Isvara Puri meets Lord Gauranaga!

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

CB Adi-khanda 17.47

TEXT 47

isvara-purire dekhi' sri-gaurasundara

namaskarilena ati kariya adara

 

TRANSLATION

On seeing Sri Isvara Puri, Sri Gaurasundara respectfully offered him obeisances.

 

 

CB Adi-khanda 17.48

TEXT 48

isvara-puri o gauracandrere dekhiya

alingana karilena maha-harsa haiya

 

TRANSLATION

Isvara Puri was also delighted to see Gauracandra, and he happily embraced Him.

 

 

CB Adi-khanda 17.49

TEXT 49

donhakara vigraha donhakara prema-jale

sincita haila premananda-kutuhale

 

TRANSLATION

In the ecstasy of meeting each other, they both became soaked with tears of love.

 

COMMENTARY [of Srila Prabhupada [bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati]

As an affectionate, unalloyed, confidential disciple of Madhavendra Puri, who is the original seedling of the desire tree of love of God, Sri Isvara Puripada is attached to prema-bhakti, loving devotional service. By seeing Gaurasundara's display of a devotee's characteristics, the eternally perfect mood of the devotees was enhanced and manifested. Now, for the benefit of people, the meeting between the Supreme Lord and the topmost devotee and mahanta-guru blossomed their flowerlike transformations of ecstatic love that destroyed the contamination in the polluted hearts of persons who were averse to Krsna. Being filled with wonderful ecstasy, Sri Gaurasundara began to describe the glories of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, who is the bestower of transcendental knowledge and who is unlimitedly superior to Gaya-tirtha.

 

 

CB Adi-khanda 17.50

TEXT 50

prabhu bale,-"gaya-yatra saphala amara

yata-ksane dekhilana carana tomara

 

TRANSLATION

The Lord said, "My journey to Gaya has become successful the moment I was able to see your lotus feet.

 

COMMENTARY [of Srila Prabhupada [bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati]

While wandering throughout the fourteen worlds under the shelter of karma and jnana, by good fortune and piety resulting from devotional service, the living entities receive the opportunity to see the lotus feet of the spiritual master, who is the reservoir of the seed of devotional service. Just by seeing the spiritual master, one's unauthorized, mundane, sensual, argument-based knowledge is checked and the topmost shining glories of devotional service manifest in the heart. This is the fruit of visiting holy places.

 

Srimad Bhaktivinoda Thakura, the crest-jewel of the mahajanas, has written in his Kalyana-kalpa-taru as follows:

 

mana, tumi tirthe sada rata

ayodhya, mathura, maya, kasi, kanci, avantiya,

dvaravati, ara ache yata

"My dear mind, you are always attached to the different places of pilgrimage such as Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridvara, Kasi, Kanci, Avanti, and Dvaraka.

 

tumi caha bhramibare, e sakala bare bare,

mukti-labha karibara tare

se sakala taba bhrama, nirarthaka parisrama,

citta sthira tirthe nahi kare

"You want to travel to all these holy places of pilgrimage again and again for the sake of obtaining liberation. But it is clear that your heart is not becoming resolutely fixed by going to all these places; therefore all of your wanderings are simply useless labor.

 

tirtha-phala sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sange antaranga

sri-krsna-bhajana manohara

yatha sadhu, tatha tirtha, sthira kari' nija citta,

sadhu-sanga kara nirantara

"The real benefit of visiting any holy place is to achieve the association of the pure-hearted devotees of the Lord living there. Establishing intimate and friendly relations with such great souls, let your heart be captivated by performing the charming worship of Lord Krsna in their association. Wherever the Lord's devotees are living, that place becomes a place of pilgrimage. Therefore you should become fixed by constantly remaining in the company of such devotees.

 

ye tirthe vaisnava nai, se tirthete nahi yai,

ki labha hantiya dura-desa

yathaya vaisnava-gana, sei stana vrndavana,

sei sthane ananda asesa

"I never visit any so-called place of pilgrimage that is devoid of the presence of unalloyed devotees, for what benefit is gained by walking to such distant places? Wherever there are devotees, that place is actually Vrndavana. Only there can one find unlimited spiritual pleasure.

 

krsna-bhakti yei sthane, mukti dasi seikhane,

salila tathaya mandakini

giri tatha govardhana, bhumi tatha vrndavana,

avirbhuta apani hladini

"Liberation personified is herself the humble maidservant of places that are surcharged with devotion to Krsna. All the water at the place is the celestial Ganges, every hill there is Govardhana, and the very earth is indeed Vrndavana. Only such a place can manifest the eternal spiritual joy which is revealed by the Lord's pleasure-potency.

 

vinoda kahiche bhai, bhramiya ki phala pai,

vaisnava-sevana mora vrata

"I ask you now, dear brother, what benefit would I get by circumambulating all the holy places of pilgrimage? Personally, my vow is to serve the Vaisnavas with firm resolution and untiring endeavor."