The humility taught by Sriman Mahaprabhu.

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Srila Rupa Goswamipad composed this verse about Sriman Mahaprabhu:

namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-chaitanya-namne gaura-tvise namah
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta: Madhya-lila, 19.53)

[“I eternally offer my obeisance unto You, Sri Krishna Chaitanya, the supremely merciful, golden form of Sri Krishna, the giver of Krishna-prema.”]

One who distributes Krishna-prema is really maha-vadanya [supremely merciful]. It is very rare to get Krishna-prema, and without the mercy of the devotees, it is not possible to get it. Real devotees of Krishna always feel, “I am not a devotee. Actually, I am aspiring to be a devotee.” That is their nature. They know what is what; they know what real devotion is. A fully surrendered soul who always depends upon Krishna’s will is very rare. A devotee always tries to dedicate himself to Krishna’s service. Mahaprabhu and His dear associate Srila Rupa Goswami have shown what devotion really is.

Before Mahaprabhu went to Gaya Dham and received diksa from Isvara Puri, He showed Himself as a great pandit. He debated with other pandits, and everyone respected Mahaprabhu as ‘vadi-simha’. The society of pandits in Nabadwip gave Mahaprabhu this title, which means, ‘the lion of debaters’. But after taking the diksa mantram, Mahaprabhu showed His real form as a devotee of Krishna. He constantly cried, chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra, and felt separation from Krishna.

kaha mora prana-natha murali-vadana
kaha karo kaha pan vrajendra-nandana
(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta: Madhya-lila, 2.15)

[“Where is the Lord of My heart? Where is that Flute Player? What shall I do? Where will I find the son of Nanda Maharaj?]

After hearing of Mahaprabhu’s transformation, Srila Srivas Pandit was stunned, “We always thought Nimai Pandit would become a devotee in the future, but now that it has happened in front of us, we cannot imagine it!”

Previously everyone was afraid of Nimai Pandit. He was a great pandit, and the entire society of pandits was very disturbed by His logic and power in debate. When Nimai Pandit assumed the form of a devotee, Srivas Pandit said,

gotra badauna krsna ama’-sabakara
(Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata: Madhya-khanda, 1.73)

“Krishna is very merciful to us: He has given us the great Nimai Pandit as our friend. Our society is very poor. A few of us chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra and discuss Srimad Bhagavatam. Everyone insults and taunts us. But now that Nimai Pandit has become a member of our society, we can defeat all disturbing elements.”

Srivas Pandit first commented in this way. Other devotees who came every day to collect flowers at Suklambar Brahmachari’s house were also very happy to hear about Nimai Pandit. What form did Mahaprabhu show? That of  humility and tolerance. I have told this many times. Only this is our mantram actually.