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BY: SUN STAFF
Sri Nityananda Prabhu throws rice at Advaita Acarya
Nov 16, 2020 — CANADA (SUN) — The Sankirtan travels and prasadam pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
"Advaita Acarya said, "You have been fasting continuously for three days in Your ecstasy of love for Krsna. I therefore invite You to My home, where You may kindly take Your alms. Come with Me to My residence." Advaita Prabhu continued, "At My home I have just cooked one palmful of rice. The vegetables are always very simple. There is no luxurious cooking--simply a little liquid vegetable and spinach." Saying this, Sri Advaita Acarya took the Lord into the boat and brought the Lord to His residence. There Advaita Acarya washed the feet of the Lord and was consequently very happy within. All the eatables were first cooked by the wife of Advaita Acarya. Then Srila Advaita Acarya personally offered everything to Lord Visnu. PURPORT: This is the ideal householder's life. The husband and wife live together, and the husband works very hard to secure paraphernalia for worshiping Lord Visnu. The wife at home cooks a variety of foods for Lord Visnu, and the husband offers it to the Deity. After that, arati is performed, and the prasada is distributed amongst family members and guests. According to the Vedic principles, there must always be a guest in a householder's house. In my childhood I have actually seen my father receive not less than four guests every day, and in those days my father's income was not very great. Nonetheless, there was no difficulty in offering prasada to at least four guests every day. According to Vedic principles, a householder, before taking lunch, should go outside and shout very loudly to see if there is anyone without food. In this way he invites people to take prasada. If someone comes, the householder offers him prasada, and if there is not much left, he should offer his own portion to the guest. If no one responds to his call, the householder can accept his own lunch. Thus the householder's life is also a kind of austerity. Because of this, the householder's life is called the grhastha-asrama. Although a person may live with his wife and children happily in Krsna consciousness, he also observes the regulative principles followed in any temple. If there is no Krsna consciousness, the householder's abode is called a grhamedhi's house. Householders in Krsna consciousness are actually grhasthas--that is, those living in the asrama with their families and children. Sri Advaita Prabhu was an ideal grhastha, and His house was the ideal grhastha-asrama. All the prepared food was divided into three equal parts. One part was arranged on a metal plate for offering to Lord Krsna. PURPORT: The word badaila, meaning "increased," is very significant in this verse. It is a sophisticated word used by the grhasthas in Bengal. Whenever food is prepared and we take away a portion, the food is actually decreased. But here it is the system to say badaila, or "increased." If food is prepared for Krsna and offered to Him and the Vaisnavas, the stock is increased, never decreased. Of the three divisions, one was arranged on a metal plate, and the other two were arranged on plantain leaves. These leaves were not bifurcated, and they were taken from a banana tree that held at least thirty-two bunches of bananas. The two plates were filled very nicely with the kinds of food described below. The cooked rice was a stack of very fine grains nicely cooked, and in the middle was yellow clarified butter from the milk of cows. Surrounding the stack of rice were pots made of the skins of banana trees, and in these pots were varieties of vegetables and mung dal. Among the cooked vegetables were patolas, squash, manakacu and a salad made with pieces of ginger and various types of spinach. There was sukhta, bitter melon mixed with all kinds of vegetables, defying the taste of nectar. There were five types of bitter and pungent sukhtas. Amongst the various vegetables were newly grown leaves of nimba trees fried with eggplant. The fruit known as patola was fried with phulabadi, a kind of dal preparation first mashed and then dried in the sun. There was also a preparation known as kusmanda-manacaki. PURPORT: We request our editors of cookbooks to add all these nice preparations described by the experienced author Srila Kaviraja Gosvami. The preparation made with coconut pulp mixed with curd and rock candy was very sweet. There was a curry made of banana flowers and squash boiled in milk, all in great quantity. There were small cakes in sweet and sour sauce and five or six kinds of sour preparations. All the vegetables were so made that everyone present could take prasada. There were soft cakes made with mung dal, soft cakes made with ripe bananas, and soft cakes made with urad dal. There were various kinds of sweetmeats, condensed milk mixed with rice cakes, a coconut preparation and every kind of cake desirable. All the vegetables were served in pots made of banana leaves taken from trees producing at least thirty-two bunches of bananas. These pots were very strong and big and did not tilt or totter. All around the three eating places were a hundred pots filled with various kinds