Sastra Caksusa

seeing through the eyes of scriptures

Chapter Two
1 Splen d i d w ith many glittering jewels, and more fortunate and glorious than
all the planets of heaven, the earth goddess placed the city of Navadvipa in her
realm and set many great jewels within it.
2 Is th i s a h ost of glories that she had accumulated in one place, or is this the
famous city of Navadvipa that the earth goddess, the trees that are the hairs of her
body standing erect in ecstasy, has placed within her realm7
3 In her h e ar t thinking,"When will the Lord come7" The earth goddess
blossomed with expectation. Overcome by a host of desires, she followed the path
walked by the devotees' lotus feet.
4 The e a r t h is again home to sacred Mathura, which is now disguised as
Navadvipa. Who can describe all the pious deeds the earth goddess must have
performed that now the nectar touch of the Supreme Lord's feet fills her heart with
bliss7
5-6 Flowing from the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the beautiful, sacred, and
sweeter-than-nectar Ganges river flowed past the demigod Siva's matter locks,
locks decorated with a crescent moon and a chaplet of skulls, and eagerly entered
the realm of Navadvipa.
7 Even t h o u g h it was famous as the river of the heavenly worlds, the Ganges
flowed upon the earth. Even though is was liquid by nature, it dried up the entire
ocean of repeated birth and death. Even though it flowed from the dark form of
Lord Krsna, it was clear and fair. Even though it flowed with winding currents, it
destroyed the winding illusions of material life.
8 Eage r t o attain the fragrance of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the beautiful
Ganges flowed through the land of Navadvipa.
9 In N ava d v ipa lived many saintly and devoted brahmanas who regularly
performed the duties prescribed in the Vedas, and who were like the personified
rules of Sruti and Smrti.
10 I n N a v a d vipa lived many saintly and powerful physicians and many saintly
vaisyas devoted to their prescribed duties. Everyone who lived there was filled
with peerless glory and splendour.
11 I mpe l l ed by divine love, saintly Advaita Prabhu, the most glorious of the
devotees, decorated the land of Navadvipa. Everyone was able to gaze upon Him.
12 V e r y g e nerous, learned in all the Vedas and Agamas, the best of the
devotees, and the moon of the brahmanas, saintly Srivasa stayed always in
Navadvipa.
13 I nt e l l i g ent, born in an exalted family, learned, and travelled to the father
shore of many different branches of learning, glorious Jagannatha Misra was like a
crown decorating the brahmanas of Navadvipa.
14 V ir t u o u s, pure-hearted, exalted, intelligent, and learned in the Vedas,
Nilambara Cakravati gave his daughter in marriage to Jagannatha Misra.
15 T h a t d a u ghter, who was named Saci, was very virtuous and exalted. Even
the dear wife of the demigod Indra was not as glorious, pure, and exalted as she.
16 S t a n d ing by saintly Purandara Misra s side, Saci shone like a crescent moon
or like the other Saci by the side of King Indra.
Note: Purandara Misra is another name of Jagannatha Misra.
17 T h i s s aintly couple stayed at home and performed the duties of household
life. In time they had eight daughters, who all died, one after the other.
18 V e r y u n h a ppy, this saintly couple took shelter of the Supreme Lord's
merciful lotus feet and begged for a child.
19 T h e n th e fortunate couple gave birth to a very handsome son named
Visvarupa. The mother became very happy, and the father also showed great
pleasure in his smiling face. Their seeming poverty mocked the greatest wealth.
20 V is v a r upa was very handsome. He was splendid like the moon. Very
quickly He crossed to the father shore of the ocean of all branches of learning.
21 H e w a s very intelligent. When He was only a young boy He became learned
in all the Vedas and Agamas. Goddess Sarasvati became His submissive
maidservant. She always danced on the tip of His tongue.
22 Aft e r a li t tle time beautiful-eyed Saci become especially beautiful. She
became like the eastern horizon just before the rising of the moon.
