Mahaprabhu Gets Diksa From Isvara Puri - Caitanya-bhagavata Adi 17

1 - All glories to the Supreme Lord, Sri Gaurasundara. All glories to Nityananda's beloved Lord, who has an eternal body.

2 - All glories to He who is the life and wealth of all Vaisnavas. O Prabhu, please deliver all jivas by Your merciful glance.

3 - O brothers, listen carefully to the topics of the Adi-khanda, which describes Sri Gaurasundara's journey to Gaya.

4 - In this way, the Lord of Vaikuntha resided at Navadvipa as the crest-jewel of teachers.

5-6 - As the number of atheists increased in Navadvipa, it became difficult even to hear topics of bhakti-yoga. The bhaktas were all distressed to see the people attached to illusory pleasures.

7 - Although Prabhu was absorbed in studying and teaching, He noted the distress of the bhaktas.

8 - He heard how the miscreants were constantly blaspheming the Vaisnavas.

9-10 - He thus willed to manifest His glories, feeling that He should first go to Gaya. The supremely independent Sri Gaurasundara wished to see the holy place of Gaya.

11 - After performing the sraddha ceremony for His father in accordance with scriptural rules, He departed for Gaya with many of His students.

12 - First taking the permission of Mother Saci, Mahaprabhu left to see Gaya in great happiness.

13 - As He passed through all the towns and villages, they were all transformed into holy places due to the touch of His sacred feet.

14 - Prabhu and His students conversed, joked and discussed topics of religion, and after a few days they arrived at Mandara Hill.

15 - He saw the Deity of Madhusudana at the top of Mandara Hill, and He then wandered about the hill according to His desire.

16 - In this way while travelling like this, one day He manifested a fever.

17 - In order to instruct people, the Lord of Vaikuntha displayed a fever like an ordinary person.

18 - When the Lord manifested His fever halfway to Gaya, the hearts of His students were filled with anxiety.

19 - They tried to cure Him with many remedies, but by His desire the fever did not subside.

20 - Then Prabhu prescribed His own medicine: 'All My sufferings will be relieved if I drink the water that has washed the feet of a brahmana.'

21 - Prabhu then drank the water that had washed the feet of brahmanas in order to reveal its glories.

22 - As soon as the Lord drank that water, He felt relief and His fever was no more.

23 - According to the truths of the Vedas and Puranas, it is the nature of the Lord to drink the water that has washed the feet of a brahmana.

24 - "As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha."

25 - The Lord thus desires to serve the feet of anyone who desires to be a servant of the Lord.

26 - Therefore He is known as 'sevaka-vatsala' [inclined to His servants]. To increase their glories, He accepts defeat.

27 - Having only Prabhu's feet as their protector and strength, how can the devotees thus give them up?

28 - In this way after destroying the fever, Prabhu and His students came to the bank of the holy Punpuna River.

29 - After taking a bath and offering oblations to His forefathers and the gods, Sri Sacinanda entered Gaya.

30 - As Prabhu entered Gaya, the king of holy places, He offered salutations with folded hands.

31 - Thereafter Prabhu came to Brahma-kunda, wherein He took bath and offered oblations to His forefathers and the gods.

32 - He then entered Cakraveda and quickly went to see the lotus feet of Visnu.

33 - Countless flower garlands were stacked like a temple dome on Visnu's footprints, which were surrounded on all sides by brahmanas.

34 - Unlimited sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, lamps, and cloths had been offered at the sacred feet of the Lord.

35 - The brahmanas appeared like divine beings as they described the glories of the Lord's lotus feet.

36 - "Kasinatha accepted these lotus feet in his heart, and these lotus feet are constantly served by Lakshmi.

37 - "These lotus feet were placed on the head of Bali. O fortunate people, now see those same lotus feet here.

38 - "One who meditates on these lotus feet for even a moment never comes under Yama's jurisdiction.

39 - "These lotus feet are rarely attained even by the best of yogis. O fortunate people, now see those same lotus feet here.

40 - "From these lotus feet the Bhagirathi emanated, and the servants of the Lord eternally keep them in their hearts.

41 - "These lotus feet are most enchanting on the bed of Ananta. O fortunate souls, now see those same lotus feet here."

42 - Hearing thus of the glories of the lotus feet from the mouths of the brahmanas, Prabhu became absorbed in the happiness of premananda.

43 - Upon the darshan of those lotus feet, tears flowed from His eyes, His hairs stood on end and He began to shiver.

44 - Prabhu Gauracandra then began to manifest prema-bhakti for the benefit of all creation.

