Unparalleled Devotion of Sri Madhavendra Puri
So Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was personally praising the glories of his guru Madhavendra Puri by narrating the wonderful story describing the characteristics of his love for Krishna. And of course Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is non-different than that Gopal and Gopinath, took the greatest pleasure and relished describing the glories of His devotee.
Then Lord Chaitanya asked Nityananda Prabhu to judge whether there was anyone within the world that is as fortunate as Madhavendra Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said,
“Madhavendra Puri was so fortunate that Krishna personally appeared before him in the plea of delivering milk, three times the Lord gave orders to Madhavendra Puri in dreams. Being obliged because of the loving affairs of Madhavendra Puri, Lord Krishna himself appeared as Gopal and accepting his service he liberated the whole world. On account of Madhavendra Puri, Lord Gopinath stole the sweet rice and thus he became known as kheer chora Gopinath. To this day this is the name of the temple, kheer chora Gopinath – which means the thief who stole the sweet rice. Madhavendra Puri smeared the sandalwood pulp over the body of Gopinath and in this way he was over powered by the love of Godhead. In the provinces of India governed, this is Mahaprabhu speaking, in the provinces of India governed by the Mohammedans, there was much inconvenience of travelling with sandalwood and camphor. And because of this Gopal knew that Madhavendra Puri could get in very much trouble. So therefore the Lord was so merciful and attached to His devotee that He told him to simply offer all of this to Gopinath.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu placed the standard of Madhavendra Puri’s intense love before Nityananda Prabhu for judgment. All his loving activities are uncommon Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said. Indeed, one is struck with wonder to hear his activities. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu continued, Sri Madhavendra Puri used to remain alone. He was completely renounced and always very silent. He was uninterested in everything material. And for fear of talking about mundane things, he always lived without a companion.
Then Chaitanya Mahaprabhu read the famous verse of Madhavendra Puri. That verse is just like the moon. It has spread illumination all over the world. By continuous loving, the aroma of Malaya sandalwood increases. Similarly, by considering this verse, its importance increases. As the kastuba mani is considered the most precious of all valuable stones, this verse is similarly considered the best of all mellow poems. Actually this verse was spoken by Srimati Radharani herself. And by her mercy only was it manifest in the words of Madhavendra Puri. Only Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has tasted the poetry of this verse. No forth person is capable of understanding it. Prabhupada explains that only Srimati Radharani, Madhavendra Puri and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are capable of understanding the purport of this verse. It is the essence of maha bhava. Madhavendra Puri recited this verse again and again and at the end of his material existence, he chanted this verse. Thus uttering this verse he attained the ultimate goal of life. With this verse Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was tasting the ecstasy of love as follows:
ayi dina-dayardra natha he
mathura-natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad-aloka-kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham
“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?”
CC Madhya 4.197
This verse was chanted by Srimati Radharani just after Krishna left Vrindavan for Mathura, in the intensity of the pangs of the ecstatic feelings of separation. Srimati Radharani expressed how Krishna can be loved in this mood of separation.
This is a section of the book “Vrindavana Lila”.
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