would find them impossible to describe fully.
If Gaṇeśa, Lord Śiva’s son and the expert scribe of the demigods, tried for millions of millenniums to fully describe one day of the Lord’s pastimes, he would be unable to find their limit.
Even Lord Kṛṣṇa is struck with wonder at seeing the transformations of ecstasy in His devotees. If Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot estimate the limits of such emotions, how could others?
Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot fully understand the conditions, the mode of progress, the happiness and unhappiness, and the moods of ecstatic love of His devotees. He therefore accepts the role of a devotee to taste these emotions fully.
“As an independent leader among elephants enters the water with its female elephants, Kṛṣṇa, who is transcendental to the Vedic principles of morality, entered the water of the Yamunā with the gopīs. His chest had brushed against their breasts, crushing His flower garland and coloring it with red kuṅkuma powder. Attracted by the fragrance of that garland, humming bumblebees followed Kṛṣṇa like celestial beings of Gandharvaloka. In this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa mitigated the fatigue of the rāsa dance.”
Falling into the sea, He lost consciousness and could not understand where He was. Sometimes He sank beneath the waves, and sometimes He floated above them.
Keeping the Lord sometimes submerged and sometimes afloat, the waves carried Him toward the Koṇārka temple.
Purport
Koṇārka, generally known as Arka-tīrtha, is a temple of Lord Sūrya, the sun-god. It is situated on the seashore, nineteen miles north of Jagannātha Purī. It was constructed of black stone in the beginning of the thirteenth century of the Śaka Era, and it shows expert craftsmanship and architecture.
Meanwhile, all the devotees, headed by Svarūpa Dāmodara, lost sight of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Astonished, they began searching for Him, asking, “Where has the Lord gone?”
In separation from the Lord, everyone felt as though he had lost his very life. The devotees concluded that there must have been some mishap. They could not think of anything else.
Everyone was overwhelmed with moroseness and almost unconscious, but out of ecstatic love they continued to wander here and there, searching for the Lord.
Passing along the beach, they saw a fisherman approaching with his net over his shoulder. Laughing, crying, dancing and singing, he kept repeating the holy name “Hari, Hari.”
“I do not know whether the corpse I found was the ghost of a dead brāhmaṇa or an ordinary man, but as soon as one looks upon it, the ghost enters his body.
“That ghost has taken the form of a corpse, but He keeps his eyes open. Sometimes He utters the sounds ‘goṅ-goṅ,’ and sometimes He remains unconscious.
ei bhūta nṛsiṁha-nāme cāpaye dviguṇe tāhāra ākāra dekhite bhaya lāge mane
“This ghost, however, overcomes me with redoubled strength when I chant the Nṛsiṁha mantra. When I even see the form of this ghost, great fear arises in my mind.
“I am a famous exorcist,” he said, “and I know how to rid you of this ghost.” He then chanted some mantras and placed his hand on top of the fisherman’s head.
The fisherman was affected by ecstatic love, but he was also fearful. He had thus become doubly agitated. Now that his fear had subsided, however, he had become somewhat normal.
svarūpa kahe, — “yāṅre tumi kara ‘bhūta’-jñāna bhūta nahe — teṅho kṛṣṇa-caitanya bhagavān
[svaroopa kahe, — “yaanre tumi kara ‘bhoota’-jnaana bhoota nahe — tenho krishna-chaitanya bhagavaan]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
svarūpa kahe, — “yāṅre tumi kara ‘bhūta’-jñāna bhūta nahe — teṅho kṛṣṇa-caitanya bhagavān
Svarūpa Dāmodara said to the fisherman, “My dear sir, the person you are thinking is a ghost is not actually a ghost but is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
svarūpa kahe, — “tāṅra haya premera vikāra asthi-sandhi chāḍe, haya ati dīrghākāra”
[svaroopa kahe, — “taanra haya premera vikaara asthi-sandhi chaade, haya ati deerghaakaara”]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
svarūpa kahe, — “tāṅra haya premera vikāra asthi-sandhi chāḍe, haya ati dīrghākāra”
Svarūpa Dāmodara said, “The Lord’s body becomes transformed in His love for God. Sometimes the joints of His bones separate, and His body becomes very much elongated.”