45 - The brahmanas were all startled to see tears flow from Prabhu's eyes most wonderfully like the unbroken flow of the Ganga.

46 - By the divine will of the Supreme Lord, at that moment Sri Isvara Puri arrived at that place.

47 - Seeing Isvara Puri, Sri Gaurasundara respectfully offered him obeisances.

48 - Isvara Puri was also delighted to see Gaurancandra, and he embraced Him in great happiness.

49 - They both shed tears of love in the loving ecstasy of their meeting each other.

50 - Prabhu said: 'My journey to Gaya has achieved success the very moment I was able to behold your sacred feet.

51-52 - 'If one offers oblations to the forefathers in a holy place, then the forefathers are delivered. But one delivers only he to whom the oblation was offered. By seeing you, however, millions of forefathers are immediately freed from all bondage.

53 - 'Therefore holy places are not equal to you, for you purify even the holy places.

54 - 'Please deliver me from the ocean of samsara, I surrender Myself unto you.

55 - 'I beg that you make me drink the nectar of Krsna's lotus feet.'

56 - Isvara Puri said: 'Listen, O Pandita! I know without a doubt that you are a ray of the Lord.

57 - 'Can anyone other than a ray of the Lord possess the extraordinary learning and characteristics that You have?

58 - 'Last night I had an auspicious dream, and today I've obtained the fruits of that dream.

59 - 'O Pandita, I am speaking the truth! I am feeling a great blissful happiness at every moment since I have seen You.

60 - 'From the time I saw you in Nadiya, my heart has had no other attraction.

61 - 'I am speaking the truth and nothing else. When I see You, I feel the happiness of seeing Krsna.'

62 - Hearing the truthful words of His beloved Isvara Puri, Prabhu smiled and said: 'It is My great fortune.'

63 - In this way the two exchanged many other pleasing words of which will be described in the future by Veda-vyasa.

64 - Then, Prabhu took His leave from that place and went to offer oblations to His forefathers.

65 - He went to the Phalgu River and offered oblations with sand. Then He went to Preta-gaya on top of the hill.

66 - Sri Sacinandana offered sraddha at that place and gave daksina to the brahmanas there in the form of sweet words.

67 - After duly delivering the forefathers, He happily went to Daksina-manasa.

68 - Prabhu next went to Sri-Rama-gaya, where He had previously performed sraddha in his avatar as Rama.

69 - In this avatar He again performed sraddha at that place. Thereafter, Gaurahari went to Yudhistira-gaya.

70 - Yudhistira had previously performed sraddha there. Out of affection for him, Gaura Raya also performed sraddha.

71 - All the brahmanas there sat around the Lord and directed Him in the procedure of the sraddha ceremony.

72 - As Prabhu performed sraddha and offered oblations in the water, all the resident brahmanas grabbed the offerings and ate them.

73 - Prabhu Sri Sacinandana smiled on seeing this, and thus all those brahmanas were freed from bondage.

74 - Prabhu then offered oblations at Uttara-manasa. He then went to Bhima-gaya.

75 - Thereafter, He performed the prescribed rites at Siva-gaya, Brahma-gaya, and finally at Sodasa-gaya.

76 - At Sodasa-gaya, Prabhu faithfully offered sraddha with sixteen ingredients on behalf of all His forefathers.

77 - Then Mahaprabhu took bath at Brahma-kunda and offered oblations at Gaya-sira.

78 - With flower garlands and sandalwood paste, Prabhu then happily performed puja to Visnu's footprints.

79 - In this way after the completion of the sraddha offerings and granting happiness to the brahmanas at all the recommended sites, He returned to His room.

80 - After He took some rest, Mahaprabhu then sat down to cook.

81 - As soon as He finished cooking, Sri Isvara Puri Mahasaya arrived there.

82 - His head was rolling back and forth in ecstatic prema as he arrived there chanting the name of Krsna again and again.

83 - Prabhu immediately left the kitchen and, after offering respectful salutations, he seated him comfortably.

84 - Puri smiled and said: 'Listen, O Pandita! I see I've come at the right time.'

85 - Prabhu replied: 'Great Sir, it will be My good fortune if you accept your alms meal here today.'

86 - Puri again smiled and said: 'Then what will you eat?' Prabhu replied: 'I will cook food again.'

87 - Puri said: 'Why the need to cook again? Whatever food you have, divide it into two portions.'

88 - Prabhu smiled and said: 'If you really want to please Me, then eat all of the food that I've cooked.

89 - 'I'll cook food again within a moment. You take your alms without hesitation.'

