Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepts initiation from Sri Isvaracandra Puri

[Guest guest]

After the meal, the Lord arranged for Sripada Puri to rest. As a disciple

would serve a spiritual master, the Lord began massaging Sripada Puri with

scented oil. Who can describe the elevated position of Sri Isvara-candra

Puri? Sri Caitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as an ideal

disciple, went to see the appearance place of Sri Isvara-candra Puri.

Devotedly, the Lord said upon His arrival, "I offer my obeisances to the

village of Kumarahatta where Sri Isvara Puri has appeared."

 

The Lord was so spiritually moved by this place that He shed profuse tears

of love for Isvara Puri and continuously repeated his name. He picked up a

handful of earth and tied it into the corner of His cloth. The Lord said,

"This handful of earth from the place of Sri Isvara-candra Puri's appearance

is My most precious possession." Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead is

capable of increasing the glories of His devotees, which was exemplified by

Lord Caitanya's intense love for Sri Isvara-candra Puri. The Lord said, "By

associating with Sri Isvara-candra Puri I have fulfilled my pilgrimage to

Gaya."

 

The next day, the Lord went to Isvara Puri and with sweet and humble words

approached him for an initiation mantra. Srila Puripada said, "How is it

that You, from me, ask an initiation mantra? I give You my very life and

soul."

 

Then, to instruct everyone, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri

Narayana, the supreme instructing spiritual master of everyone, accepted

initiation from Sripada Puri, with an initiation mantra of ten syllables.

The Lord circumambulated Sripada Puri, and said, "I have surrendered My life

to You, please always look upon Me with a merciful glance, so I may always

float in an ocean of love of Krsna."

 

Sri Puripada was moved by the Lord's words and he embraced the Lord holding

Him close to his breast. Profuse tears of love flowed like torrents from

their eyes, drenching one another.

 

For sometime, the omniscient Supreme Lord remained in Gaya distributing His

mercy to Srila Puripada so profusely. The time was slowly approaching for

the Lord to reveal to the world the reason for this incarnation. His love

for Krsna was manifesting increasingly day by day. One day, the Lord was

sitting in a solitary place chanting in meditation upon His initiation

mantra. The Lord became lost in the ecstatic world of remembrance of the

Supreme Lord, and when His consciousness returned, He began to lament and

called out to the Lord, the object of His contemplation.

 

"O my Krsna, My dear Lord, O Lord Hari, You are My life and soul! You have

stolen my heart, but now, to where have You run away? In which direction may

I find My beloved Lord?" The Lord cried out in intense separation from His

dearmost Lord and wept bitterly. The Lord was absorbed in relishing the

nectar of love of Krsna and rolled upon the ground -- His body became

covered with dust. He called out, greatly afflicted, "Where is My beloved

Krsna and to where has He gone leaving me?"

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Caitanya Bhagavata, Adi-khanda 17: Sri Visvambhara

Travels to Gaya