Song 39

(Bhaṭiyāri rāga)

81. Bidding farewell to everyone, Lord Gaura departed. The town of Navadvīpa became like a barren desert.

82. Accompanied by Śrī Gadadhara Pandita, Lord Nityānanda Avadhutarāya, Narahari, and other devotees, the Lord walked.

83. Accompanied by Śrīvśa, Murāri, Mukunda, and Dāmodara, Lord Gaura walked.

84. In His heart Lord Gaura thought, "Soon I will see Lord Jagannātha’s Dola-yātrā festival. Chanting, "Hari! Hari!", Lord Gaura quickly walked.

85. In this way He walked on the pathways. One moment, overcome with ecstatic love, He trembled. Now He had no power to walk.

86. Another moment He quickly walked like a ferocious lion. Another moment He loudly roared with Lord Hari’s holy names.

87. Another moment He danced. Another moment He sang. Another moment He piteously wept. Another moment He slapped His arms. Another moment He became wild with ecstatic spiritual love.

88. From His reddish eyes flooding rivers of tears flowed without stop. The hairs of His body stood erect.

89. One moment He slowly walked. Another moment He spoke words not of this world. Another moment He loudly, loudly laughed. Another moment He fell down like a stick.

90. If some food was offered to Him, He would not accept it. He said: "It was not offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa."

91. By this example He kindly taught the people of the world how to act. Only two or three times, after some effort, did He find some Kṛṣṇa-prasādam that He would eat.

92. Keeping an all-night vigil, He chanted ther holy names of Lord Hari. Loudly He chanted this verse, the abode of glories:

93. rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rāma rāghava rakṣa mām kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava pāhī mām

94. In a sweet voice He sang this song. Then, overcome with ecstatic spiritual love, He became choked with emotion.

95. With joyful hearts many pilgrims accompanied Lord Gaura as He went to see Lord Jagannātha at the Dola-yātrā festival.

96. At a certain time and place the pilgrims encountered on the path a wicked and sinful tollcollector.

97. This toll-collector harassed many travelers. Lord Gaura suddenly ran behind everyone.

98. Avadhūta Gadādhara Paṇḍita was surprised. "Why did the Lord go behind everyone?", he thought.

99. Thinking and thinking, Gadādhara fell further and further behind. Then Gadādhara looked ahead and saw the toll-collector binding the pilgrims.

100. Seeing this he was very surprised and relieved. The hairs of hīs body stood erect.

101. Seeing the withered and saddened faces of the pilgrims, Lord Gaura approached them like a ferocious lion.

102. Seeing the Lord, the pilgrims loudly wept. They were like frightened children suddenly placed on their mother’s lap.

103. They were like singed forest animals fleeing a forest fire and suddenly jumping into the Gaṅgā’s waters.

104. Falling at Lord Gaura’s feet, the pilgrims wept. Seeing Lord Gaura, the sinful toll-collector thought in his heart:

105. "There is no human being in this world like Him. In my heart I know He must be Lord Jagannātha, the moon of Îīlācala.

106. "I have brought sorrow to many people. What will happen to me? My heart trembles in fear."

107. Thinking this in his heart, the toll collector fell before Lord Gaura’s feet. In a voice choked with emotion he said:

108. "I will release the pilgrims. I will not try to collect a toll from them. In my heart I know that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."

109. Speaking these words, the toll-collector fell at the Lord’s feet and wept. He placed his head before Lord Gaura’s lotus feet.

110. He trembled. In a voice choked with emotion he spoke many prayers. He said: "Please don’t think I am a materialist and thus hate me."

111. Hearing these words, Lord Gaura smiled. He released the pilgrims and then happily continued walking.

112. After a few moment, the toll-collector, raising his arms and caling out, began to follow Him.

113. Gazing st Lord Gaura, the toll-collector touched Him with his hand. Suddenly the toll-collector stopped.

114. Tears flowed from his eyes. The hairs of his body stood erect. He chanted the holy Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without stop.

115. Seeing this, Nityānanda and Gadādhara became joyful. In this way Locana dāsa describes Lord Gaurāṅga’s pastimes.