Caitanya Bhagavata
Chapter Twenty-eight
Sannyasa-grahana
Accepting Sannyasa


     1. O fair-limbed Lord Caitanya, O husband of Visnupriya, glory, glory to You! O Lord, please place Your glance of mercy on the conditioned souls.
     2. Lord Caitanya always enjoyed the bliss of sankirtana.
     3. Lord Caitanya is the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose desires are always fulfilled. No one has the power to understand what is in His heart.
     4. Accompanied by His devotees, He always enjoyed the bliss of sankirtana.
     5. Overcome with bliss, the devotees forgot that the Lord would leave them.
     6. In this way the devotees enjoyed pastimes with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whom all the Vedas yearn to see.
     7. As the day for Lord Caitanya's acceptance of sannyasa approached, in a secluded place Lord Caitanya said to Nityananda,
     8. Please listen. Listen, O Nityananda Gosvami. Now I will leave five people.
     9. On the day when the sun begins to travel north, I will travel and accept sannyasa.
     10. Near Katwa, in the village named Indrani, stays a person who bears the pure name Kesava Bharati.
     11. From him at that place I will certainly accept sannyasa. This five people will soon know.
     12. Those five people are: My mother, Gadadhara, Brahmananda, Sri Candrasekhara Acarya, and the peerless Mukunda.
     13. Lord Caitanya spoke these words only to Nityananda. No one else knew of these plans.
     14. When Lord Caitanya had departed, Lord Nityananda repeated these words to the five persons.
     15. That day Lord stayed with the Vaisnavas. Every day passed in the joys of sankirtana.
     16. With great bliss the Lord enjoyed these pastimes. In the evening He would take His meal and then go to see the Ganga.
     17. He would offer obeisances to the Ganga and then sit by the Ganga's shore. After some time He would return home.
     18. One day, surrounded in the four directions by His followers, Lord Caitanya sat at home.
     19. On that day the Lord would leave home. This no one knew. They all happily enjoyed pastimes with the Lord.
     20. The Lord sat down. His eyes were lotus flowers. His every limb was splendid with flower garlands and fragrant with sandal paste.
     21. All the Vaisnavas came to see Him. They all brought sandal paste and flower garlands in their two hands.
     22. Like a magnet, the Lord attracted them all. From wherever they were, they all came to Him. How this happened I do not know.
     23. Many townspeople came to see the Lord. Neither Brahma nor all the demigods have the power to write all that happened then.
     24. Everyone fell down and offered dansavat obeisances. As if with a single pair of eyes they all gazed at the Lord's graceful face.
     25. The Lord placed a flower garland around each devotee's neck. Then the Lord ordered, Sing `Krsna!'
     26. Talk of Krsna. Worship Krsna. Sing Krsna's name. Think only of Lord Krsna. Think of no one else.
     27. If you love Me, then please sing only of Lord Krsna. Sing of no one else.
     28. Whether asleep, awake, or eating your meals, think only of Lord Krsna day and night. With your mouths speak only of Him."
     29. Speaking in this way, Lord Caitanya placed His glance of mercy on everyone. After speaking these instructions, Lord Caitanya said to everyone, Now please go home."
     30. In this way they came and went. No one understood the meaning of what had just happened. Everyone floated in bliss.
     31. The Lord's graceful form was covered with sandal paste and flower garlands. How many times more splendid than the moon was the Lord's form? I cannot say.
     32. Attaining the Lord's mercy, everyone was very happy. Everyone loudly chanted the names of Lord Hari.
     33. At that time saintly Sridhara, carrying a lau squash in his hand, came there.
     34. Seeing the gift of a squash, Lord Caitanya smiled and asked, Where did you get it?"
     35. In His heart Lord Caitanya thought, Tomorrow I will leave. I will not be able to eat this squash.
     36. How can I reject Sridhara's gift? I must eat this squash today."
     37. Thinking in this way, out of love for His devotee Lord Caitanya asked His mother to cook the squash. 
     38. Then another fortunate devotee brought a gift of milk. 
     39. Lord Caitanya smiled and said, Good. Very good. Cook the squash and milk together."
     40. Saci happily cooked them. In this way Lord Caitanya loves His devotees.
     41. In this way the king of Vaikuntha happily enjoyed pastimes for six hours of the night.
     42. After bidding farewell to everyone, Lord Caitanya, who is the master of the thirty-million demigods, sat down to eat. 
     43. After eating, Lord Caitanya washed His mouth and went to His bedroom.
     44. Although in truth He withdrew into a yogic trance, to every eye it seemed that Lord Caitanya was asleep. Haridasa and Gadadhara slept nearby.
     45. Aware that on the next day the Lord would leave, Mother Saci could not sleep. She wept at every moment.
     46. The Lord thought, Two hours of the night remain." Taking a deep breath through His nostrils, Lord Caitanya rose to depart.
     47. Aware of what was to happen, Gadadhara and Haridasa also rose. Gadadhara said, I will go with You."
     48. The Lord replied, No one will go with Me. I will go alone, without any companion. That is My happiness."

     49. Aware that Lord Caitanya would depart, Mother Saci sat, waiting, at the door.
     50. Seeing His mother, the Lord held out His hand and embraced her. Sitting down, He spoke many words to enlighten her.
     51. He said, For a long time you protected Me. It is because of you that I heard and read the scriptures.
     52. From the time of My birth I did not feel even half a sesame seed's worth of happiness that you did not give to Me.
     53. Even in millions of kalpas I could not repay the love you gave Me moment after moment.
     54. I cannot repay the mercy you gave Me. Birth after birth I am in debt to you.
     55. Listen, mother. The whole world is dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is independent of Him.
     56. The Supreme Personality of Godhead brings people together, and then He also pushes them apart. Who has the power to understand what He wills?
     57. After ten days I will return. Please don't worry.
     58. All the service you have given now touches Me. You are very dear to Me."
     59. Placing His hand on His chest, Lord Caitanya said again and again, You are very dear to Me."
     60. Saci listened to all the Lord said, but she gave no reply. From her eyes she shed tears without stop.
     61. Saci is the mother of the universes. She is the earth-goddess personified. Who can understand the narrations of Lord Krsna's inconceivable pastimes?
     62. On His head Lord Caitanya placed the dust of His mother's feet. Then He circumambulated her, and then He quickly departed.
     63. The king of Vaikuntha left His home. To deliver all the conditioned souls He would accept sannyasa.
     64. O my brothers, please listen. Please listen. Anyone who hears the story of the Lord's sannyasa breaks all the bonds that tie him to this world.