23 S a i n t ly, fortunate, glorious Saci held in the beautiful nectar ocean of her
womb a handsome and glorious moon that was about to rise there.
24 Aft e r t h i r t een months passed in this way the very auspicious month of
Phalguna, which is the place of happiness for all the worlds, came at last.
2 5 Thin k i n g ,"The Lord will now come", Springtime, the king of all seasons,
came early. He was very eager to see the Lord.
26 W ish i n g to accompany her hero, the goddess of the beauty of spring placed
her foot in the forest, a foot decorated with anklets of wandering buzzing bees, a
foot resting upon the vines and new buds.
2 7 T hin k i n g ,"the Lord will appear," the goddess of spring carefully arranged
her garments and ornaments. When her husband approached, she sweetly smiled.
She yearned to see Him.
28 T h e b e a uty of spring gently smiled and that smile maddened the cuckoos
and made them coo very sweetly and playfully. That smile made the flowers
bloom and filled them with sweetness and honey.
29 T h e b e a uty of spring tied in braids the sweetness of the tamala forest that
was her hair, and made the black bees and blossoming vines that were here
eyebrows dance with joy.
30 H e r b e a u tiful eyes wide open, she made a crown of new flowers. Garlanded
with lavanga flowers, she built a cottage of lotus stems.
31 S h e h a p pily decorated her kesara-bud breasts with asoka flowers, kunkuma,
sweet flower-pollen and sandal paste.
32 Th e n th e ten directions became clear and pure, the sky became clear and
pure, very pure breezes blew, everyone's heart became clear and pure, and the
rivers' waters also became clear and pure.
33 The n , p l easing everyone in the world, happily embracing the full-moon
day, and again and again kissing the face of the eastern horizon, the full moon
shone with great splendour.
34 I t w a s springtime, the best of seasons. It was the bright fortnight. It was
the full-moon day, the best of days. Everything was virtuous and auspicious.
35 W ild l y h a ppy with the appearance of spring, the cuckoos sand the word
"Glory!" The bees gracefully danced. A breeze blew from the south.
36 B e a r ing the scents of many bunches of flowers and many drops of warm
water mixed with lotus pollen, and embracing each vine one by one, a gentle
breeze blew from the Malaya Hills.
37 W h e n t h e time came for the appearance of supremely auspicious Lord
Caitanya, the world became peaceful and pure. With His transcendental power the
Lord defeated the darkness of this world.
38 W h e n L o r d Caitanya appeared all directions were filled with splendour. It
was as if many moons and many lightning flashes had suddenly fallen on the earth.
39 W h e n L o r d Caitanya appeared there was an eclipse of the moon and
everyone loudly chanted "Haribol!" Had it not been for the eclipse there would
not have been this chanting of the Lord's holy names.
4Q T h i n king, "Why do we need you7 There already is another moon shining
on the earth." Rahu happily swallowed the nectar moon in the sky.
41 Fil l e d w ith the desire to enjoy pastimes of eternal love, the Supreme Lord
wished to appear in that chanting of His holy names. Look! He has flooded the
universe with the nectar of His holy names.
42 G a z i n g at the playful sprout of their newborn son's glory, the mother and
father became plunged in an ocean of joy.
43 E na b l ed by many past pious deeds, Jagannatha Misra gazed at his son and
became filled with bliss. Then he gave honestly attained wealth in charity to many
exalted brahmanas.
44 S i m p l y by the Lord's appearance all the planets became exalted and
favourable. The astrological sign was Leo and the principal star was Purvaphalguni.
45 Th e n t h e entire universe became very beautiful. It became like a great
treasury filled with jewels. In this world nothing can be beautiful without the
touch of the Supreme Lord.
46 T h e f u l l m oon and the springtime became doubly beautiful. The became
the servants of the moonlike face of the Supreme Lord, the Lord who fulfils the
most rare and unattainable of desires.