The devotees removed His wet undergarment and replaced it with a dry one. Then, laying the Lord on an outer cloth, they cleaned the sand from His body.
antar-daśāra kichu ghora, kichu bāhya-jñāna sei daśā kahe bhakta ‘ardha-bāhya’-nāma
[antar-dashaara kichu ghora, kichu baahya-jnaana sei dashaa kahe bhakta ‘ardha-baahya’-naama]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
antar-daśāra kichu ghora, kichu bāhya-jñāna sei daśā kahe bhakta ‘ardha-bāhya’-nāma
When the Lord was deeply absorbed in internal consciousness but He nevertheless exhibited some external consciousness, devotees called His condition ardha-bāhya, or half-external consciousness.
rādhikādi gopī-gaṇa-saṅge ekatra meli’ yamunāra jale mahā-raṅge karena keli
[raadhikaadi gopee-gana-sange ekatra meli’ yamunaara jale mahaa-range karena keli]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rādhikādi gopī-gaṇa-saṅge ekatra meli’ yamunāra jale mahā-raṅge karena keli
“Lord Kṛṣṇa was in the water of the Yamunā in the company of the gopīs, headed by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. They were performing pastimes in a great sporting manner.
tīre rahi’ dekhi āmi sakhī-gaṇa-saṅge eka-sakhī sakhī-gaṇe dekhāya sei raṅge
[teere rahi’ dekhi aami sakhee-gana-sange eka-sakhee sakhee-gane dekhaaya sei range]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tīre rahi’ dekhi āmi sakhī-gaṇa-saṅge eka-sakhī sakhī-gaṇe dekhāya sei raṅge
“I saw this pastime as I stood on the bank of the Yamunā in the company of the gopīs. One gopī was showing some other gopīs the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the water.
“All the gopīs entrusted their silken garments and ornaments to the care of their friends and then put on fine white cloth. Lord Kṛṣṇa, taking His beloved gopīs with Him, bathed and performed very nice pastimes in the water of the Yamunā.
“My dear friends, just see Lord Kṛṣṇa’s sporting pastimes in the water! Kṛṣṇa’s restless palms resemble lotus flowers. He is just like the chief of mad elephants, and the gopīs who accompany Him are like she-elephants.
“The sporting pastimes in the water began, and everyone started splashing water back and forth. In the tumultuous showers of water, no one could be certain which party was winning and which was losing. This sporting water fight increased unlimitedly.
varṣe sthira taḍid-gaṇa, siñce śyāma nava-ghana, ghana varṣe taḍit-upare sakhī-gaṇera nayana, tṛṣita cātaka-gaṇa, sei amṛta sukhe pāna kare
“The gopīs were like steady streaks of lightning, and Kṛṣṇa resembled a blackish cloud. The lightning began sprinkling water upon the cloud, and the cloud upon the lightning. Like thirsty cātaka birds, the eyes of the gopīs joyously drank the nectarean water from the cloud.
prathame yuddha ‘jalājali’, tabe yuddha ‘karākari’, tāra pāche yuddha ‘mukhāmukhi’ tabe yuddha ‘hṛdāhṛdi’, tabe haila ‘radāradi’, tabe haila yuddha ‘nakhānakhi’
[prathame yuddha ‘jalaajali’, tabe yuddha ‘karaakari’, taara paache yuddha ‘mukhaamukhi’ tabe yuddha ‘hridaahridi’, tabe haila ‘radaaradi’, tabe haila yuddha ‘nakhaanakhi’]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prathame yuddha ‘jalājali’, tabe yuddha ‘karākari’, tāra pāche yuddha ‘mukhāmukhi’ tabe yuddha ‘hṛdāhṛdi’, tabe haila ‘radāradi’, tabe haila yuddha ‘nakhānakhi’
“As the fight began, they splashed water on one another. Then they fought hand to hand, then face to face, then chest to chest, teeth to teeth and finally nail to nail.
