Chaitanya Bhagavata
by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words
The Chaitanya Bhagavata 3.2.55, 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 55 of Antya-khanda chapter 2—“Description of the Lord’s Travel Through Bhuvaneshvara and Other Placesto Jagannatha Puri”.
Verse 3.2.55
Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.2.55:
সর্ব-গণ সহ প্রভু করিলেন ভিক্ষা সন্ন্যাসীরে ভিক্ষা-ধর্ম করযেন শিক্ষা ॥ ৫৫ ॥
सर्व-गण सह प्रभु करिलेन भिक्षा सन्न्यासीरे भिक्षा-धर्म करयेन शिक्षा ॥ ५५ ॥
sarva-gaṇa saha prabhu karilena bhikṣā sannyāsīre bhikṣā-dharma karayena śikṣā || 55 ||
sarva-gana saha prabhu karilena bhiksa sannyasire bhiksa-dharma karayena siksa (55)
English translation:
(55) The Lord and His associates took their meal at his house. The Lord thus arranged to show how one should feed a sannyāsī.
Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
In Jābāla Upaniṣad (5) it is stated: atha parivrāḍ vivarṇa-vāsā muṇḍo ‘parigrahaḥśucir adrohī“bhaikṣāṇo” brahma-bhūṣāya bhavatīti—“A member of the renounced order becomes fit to realize his spiritual nature by wearing colorless dress, by keeping a shaven head, by not collecting things for himself, by remaining clean, by not fighting with others, and by subsisting on alms.” In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.18.18) it is stated:
bhikṣāṃ caturṣu varṇeṣu vigarhyān varjayaṃś caret saptāgārān asaṅkḷptāṃs tuṣyel labdhena tāvatā
“Rejecting those houses that are polluted and untouchable, one should approach without previous calculation seven houses and be satisfied with that which is obtained there by begging. According to necessity, one may approach each of the four occupational orders of society.” In the Garuḍa Purāṇa it is stated:
sarva-bhūta-hitaḥśāntas
tridaṇḍī sa-kamaṇḍaluḥeka-vayaḥ pārivrajya- bhīkṣārthī grāmam āśrayet.
“Carrying a tridaṇḍīand a kamaṇḍalu, wearing only a single cloth, and concerned for the welfare of all, a sannyāsīmay sometimes enter a village to beg some alms.” In the Garuḍa Purāṇa it is also stated:
bhaikṣaṃśrutaṃ ca maunitvaṃ tapo dhyāna viśeṣataḥsamyak ca jñāna-vairāgyaṃ
dharmo ‘yaṃ bhikṣuko mataḥ
“The duties of a renunciant are understood to be begging for his sustenance, listening to scripture, and practice of silence, austerity, careful meditation, correct knowledge, and detachment.”