Sanātana Gosvāmī (formerly known as Sākara Mallika) was in the cabinet service of the Bengal government under the regime of Nawab Hussain Shah. He decided to join with the Lord and thus retired from the service. On His way back from Vṛndāvana, when He reached Vārāṇasī, the Lord became the guest of Śrī Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, assisted by a Mahārāṣṭra brāhmaṇa. At that time Vārāṇasī was headed by a great sannyāsī of the Māyāvāda school named Śrīpāda Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. When the Lord was at Vārāṇasī, the people in general became more attracted to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu on account of His mass saṅkīrtana movement. Wherever He visited, especially the Viśvanātha temple, thousands of pilgrims would follow Him. Some were attracted by His bodily features, and others were attracted by His melodious songs glorifying the Lord.
Tapana Misra
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Preface and Introduction
On His way back from Vṛndāvana He first came to Prayāga, where He met Rūpa Gosvāmī along with his younger brother, Anupama. Then He came down to Vārāṇasī (Benares), where he became the guest of Śrī Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, assisted by a Mahārāṣṭra brāhmaṇa. At that time Vārāṇasī was headed by a great sannyāsī of the Māyāvāda school named Śrīpāda Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. When the Lord was at Vārāṇasī, the people in general became more attracted to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu on account of His mass saṅkīrtana movement. Wherever He visited, especially the Viśvanātha temple, thousands of pilgrims would follow Him. Some were attracted by His bodily features, and others were attracted by His melodious songs glorifying the Lord.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
As a matter of principle, Lord Caitanya regularly accepted His food at the house of Tapana Miśra. He never mixed with other sannyāsīs, nor did He accept invitations from them.
When Sanātana Gosvāmī came from Bengal, he met Lord Caitanya at the house of Tapana Miśra, where Lord Caitanya remained continuously for two months to teach him devotional service.
While Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was instructing Sanātana Gosvāmī, both Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra became very unhappy. Therefore they submitted an appeal unto the lotus feet of the Lord.
One should be very meek and humble in his personal transactions, and if insulted a Vaiṣṇava should be tolerant and not angry. But if there is blasphemy against one's guru or another Vaiṣṇava, one should be as angry as fire. This was exhibited by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. One should not tolerate blasphemy against a Vaiṣṇava but should immediately take one of three actions. If someone blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava, one should stop him with arguments and higher reason. If one is not expert enough to do this he should give up his life on the spot, and if he cannot do this, he must go away. While Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in Benares or Kāśī, the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs blasphemed Him in many ways because although He was a sannyāsī He was indulging in chanting and dancing. Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara heard this criticism, and it was intolerable for them because they were great devotees of Lord Caitanya. They could not stop it, however, and therefore they appealed to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu because this blasphemy was so intolerable that they had decided to give up their lives.
He, therefore, avoiding nondevotees, preaches to the innocent. However, the mahā-bhāgavata or uttama-adhikārī, the devotee in the highest stage of devotional life, does not see anyone as being against the Vaiṣṇava principles, for he regards everyone as a Vaiṣṇava but himself. This is the essence of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction that one be more tolerant than a tree and think oneself lower than the straw in the street (tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā). However, even if a devotee is in the uttama-bhāgavata status he must come down to the second status of life, madhyama-adhikārī, to be a preacher, for a preacher should not tolerate blasphemy against another Vaiṣṇava. Although a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī also cannot tolerate such blasphemy, he is not competent to stop it by citing śāstric evidences. Therefore Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara are understood to be kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs because they could not refute the arguments of the sannyāsīs in Benares. They appealed to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take action, for they felt that they could not tolerate such criticism although they also could not stop it.
While Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara were thus talking with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He only smiled slightly and remained silent. At that time a brāhmaṇa came there to meet the Lord.