47 T h e b e a uty of unsleeping red lotus flowers again and again served the
Lord's eyes. The restless black bees worshipped His eyebrows. The splendour of
newly blossoming flowers worshipped His ears.
48 W i th g r eat beauty a new sesame flower served the Lord's nose. A round
mirror served the charming circle of the Lord's cheeks.
49 T h e n e w bandhuka flowers, the hosts of new buds, and the red coral all
worship the Lord's soft lips, which charm all the worlds.
50 T h e b r i ght and beautiful autumn moonlight serves the Lord's worldenchanting smile. Eager to become glorious like the Lord's teeth, the pearls'
splendour also worships the Lord's smile.
51 T h e s p l endour of the peerless golden conchshell takes shelter of the Lord's
neck, which is graceful with three folds of skin. The splendour of new and
glistening molten gold serves the Lord's graceful arms.
52 T h e b e a uty of many blossoming red lotus flowers with splendid and soft
petals shines in the Lord's soft and graceful hands. The buds of the campaka
flowers have taken shelter of the Lord's graceful fingers.
53 T h e s p l endour of a host of great jewels worshipped His nails. The glory of
golden Mount Meru worshipped His broad chest.
54 T h e g r a ceful and heroic slenderness of the lion's waist worshipped His
waist. The graceful flower bud worshipped His navel.
55 T h e s p l endour of the golden banana trees worshipped His gently tapering
thighs. The beauty of the red lotus flowers worshipped the soft soles of His feet.
56 S a c i and Jagannatha Misra were very pleased to see these auspicious
qualities of the Lord, and Nilambara Cakravati was also very pleased in his heart.
57 Al l the pure-hearted people became very happy."This child will deliver
many in both His father's and mother's family. He will bring them great joy," they
sald.
58 T h e n j o y f ul, noble-hearted Jagannatha Misra performed the birth ceremony
for his child. Again and again he worshipped the brahmanas with gifts of flowers,
betel nuts, fragrances and sandal paste.
59 I n t i m e Jagannatha Misra, who was honoured by the entire world, happily
performed his son's standing-up ceremony. Day after day the boy grew, and day
after day His parents' happiness overflowed.
60 I n t i m e th e Lord began to playfully crawl about with His knees to the
ground. The touch of the Lord's limbs removed all the sufferings the earth felt
because of His long absence.
61 H o w m a n y t i mes did His sweet, playful, childish words plunge the swan of
His father's heart in the waves of an ocean of nectar7
62 B e c a use the whole world would become filled with this boy's chanting of
His own holy names and with a host of His other beautiful nectar pastimes„His
noble-hearted and joyful father gave Him the name Visvambhara (the maintainer
of the worlds).
63 H i s f o r m splendid like a mountain of molten gold, His smiling face graceful
like the moon, His forehead decorated with moving black locks of hair, and His
garments the wind, the infant Lord was splendidly manifested.
64 I n H i s c h i l d h ood the Lord grew like a gradually increasing new moon. He
was like a very great and delightful jewel from the ocean of all sweetness.
65 H i s b r a c elets, belt, and necklace of coral, pearls, and jewels sweetly tinkled
as again and again He danced.
66 I n t h e c o u rse of time slowly placing His very sweet lotus feet on the
ground, the infant Lord, who is an ocean of mercy, gave relief to the earth, who
had suffered from His long absence.
67 E a g e r to play with the other boys, the charming boy Lord enjoyed a mock
fight, hitting and being hit, with new and tender twigs as the childish weapons.
68 O n e d ay, seeing her child playing in this way with the boys, kind-hearted
Mother Saci became angry and decided to catch her son. By a trick she suddenly
appeared before Him.
69 S e e ing her, the angry child Lord broke many clay pots. Seeing this,
frightened Saci tied Him up.
70 O n e d ay, climbing onto a heap of rejected clay pots, the child Mahaprabhu
preached to His mother the philosophy of jnana-yoga.