of vegetables. Along with the various vegetables was sweet rice mixed with ghee. This was kept in new earthen pots. Earthen pots filled with highly condensed milk were placed in three places. Besides the other preparations, there were chipped rice made with milk and mixed with bananas, and also white squash boiled in milk. Indeed, it is not possible to describe all the preparations that were made. In two places there were earthen pots filled with another preparation made with yogurt, sandesa [a sweetmeat made with curd] and banana. I am unable to describe it all. Upon the stack of boiled rice and all the vegetables were flowers of the tulasi trees. There were also pots filled with scented rosewater. There were three sitting places where soft cloths were placed. Thus Lord Krsna was offered all the food, and the Lord took it very pleasantly. It is the system, after offering food, to perform bhoga-arati. Advaita Prabhu asked the two brothers, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, to come see the arati. The two Lords and all others present went to see the arati ceremony. After arati was performed for the Deities in the temple, Lord Krsna was made to lie down to rest. Advaita Acarya then came out to submit something to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Advaita Prabhu said, "My dear Lords, kindly enter this room." The two brothers, Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, then came forward to take the prasada. When Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu went to accept the prasada, They both called Mukunda and Haridasa to come with Them. However, Mukunda and Haridasa, both with folded hands, spoke as follows. When Mukunda was called for, he submitted, "My dear sir, I have something to do that is not yet finished. Later I shall accept the prasada, so You two Prabhus should now please enter the room." Haridasa Thakura said, "I am the most sinful and lowest among men. Later I shall eat one palmful of prasada while waiting outside." PURPORT: Although the Hindus and Muslims lived together in a very friendly manner, still there were distinctions between them. The Muslims were considered yavanas, or low-born, and whenever a Muslim was invited, he would be fed outside of the house. Although personally called by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu to take prasada with Them, still, out of great humility, Haridasa Thakura submitted, "I shall take the prasada outside of the house." Although Haridasa Thakura was an exalted Vaisnava accepted by Advaita Acarya, Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, nonetheless, in order not to disturb social tranquillity, he humbly kept himself in the position of a Muslim, outside the jurisdiction of the Hindu community. Therefore he proposed to take prasada outside the house. Although he was in an exalted position and equal to other great Vaisnavas, he considered himself a papistha, a most sinful man, and adhama, the lowest among men. Although a Vaisnava may be very much advanced spiritually, he keeps himself externally humble and submissive. Advaita Acarya took Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu within the room, and the two Lords saw the arrangement of the prasada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was especially very much pleased. PURPORT: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was pleased because He saw how nicely so many varieties of food were prepared for Krsna. Actually all kinds of prasada are prepared for Krsna, not for the people, but the devotees partake of prasada with great pleasure. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu approved of all the methods employed in cooking and offering food to Krsna. Indeed, He was so pleased that He said, "Frankly, I will personally take the lotus feet of anyone who can offer Krsna such nice food and place those lotus feet on My head birth after birth." When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entered the room, He saw three divisions of food, and He knew that all of these were meant for Krsna. However, He did not understand the intentions of Advaita Acarya. PURPORT: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that one of these servings was offered in a metal dish and was meant for Krsna, whereas the other two were placed on big banana leaves. The offering on the metal plate was personally offered by Advaita Acarya to Krsna. The other two servings, on banana leaves, were to be accepted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda. That was Advaita Acarya's intention, but He did not disclose this to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw the food offered in three places, He thought that all of it was meant for Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Let Us sit down in these three places, and We shall take prasada." However, Advaita Acarya said, "I shall distribute the prasada." Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu thought that all three servings were meant for distribution; therefore He asked for another two banana leaves, saying, "Let Us have a very little quantity of vegetable and rice." Advaita Acarya said, "Just sit down here on these seats." Catching Their hands, He sat Them both down. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "It is not proper for a sannyasi to eat such a variety of foods. If he does, how can he control his senses?" PURPORT: The word upakarana indicates a variety of foods, such as dal, vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat very nicely with rice. It is not proper, however, for a sannyasi to eat such palatable dishes. If he did so, he would not be able to control his senses. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not encourage sannyasis to eat very palatable dishes, for the whole Vaisnava cult is vairagya-vidya, as renounced as possible. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also advised Raghunatha dasa Gosvami not to eat very palatable dishes, wear very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all prohibited for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept anything to eat that is not first offered to Krsna. All the rich foods offered to Krsna are given to the grhasthas, the householders. There are many nice things offered to Krsna--garlands, bedsteads, nice ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared pan, betel nuts--but a humble Vaisnava, thinking his body material and nasty, does not accept such preparations for himself. He thinks that by accepting such things he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. Those who are sahajiyas cannot understand what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu meant when He asked Advaita Acarya to bring two separate leaves and give a small quantity of the prasada to Him. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not accept the food that had already been served, Advaita Acarya said, "Please give up Your concealment. I know what You are, and I know the confidential meaning of Your accepting the sannyasa order." Advaita Acarya thus requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to eat and give up juggling words. The Lord replied, "I certainly cannot eat so much food." Advaita Acarya then requested the Lord to simply accept the prasada without pretense. If He could not eat it all, the balance could be left on the plate. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "I will not be able to eat so much food, and it is not the duty of a sannyasi to leave remnants." According to Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.18.19): tatopasprsya vag-yatah vibhajya pavitam sesam bhunjitasesam ahrtam "A sannyasi should take whatever edibles he gets from a householder's house, outside near some lake or river, and after offering the food to Visnu, Brahma and the sun (three divisions), he should eat the entire offering and not leave anything for others to eat." In this connection Advaita Acarya referred to Caitanya Mahaprabhu's eating at Jagannatha Puri. Lord Jagannatha and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are identical. Advaita Acarya pointed out that at Jagannatha Puri Caitanya Mahaprabhu ate fifty-four times a day, and each time He ate many hundreds of pots of food. Sri Advaita Acarya said, "The amount of food that three people can eat does not constitute even a morsel for You. In proportion to that, these edibles are not even five morsels of food for You." Advaita Acarya continued, "By My great fortune You have just come to My home. Please do not juggle words. Just begin eating and do not talk." Upon saying this, Advaita Acarya supplied water to the two Lords so that They could wash Their hands. The two Lords then sat down and, smiling, began to eat the prasada. Nityananda Prabhu said, "I have undergone fasting for three days continuously. Today I hoped to break My fast." Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was thinking that the quantity of food was enormous, Nityananda Prabhu, on the contrary, thought it not even a morsel. He had been fasting for three days and had greatly hoped to break fast on that day. Indeed, He said, "Although I am invited to eat by Advaita Acarya, today also is a fast. So small a quantity of food will not even fill half My belly." Advaita Acarya replied, "Sir, You are a mendicant traveling on pilgrimage. Sometimes You eat fruits and roots, and sometimes You simply go on fasting. "I am a poor brahmana, and You have come to My home. Please be satisfied with whatever little food You have received and give up Your greedy mentality." Lord Nityananda Prabhu replied, "Whatever I may be, You have invited Me. Therefore You must supply as much as I want to eat." His Divine Grace Advaita Acarya, after hearing the statement of Nityananda Prabhu, took the opportunity presented by the joking words and spoke to Him as follows. Advaita Acarya said, "You are a reject paramahamsa, and You have accepted the renounced order of life just to fill up Your belly. I can understand that Your business is to give trouble to brahmanas." PURPORT: There is always a difference of opinion between a smarta-brahmana and a Vaisnava gosvami. There are even smarta opinions and Vaisnava gosvami opinions available in astrological and astronomical calculations. By calling Nityananda Prabhu a bhrasta avadhuta (a rejected paramahamsa), Advaita Acarya Prabhu in a sense accepted Nityananda Prabhu as a paramahamsa. In other words, Nityananda Prabhu had nothing to do with the rules governing smarta-brahmanas. Thus