Verse 3.2.158-159

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.2.158-159:

`জগতের অন্নপূর্ণা’ যে লক্ষ্মীর নাম সে লক্ষ্মী মাগযে যাঙ্র পাদ-পদ্মে স্থান হেন প্রভু আপনে সকল ঘরে ঘরে ন্যাসি-রূপে ভিক্ষা-ছলে জীব ধন্য করে ॥ ১৫৮-১৫৯ ॥

`जगतेर अन्नपूर्णा’ ये लक्ष्मीर नाम से लक्ष्मी मागये याङ्र पाद-पद्मे स्थान हेन प्रभु आपने सकल घरे घरे न्यासि-रूपे भिक्षा-छले जीव धन्य करे ॥ १५८-१५९ ॥

`jagatera annapūrṇā’ ye lakṣmīra nāma se lakṣmī māgaye yāṅra pāda-padme sthāna hena prabhu āpane sakala ghare ghare nyāsi-rūpe bhikṣā-chale jīva dhanya kare || 158-159 ||

`jagatera annapurna’ ye laksmira nama se laksmi magaye yanra pada-padme sthana hena prabhu apane sakala ghare ghare nyasi-rupe bhiksa-chale jiva dhanya kare (158-159)

English translation:

(158-159) The same Lord whose lotus feet are desired by Lakṣmī, who is known as Annapūrṇā, the supplier of food to the entire universe, personally delivered the living entities on the pretext of begging alms from door to door as a sannyāsī.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.16.33) it is stated:

brahmādayo bahu-tithaṃ yad-apāṅga-mokṣa- kāmās tapaḥ samacaran bhagavat-prapannāḥ sāśrīḥ sva-vāsam aravinda-vanaṃ vihāya

yat-pāda-saubhagam alaṃ bhajate ‘nuraktā

“Lakṣmījī, the goddess of fortune, whose glance of grace was sought by demigods like Brahmā and for whom they surrendered many a day unto the Personality of Godhead, gave up her own abode in the forest of lotus flowers and engaged herself in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord.” In a conversation between the personified Vedas and Vidyā in the Nārada-pañcarātra it is stated:

bhaktir bhajana-sampattir bhajate prakṛtiḥ priyam jāyate ‘tyanta-duḥkhena seyaṃ prakṛtir ātmanaḥ durgeti gīyate sadbhir akhaṇḍa-rasa-vallabhā

“Devotion is the fruit of devotional service. Prakṛti serves her beloved in devotion. It was with great difficulty that this Prakṛti took birth from Him. Saintly persons sing of her by the name Durgā. She is His devoted consort with undeviating affection.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.19.32-33) it is stated:

parīkṣid uvāca

aho adya vayaṃ brahman sat-sevyāḥ kṣatra-bandhavaḥ

kṛpayātithi-rūpeṇa bhavadbhis tīrthakāḥ kṛtāḥ

yeṣāṃ saṃsmaraṇāt puṃsāṃ sadyaḥ śuddhyanti vai gṛhāḥ kiṃ punar darśana-sparśa- pāda-śaucāsanādibhiḥ

“O brāhmaṇa, by your mercy only, you have sanctified us, making us like unto places of pilgrimage, all by your presence here as my guest. By your mercy, we, who are but unworthy royalty, become eligible to serve the devotee. Simply by our remembering you, our houses become instantly sanctified. And what to speak of seeing you, touching you, washing your holy feet, and offering you a seat in our home?”

This was Śrī Caitanyadeva’s pastime of begging alms door to door.