90 - Prabhu then gave his meal to Puri and happily went to cook for Himself.

91 - Isvara Puri's mind never thought of anything but Krsna, therefore Prabhu bestowed such mercy on him.

92 - Prabhu served him with His own hands, and Puri thus ate in great blissful happiness.

93 - At that time Rama-devi, the goddess of fortune, quickly cooked for Prabhu while remaining unseen by all.

94 - Then, after Prabhu first fed the alms, He happily ate His own food.

95 - Whosoever hears about Prabhu taking His meal in the company of Isvara Puri will achieve the wealth of Krsna-prema.

96 - Then Prabhu, with his own hands, smeared sandalwood paste on all of Isvara Puri's limbs.

97 - Of the love that the Lord had for Isvara Puri, who has the ability to describe it?

98 - The Lord, Sri Caitanya Bhagavan, personally visited the birthplace of Isvara Puri.

99 - Prabhu said: 'I offer my salutations to the village of Kumarahatta, where Sri Isvara Puri advented.'

100 - Caitanya cried profusely at that place, and spoke nothing other than the name of Isvara Puri.

101 - Prabhu took some dust from the place and tied it into a knot in His cloth.

102 - Prabhu said: 'The dust from the birthplace of Isvara Puri is My life, wealth, and living force.'

103 - The Lord exhibited such love for Isvara Puri because He takes pleasure in increasing the glories of His devotees.

104 - Prabhu said: 'I came to Gaya to offer oblations to My forefathers. This journey has become successful upon seeing Isvara Puri.'

105 - On another day, the Lord went privately to Isvara Puri and in sweet words requested him for mantra-diksa.

106 - Puri said: 'Why speak of mantra? I can give my life completely unto You.'

107 - Then in order to instruct everyone, Narayana accepted the ten-syllable mantra from him.

108 - Then Prabhu circumambulated Puri and said: 'I fully surrender Myself unto you.

109 - 'Please glance mercifully on Me so that I may float in the ocean of Krsna-prema.'

110 - Hearing Prabhu's words, Sri Isvara Puri embraced him.

111 - The bodies of both became soaked with their tears and agitated due to prema.

112 - In this way while bestowing compassion on Isvara Puri, Gaurahari remained in Gaya for a few days.

113 - As the time became ripe for the Lord to reveal His glories, His prema-bhakti increased day by day.

114 - One day Mahaprabhu sat down in a solitary place and began to meditate on His mantra.

115 - After some time when Mahaprabhu regained external consciousness, He began to shed tears and call out.

116 - 'O Krsna! O father! O Hari, my life and soul! Where did you go after stealing my heart?

117 - 'I saw My Lord, but now where has He gone?' Prabhu then recited some slokas while crying.

118 - The Lord was absorbed in the taste of prema-bhakti and His entire body was covered with dust.

119 - He loudly cried out in distress: 'Where did you go, my dear child Krsna, leaving Me?'

120 - That Prabhu who was previously most grave now became highly agitated with prema.

121 - He rolled on the ground, cried loudly, and floated in the ocean of devotional separation.

122 - Then, after some time, all His students came and pacified Him with great care.

123 - Prabhu said: 'All of you go back, as I will not return to samsara-life.

124 - 'I must go to Mathura where I'll see Krsnacandra, the Lord of My life.'

125 - The students tried in various ways to solace the Lord and keep Him peaceful.

126 - Vaikuntha-pati, however, was absorbed in bhakti-rasa and His heart was restless, so how could He remain peaceful?'

127 - Early one morning without informing anyone, Prabhu departed for Mathura in ecstatic love.

128 - 'O Krsna! O My dear child! Where can I find You?' In this way Gaura Raya walked and called out.

129 - After travelling a while, He heard a divine voice: 'Do not go to Mathura now, O jewel of the brahmanas!

130 - 'You will go at the right time. Now You should return to Your house in Navadvipa.

131 - 'You are the Lord of Vaikuntha and You have appeared along with Your associates to deliver the people of the world.

132 - 'When You distribute the wealth of prema-bhakti, Your kirtana will inundate innumerable universes.

133-134 - 'That rasa which is glorified by Brahma, Siva, and the Kumaras, as well as the great Lord Ananta, You have advented in this word to distribute the same - this fact is known to You.

135-137 - 'We are your servants, therefore we offer this reminder at Your lotus feet. O Prabhu, You are supremely independent and whatever You desire cannot be checked by anyone. Therefore, O Mahaprabhu! Please return home. You will see Mathura-nagara later.'

138 - Hearing the voice from the sky, Sri Gaurasundara was satisfied and stopped His journey.