Because the blasphemy was cast against Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, He did not feel sorry, and therefore He was smiling. This is ideal Vaiṣṇava behavior. One should not become angry upon hearing criticism of himself, but if other Vaiṣṇavas are criticized one must be prepared to act as previously suggested. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very compassionate for His pure devotees Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara; therefore by His grace this brāhmaṇa immediately came to Him. By His omnipotency the Lord created this situation for the happiness of His devotees.
Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara appealed to the lotus feet of the Lord regarding their grief at the criticism of Him by the sannyāsīs in Benares. Caitanya Mahāprabhu merely smiled, yet He wanted to fulfill the desires of His devotees, and the opportunity came when the brāhmaṇa came to request Him to accept his invitation to be present in the midst of the other sannyāsīs. This coincidence was made possible by the omnipotency of the Lord.
Hearing the arguments of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and seeing His victory, Candraśekhara, Tapana Miśra and Sanātana Gosvāmī were all extremely pleased.
Here is an example of how a sannyāsī should preach. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Vārāṇasī, He went there alone, not with a big party. Locally, however, He made friendships with Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra, and Sanātana Gosvāmī also came to see Him. Therefore, although He did not have many friends there, due to His sound preaching and His victory in arguing with the local sannyāsīs on the Vedānta philosophy, He became greatly famous in that part of the country, as explained in the next verse.
Somehow or other Sanātana Gosvāmī reached Vārāṇasī and met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the house of Candraśekhara. By the order of the Lord, Sanātana Gosvāmī was cleanly shaved and his dress changed to that of a mendicant, or bābājī. He put on old garments of Tapana Miśra's and took prasādam at the house of a Maharashtrian brāhmaṇa. Then, in discourses with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Lord Himself explained everything about devotional service to Sanātana Gosvāmī. He advised Sanātana Gosvāmī to write books on devotional service, including a book of directions for Vaiṣṇava activities, and to excavate the lost places of pilgrimage in Vṛndāvana. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him His blessings to do all this work and also explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī the import of the ātmārāma verse from sixty-one different angles of vision.
The prominent devotees at Vārāṇasī were the physician Candraśekhara, Tapana Miśra and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, Tapana Miśra's son. When Lord Caitanya came to Vārāṇasī after seeing Vṛndāvana, for two months He lived at the residence of Candraśekhara Vaidya and accepted prasādam at the house of Tapana Miśra.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in Bengal, Tapana Miśra approached Him to discuss spiritual advancement. Thus he was favored by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and received hari-nāma initiation. After that, by the order of the Lord, Tapana Miśra resided in Vārāṇasī, and when Lord Caitanya visited Vārāṇasī He would accept prasādam at the home of Tapana Miśra.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Miśra, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, who was then a boy, washed His dishes and massaged His legs.
Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, or Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, one of the Six Gosvāmīs, was the son of Tapana Miśra. Born in approximately 1425 Śakābda (A.D. 1503), he was expert in reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and in Antya-līlā, Chapter Thirteen, it is stated that he was also expert in cooking; whatever he cooked would be nectarean. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was greatly pleased to accept the food that he cooked, and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa used to take the remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya lived for eight months in Jagannātha Purī, after which Lord Caitanya ordered him to go to Vṛndāvana to join Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya not to marry but to remain a brahmacārī, and He also ordered him to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam constantly. Thus he went to Vṛndāvana, where he engaged in reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
This chapter fully describes Lord Caitanya's kaiśora-līlā, or the activities He performed just before attaining youth. During this time He studied deeply and was victorious over greatly learned scholars. During His kaiśora-līlā the Lord also sported in the water. He went to East Bengal to secure financial assistance, cultivate knowledge and introduce the saṅkīrtana movement, and there He met Tapana Miśra, whom He instructed about spiritual advancement and ordered to go to Vārāṇasī. While Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was touring East Bengal, His wife, Lakṣmīdevī, was bitten by a serpent or by the serpent of separation, and thus she left this world. When the Lord returned home, He saw that His mother was overwhelmed with grief because of Lakṣmīdevī’s death. Therefore at her request He later married His second wife, Viṣṇupriyā-devī.
