Introduction to chapter 13

This chapter describes how Mahāprabhu spread the glorification, worship, and teachings of Kṛṣṇa to each and every house through Nityānanda and Haridāsa, their preaching to Jagāi and Mādhāi, Mādhāi’s attack on Nityānanda, Mahāprabhu’s arrival at that spot and His invoking the Sudarśana cakra, the two brothers’ surrender at the lotus feet of Gaura, Gaura-Nityānanda’s forgiveness and deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi, the demigods’ service to Gaura, and the consequences of committing vaiṣṇava-aparādha.

Since the pastimes of Śrī Gaurasundara are perceived through eyes of love, ordinary people who were devoid of such love considered Him simply as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Only fortunate souls saw His manifestations according to their respective qualifications. One day Mahāprabhu instructed Nityānanda and Haridāsa to go door to door and beg everyone to worship Kṛṣṇa, chant Kṛṣṇa’s names, and practice Kṛṣṇa’s teachings and at the end of the day to inform Him of the results. Although everyone there at first laughed on hearing what they were to beg, Nityānanda and Haridāsa took the instruction on their heads and began to beg such alms from door to door. When householders respectfully invited the two sannyāsīs to accept alms, the two would, according to Mahāprabhu’s instructions, beg them to chant Kṛṣṇa’s names, worship Kṛṣṇa, and practice Kṛṣṇa’s teachings, and then they would leave. Although pious people were happy to see their wonderful method of begging alms and promised to follow their request, some people blasphemed Lord Caitanya and considered the two to be madmen. Some people who were unable to enter Śrīvāsa’s house during kīrtana violently attacked the two and threatened them with royal punishment. But being empowered by Śrī Caitanya, Nityānanda and Haridāsa did not pay the least attention to them; in other words, they fearlessly went on with their activities.

One day the two Prabhus saw the most sinful drunkards Jagāi and Mādhāi. On seeing their pathetic condition, the hearts of Nityānanda and Haridāsa, the most merciful deliverers of fallen souls, began to cry.

Considering the two brothers as brilliant examples for Mahāprabhu’s pastime of delivering fallen souls, they resolved to inform them of Mahāprabhu’s most auspicious instructions despite the potential dangers in doing so. Thus they loudly requested them to worship Kṛṣṇa. In spite of committing numerous sinful activities, Jagāi and Mādhāi never had the opportunity of accumulating vaiṣṇava-aparādha, so as a result, their good fortune for achieving the mercy of Gaura-Nityānanda was awakened.

Blasphemy of Vaiṣṇavas is a grave offense—it checks all piety and results in all degradation. Without the mercy of a Vaiṣṇava, even Kṛṣṇa’s holy names, which are the best form of atonement, cannot nullify an offense committed against a Vaiṣṇava. All the scriptures have warned everyone by boldly declaring this fact. On hearing the call of Nityānanda and Haridāsa, the two rogues thought that their carefree life was being disturbed, so they chased after the two sannyāsīs. After the two Prabhus ran away, they narrated the incident at the feet of Gaurasundara, who was sitting in the company of devotees, and requested Him to fulfill the meaning of His name Patita-pāvana by delivering those sinners. When the assembled Vaiṣṇavas realized that the two sinners have already been delivered by the merciful glance of Nityānanda, they chanted the name of Hari in ecstasy. When Haridāsa Ṭhākura described to Advaita Ācārya the various forms of Nityānanda’s restlessness and the difficulties that he had to experience as a result, Advaita glorified Nityānanda on the pretext of criticizing Him.

Thereafter Jagāi and Mādhāi came and camped on the bank of the Ganges where Mahāprabhu used to take bath. As a result, many people became frightened. On hearing the sound of Mahāprabhu’s kīrtana at night, the two drunkards thought it was in glorification of Maṅgalacaṇḍī and danced wildly under the influence of intoxication. Later, when they saw Mahāprabhu, they praised His kīrtana. When Nityānanda Prabhu went before them one night with a desire to deliver them, Mādhāi hit Him in the head. Jagāi was distressed on seeing this, and he checked Mādhāi and chastised him for committing such a sinful act. On receiving this news, Mahāprabhu immediately went there with His associates. When He saw that Nityānanda’s body was covered with blood, He called Sudarśana in order to punish the two sinners. Jagāi and Mādhāi saw Sudarśana cakra with their own eyes. The most merciful Nityānanda Prabhu informed the Lord that He had been protected by Jagāi and begged the Lord to spare the two brothers. When Mahāprabhu heard that Jagāi had protected Nityānanda, He mercifully bestowed ecstatic love on him. On seeing Jagāi’s good fortune, the heart of Mādhāi was also transformed and he fell at the lotus feet of Mahāprabhu and begged forgiveness. Mahāprabhu, however, did not agree to bestow mercy on him, rather He instructed Mādhāi to take shelter at the feet of Nityānanda and requested Nityānanda to bestow mercy on Mādhāi. On the instruction of Śrī Gaura, Mādhāi fell at the feet of Nityānanda, who requested Mahāprabhu to bestow mercy on Mādhāi in exchange for all of His own piety. By the order of Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda then tightly embraced Mādhāi and entered into his body.

In this way, both Jagāi and Mādhāi were delivered, and they began offering prayers to the two Lords. Mahāprabhu then forbade them from committing sinful activities again. When they accepted this proposal, Mahāprabhu accepted the burden of their millions of lifetimes of sinful activities. After realizing the mercy of Mahāprabhu, Jagāi and Mādhāi fell unconscious to the ground in ecstasy. Thereafter Mahāprabhu had the two unconscious brothers brought to His own home, and after closing the doors from inside He sat down in the association of the Vaiṣṇavas. Due to transformations of ecstatic love, the two brothers began to roll on the ground. When by the will of Gaurasundara, Śuddhā Sarasvatī appeared on the tongues of the two brothers, they began offering meaningful prayers to Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nityānanda. As everyone there heard the drunkards’ prayers to the Lords, they were struck with wonder and considered this the causeless mercy of the Lord. From that day on Mahāprabhu included Jagāi and Mādhāi among His own associates, and He personally begged all the Vaiṣṇavas to forgive their offenses and bestow mercy on them.

After falling at the feet of all the devotees and receiving their blessings, Jagāi and Mādhāi became free from all offenses. Their sinful reactions were then deposited with those who blaspheme the Vaiṣṇavas. By the order of Mahāprabhu, all the devotees then began a huge kīrtana, in which Mahāprabhu and the two brothers danced. At the end of the kīrtana, everyone sat down, their bodies covered in dust, and Mahāprabhu declared that Jagāi and Mādhāi were “mahā-bhāgavatas.” After ordering everyone to respect them as mahā-bhāgavatas, He warned that if anyone acted to the contrary or criticized the two they would be ruined as a result of that vaiṣṇava-aparādha.

Thereafter Śrī Śrī Mahāprabhu took everyone to the Ganges, wherein they all freely engaged in tumultuous water sports. In those water sports, everyone was defeated by Mahāprabhu. In the water sports between Śrī Śrī Advaita and Nityānanda, Advaita Prabhu glorified Nityānanda on the pretext of criticizing Him and revealed that He Himself was Lord Viṣṇu.

At the end of the water sports, Mahāprabhu gave His own flower garland prasāda to Jagāi and Mādhāi and sent everyone to eat lunch. During this period the demigods would daily come to see Caitanya’s pastimes and offer various services, but no one other than the Lord recognized them.

Thereafter the author ends the chapter with a description of the formidable consequences of vaiṣṇava-aparādha.