under pretense of condemning Him, Advaita Acarya was actually praising Him. In the avadhuta stage, the paramahamsa stage, which is the supermost stage, one may appear to be visayi, on the platform of sense gratification, but in actuality he has nothing to do with sense gratification. At that stage, a person sometimes accepts the symptoms and dress of a sannyasi and sometimes does not. Sometimes he dresses like a householder. We should know, however, that these are all joking words between Advaita Acarya and Nityananda Prabhu. They are not to be taken as insults. In Khadadaha, sometimes people misunderstood Nityananda Prabhu to belong to the sakta-sampradaya, whose philosophy is antah saktah bahih saivah sabhayam vaisnavo matah. According to the sakta-sampradaya, a person called kaulavadhuta thinks materially while externally appearing to be a great devotee of Lord Siva. When such a person is in an assembly of Vaisnavas, he appears like a Vaisnava. Actually Nityananda Prabhu did not belong to such a community. Nityananda Prabhu was always a brahmacari of a sannyasi of the vaidika order. Actually He was a paramahamsa. Sometimes He is accepted to be a disciple of Laksmipati Tirtha. If He is so accepted, Nityananda Prabhu belonged to the Madhva-sampradaya. He did not belong to the tantrika-sampradaya of Bengal. Advaita Acarya accused Nityananda Prabhu, saying, "You can eat ten to twenty manas of rice. I am a poor brahmana. How shall I get so much rice? PURPORT: A mana is a measurement containing about four kilos. "Whatever You have, though it be a palmful of rice, please eat it and get up. Don't show Your madness and strew the remnants of food here and there." In this way, Nityananda Prabhu and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu ate and talked with Advaita Acarya jokingly. After eating half of each vegetable preparation given to Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu abandoned it and went on to the next. As soon as half of the vegetable in the pot was finished, Advaita Acarya filled it up again. In this way, as the Lord finished half of a preparation, Advaita Acarya again and again filled it up. After filling a pot with vegetables, Advaita Acarya requested Them to eat more, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "How much more can I go on eating?" Advaita Acarya said, "Please do not give up whatever I have already given You. Now, whatever I am giving, You may eat half and leave half." In this way, by submitting various humble requests, Advaita Acarya made Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda eat. Thus Caitanya Mahaprabhu fulfilled all the desires of Advaita Acarya. Again Nityananda Prabhu jokingly said, "My belly is not yet filled up. Please take away Your food. I have not taken the least of it." After saying this, Nityananda Prabhu took a handful of rice and threw it on the floor in front of Him, as if He were angry. When two or four pieces of the thrown rice touched His body, Advaita Acarya began to dance in various ways with the rice still stuck to His body. When the rice thrown by Nityananda Prabhu touched His body, Advaita Acarya thought Himself purified by the touch of remnants thrown by Paramahamsa Nityananda. Therefore He began dancing. PURPORT: The word avadhuta refers to one above all rules and regulations. Sometimes, not observing all the rules and regulations of a sannyasi, Nityananda Prabhu exhibited the behavior of a mad avadhuta. He threw the remnants of food on the ground, and some of these remnants touched the body of Advaita Acarya. Advaita Acarya accepted this happily because He presented Himself as a member of the community of smarta-brahmanas. By touching the remnants of food thrown by Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acarya immediately felt Himself purified of all smarta contamination. The remnants of food left by a pure Vaisnava are called maha-maha-prasada. This is completely spiritual and is identified with Lord Visnu. Such remnants are not ordinary. The spiritual master is to be considered on the stage of paramahamsa and beyond the jurisdiction of the varnasrama institution. The remnants of food left by the spiritual master and similar paramahamsas or pure Vaisnavas are purifying. When an ordinary person touches such prasada, his mind is purified, and his mind is raised to the status of a pure brahmana. The behavior and statements of Advaita Acarya are meant for the understanding of ordinary people who are unaware of the strength of spiritual values, not knowing the potency of food left by the bona fide spiritual master and pure Vaisnavas. Advaita Acarya jokingly said, "My dear Nityananda, I invited You, and indeed I have received the results. You have no fixed caste or dynasty. By nature You are a madman. PURPORT: The words sahaje pagala ("by nature a madman") indicate that Nityananda Prabhu was transcendentally situated on the paramahamsa stage. Because He always remembered Radha-Krsna and Their service, this was transcendental madness. Sri Advaita Acarya was pointing out this fact. "To make Me a madman like Yourself, You have thrown the remnants of Your food at Me. You did not even fear the fact that I am a brahmana." PURPORT: The words apanara sama indicate that Advaita Acarya