“Thousands of hands splashed water, and the gopīs saw Kṛṣṇa with thousands of eyes. With thousands of legs they came near Him, and they kissed Him with thousands of faces. Thousands of bodies embraced Him. The gopīs heard His joking words with thousands of ears.
“Kṛṣṇa forcibly swept Rādhārāṇī away and took Her into water up to Her neck. Then He released Her where the water was very deep. She grasped Kṛṣṇa’s neck, however, and floated on the water like a lotus flower plucked by the trunk of an elephant.
yata gopa-sundarī, kṛṣṇa tata rūpa dhari’, sabāra vastra karilā haraṇe yamunā-jala nirmala, aṅga kare jhalamala, sukhe kṛṣṇa kare daraśane
[yata gopa-sundaree, krishna tata roopa dhari’, sabaara vastra karilaa harane yamunaa-jala nirmala, anga kare jhalamala, sukhe krishna kare darashane]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yata gopa-sundarī, kṛṣṇa tata rūpa dhari’, sabāra vastra karilā haraṇe yamunā-jala nirmala, aṅga kare jhalamala, sukhe kṛṣṇa kare daraśane
“Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into as many forms as there were gopīs and then took away all the garments that covered them. The water of the river Yamunā was crystal clear, and Kṛṣṇa saw the glittering bodies of the gopīs in great happiness.
padminī-latā — sakhī-caya, kaila kāro sahāya, taraṅga-haste patra samarpila keha mukta-keśa-pāśa, āge kaila adhovāsa, haste keha kañculi dharila
[padminee-lataa — sakhee-chaya, kaila kaaro sahaaya, taranga-haste patra samarpila keha mukta-kesha-paasha, aage kaila adhovaasa, haste keha kanchuli dharila]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
padminī-latā — sakhī-caya, kaila kāro sahāya, taraṅga-haste patra samarpila keha mukta-keśa-pāśa, āge kaila adhovāsa, haste keha kañculi dharila
“The lotus stems were friends of the gopīs and therefore helped them by offering them lotus leaves. The lotuses pushed their large, round leaves over the surface of the water with their hands, the waves of the Yamunā, to cover the gopīs’ bodies. Some gopīs undid their hair and kept it in front of them as dresses to cover the lower portions of their bodies and used their hands as bodices to cover their breasts.
“Then Kṛṣṇa quarreled with Rādhārāṇī, and all the gopīs hid themselves in a cluster of white lotus flowers. They submerged their bodies up to their necks in the water. Only their faces floated above the surface, and the faces were indistinguishable from the lotuses.
ethā kṛṣṇa rādhā-sane, kailā ye āchila mane, gopī-gaṇa anveṣite gelā tabe rādhā sūkṣma-mati, jāniyā sakhīra sthiti, sakhī-madhye āsiyā mililā
[ethaa krishna raadhaa-sane, kailaa ye aachila mane, gopee-gana anveshite gelaa tabe raadhaa sookshma-mati, jaaniyaa sakheera sthiti, sakhee-madhye aasiyaa mililaa]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ethā kṛṣṇa rādhā-sane, kailā ye āchila mane, gopī-gaṇa anveṣite gelā tabe rādhā sūkṣma-mati, jāniyā sakhīra sthiti, sakhī-madhye āsiyā mililā
“In the absence of the other gopīs, Lord Kṛṣṇa behaved with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī as freely as He desired. When the gopīs began searching for Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, being of very fine intelligence and thus knowing the situation of Her friends, immediately mingled in their midst.
“Many white lotus flowers were floating in the water, and as many bluish lotus flowers came nearby. As they came close together, the white and blue lotuses collided and began fighting with one another. The gopīs on the bank of the Yamunā watched with great amusement.