In East Bengal there was a brāhmaṇa named Tapana Miśra, who could not ascertain the objective of life or how to attain it.
Man has a general tendency toward fruitive activities, religious ritualistic ceremonies and philosophical speculation. A living entity thus bewildered since time immemorial does not understand the real goal of life, and thus his activities in life are wasted. Innocent persons misled in this way are deprived of unalloyed kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord. Tapana Miśra is a vivid example of such a person. He was a learned scholar, but he could not ascertain what the goal of life is. Therefore he was given a chance to hear Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructing Sanātana Gosvāmī. Lord Caitanya's instruction to Tapana Miśra is especially significant for persons who loiter here and there collecting books and reading none of them, thus becoming bewildered regarding the aim of life.
Tapana Miśra, being thus bewildered, was directed by a brāhmaṇa in a dream to go to Nimāi Paṇḍita (Caitanya Mahāprabhu).
After seeing the dream, Tapana Miśra came to the shelter of Lord Caitanya's lotus feet, and he described all the details of the dream to the Lord.
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based upon this instruction of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra regularly and according to the prescribed principles. We simply ask our Western students to chant at least sixteen rounds a day, but sometimes we find that they fail to chant even these sixteen rounds, and instead they bring many austere books and a worshiping method that diverts their attention in so many ways. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult is based upon the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Lord Caitanya first advised Tapana Miśra to fix his mind on this chanting. We, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, must strictly follow this advice of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Tapana Miśra desired to live with the Lord in Navadvīpa, but the Lord asked him to go to Vārāṇasī (Benares).
The Lord assured Tapana Miśra that they would meet again in Vārāṇasī. Receiving this order, Tapana Miśra went there.
I cannot understand the inconceivable pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for although Tapana Miśra wanted to live with Him in Navadvīpa, the Lord advised him to go to Vārāṇasī.
When Tapana Miśra met Him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was living in household life, and there was no indication that in the future He would accept the sannyāsa order. But by asking Tapana Miśra to go to Vārāṇasī, He indicated that in the future He would accept sannyāsa and that when He would teach Sanātana Gosvāmī, Tapana Miśra would take advantage of the opportunity to learn the object of life and the real process for attaining it.
CC Madhya-lila
In this way the Lord passed through the jungle of Jhārikhaṇḍa and finally reached Vārāṇasī. After taking His bath at the Maṇikarṇikā-ghāṭa at Vārāṇasī, He met Tapana Miśra, who took the Lord to his place and respectfully gave Him a comfortable residence. At Vārāṇasī, Vaidya Candraśekhara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's old friend, also rendered service unto Him. Seeing the behavior of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, a Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa informed Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, the leader of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. Prakāśānanda made various accusations against the Lord. The Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa was very sorry about this, and he brought the news to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, inquiring from Him why the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs did not utter the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. In reply, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that they were offenders and that one should not associate with them. In this way the Lord bestowed His blessings upon the brāhmaṇa.
At that time, Tapana Miśra was taking his bath in the Ganges, and he was astonished to see the Lord there.
Tapana Miśra then began to think, "I have heard that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted the renounced order." Thinking this, Tapana Miśra became very jubilant within his heart.
Tapana Miśra then took Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to visit the temple of Viśveśvara. Coming from there, they saw the lotus feet of Lord Bindu Mādhava.
With great pleasure Tapana Miśra brought Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his home and rendered service unto Him. Indeed, he began to dance, waving his cloth.
Tapana Miśra invited Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take lunch at his home, and he had Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya cook.
While at Vārāṇasī (Benares), Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Miśra. Near Tapana Miśra's house was a bathing ghat known as Pañcanadī-ghāṭa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take His bath daily at this ghat, and He used to see the temple of Bindu Mādhava. Then He would take His lunch at Tapana Miśra's house. Near the Bindu Mādhava temple is a big banyan tree, and it is said that after eating, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to rest beneath the tree. That banyan tree is still known today as Caitanya-vaṭa. Gradually, due to changes in language, the name became Yatana-vaṭa. The local people still call that place Yatana-vaṭa.