considered Himself to belong to the smarta-brahmanas, and He considered Nityananda Prabhu to be on the transcendental stage with pure Vaisnavas. Lord Nityananda gave Advaita Acarya His remnants to situate Him on the same platform and make Him a pure unalloyed Vaisnava or paramahamsa. Advaita Acarya's statement indicates that a paramahamsa Vaisnava is transcendentally situated. A pure Vaisnava is not subject to the rules and regulations of the smarta-brahmanas. That was the reason for Advaita Acarya's stating, apanara sama more karibara tare: "to raise Me to Your own standard." A pure Vaisnava, or a person on the paramahamsa stage, accepts the remnants of food (maha-prasada) as spiritual. He does not consider it to be material or sense gratificatory. He accepts maha-prasada not as ordinary dal and rice but as spiritual substance. To say nothing of the remnants of food left by a pure Vaisnava, prasada is never polluted even if it is touched by the mouth of a candala. Indeed, it retains its spiritual value. Therefore by eating or touching such maha-prasada, a brahmana is not degraded. There is no question of being polluted by touching the remnants of such food. Actually, by eating such maha-prasada, one is freed from all the contaminations of the material condition. That is the verdict of the sastra. Nityananda Prabhu replied, "These are the remnants of food left by Lord Krsna. If You take them to be ordinary remnants, You have committed an offense." PURPORT: In the Brhad-visnu Purana it is stated that one who considers maha-prasada to be equal to ordinary rice and dal certainly commits a great offense. Ordinary edibles are touchable and untouchable, but there are no such dualistic considerations where prasada is concerned. prasada is transcendental, and there are no transformations or contaminations, just as there are no contaminations or transformations in the body of Lord Visnu Himself. Thus even if one is a brahmana he is certain to be attacked by leprosy and bereft of all family members if he makes such dualistic considerations. Such an offender goes to hell, never to return. This is the injunction of the Brhad-visnu Purana. Srila Nityananda Prabhu continued, "If you invite at least one hundred sannyasis to Your home and feed them sumptuously, Your offense will be nullified." Advaita Acarya replied, "I shall never again invite another sannyasi, for it is a sannyasi who has spoiled all My brahminical smrti regulations." After this, Advaita Acarya made the Lords wash Their hands and mouths. He then took Them to a nice bed and made Them lie down to take rest. Sri Advaita Acarya fed the two Lords cloves and cardamom mixed with tulasi flowers. Thus there was a good flavor within Their mouths. Sri Advaita Acarya then smeared the bodies of the Lords with sandalwood pulp and then placed very fragrant flower garlands on Their chests. When the Lord lay down on the bed, Advaita Acarya waited to massage His legs, but the Lord was very hesitant and spoke as follows to Advaita Acarya. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Advaita Acarya, You have made Me dance in various ways. Now give up this practice. Go with Mukunda and Haridasa and accept Your lunch." PURPORT: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is here telling Advaita Acarya that it is not befitting for a sannyasi to accept nice beds to lie on or to chew cloves and cardamom and have his body smeared with sandalwood pulp. Nor is it befitting for him to accept fragrant garlands and have his legs massaged by a pure Vaisnava. "You have already made Me dance according to Your vow," Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. "Now please stop it. You can go and take Your lunch with Mukunda and Haridasa." Thereupon Advaita Acarya took prasada with Mukunda and Haridasa, and they all wholeheartedly ate as much as they desired. When the people of Santipura heard that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was staying there, they all immediately came to see His lotus feet. Being very pleased, all the people loudly began to shout the holy name of the Lord, "Hari! Hari!" Indeed, they became struck with wonder upon seeing the beauty of the Lord. They saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's very fair-complexioned body and its bright luster, which conquered the brilliance of the sun. Over and above this was the beauty of the saffron garments that glittered upon His body. People came and went with great pleasure. There was no calculating how many people assembled there before the day was over. As soon as it was evening, Advaita Acarya began the congregational chanting. He even began to dance Himself, and the Lord saw the performance. When Advaita Acarya began to dance, Nityananda Prabhu began dancing behind Him. Haridasa Thakura, being very pleased, also began dancing behind Him. Advaita Acarya said, " 'My dear friends, what shall I say? Today I have received the highest transcendental pleasure. After many, many days, Lord Krsna is in My house.' " PURPORT: This is a song composed by Vidyapati. Sometimes the word madhava is misunderstood to refer to Madhavendra Puri. Advaita Acarya was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri, and consequently some people think that He was referring to Madhavendra