Despite serving the lotus feet of his Guru, performing worship with devotion, regularly chanting Sri Hari Nama on beads, singing and listening to the pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna, etc., Duhkhi Krishna Dasa felt that something was missing.
He asked his Guru:
“I feel that I am missing something. Please Gurudeva, give me the permission to go on a pilgrimage.”
Hridaya Caitanya replied:
“You have my blessings. Go.”
Therefore he left on a pilgrimage to all the holy places of India to pacify his restless mind.
Duhkhi Krishna Dasa first went to Navadvipa.
He asked:
“Where is Sri Jagannatha Misra’s house?”
That is the place of Sri Caitanya’s appearance. Entering the abode he saw Sri Isana Thakura[1]. He fell down and offered his obeisances to the old venerable Vaisnava.
Isana Thakura asked:
“Who are you?”
He replied:
“My name is Duhkhi Krishnadasa and my spiritual master is Hridaya Caitanya Prabhu.”
The famous old Vaisnava blessed him and said:
“Stay here for this day.”
The next day Duhkhi Krishna Dasa set out for Mathura with a party of pilgrims.
Upon arriving at Gaya Dhama[2] he took the dust of the lotus feet of Sri Visnu there. He remembered Mahaprabhu’s lila of accepting initiation from Isvara Puri[3] in that place, so becoming overwhelmed in ecstatic love.
From Gaya he came to Kasi Dhama[4] where he met with Tapana Misra, Candrasekhara and the other devotees, and he offered his salutations to their lotus feet. They in turn blessed him.
After spending about eight years taking darsana[5] of all the holy places, including in Vraja, he returned to his ancestral village, Dharenda, in 1562 AD.
[1] Sri Isana Thakura was a household servant of Sri Jagannatha Misra. After the disappearance of Misra Mahasaya, Isana accepted the responsibility of looking after the household. He respected Sacimata as his own mother and she in turn was affectionate to him as though he was her son.
[2] The story of why Gaya Tirtha became one of the most famous holy places in the world is told in the Agni Purana, Chapter 14.4
[3] Isvara Puri is one of the disciples of Madhavendra Puri.
[4] Benares, or Varanasi.
[5] The vision.
This is a section of the book “Syamananda, the Joy of Radharani (English)”.
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