Touching & hearing

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SB 11.8.13

 

padapi yuvatim bhiksur

na sprsed daravim api

sprsan kariva badhyeta

karinya anga-sangatah

 

A saintly person should never touch a young girl. In fact, he should not even

let his foot touch a wooden doll in the shape of a woman. By bodily contact

with a woman he will surely be captured by illusion, just as the elephant is

captured by the she-elephant due to his desire to touch her body.

 

>From Intro:

 

The Lord maintained that it is dangerous for a sannyasi to be in intimate touch

with worldly money-conscious men and with women. The Lord was an ideal

sannyasi. No woman could approach the Lord even to offer respects. Women's

seats were accommodated far away from the Lord. As an ideal teacher and acarya,

He was very strict in the routine work of a sannyasi.

 

According to Cc, it is not the etiquette to speak the name of a woman in front

of a sannyasi what to speak of talking about a woman:

 

Cc Antya 12.56

 

prabhu-visaye sneha tara balaka-kala haite

se vatsara seha aila prabhure dekhite

 

Paramesvara Modaka had been affectionate toward the Lord since His childhood,

and he was one of those who came that year to see the Lord at Jagannatha Puri.

 

TEXT 57

 

`paramesvara muni' bali' dandavat kaila

tare dekhi' prabhu prite tahare puchila

 

When he offered his obeisances to the Lord, he said, "I am the same

Paramesvara." Upon seeing him, the Lord asked him questions with great

affection.

 

TEXT 58

 

`paramesvara kusala hao, bhala haila, aila'

`mukundara mata asiyache' seha prabhure kahila

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Paramesvara, may you be blessed. It is very good

that you have come here."

Paramesvara then informed the Lord, "Mukundara Mata has also come."

 

TEXT 59

 

mukundara matara nama suni' prabhu sankoca haila

tathapi tahara prite kichu na balila

 

Hearing the name of Mukundara Mata, Lord Caitanya hesitated, but because of

affection for Paramesvara, He did not say anything.

 

PURPORT

A sannyasi is restricted from even hearing a woman's name, and Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu conducted Himself very strictly in His vow. Paramesvara informed the

Lord that his wife, Mukundara Mata, had come with him. He should not have

mentioned her, and therefore the Lord hesitated for a moment, but due to His

affection for Paramesvara, He did not say anything. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had

known Paramesvara Modaka since His childhood, and therefore Paramesvara did not

think twice about informing the Lord of his wife's arrival.

 

TEXT 60

 

prasraya-pagala suddha-vaidagdhi na jane

antare sukhi haila prabhu tara sei gune

 

An intimate relationship sometimes makes a person overstep formal etiquette.

Thus Paramesvara actually pleased the Lord in His heart by his simple and

affectionate behavior.