Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Journey to Vṛndāvana

Chapter Summary

• Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura summarizes the chapter in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya.

Journey to Vṛndāvana

• Rāmānanda Rāya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya indirectly presented many obstructions to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's plan to go to Vṛndāvana.
• Mahārāja Pratāparudra made arrangements for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's trip to Vṛndāvana.
• Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu departed on the day of Vijaya-daśamī.
• He crossed the river Citrotpalā, accompanied by Rāmānanda Rāya, Mardarāja, and Haricandana.

Meetings and Encounters

• Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met Gadādhara Paṇḍita and requested him to return to Nīlācala, but Gadādhara did not obey.
• He bade farewell to Rāmānanda Rāya from Bhadraka.
• Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu visited the house of Rāghava Paṇḍita.
• He met Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana at Rāmakeli and accepted them as His chief disciples.
• He met Raghunātha dāsa and gave him instructions.

Events and Incidents

• The devotees of Bengal visited Jagannātha Purī for the third year.
• The wives of the Vaiṣṇavas brought many types of food, intending to extend invitations to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
• Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent His blessings in the form of garlands.
• The Guṇḍicā temple was cleansed during the Cāturmāsya period.
• Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu forbade Nityānanda to visit Nīlācala every year.
• He repeated the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava to the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Journey to Vṛndāvana

• After attending the Ratha-yātrā ceremony of Śrī Jagannātha, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to start for Vṛndāvana.
• Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī selected a brāhmaṇa named Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to personally assist Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Journey Through the Jungle

• The Lord started for the town of Kaṭaka (Cuttack) early in the morning before sunrise.
• North of Kaṭaka, He penetrated a dense forest and came upon many tigers and elephants, whom He engaged in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
• Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya would beg alms and acquire some rice and vegetables for the Lord to eat.
• If there were no village, Balabhadra would cook whatever rice remained and collect some spinach from the forest for the Lord to eat.

Arrival in Vārāṇasī

• The Lord passed through the jungle of Jhārikhaṇḍa (Jharkhand) and finally reached Vārāṇasī.
• He took His bath at the Maṇikarṇikā-ghāṭa at Vārāṇasī.
• He met Tapana Miśra, who took the Lord to his place and respectfully gave Him a comfortable residence.
• Vaidya Candraśekhara, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's old friend, also rendered service unto Him.

Encounter with Māyāvādīs

• A Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa informed Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, the leader of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, about the Lord's behavior.
• Prakāśānanda made various accusations against the Lord.
• The Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa was very sorry about this and brought the news to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
• In reply, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were offenders and that one should not associate with them.

Journey to Vṛndāvana

• The Lord bestowed His blessings upon the brāhmaṇa and then passed through Prayāga and Mathurā.
• He took His lunch at the home of a Sānoḍiyā brāhmaṇa, a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī.
• He bestowed His blessings upon the brāhmaṇa by accepting lunch at his place.
• He visited the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana and was filled with great ecstatic love.
• As He toured the Vṛndāvana forests, He heard the chirping of parrots and other birds.