Chaitanya Bhagavata
by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words
The Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.1.403, 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 403 of Madhya-khanda chapter 1—“The Beginning of the Lord’s Manifestation and His Instructions on Krishna-sankirtana”.
Verse 2.1.403
Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.1.403:
এই-মতে পরিপূর্ণ বিদ্যার বিলাস সঙ্কীর্তন-আরম্ভের হৈল প্রকাশ ॥ ৪০৩ ॥
एइ-मते परिपूर्ण विद्यार विलास सङ्कीर्तन-आरम्भेर हैल प्रकाश ॥ ४०३ ॥
ei-mate paripūrṇa vidyāra vilāsa saṅkīrtana-ārambhera haila prakāśa || 403 ||
ei-mate paripurna vidyara vilasa sankirtana-arambhera haila prakasa (403)
English translation:
(403) In this way the Lord’s scholastic pastimes came to an end and the congregational chanting of the holy names was begun.
Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
Upon the inauguration of the congregational chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord’s scholastic pastimes were completed. The word saṅkīrtana refers to congregational glorification of the names, forms, qualities, associates, and pastimes of Śrī Hari, as well as the hearing of such topics by service-inclined persons. This is the special characteristic of saṅkīrtana. Unless the names, forms, qualities, associates, and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are properly glorified, or unless they are glorified without offense, there is no possibility for materialistic people forgetful of and averse to Kṛṣṇa from time immemorial to give up their absorption in material objects. If topics of the spiritual abode, or transcendental topics of Kṛṣṇa, do not reach materialistic persons attached to sense gratification, then various concocted ideas or attempts for sense gratification will become prominent in the name of religion and thus create chaos in this world. Under the influence of His all-auspicious,
causeless mercy, the all-auspicious ocean of mercy and most magnanimous Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva protected the inhabitants of this world, who were acaitanya, devoid of spiritual conscious, from their absorption in matter resulting from ignorance; in other words, He awakened the pure spiritual propensity for serving Kṛṣṇa in the hearts of the animate and inanimate entities who were devoid of spiritual consciousness by preaching that the ultimate result of cultivating spiritual knowledge is to achieve the perfectional platform of serving Kṛṣṇa.