At present, beside a lane there is a tomb of Vallabhācārya, but there is no sign that Caitanya Mahāprabhu ever lived there. Vallabhācārya was also known as Mahāprabhu among his disciples. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu probably lived at Yatana-vaṭa, but there is no sign of Candraśekhara's or Tapana Miśra's house, nor is there any sign of the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, with whom Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed the Vedānta-sūtra. A little distance from Yatana-vaṭa is a temple of Gaura-Nityānanda established by Śaśibhūṣaṇa Niyogī Mahāśaya of Calcutta. During the time of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, this temple was managed by the mother-in-law of Śaśibhūṣaṇa and his brother-in-law Nārāyaṇa-candra Ghoṣa.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took His rest after lunch, the son of Tapana Miśra, named Raghu, used to massage His legs.
The remnants of food left by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were taken by the whole family of Tapana Miśra. When news spread that the Lord had come, Candraśekhara came to see Him.
Candraśekhara happened to be a friend of Tapana Miśra's, and he was long known to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as His servant. He was a physician by caste, and by profession he was a clerk. At the time he was living in Vārāṇasī.
Candraśekhara continued, “There is no talk at Vārāṇasī other than discussions on the six philosophical theses. Nonetheless, Tapana Miśra has been very kind to me, for he speaks about topics relating to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Although Candraśekhara is an eternal servant of the Lord, he humbly presented himself as fallen, and therefore he requested the Lord to deliver him and Tapana Miśra, His two servants.
Tapana Miśra then said, "My dear Lord, as long as You stay at Vārāṇasī, please do not accept any invitation other than mine."
Tapana Miśra took Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his house and gave Him lunch. Candraśekhara invited Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to take lunch at his home.
After offering lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Tapana Miśra begged a favor from the Lord and requested Him to award him mercy.
Tapana Miśra said, "As long as Your Lordship stays in Vārāṇasī, please do not accept an invitation from anyone but me."
With this understanding, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu agreed to accept lunch at the place of Tapana Miśra. The Lord made His residence at the home of Candraśekhara.
The hotel owner knew that Sanātana Gosvāmī and his servant had eight gold coins, and he decided to kill them and take the money. Making plans in this way, the hotel owner received them as honorable guests. Sanātana Gosvāmī, however, asked his servant how much money he had, and taking seven of the gold coins, Sanātana offered them to the hotel owner. Thus the owner helped them cross the hilly tract and proceed toward Vārāṇasī. On the way, Sanātana Gosvāmī met his brother-in-law, Śrīkānta, at Hājipura, and Śrīkānta helped him after he had heard about all Sanātana's troubles. Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī finally arrived at Vārāṇasī and stood before the door of Candraśekhara. Caitanya Mahāprabhu called him in and ordered him to change his dress so that he would look like a gentleman. For his garment, he used an old cloth of Tapana Miśra's. Later, he exchanged his valuable blanket for a torn quilt. At this time Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased with him, and thus Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī received knowledge of the Absolute Truth from the Lord Himself.
By the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sanātana Gosvāmī met both Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara.
Tapana Miśra then extended an invitation to Sanātana, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Sanātana to go get a shave.
After bathing at noon, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the house of Tapana Miśra for lunch. He took Sanātana Gosvāmī with Him.
After washing His feet, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down for lunch. He asked Tapana Miśra to supply Sanātana Gosvāmī lunch also.
Tapana Miśra then said, "Sanātana has some duty to perform; therefore he cannot accept lunch now. At the conclusion of the meal, I shall supply Sanātana with some remnants."
After eating, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took rest for a while. Tapana Miśra then gave Sanātana Gosvāmī the remnants of food left by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
When Tapana Miśra offered Sanātana Gosvāmī a new cloth, he did not accept it. Instead, he spoke as follows.
