Srila Gadadhara Pandit's Appearance Day, May 1st.

[Guest guest]

Some drops of nectar

 

In the chapter called "The Lord's attempt to go to Vrndavan",

Srila Krsna das Kaviraj Goswami writes:

 

"When Gadadhara Pandita started to go with the Lord,

he was forbidden to come and was asked not to give up

the vow of ksetra-sannyasi.

 

When he was requested to return to Jagannatha Puri,

Gadadhara Pandita told the Lord, 'Wherever You are staying

is Jagannatha Puri. Let my so-called ksetra-sannyasa go to hell.'

 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Gadadhara Pandita

to remain at Jagannath Puri and engage in Gopinatha's service,

Gadadhara Pandita replied,'One renders service to Gopinatha

a million times simply by seeing Your lotus feet.'

 

Sri Caitanya then said, 'If you abandon His service,

it will be My fault. It's better that you remain here

and render service. That will be My satisfaction.'

 

The Pandita replied: 'Do not worry. All the faults

will be on my head. I shall be responsible for the

abandonning of my vow and service to Gopinatha.'...

 

Thus Gadadhara Pandita Goswami traveled alone,

but when they all arrived at Kataka,

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called him,

and he went in the Lord's company.

 

No one can understand the loving intimacy

between Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Gadadhara Pandita gave up his vow and service to Gopinatha

just as one gives up a piece of straw.

 

Gadadhara Pandita's behavior was very pleasing

to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's heart.

Nevertheless, the Lord took his hand and spoke to him,

displaying the anger of love. 'You have abandoned

Gopinatha's service and broken your vow to live in Puri.

All that is now complete because you have come so far.

 

Your wanting to go with Me is simply a desire for sense

gratification. In this way, you are breaking two religious

principles, and because of this I am very unhappy.

 

If you want My happiness, please return to Nilacala. You will

simply condemn Me if you say any more about this matter.'

 

Saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu got into a boat, and

Gadadhara Pandita immediately fell down in an unconscious state...

 

All the devotees would abandon all kinds of duties

for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sake, yet the Lord did not like

the devotees'giving up their promised duties.

 

All these are the misgivings of loving affairs.

Whoever listens to these incidents gets

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's shelter very soon."

(CC.ML.16.130-149)