71 S e e ing her son in that unclean place, she became upset and said, "0 dear
one, leave this unclean place, bathe, and come sit on my lap."
72 H e a r i n g His mother's words, the child Mahaprabhu reflected on the nature
of matter and eternal spirit and then said, "0 mother, please hear My words.
Please abandon the illusion in your bewildered heart."
73 "This universe that you see, a universe filled with moving and unmoving
beings, is only an illusion and nothing more. 0 mother, how can an illusion be
pure or impure7 What you have said is a very surprising and unusual idea."
74 "There are not many selves. 'I' and 'mine' do not really exist. Only the one
self always exists. All else is illusion.
75 "Only one self lives in the bodies of demigods, men, and demons, bodies
made of the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and ether.
76 "Therefore everything is naturally pure. How can anything be impure in
this world7" When He had spoken these words, intelligent Saci at once grasped
her son with both hands.
77 T a k i n g Him along, she bathed her son in the Ganges' water, and in that way
she became pleased. After some time Mother Saci scolded her son with many
words.
78 "0 foolish one, why again and again do You go to the impure places7 Why
do You act so badly7" Hearing His mother's words, the Lord became angry. His
eyes became red and restless with anger.
79 "Have I not told you many times7 Nothing is impure. Everything is
spiritual. Still, you rebuke Me again and again." After speaking these words, the
Lord struck His mother with a clod of earth.
80 S t r u c k in this way, delicate Saci at once fell to the ground. Crying our,"0
mother!", and His heart melting, the Lord sat on her lap.
81 Comi n g q u i ckly, many women sprinkled water on her face. At once she
became conscious. The shower of nectar that was the touch of Her son's limbs
filled her with happiness.
82 O n e k i n d - h earted woman who was fond of joking said to Lord
Mahaprabhu, who is loved by all the worlds, "If You give Your mother a coconut,
she will become healthy again."
83 H ea r i n g her words, the Lord at once left. In a moment He returned with
two coconuts attached to their stalks.
84 S e e ing the Lord bring these difficult-to-gather fruits, the brahmana ladies
became surprised. "How did You get these fruits7", they said.
85 T h e L o r d angrily rebuked them,"What is surprising about this7 One need
not be Brahma or Siva to gather coconuts."
86 O n e n i g ht, as she rested in the same room with her small son, Saci thought
season.
she saw many people approach her house. She said to her son:
87 "Go quickly to Your father's room!" Saying, "So be it", the boy left, and
from far away, suddenly came the sweet sound of tinkling anklets on beautiful
lotus feet.
88 B o t h m o t her and father heard the tinkling of anklets on lotus feet, a
tinkling like the buzzing of bees flying over lotus flowers blossoming out of
89 F rig h t e n ed, the both said,"That is the tinkling of anklets." Delighted by
the sound of the anklets, Jagannatha Misra approached his son and embraced Him.
90 I n t i m e V i svarupa, the Lord s elder brother, attained His sixteenth year. He
had crossed to the farther shore of all virtues. He saw the Supreme Lord present
everywhere in this world.
91 H e w a s noble-hearted, all-knowing, peaceful, self-controlled, attached to
the Lord's lotus feet, and unattached to the world of matter.
92 D ec i d in g to arrange an auspicious marriage for his son, father Jagannatha
Misra searched for a suitably beautiful and virtuous bride. That very moment
Visvarupa knew everything of His father's plans.
93 Unde r s t anding His father's desire, noble Visvarupa left home, crossed the
Ganges and began a great journey. He renounced everything.
94 Vis v a r u pa, who was an ocean of virtues and who had renounced all
material duties, accepted sannyasa and wandered here and there. They who do not
desire anything in this worthless material world are never bewildered.
95 H ea r i n g of this, father Jagannatha Misra and mother Saci lamented loudly
and fell unconscious in their grief. Later, becoming a little consoled, the gave all
blessings to their son. They earnestly desired His welfare.