When Tapana Miśra gave Sanātana Gosvāmī a used dhotī, Sanātana immediately tore it into pieces to make two sets of outer cloth and underwear.
At this time, Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra both heard blasphemous criticism against Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and felt very unhappy. They came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's lotus feet to submit a request.
There were four people accompanying Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and these were Candraśekhara, Paramānanda Purī, Tapana Miśra and Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were all chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in the following way.
These five devotees were Tapana Miśra, Raghunātha, the Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa, Candraśekhara and Paramānanda Kīrtanīyā.
When Rūpa Gosvāmī arrived at Vārāṇasī, he met the Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa, Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra.
While Rūpa Gosvāmī was staying at Vārāṇasī, he resided at the house of Candraśekhara and took prasādam at the house of Tapana Miśra. In this way he heard of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instructions to Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vārāṇasī.
CC Antya-lila
When he met Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara in Vārāṇasī, they heard from him about topics concerning Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
During this time, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya, the son of Tapana Miśra, gave up all his duties and left home, intending to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Raghunātha offered respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu on behalf of Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, and the Lord also inquired about them.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
It was at this time that He preached Vaiṣṇavism at intervals. After teaching Tapana Miśra the principles of Vaiṣṇavism, He ordered him to go to Benares and live there. During His residence in East Bengal, His wife Lakṣmīdevī left this world from the effects of snakebite. On returning home, He found His mother in a mourning state. He consoled her with a lecture on the uncertainty of human affairs. It was at His mother's request that He married Viṣṇupriyā, the daughter of Rāja Paṇḍita Sanātana Miśra. His comrades joined Him on His return from pravāsa, or sojourn.
Caitanya trained him up in spirituality in ten days and directed him to go to Vṛndāvana on missions. His first mission was to write theological works scientifically explaining pure bhakti and prema. The second mission was to revive the places where Kṛṣṇacandra had at the end of Dvāpara-yuga exhibited His spiritual līlā (pastimes) for the benefit of the religious world. Rūpa Gosvāmī left Allahabad for Vṛndāvana, and Mahāprabhu came down to Benares. There He resided in the house of Candraśekhara and accepted His daily bhikṣā (meal) in the house of Tapana Miśra. Here it was that Sanātana Gosvāmī joined Him and took instruction for two months in spiritual matters. The biographers, especially Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, have given us details of Caitanya's teachings to Rūpa and Sanātana. Kṛṣṇadāsa was not a contemporary writer, but he gathered his information from the Six Gosvāmīs themselves, the direct disciples of Mahāprabhu. Jīva Gosvāmī, who was a nephew of Sanātana and Rūpa's and who has left us his invaluable work the Ṣaṭ-sandarbhas, has philosophized on the precepts of his great leader. We have gathered and summarized the precepts of Caitanya from the books of those great writers.
Lord Caitanya then introduced Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra to Sanātana, and Tapana Miśra pleasantly invited Sanātana to dine with him. The Lord requested Candraśekhara to take Sanātana to a barber and make him "gentle," for Sanātana had grown a long beard, which Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not like. He asked Candraśekhara to provide Sanātana not only with a bath and clean shave but with a change of clothes as well.
After Sanātana had bathed, Candraśekhara offered him some good cloth. When Lord Caitanya was informed that Sanātana had not accepted the new garments but later accepted only some used garments from Tapana Miśra, He was very glad. The Lord went to Tapana Miśra's house for lunch and asked him to keep food for Sanātana. Tapana Miśra did not offer Sanātana food immediately, however, but after the Lord had finished eating there were some remnants of His food, and those remnants were offered to Sanātana while the Lord took His rest.
In those days, by misusing their brahminical heritage, the brāhmaṇas had created a law to the effect that anyone not born in a brāhmaṇa family was to be considered a śūdra. Thus even the kṣatriyas and vaidyas were also considered śūdras. Because the vaidyas were said to be descendants of brāhmaṇa fathers and śūdra mothers, they were sometimes called śūdras. Thus Candraśekhara, although born in a vaidya family, was called a śūdra in Benares. As long as Lord Caitanya stayed in Benares, He remained at Candraśekhara's home, and He took His food at the home of Tapana Miśra.
