Lord Caitanya's pastime 5

[Guest guest]

End of this pastime for the pleasure of the devotees.

 

"With Paramananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sat

down and accepted the prasada. When He began to eat, so did all the

Vaisnavas. Everyone was filled up to the neck because Sri Caitanya kept

telling the distributors, 'Give them more! Give them more!'

 

After all the devotees finished accepting prasada and had washed their hands

and mouth, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu decorated each of them with a flower

garland and sandalwood pulp.

 

Overwhelmed with ecstatic love, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered a

benediction to all the devotees, which they all heard with great

satisfaction.

 

Sri Caitanya gave this benediction: 'Anyone who has seen the festival of Sri

Haridasa Thakura's passing away, anyone who has chanted and danced here,

anyone who has offered sand on the body of Haridasa Thakura and anyone who

has joined this festival to partake of the prasada will achieve the favor of

Krsna very soon. There is such wonderful power in seeing Haridasa Thakura.

 

Being merciful upon Me, Krsna gave Me the association of Haridasa Thakura.

Being independent in His desires, He has now broken that association.

 

When Haridasa Thakura wanted to leave this material world, it was not within

My power to detain him. Simply by his will, Haridasa Thakura could give up

his life and go away, exactly like Bhisma, who previously died simply by his

own desire, as we have heard from Sastra.

 

Haridasa Thakura was the crown jewel on the head of this world; without

him, this world is now bereft of its valuable jewel.'

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then told everyone, 'Say: "All glories to Haridasa

Thakura!" and chant the holy name of Hari.' Saying this, He personally began

to dance. Everyone began to chant, 'All glories to Haridasa Thakura, who

revealed the importance of chanting the holy name of the Lord!'

 

Thereafter, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bid farewell to all the devotees, and He

Himself, with mixed feelings of happiness and distress, took rest.

 

Thus I have spoken about the victorious passing away of Haridasa Thakura.

Anyone who hears this narration will certainly fix his mind firmy in

devotional service to Krsna. (Antya-lila, ch11, from 27 to text 101)