Mahaprabhu's Stay in Shantipur

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Ekachakra Dham
26 January 2018, part 5

Nityananda Prabhu knew that Mahaprabhu was going to take sannyas. When Mahaprabhu came to Katwa with the devotees, Nityananda Prabhu was also present there.

After taking sannyas, Mahaprabhu wanted to go to Vrindavan, but in Nabadwip, even those who criticised Mahaprabhu, even those who were envious of Mahaprabhu shed tears and cried for Mahaprabhu having got to know that Mahaprabhu had left Nabadwip. They felt it had become very dark in Nabadwip. Nityananda Prabhu understood devotees' feeling and He decided, "Mahaprabhu may not go to His birthplace again, but still I will try to take Him to Gauda-mandal, Shantipur, to Advaita Prabhu's house—it is near Nabadwip, and everybody can come and meet with Him there." Somehow Nityananda Prabhu managed to take Mahaprabhu to Shantipur instead of taking Him straight to Vrindavan.

When Mahaprabhu came to the ghat in Kalna, there is Kalna on one side and Shantipur on the other side. Advaita Prabhu was there waiting for Him in a boat in the middle of the river. How was it possible at that time? There were no satellites, no phones, no mobile phones, no whatsapp, no facebook at that time—how did Advaita Prabhu know that Nityananda Prabhu was coming that way? Mahaprabhu entered the Ganges to His neck and with His eyes closed offered obeisances and recited mantras in glorification of the Yamuna thinking, "Oh, I have come to Vrindavan! Very nice! I am very happy." Then He opened His eyes and saw Advaita Prabhu.

Mahaprabhu was surprised, "Advaita, how did you know I was here? How did you know I was in Vrindavan?"

Advaita Prabhu replied, "Prabhu, wherever You are, there is Vrindavan. Wherever You are, there is Yamuna."

"What?! What are you talking about?"

"Look around, Prabhu."

"Oh, this is actually not the Yamuna... It is the Ganga... But I have already recited the mantras in glorification of the Yamuna..."

"And it is not wrong because here one side is the Ganga, and the other side is the Yamuna, so actually You are correct, You made no mistake."

Then, Advaita Prabhu gave some clothes to Mahaprabhu, "Prabhu, please wear this. You have been wearing the same cloth, you have no clothes to change." Mahaprabhu changed His clothes in the boat and they reached Advaita Acharya's house.

Sita Rani [Advaita Prabhu's wife] cooked thirty-two items (battisa-athiya-kalara angatiya pate)—she made so many various preparations and so many Indian sweets (it was winter season, so she made pancakes and many other things) for Mahaprabhu. She prepared two asans, and Nityananda Prabhu sat on one of them. He was very hungry and could not wait. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is hungry, He can tolerate many things, but Nityananda Prabhu is always hungry, and since He had been walking with Mahaprahu He had eaten only three times in three days. This was very painful and austere for Him. So, Nityananda Prabhu could not wait—He sat down on the asan and started eating before Mahaprabhu sat down. Mahaprabhu saw it and said to Advaita Prabhu, "You sit, you sit, this is your asan!" Advaita Prabhu refused, "No, Prabhu, ask Sita Rani who this asan is for. She has prepared it for You. In three days You have eaten only three times, You have not eaten properly after taking sannyas, so You please sit down here and eat. Nityananda Prabhu is already eating." Then, Mahaprabhu sat down and took prasadam.

By that time, Sachi Mata and all the citizens and devotees of Mahaprabhu heard the news that Mahaprabhu had come to Shantipur, and there was a long line of people who came there to see Mahaprabhu. Everybody was very sad because Mahaprabhu had changed His dress and no longer wore His householder clothes, He had shaved His head and left His beautiful curly hair—He had left, had renounced everything in Katwa... In Shantipur, Mahaprabhu gave some lecture, He sang and danced the whole day and night without stop, and all day and night He instructed the devotees.

When Sachi Mata came, she spoke to Srivas Pandit and Advaita Prabhu: "I understand that Nimai will not return to Nabadwip, He has left... Can I cook for Him? Will He take it if I cook for Him? He is a sannyasi now and I have to ask Him, but I cannot ask Him myself. Please you ask Him. I am thinking He will leave and go far away, but you will always be able to cook for Him and I will not—I will not be able to cook for Him every day. I want to cook for Him at least while He is here. Please ask Him if I can." They asked Mahaprabhu and Mahaprabhu gave Sachi Mata permission to cook for Him. So, Sachi Mata cooked and tried many times to give prasadam to Mahaprabhu from time to time while He was in Shantipur.

Mahaprabhu passed days and nights chanting, dancing without stop. Sometimes He would fall down, sometimes many things became manifest in His body. This all started happening after He took sannyas. Some days later, He started walking to Vrindavan. On the way, He stayed a few days in Puri, then He went to South India and other places. In this way, Mahaprabhu spend six years travelling with Nityananda Prabhu. After that, He finally settled in Puri...

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