When Sanātana Gosvāmī met Lord Caitanya at Benares, he learned the process and principles of devotional service during two months of continuous teaching. Lord Caitanya's instructions to Sanātana Gosvāmī have been described in the first part of this book. After receiving these teachings, Sanātana Gosvāmī was authorized to propagate the principles of devotional service and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It was during this time that both Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara were feeling very sorry about the strong criticism against Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they came together and prayed for the Lord to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs.
After the conversion of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs to the path of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, many scholars and inquisitive people visited the Lord at Benares. Since it was not possible for everyone to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu at His residence, people used to stand in line to see Him as He passed on His way to the temples of Viśvanātha and Bindu Mādhava. One day, when the Lord visited the temple of Bindu Mādhava with His associates—Candraśekhara, Paramānanda, Tapana Miśra, Sanātana Gosvāmī and others—He sang:
- hari haraye namaḥ kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ
- gopāla govinda rāma śrī-madhusūdana
When the Lord sang in this way, chanting and dancing, thousands of people gathered around Him, and when the Lord chanted, they roared. The vibration was so tumultuous that Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, who was sitting nearby, immediately joined the crowd with his disciples. As soon as he saw the beautiful body of Lord Caitanya and saw how He was dancing with His associates, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī joined and began to sing: "Hari! Hari!"
Lectures
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So when Lord Caitanya was living at Benares, on His way to Vṛndāvana... Not... He never made His headquarters anywhere else except Jagannātha Purī. Even Benares... He was worshiper of Vṛndāvana, but He did not make His headquarter at Vṛndāvana. So when on His way to Vṛndāvana He stopped at Benares and was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at the house of Tapana Miśra. So when He was passing—because His only propaganda was Hare Kṛṣṇa, just we are doing—so when He was passing on the road, all the people joined, all the people. It is... It has got so attraction. Even nonsignificant persons like us, when we chant, it attracts people, and what to speak of Lord Caitanya? He is personally chanting. So it attracted many people. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu within three, four days became very famous man, and everyone began to say, "Oh, from Bengal, nice sannyāsī, beautiful sannyāsī, a young sannyāsī has come, and He is come," and they were chanting and dancing, and people were very much attached to Him. In this way there was some propaganda in the city.
So this, this incident is that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, first of all He visited Benares and went to Vṛndāvana. Then, while coming back, He stayed at Allahabad, Prayag, for ten days for instructing Rūpa Goswami. That we have already discussed. Now again He has come back to Benares. So He was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at Tapana Miśra's house. In the meantime, Sanātana Goswami came to see Him. Sanātana Goswami, after retirement, he had many troubles. He was arrested by the Nawab because Nawab thought him that he was very important hand. "He has now... By sentiment, he's going to Caitanya." So he thought it wise to arrest him. And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations. We have... Some part of this Sanātana instruction, we have discussed. Again we shall discuss. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī met at Benares while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was returning back from Vṛndāvana. We shall discuss this point tomorrow.
So while Lord Caitanya was residing at Benares, that Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara submitted with great regret that "Sir, the other party, the Māyāvādī sannyāsīns, they are criticizing Your activities. Because You are chanting and You do not give much attention to the reading of Vedānta philosophy, they are criticizing that 'What kind of sannyāsī is He? He does not take part in the matter of studying Vedānta philosophy, and on sentiment He is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, and some innocent people are following Him.' So in this way they are criticizing."
Innocent means they are not offender, but they do not know what is God, what is his relation, ordinary man. For them, the person who in the second stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his duty is to enlighten them. And those who are atheists, purposely against God, they should be avoided. Therefore there are four kinds of dealings for the person who is in the intermediate position. And those who are in the higher status of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not see anyone as against God. Their vision is that everyone is engaged in God's service. So there, there is only one vision, that everyone is engaged in God's service. They have no distinction. That is very higher stage. One should not imitate that stage.
