Advaita and Sri Caitanya Break Me Up

[gHari]

This is from Madhya 19 of the Sri Caitanya Bhagavata:

Rumbling with anger, the Lord said, "Hey, you Nada! Tell Me which is superior - speculative knowledge or devotional service?"

 

Advaita replied, "Speculative knowledge is always superior, for what is the use of devotional service if a person is devoid of impersonal knowledge?"

 

As soon as these words entered His ears, Lord Caitanya became inflamed and forgot His surroundings. He pulled Advaita out of his seat and dragged him out to the patio. There He threw him on the ground and struck him again and again.

 

Advaita's wife, Sitadevi, is the universal mother who knows all these confidential topics, yet she could not restrain herself from trying to stop the Lord. "Stop! Stop!" she cried out. "He is just an old brahmana. For whose benefit do You chastise him so heavily? He is so old that he may not survive Your harsh behavior, and You will find it difficult to avoid the consequences of your actions." Lord Nityananda smiled at her words and Haridasa Thakura repeated Krsna's name in great fear.

 

Lord Caitanya was so angry that He did not even hear Sitadevi's words. Roaring like angry thunder He spoke to Advaita, "I was gently relaxing on the milk ocean and you interrupted My sleep, calling Me to attend to your work. You engineered the propagation of devotional service yet now you audaciously obscure the devotional process with your circumvent explanation of impersonalism. If you had already made up your mind to surreptitiously broadcast your speculative theories, then why did you take the trouble of revealing Me to the world? I did not disregard your desire and wishes, but you have deceived Me in all respects."

 

At long last, Caitanya stopped chastising Advaita and went to sit next to the doorway. He spoke loudly, revealing His real identity to all. He said, "O Nada, you know everything. Behold, I am the one who slew Kamsa. Siva, Brahma, Ananta Sesa, Laksmidevi are all constantly engaged in serving Me. That impostor Vasudeva met his end, vanquished by My Sudarsana disc. That same disc reduced the entire city of Varanasi to ashes. My arrow found its mark and killed the great demon king Ravana. My invincible Sudarsana severed the arms of Bana and destroyed the powerful demon Naraka. I had lifted the Govardhana mountain with my left hand and it is I who brought the heavenly parijata flower to earth. I tricked King Bali out of all his possessions and then benedicted him for his mood of surrender. I also vanquished the terrible demon king, Hiranyakasipu to favor My devotee Prabhlad." As the Lord revealed His various pastimes Advaita felt gradually submerged in an ocean of ecstatic bliss.

 

Advaita was more than happy to receive his due punishment in this manner and he clapped his hands and pranced in joy feeling peace and humility within. He said, "My Lord, You have rightfully remonstrated me, and I am lucky to get away with so little. Now I am clear about Your divine authority and I am feeling a renewed strength in my relationship with You as Your servant."

 

Advaita danced around in ecstasy and then creasing his eyebrows together he prayed to the Lord, "Now where are Your flattering words about me? What has happened to all that deceit? I am not Durvasa Muni that you can insult me, whose remnants of rice You had smeared on Your body. Nor am I Bhrigu Muni whose foot impression decorated Your breast and is known as the famous Srivatsa. My name is simply Advaita, Your eternal and humble servant purely, and I am always hankering birth after birth to receive Your remnants. And by the effect of Your remnants or mercy I am unscathed by the ravages of Your illusory potency. The punishment is now over, so please give me the shelter of Your lotus feet." Saying this, Advaita, the master of Santipur, fell to the ground and placed his head on the Lord's lotus feet.