96 T h ey said,"Our son has taken sannyasa at a very young age. 0 fate, please
be kind to Him, so that He may remain always pious and religious."
97 I n t h i s way the unhappy couple lamented again and again. Still, their
younger son made them very happy. Placing Him on their laps, they became very
happy to have the touch of His body.
98 T h e L o r d was an ocean of mercy. His heart melted with love. With the
vines of His arms He embraced His mother and father. He spoke to them a nectar
flood of life-giving words.
9 9 H e s a i d ,"0 mother, My peaceful and renounced elder brother has now left
both you and father. From this moment I shall always serve both you and father."
100 H e aring these profound and sweet nectar words, the Lord's parents became
flooded with happiness. The hairs of their bodies stood erect.
101 Th e touch of the Lord's limbs flooded with nectar first their hearts and then
the pathway of their eyes.
102 Th e kind Lord always served and pleased them. He diligently studied His
lessons, and again and again He played with the other boys.
103 On e day, seeing that his son was very independent, father Jagannatha
rebuked Him again and again. As that night he slept, very fortunate and purehearted Jagannatha saw a dream.
104 "You say, 'My son is very independent. His heart yearns only to play.' In
this way You will not honour the person who has come before you in a golden
form.
105 "A foolish animal, unable to know what is valuable and what is not
valuable, sees and touches a great jewel, but does not know its true nature. It is
bewildered. How can it know7"
106 W i t h t h ese words a brahmana, his eyes red with anger, rebuked Jagannatha
Misra in that dream. When saintly-hearted Jagannatha awakened, he was filled
with wonder. He told everyone what he had heard.
107 H e aring of this dream, the people became filled with wonder. With their
hearts and words they became convinced that Jagannatha's son was the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. "He is the Supreme", they said.
108 On e day, standing in His home, His bodily effulgence dispelling all
darkness, the Lord said to His mother:
10cj "0 mother, please listen, and I will tell what should be done." Saci
accepted His words and said, "0 dear one, whatever You say shall certainly be
done. 0 dear one, please say it."
110 Th e Lord said,"0 mother, never eat on ekadasi." Saci, who was decorated
with great good fortune, accepted her son's order.
111 Once rejecting some betel nuts, the Lord said to His mother, "0 mother,
please protect your son's body. I am trembling."
112 T hen Lord Mahaprabhu fell, like many millions of lightning flashes, to the
ground. Seeing that He was unconscious, agitated Saci sprinkled Him with
Ganges' water again and again.
113 Then the Lord became conscious again. He opened His glistening lotus
eyes and He stood up. He shone like an autumn moon.
114 H e aring of this, father Jagannatha expressed his surprised. He said, "What
is this7 What is this7"
115 Wh o can understand the Lord's heart, intentions, true nature, and
pastimes7 Even powerful Brahma and Siva and even all the Vedas cannot
understand Him.
116 In the brief time He stayed at His guru's home all branches of learning
eagerly entered Him. They were like rivers flowing into the ocean.
117 In t ime the Lord s father became old, infirm, and feverish. Seeing His father
like this, the unhappy Lord took him to the Ganges' shore.
118 Un h appy at heart, the Lord placed to His chest His father's feet and said, "0
father, how can you leave me, a child, all alone7 Where will you go7"
llcj Hearing the Lord's pleasing nectar words, at the last moment father
Jagannatha, the best of brahmanas, said to his son, "If You place me at Lord
Raghunatha's feet I shall be happy."
120 T hen mother Saci clasped her husband's lotus feet. With a choked voice
she lamented again and again. She showered him with the tears from her eyes.
121 She said, "0 master, will you leave me and make me cry like an unhappy
kurari bird7 Where will you go7 Your servant-girl is very unhappy."
122 As the people chanted the Lord's holy names and the demigods in heaven
showered sumanah flowers, father Jagannatha left this world at that place by the
Ganges.

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