Chaitanya Bhagavata
by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words
The Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.3.48, English translation, including a commentary (Gaudiya-bhasya). This text is similair to the Caitanya-caritamrita and narrates the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, proclaimed to be the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan) This is verse 48 of Adi-khanda chapter 3—“Calculation of the Lord’s Horoscope”.
Verse 1.3.48
Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.3.48:
ঈশ্বরের জন্ম-তিথি যে-হেন পবিত্র বৈষ্ণবের সেই-মত তিথির চরিত্র ॥ ৪৮ ॥
ईश्वरेर जन्म-तिथि ये-हेन पवित्र वैष्णवेर सेइ-मत तिथिर चरित्र ॥ ४८ ॥
īśvarera janma-tithi ye-hena pavitra vaiṣṇavera sei-mata tithira caritra || 48 ||
isvarera janma-tithi ye-hena pavitra vaisnavera sei-mata tithira caritra (48)
English translation:
(48) Just as the appearance day of the Lord is sanctified, the appearance days of the Vaiṣṇavas are also.
Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
In the Brahma Purāṇa it is stated: “Fortunate are those persons of Kali- yuga who observe the appearance days of Viṣṇu by staying awake at night and fasting. They are not subject to the great fear of rebirth in the material world. Wherever they reside, Kali cannot affect them. Observing vows on the appearance days of the eternal Supreme Lord gives liberation. These observances of vows for the pleasure of Viṣṇu are the greatest good in this life and the next, the greatest dharma.”
By observing these two auspicious days—the thirteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Magha (January-February) and the full moon day in the month of Phālguna (March-April)—a conditioned soul’s nescience is destroyed and his propensity for serving Kṛṣṇa is awakened. One may observe the appearance day of the Lord by fasting and holding a festival.
Just as the appearance day of the Lord is pure, the appearance days of the Lord’s devotees are also pure. One must certainly hold festivals on those days.