51.

A Very Special Sannyäsé

After delivering innumerable living entities at Kuliyä, Gauracandra departed
for Mathurä with His devotees. The Lord took the path along the side of
the Ganges and fulfilled her desire by bathing in and drinking her waters.
There is a village on the bank of the Ganges near the capital of Gauòa called
Rämakeli. The inhabitants of that village were all brähmaëas. The Lord
came to that holy place and desired to stay there for four or five days without
the knowledge of others. But how is it possible to hide the sun? Everyone
soon heard about Lord Caitanya’s arrival. And everyone—women, children,
old people, pious persons, and sinners—joyfully came to see the Lord, who
was fully absorbed in ecstasy. He did not relish anything other than loving
devotional service. He roared, cried out, trembled, and shed tears. The hairs
of His body stood on end, and He repeatedly fell to the ground with great force.
All His devotees continuously performed kértana. They did not do anything
else for even a moment. The Lord cried so loudly that people two miles away
could hear Him. Even though people were ignorant about the mellows of
devotional service, they were all pleased to see the Lord. They offered their
obeisances from a distance and loudly chanted the name of Hari. And when
Mahäprabhu heard the name of Hari from the mouths of all these people, the
happiness He relished in ecstatic love increased.

He then raised His arms and exclaimed, “Chant! Chant! Chant!” And the
people responded with great enthusiasm. Lord Gauräìga manifested such
contagious ecstasy that even the Yavanas chanted the name of Hari. And even
the Yavanas offered obeisances from a distance. Such is the nature of the all-
merciful incarnation of Lord Gauracandra!

The Lord had no engagement other than inducing everyone to participate in

the saìkértana movement. People came from the four directions to see Him,
and after seeing Him, they did not feel like leaving. They all joyfully chanted
the name of Hari and no other sound could be heard in the four directions.
Although a most cruel Yavana king lived nearby, now no one was afraid of
him. People forgot their distress, lamentation, and household duties as they
fearlessly chanted the name of Hari for the pleasure of Gaura Hari.

A local constable went and informed the King, “A sannyäsé has come to the
village of Rämakeli. He is performing some kind of ghostly saìkértana. I do
not know how many thousands of people have joined Him.”
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The King said, “Tell me something about the sannyäsé. What does He eat,
what is His name, and what does He look like?”

The constable replied, “Listen, O lord, I have never seen nor heard of such a
personality. That sannyäsé’s body is so beautiful, it cannot be compared with
that of even Cupid. His effulgence defeats the effulgence of molten gold. His
body is large, His arms reach to His knees, and His navel is deep. His neck
is like that of a lion, His shoulders are like those of an elephant, and His
eyes resemble lotus flowers. His face cannot even be compared to millions
of moons. His lips are reddish, His teeth defeat the beauty of pearls, and His
eyebrows are like Cupid’s bow. His beautiful broad chest is smeared with
sandalwood pulp, and His waist is adorned with saffron cloth. His two feet
are like reddish lotus flowers, and His ten toenails are like ten shiny mirrors.
He looks like a king’s son who has attained spiritual knowledge and is now
wandering about as a sannyäsé. His bodily limbs are softer than butter, yet
hear about the miracle that happens when He falls forcefully to the ground.
Within half an hour He falls to the ground hundreds of times so forcefully
that even a slab of stone would be broken, but there is not a single mark on
His body. The hairs of that sannyäsé’s body always stand on end, and He then
resembles a jackfruit. That sannyäsé frequently shivers in such a way that
even a thousand people cannot hold Him still. The tears that flow from His
eyes are wonderful to see. I cannot begin to describe how many streams are
flowing from His eyes. Sometimes that sannyäsé continues laughing loudly
for six hours without cessation. Sometimes He loses consciousness while
listening to the kértana. Everyone then becomes afraid because He shows no
sign of life. But then He raises His arms and constantly chants the name of
Hari. He does nothing else even while eating and sleeping. People come from
the four directions to see Him, and after seeing Him, no one desires to return
home. I have seen so many sannyäsés, yogis, and jïänés, but I have never
before seen anyone like Him. O Mahäräja, I can tell you that by the arrival
of this personality your whole kingdom has become glorious. He does not eat,
accept charity, or talk with others. His only engagement is to always relish
kértana.”

Although the Yavana king was most ruthless, he was struck with wonder on
hearing this description.
— Antya-khanda 4.3-47

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