Chaitanya Bhagavata
by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words
The Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.5.117, 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 117 of Madhya-khanda chapter 5—“Lord Nityananda’s Vyasa-puja Ceremony and His Darshana of the Lord’s Six-armed Form”.
Verse 2.5.117
Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.5.117:
জ্যেষ্ঠ হৈযাও বলরাম-অবতারে দাস্য-যোগ কভু না ছাডিলেন অন্তরে ॥ ১১৭ ॥
ज्येष्ठ हैयाओ बलराम-अवतारे दास्य-योग कभु ना छाडिलेन अन्तरे ॥ ११७ ॥
jyeṣṭha haiyāo balarāma-avatāre dāsya-yoga kabhu nā chāḍilena antare || 117 ||
jyestha haiyao balarama-avatare dasya-yoga kabhu na chadilena antare (117)
English translation:
(117) Although in His incarnation as Balarāma He was the elder brother, He never gave up the mood of service from His heart.
Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
The relationship of servant manifested by Lakṣmaṇa as the younger brother in Śrī Rāma’s pastimes was not incongruous from the material viewpoint; but although He was the object of respect when He appeared as the elder brother of Kṛṣṇa, He nevertheless always maintained the attitude of a subordinate servant. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 5.135- 137) it is stated: “Sometimes He serves Lord Caitanya as His guru, sometimes as His friend and sometimes as His servant, just as Lord Balarāma played with Lord Kṛṣṇa in these three different modes in Vraja. Playing like a bull, Lord Balarāma fights with Kṛṣṇa head to head. And sometimes Lord Kṛṣṇa massages the feet of Lord Balarāma. He considers
Himself a servant and knows Kṛṣṇa to be His master. Thus He regards Himself as a fragment of His plenary portion.”