Mahaprabhu Returns to Prayag

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Based on 18-19 chapters of Madhya-lila, Chaitanya-charitamrita
8 June 2019, Kolkata, part 4

One time, when Mahaprabhu was bathing in the Akrur ghat, He submerged Himself into the water and had not re-emerged for a long time. Becoming concerned, Ballabhadra Bhattacharya decided to take the Lord from Vraja Mandal to Prayag.

They visited a place called Soro Ksetra and then set off for Prayag. On the way, they stopped at a village where Mahaprabhu suddenly fell unconscious being overwhelmed by ecstatic love. A Muslim ruler named Bijuli Khan was passing that way and seeing Mahaprabhu senseless thought that those who were with Mahaprabhu must have given Him some dhutura-phul (jimsonweed, or datura; a poisonous plant) to make Him senseless and steal all His belongings. So, Bijuli Khan ordered his men to tie up Mahaprabhu's associates, but soon Mahaprabhu came back to His normal mood and told Bijuli Khan that there had been a mistake and asked him to release His associates. After that, Mahaprabhu told him about the Holy Koran—He explained what the Holy Koran was and explained everything pertaining to Mahaprabhu's conception. What happened then? Bijuli Khan and all his companions took shelter of Mahaprabhu and became devotees of Krishna. The village where it happened is still there, it is called Pathan Vaishnav now—a Pathan (a Muslim warrior/ruler) became a Vaishnav, therefore the village got the name Pathan Vaishnav. So, continuing His way, Mahaprabhu left that place. On the way, He came to Soro, took bath there, and then finally He arrived in Triveni where He had stayed for ten days, bathing in the Triveni each day.

In the meantime, Rupa and Anupam, Sanatan Goswami's two brothers came there. There was one South Indian brahman who invited Mahaprabhu to his house, so Mahaprabhu took prasadam there, and while there He asked Rupa and Anupam to tell Him all the news about Sanatan Goswami, "What has happened? How did you manage to come? You were working for the emperor Hussein Shah, how did you leave your job? And what is happening to Sanatan?" Rupa told everything—he told that he had managed to leave his job, but when Sanatan had also left his job, the emperor Hussein Shah had got even angrier, so he had put him into jail. Rupa told also that he had kept some money for Sanatan in a grocery shop and sent him a message that he had to manage and anyhow come out. Rupa told Mahaprabhu everything in detail, and Mahaprabhu said, "Do not worry, he will quickly come out from jail and meet with Me."

On the other side of the Triveni, there lived a devotee who established the Ballabha sampraya named Sri Ballabha Acharya. That day, Ballabha Acharya met with Rupa and Anupam, and, knowing they were Vaishnavs, he wanted to embrace them, but they humbly protested, "We come from a lowest class—we have been working for a Muslim king, doing the lowest kinds of job, please do not touch us." Vallabha Acharya said, "Whatever caste one comes from, when they always chant the Holy Name, they are pure devotees, that is why there is no problem to embrace you." Mahaprabhu was very pleased to see such behaviour of Vallabha Acharya.

Vallabha Acharya invited Mahaprabhu to his house and also gave honour to everybody, so one day Mahaprabhu took prasadam at his house. After that, Raghupati Upadhyaya came to Mahaprabhu and they discussed so many conceptions, spoke so much Krishna-katha at that time. Mahaprabhu would ask Raghupati Upadhyaya questions and Raghupati Upadhyaya gave answers. Mahaprabhu asked, "What is the highest? What form of Krishna is the greatest?" Raghupati Upadhyaya said, "Krishna's Shyama-rupa is the highest worshippble form." Mahaprabhu asked, "And what is the highest dham?" Raghupati Upadhyaya said, "Mathura is the highest dham." Mahaprabhu asked, "What age Krishna do we worship?" Raghupati Upadhyaya said, "Krishna's kaisor age, His youth time is the worshippable age for us." Finally, Mahaprabhu asked, "What is the highest taste, the greatest ecstasy?" Raghupati Upadhyaya replied, "Supramundane conjugal rasa is the greatest." Supramundane, not mundane—that transcendental conjugal relationship is the highest. That is what Raghupati Upadhyaya told to Mahaprabhu...

Jay Srila Guru Maharaj ki jay
Harinam sankirtan ki jay

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Previous parts:

• Purpose of Pilgrimage

• Mahaprabhu's Arrival in Vrindavan

• Mahaprabhu Returns to Prayag