“When the raised breasts of the gopīs, which resembled the globelike bodies of cakravāka birds, emerged from the water in separate couples, the bluish lotuses of Kṛṣṇa’s hands rose to cover them.
“The hands of the gopīs, which resembled red lotus flowers, arose from the water in pairs to obstruct the bluish flowers. The blue lotuses tried to plunder the white cakravāka birds, and the red lotuses tried to protect them. Thus there was a fight between the two.
“Blue and red lotus flowers are unconscious objects, whereas cakravākas are conscious and alive. Nevertheless, in ecstatic love, the blue lotuses began to taste the cakravākas. This is a reversal of their natural behavior, but in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s kingdom such reversals are a principle of His pastimes.
Purport
Generally the cakravāka bird tastes the lotus flower, but in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes the lotus, which is usually lifeless, tastes the cakravāka bird.
“The blue lotuses are friends of the sun-god, and though they all live together, the blue lotuses plunder the cakravākas. The red lotuses, however, blossom at night and are therefore strangers or enemies to the cakravākas. Yet in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes the red lotuses, which are the hands of the gopīs, protect their cakravāka breasts. This is a metaphor of contradiction.”
Purport
Because the blue lotus flower blossoms with the rising of the sun, the sun is the friend of the blue lotus. The cakravāka birds also appear when the sun rises, and therefore the cakravākas and blue lotuses meet. Although the blue lotus is a friend of the sun, in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes it nevertheless plunders their mutual friend the cakravāka. Normally, cakravākas move about whereas lotuses stand still, but herein Kṛṣṇa’s hands, which are compared to blue lotuses, attack the breasts of the gopīs, which are compared to cakravākas. This is called a reverse analogy. At night the red lotus blossoms, whereas in sunlight it closes. Therefore the red lotus is an enemy of the sun and is unknown to the sun’s friend the cakravāka. The gopīs’ breasts, however, are compared to cakravākas and their hands to red lotuses protecting them. This is a wonderful instance of reverse analogy.
atiśayokti, virodhābhāsa, dui alaṅkāra prakāśa, kari’ kṛṣṇa prakaṭa dekhāila yāhā kari’ āsvādana, ānandita mora mana, netra-karṇa-yugma juḍāila
[atishayokti, virodhaabhaasa, dui alankaara prakaasha, kari’ krishna prakata dekhaaila yaahaa kari’ aasvaadana, aanandita mora mana, netra-karna-yugma judaaila]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
atiśayokti, virodhābhāsa, dui alaṅkāra prakāśa, kari’ kṛṣṇa prakaṭa dekhāila yāhā kari’ āsvādana, ānandita mora mana, netra-karṇa-yugma juḍāila
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “In His pastimes, Kṛṣṇa displayed the two ornaments of hyperbole and reverse analogy. Tasting them brought gladness to My mind and fully satisfied My ears and eyes.
aiche vicitra krīḍā kari’, tīre āilā śrī-hari, saṅge lañā saba kāntā-gaṇa gandha-taila-mardana, āmalakī-udvartana, sevā kare tīre sakhī-gaṇa
[aiche vichitra kreedaa kari’, teere aailaa shree-hari, sange lanaa saba kaantaa-gana gandha-taila-mardana, aamalakee-udvartana, sevaa kare teere sakhee-gana]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aiche vicitra krīḍā kari’, tīre āilā śrī-hari, saṅge lañā saba kāntā-gaṇa gandha-taila-mardana, āmalakī-udvartana, sevā kare tīre sakhī-gaṇa
“After performing such wonderful pastimes, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa went up on the shore of the Yamunā River, taking with Him all His beloved gopīs. Then the gopīs on the riverbank rendered service by massaging Kṛṣṇa and the other gopīs with scented oil and smearing paste of āmalakī fruit on their bodies.
“Then they all bathed again, and after putting on dry clothing, they went to a small jeweled house, where the gopī Vṛndā arranged to dress them in forest clothing by decorating them with fragrant flowers, green leaves and all kinds of other ornaments.