139 - He returned and took His students back to his house in Navadvipa, where He revealed the glories of bhakti.

140 - After Gauracandra arrived in Navadvipa, His prema-bhakti began to increase day by day.

141 - The topics of Adi-khanda are now completed. Please hear now the topics of Madhya-khanda.

142 - Whosoever listens about the Lord's visit to Gaya will see Gauracandra Prabhu within his heart.

143 - Hearing Krsna's glories grants Krsna's association, and by such association one is never separated from Him.

144 - Nityananda inspired me from within my heart to write this Caitanya-caritra.

145 - Only by His mercy am I able to write these stories of Caitanya, for I have no independence or power whatsoever.

146 - Whatever I describe is only by Gauracandra's direction, just as a puppet dances by the direction of the puppeteer.

147 - There is no beginning or end to the stories of Caitanya, yet somehow or other I am trying to speak of Him.

148 - As there is no end to the vast sky, a bird only flies as far as it is able.

149 - In this way there is no end to Caitanya's glories, and only an empowered person can glorify Him.

150 - "As the birds fly in the sky as far as their capacity allows, so the learned devotees describe the Lord as far as their realisation allows."

151 - I offer my respectful salutations unto all Vaisnavas so that they may not consider my offenses.

152 - Those who want to cross the material ocean into the bhakti ocean must worship Nitaicandra.

153 - Being the Prabhu of my Prabhu, I constantly hope Sri Gaurasundara will bestow mercy on me.

154-158 - Someone says: 'Prabhu Nityananda is Balarama.' Another says: 'He is Caitanya's most beloved devotee.' Someone says: 'He is a greatly-effulgent personality.' Another says: 'We do not understand who He is.' Some consider Nityananda a sannyasi, some a devotee, some a jnani. They may say whatever they like according to their desire. Even if Nityananda is an insignificant servant of Caitanya, still I keep his lotus feet in my heart. I therefore kick the head of any sinful person who disregards His glories and dares to criticise Him.

159 - Hail, hail to Nityananda, the life of Caitanya. Let me take shelter at your feet.

160 - As your servant, let me sing the glories of Gauracandra and let me accompany You birth after birth.

161 - Whosoever hears the stories of Caitanya described in the Adi-khanda will certainly be united with Sri Gauracandra.

162 - After taking leave of Isvara Puri, Prabhu Sri Gauranga Raya returned home.

163 - Hearing of His arrival, all of Navadvipa was in bliss. They felt as if their life had returned to their body.

164 - Accepting Sri Krsna Caitanya and Nityananda as my life and soul, Vrndavana das sings the glories of Their lotus feet.

did you actually type all that? What a sadhana!

Ther's one thing I must mention and that is how I get perplexed at all the English renderings of CB when at the end of each chapter Sri Vrndavana das says;
zsIkrsnacaitanya nityAnandacANd jAna/
vrndAvavadAsa tacchu padayuge gana//

Knowing only Sri krsna Caitanya and Nityananda cand,
Vrndavana das sings this humble song at their feet.

He refers to himself in the third person and does'nt say "I" Vrndavana das

It's the same with the BBT CC

zrirUpa-raghunAtha-pade yAra Aza/
caitanya-caritAmrta kahe krsna dAsa//

Krsna das, whose hope rests at the feet of Sri Rupa and Raghunath, tells the Caitanya Caritamrta.

Not "I" krsna das.

Please don't mind, just an observation.

You must have made improvements I think, because in translation you posted it's sort in between being in first person and the third.

It's fantastic! I like the way you spaced it too ,and Prabhu is Prabhu rather than the supreme personality of godhead.
Where did you get this translation?, it reads so nicely.

Yes I did. Thanks.


No problem, I'm always happy to get ideas on improvement. I noticed that Vrndavan das himself doesn't speak of himself in the first person, but in the third, so I typed it that way.


I should spend more time working on it, because I think the difficulty lies in translating Bengali into English. As you know, both the CC and CB read very poetically in its original Bengali, so its rather hard to transfer that sublime and fluent rhyming poetry into English. I'm sure I could figure out ways to make the English rhyme poetically, but that might mean straying from the original text.


Thanks again. I am actually using the BBT translation! I do not claim to be fluent in Bengali or Sanskrit, but Bengali is similar to Hindi in a way so its easy to spot words and know what they mean. Also, the BBT translations would use terms like "Supreme Personality of Godhead" etc, so I just look at the original text and see that it says "Bhagavan," and then I type that. I suppose I am just trying to follow the original text as closely as possible.