View source for Bhaktivinoda Thakura's wife became very much disturbed that, "You arrested Visnu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever." Bhaktivinoda Thakura replied, "Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished."

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{{terms|"his wife became very much disturbed that"|"You arrested Viṣṇu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever"|"Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura replied"|"Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished"}}
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[[Category:Wife Of...]]
[[Category:Bhaktivinoda Thakura]]
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[[Category:High Fever]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Festival Lectures</h3>
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And when he was arrested—he had some yogic mystic power—all the constables, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and his family member became affected with high fever, 105 degrees fever. So when he came back, his wife became very much disturbed that, "You arrested Viṣṇu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura replied, "Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished." This is the view of pure devotee.
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[[Vanisource:710903 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktivinoda Thakura - London|710903 - Lecture Festival Appearance Day, Bhaktivinoda Thakura - London]]
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So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura . . . the Jagannātha temple is managed by a body, and it is the custom that the local magistrate of the district, he becomes the president, or manager. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was manager in that sense, because he was magistrate. The managing committee was being presided by him. So there was a complaint in Orissa. This Jagannātha temple is situated in Orissa. Utkāla. Utkāla, this state, was originally belonged to Dhruva Mahārāja. His son's name was Utkāla, Mahārāja Utkāla.

Anyway, so this Utkāla, there was a pseudo yogī. He declared himself that . . . just like you'll find nowadays also, there are so many rascals declaring that, "I am incarnation of God." And they know some mystic power, play some jugglery, and foolish people take them, "Oh, he's God."

So there appeared one like such pseudo God, Viṣṇu, in a village of Orissa. And he was dancing rāsa dance, and foolish people were sending their daughters and wife to dance with him. You see? There were so many, not only that. People are so foolish, they do not know . . . they want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that, "I am God. I am Viṣṇu."

So there were sane men also. They took objection, "What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls." So they filed a complaint. At that time it was British rule. They complained to the governor or the commissioner, very high officer. The commissioner knew that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura . . .

His name was Kedāranātha Datta. Datta. Kedāranātha Datta, his household name. So the commissioner of the division, he knew that Kedāranātha Datta is a religious man, and he's magistrate in charge. So he handed over the case for inquiry, "What is this complaint? You please inquire and do the needful."

So he was a pure devotee, and he understood that, "This rascal is a bogus man, cheating people. I must inquire." So he went to the village in plain dress with some constables, police constables. They were also in plain dress. And as soon as he approached that rascal yogī, he said: "Oh, you are Kedāranātha Datta. So, very nice. You are . . . I shall make you king of India. Please don't try to bother me." Because he could know that, "He has come to inquire about my rāsa-līlā."

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura first of all said: "Sir, you are such a great yogī. Why you are in the village? Why don't you go to Jagannātha Purī? There is temple, and Lord Jagannātha is there. Better you go there and see the Lord and be happy. Why you are in this village?" "Oh, Jagannātha? Ah, that is made of wood. I am personally the Supreme Lord. That is made of wood." Oh, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura—he was a devotee—he became fire. (laughter) He was insulting. Arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ (Padma Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa 25.15-18).

According to śāstra, if somebody thinks . . . just like here is Deity. If somebody thinks, "Oh, it is made of stone . . ." It is stone to the eyes of the nondevotee, but it is personally Supreme Personality of Godhead to the devotees. It requires the eyes to see. So devotee sees in a different angle of vision.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He entered Jagannātha temple, immediately He fainted, "Oh, here is My Lord." And the nondevotee is seeing, "It is wood, a lump of wood." Therefore, to the nondevotee, He remains always as wood, but to the devotee He speaks. That is the difference. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38).

If God is everything, why wood, through wood and stone, God cannot manifest? If God is everything, according to Māyāvāda philosophy . . . that's a fact. God, omnipotent. He can express Himself even through wood and stone. That is God's omnipotency. That is called omnipotency. Not that God is unable to express Himself through wood and stone. Then how He's omnipotent? Omnipotent means His potency can be expressed through anything.

Because anything, everything is the expansion of God's energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.22.52). The whole world is manifestation of different energies of God. Therefore . . . just like through the energy of electricity the electric powerhouse, although far, far away from this place, was expressing: there is electricity. Through this glass, through these wires, the power can be expressed. There is a process.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura became very much . . . because a devotee cannot tolerate blaspheming another devotee or God. So as soon as he said that, "Why shall I go to Jagannātha Purī to see the wooden Jagannātha? I am personally Viṣṇu," Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura immediately ordered his constables, "Arrest him. Arrest this rascal." So he was arrested.

And when he was arrested—he had some yogic mystic power—all the constables, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and his family member became affected with high fever, 105 degrees fever. So when he came back, his wife became very much disturbed that, "You arrested Viṣṇu, and we are all going to die. We have got now high fever." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura replied, "Yes, let us all die, but this rascal must be punished." This is the view of pure devotee.

So he was put into the custody. And there was a date fixed for his trial, and all these days Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura himself and his family especially, they were suffering from high fever. Maybe that yogī was planning to kill all the whole family. But it was going on as fever. So on the trial day, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Kedāranātha Datta, when he came to the bench the man was presented, the so-called yogī, and he had big, big hairs.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that, "Bring one barber and cut his hair." So no barber dared. The barbers thought, "Oh, he's a Lord Viṣṇu. If I offend, as he's suffering from fever, so I shall also die." So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that, "Give me the scissor. I'll cut." So he cut his hairs and ordered him to be put into jail for six months, and in the jail that Viṣṇu incarnation managed to took some poison, and he died.

So this is one of the incidents. There are many incidences. He was very strong man. He punished many paṇḍas in the tīrthas who exploit visitors. So this is the position of devotee. In spite of his becoming a responsible magistrate, a householder, still, he was ācārya. So we have to follow the ācāryas.
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