“In Vṛndāvana, the trees and creepers are wonderful because throughout the entire year they produce all kinds of fruits and flowers. The gopīs and maidservants in the bowers of Vṛndāvana picked these fruits and flowers and brought them before Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
“The gopīs peeled all the fruits and placed them together on large plates on a platform in the jeweled cottage. They arranged the fruit in orderly rows for eating, and in front of it they made a place to sit.
“Among the fruits were many varieties of coconuts and mangoes, bananas, berries, jackfruits, dates, tangerines, oranges, blackberries, santarās, grapes, almonds and all kinds of dried fruit.
“There were cantaloupes, kṣīrikās, palmfruits, keśuras, water fruits, lotus fruits, bels, pīlus, pomegranates and many others. Some of them are variously known in different places, but in Vṛndāvana all of them are always available in so many thousands of varieties that no one can fully describe them.
“At home Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī had made various types of sweetmeats from milk and sugar, such as gaṅgājala, amṛtakeli, pīyūṣagranthi, karpūrakeli, sarapūrī, amṛti, padmacini and khaṇḍa-kṣīrisāra-vṛkṣa. She had then brought them all for Kṛṣṇa.
“When Kṛṣṇa saw the very nice arrangement of food, He happily sat down and had a forest picnic. Then, after Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and Her gopī friends partook of the remnants, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa lay down together in the jeweled house.
keha kare vījana, keha pāda-samvāhana, keha karāya tāmbūla bhakṣaṇa rādhā-kṛṣṇa nidrā gelā, sakhī-gaṇa śayana kailā, dekhi’ āmāra sukhī haila mana
[keha kare veejana, keha paada-samvaahana, keha karaaya taamboola bhakshana raadhaa-krishna nidraa gelaa, sakhee-gana shayana kailaa, dekhi’ aamaara sukhee haila mana]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
keha kare vījana, keha pāda-samvāhana, keha karāya tāmbūla bhakṣaṇa rādhā-kṛṣṇa nidrā gelā, sakhī-gaṇa śayana kailā, dekhi’ āmāra sukhī haila mana
“Some of the gopīs fanned Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, others massaged Their feet, and some fed Them betel leaves to chew. When Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa fell asleep, all the gopīs also lay down. When I saw this, My mind was very happy.
hena-kāle more dhari, mahā-kolāhala kari’, tumi-saba ihāṅ lañā āilā kāṅhā yamunā, vṛndāvana, kāṅhā kṛṣṇa, gopī-gaṇa, sei sukha bhaṅga karāilā!”
[hena-kaale more dhari, mahaa-kolaahala kari’, tumi-saba ihaan lanaa aailaa kaanhaa yamunaa, vrindaavana, kaanhaa krishna, gopee-gana, sei sukha bhanga karaailaa!”]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hena-kāle more dhari, mahā-kolāhala kari’, tumi-saba ihāṅ lañā āilā kāṅhā yamunā, vṛndāvana, kāṅhā kṛṣṇa, gopī-gaṇa, sei sukha bhaṅga karāilā!”
“Suddenly, all of you created a great tumult and picked Me up and brought Me back here. Where now is the river Yamunā? Where is Vṛndāvana? Where are Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs? You have broken My happy dream!”
ei ta’ kahiluṅ prabhura samudra-patana ihā yei śune, pāya caitanya-caraṇa
[ei ta’ kahilun prabhura samudra-patana ihaa yei shune, paaya chaitanya-charana]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ei ta’ kahiluṅ prabhura samudra-patana ihā yei śune, pāya caitanya-caraṇa
Thus I have described the incident of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s falling into the ocean. Anyone who listens to this pastime will certainly attain shelter at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
[shree-roopa-raghunaatha-pade yaara aasha chaitanya-charitaamrita kahe krishnadaasa]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.
Purport
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā, eighteenth chapter, describing Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s falling into the sea.