A summary of the Lord’s withdrawal from Nadia.
By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj
Translated from the Bengali editorial
published in Sri Gaudiya Darshan,
Volume 11, Issue 6,
Wednesday, 12 January 1966.
magha-sukla-pakse prabhu karila sannyasa
phalgune asiya kaila nilachale vasa
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta: Madhya-lila, 7.4)
[“The Lord took sannyas during the waxing fortnight of Magh, and He came and stayed in Nilachal during Phalgun.”]
In Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata, Makara sankranti [the date of the sun’s entrance into Capricorn] is mentioned as the time of the Lord’s sannyas. At the end of the night, the Lord left His house and crossed the Ganga at Nidaya Ghat. In remembrance of the Lord’s cruel withdrawal from Nabadwip, still today people call this ghat and even the village surrounding it Nidaya [“Merciless”.]
In the morning on the day of Pausa Sankranti [Makara Sankranti] in Katwa, the Lord suddenly arrived at the ashram of Sri Kesava Bharati Mahasay like the rising sun. Immediately upon seeing the Lord, Sri Bharati respectfully arose and affectionately had the Lord sit down. Sri Nityananda Prabhu and a few others accompanying the Lord gradually arrived. Refusal, request, entreaty, implore, submission, weeping, lamentation—at the proposal of the Lord‘s sannyas, many things took place as the day was spent. The Lord’s resolve remained unshaken. The next day, the 1st of Magh, hundreds of thousands of people arrived to bath in the Ganges, and the Lord began His Pastime of taking sannyas. Many astonishing forms of lamentation, conversation, sorrow, grief, weeping, and sobbing ensued amongst the pilgrims. The most extreme amongst them even threatened to beat Bharati Maharaj, the giver of the sannyas, for his abetment of this terrible act. The women protested by lamenting, making bitter remarks, and crying. But even in the midst of all this and the Lord’s simultaneous dancing, chanting of the Name, and calls of joy, the wheel of the Lord’s sannyas Pastime advanced, and lastly, by the afternoon, His sannyas dress was revealed. His name became Sri Krishna Chaitanya, and the people shouted, “Jay!” Together, Guru and disciple—the devotee and the Lord—accompanied by the people in general, then started a grand Sri Krishna-sankirtan.
laksa-lochanasru-varsa-harsa-kesa-kartanam
koti-kantha-krsna-kirtanadhya-danda-dharanam
nyasi-vesa-sarva-desa-ha-hutasa-kataram
prema-dhama-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram
(Sri Sri Prema-dhama-deva-stotram: 16)
[“As showers of tears fell from the eyes of millions of onlookers, He shaved His head with great delight (for the good of the people). The chanting of the Name, by millions of people united, embellished His Pastime of accepting the danda. The entire country sorrowfully lamented over His sannyas dress. I praise the Lord, the embodiment of divine love, Sri Gaurangasundar.”]
sri-yatisa-bhakta-vesa-radhadesa-charanam
krsna-chaitanyakhya-krsna-nama-jiva-taranam
bhava-vibhramatma-matta-dhavamana-bhudharam
prema-dhama-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram
(Sri Sri Prema-dhama-deva-stotram: 17)
[“As a young sannyasi wearing the dress of a devotee, He purified the land of Radha with His steps. Bearing His new name Sri Krishna Chaitanya, He delivered all souls by distributing the Name of Krishna. In divine madness—immersed in the rasa of serving and distributing Himself—He resembled a golden mountain as He ran far and wide. I praise the Lord, the embodiment of divine love, Sri Gaurangasundar.”]