So in the lower stage, these two gentlemen, Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, they are hearing the criticism against Lord Caitanya, but they are, I mean to say, placing themselves in the lower status, and they say that "We cannot bear this." Because they haven't got sufficient power to refute the arguments of the other party, therefore they are feeling sorry.
Eka vipra milila āsiyā. Now, while they were talking, Lord Caitanya and His two devotees, Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, so two, one brāhmaṇa came to invite Lord Caitanya.
- āsi' nivedana kare caraṇe dhariyā
eka vastu māgoṅ, deha prasanna ha-iyā
The brāhmaṇa came and fell down on the feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and requested Him that "I have come to beg one thing from You. Please be kind to agree to this."
So after taking prasādam, He came back to His place. And for Him it was a great victory that He conquered the mind of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs by explanation of Vedānta-sūtra. So His, I mean to say, friend, Candraśekhara... Candraśekhara and Tapana Miśra and Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very much pleased. Caitanya Mahāprabhu had only three or four followers at Benares. Of course, when He was on the street, hundreds and thousands of people gathered round Him. But actually, in His residence there were three, four followers only: Tapana Miśra, Candraśekhara Ācārya, Sanātana Gosvāmī, and one Maharastrian brāhmaṇa. They were very much pleased, naturally. Their Lord was victorious in that great assembly of sannyāsīs. And naturally, they were very much pleased.
So Lord Caitanya informed Sanātana Gosvāmī that "Your two brothers, I met them at Prayāga, and they have started for Vṛndāvana." Lord Caitanya deputed the Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī to excavate the glories of Vṛndāvana. Before Lord Caitanya, the Vṛndāvana city was not there. The present Vṛndāvana city was not there. It was all forgotten practically. But when Lord Caitanya visited this land He made survey, and His assistants, these Gosvāmīs, they went there, and this present Vṛndāvana was constructed by the disciples of Lord Caitanya. So He said that "I have instructed your two brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī, to go to Vṛndāvana, and I have met them."
- tapana-miśrere āra candraśekharere
- prabhu-ājñāya sanātana mililā doṅhāre
And He was guest in the house of Tapana Miśra. So He introduced Tapana Miśra with Sanātana Gosvāmī.
- tapana-miśra tabe tāṅre kailā nimantraṇa
prabhu kahe—'kṣaura karāha, yāha, sanātana'
The Tapana Miśra invited him, that "Please accept your bhikṣā at my place." It is the system when a sannyāsī, or renounced order of life, is in the village or in the vicinity of a... So it is the Hindu system that somebody will invite. So Tapana Miśra invited him to take, accept prasādam at his place, and Lord Caitanya said that "First of all you get him to a barber and have him cleansed of, of his beard and hairs which has grown for so many days. Let him become a gentleman." The Lord said that "Let him become a gentleman."
Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu... There were two gentlemen, Candraśekhara Ācārya and Tapana Miśra. So Candraśekhara Ācārya took care of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Tapana Miśra took Sanātana Gosvāmī at his place to give him prasādam.
- miśra sanātana dilā nūtana vasana
vastra nāhi nilā, teṅho kaila nivedana
Again Miśra offered him that new clothing, but he refused.
- 'more vastra dite yadi tomāra haya mana
- nija paridhāna eka deha' purātana'
"If you like to give me some clothing, please give me some old clothing which you have used. That will suffice me."
- tabe miśra purātana eka dhuti dila
- teṅho dui bahirvāsa-kaupīna karila
Then he offered him one dhotī. Dhotī, in India, they use dhotī, about five yards, one dhotī. So he offered that dhotī, old clothing, and he divided into bahirvāsa and kaupīna, underwear and outward clothing.
| Page Title: | Tapana Misra |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 25 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=54, OB=6, Lec=8, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 70 |