Puri by using the word madhava. But actually this is not the fact. This song was composed to commemorate the separation of Krsna from Radharani during Krsna's absence in Mathura. It is thought that this song was sung by Srimati Radharani when Krsna returned. It is technically called Mathura-viraha. Advaita Acarya led the sankirtana party, and with great pleasure He sang this verse. There was a manifestation of ecstatic perspiration, shivering, raised hairs, tears in the eyes and sometimes thundering and bellowing. While dancing, Advaita Acarya would sometimes turn around and around and catch the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Advaita Acarya would then speak to Him as follows. Sri Advaita Acarya would say, "Many days You escaped Me by bluffing. Now I have You in My home, and I will keep You bound up." So speaking, Advaita Acarya performed congregational chanting with great pleasure for three hours that night and danced all the time. When Advaita Acarya danced in that way, Lord Caitanya felt ecstatic love for Krsna, and because of His separation, the waves and flames of love increased. Being agitated by the ecstasy, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu suddenly fell to the ground. Seeing this, Advaita Acarya stopped dancing. When Mukunda saw the ecstasy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he understood the feelings of the Lord and began to sing many stanzas augmenting the force of the Lord's ecstasy. Advaita Acarya raised the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to help Him dance, but the Lord, after hearing the stanzas sung by Mukunda, could not be held due to His bodily symptoms. Tears fell from His eyes, and His whole body trembled. His hair stood on end, He perspired heavily, and His words faltered. Sometimes He stood, and sometimes He fell. And sometimes He cried. Mukunda sang, " 'My dear intimate friend! What has not happened to me! Due to the effects of the poison of love for Krsna, my body and mind have been severely afflicted. PURPORT: When Mukunda saw that Caitanya Mahaprabhu was feeling ecstatic pain and manifesting ecstatic bodily symptoms, all due to feelings of separation from Krsna, he sang songs about meeting with Krsna. Advaita Acarya also stopped dancing. " 'My feeling is like this: My mind burns day and night, and I can get no rest. If there were someplace I could go to meet Krsna, I would immediately fly there.' " This stanza was sung by Mukunda in a very sweet voice, but as soon as Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this stanza, His mind went to pieces. The transcendental ecstatic symptoms of disappointment, moroseness, pleasure, restlessness, pride and humility all began to fight like soldiers within the Lord. PURPORT: Harsa is described in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Harsa is experienced when one finally attains the desired goal of life and consequently becomes very glad. When harsa is present, the body shivers, and one's bodily hairs stand on end. There are perspiration, tears and an outburst of passion and madness. The mouth becomes swollen, and one experiences inertia and illusion. When a person attains his desired object and feels very fortunate, the luster of his body increases. Because of his own qualities and feelings of greatness, he does not care for anyone else, and this is called garva, or pride. In this condition one utters prayers and does not reply to others' inquiries. Seeing one's own body, concealing one's desires and not heeding the words of others are symptoms visible in the ecstasy of garva. The entire body of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to totter due to the onslaught of various ecstatic symptoms. As a result, He immediately fell on the ground, and His breathing almost stopped. Upon seeing the condition of the Lord, all the devotees became very anxious. Then, suddenly, the Lord got up and began to make thundering sounds. Upon standing up, the Lord said, "Go on speaking! Go on speaking!" Thus He began to dance, overwhelmed with pleasure. No one could understand the strong waves of this ecstasy. Lord Nityananda began to walk with Caitanya Mahaprabhu to see that He would not fall, and Advaita Acarya and Haridasa Thakura followed Them, dancing. In this way the Lord danced for at least three hours. Sometimes the symptoms of ecstasy were visible, including pleasure, moroseness and many other waves of ecstatic emotional love. The Lord had been fasting for three days, and after that period He took eatables sumptuously. Thus when He danced and jumped high, He became a little fatigued. Being fully absorbed in love of Godhead, He would not understand His fatigue. But Nityananda Prabhu, catching Him, stopped His dancing. Although the Lord was fatigued, Nityananda Prabhu kept Him steady by holding Him. At that time Advaita Acarya suspended the chanting and, by rendering various services to the Lord, made Him lie down to take rest. For ten continuous days Advaita Acarya held feasting and chanting in the evening. He served the Lord in this way without any change."
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya lila 3:38-136
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Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
