731217CH.LA

Let me repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto the beelike devotees who always taste the honey of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If even a doggish nondevotee somehow takes shelter of such devotees, he enjoys the aroma of the lotus flower.

All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaita Prabhu and all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa!

The description of Lord Caitanya as the gardener and the tree is inconceivable. Now hear with attention about the branches of this tree.

The associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were many, but none of them should be considered lower or higher. This cannot be ascertained.

All the great personalities in the line of Lord Caitanya enumerated these devotees, but they could not distinguish between the greater and the lesser.

I offer my obeisances unto them as a token of respect. I request them not to consider my offenses.

I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Krsna.

The two brothers Srivasa Pandita and Sri Rama Pandita started two branches that are well known in the world.

Their two brothers were named Sripati and Srinidhi. These four brothers and their servants and maidservants are considered one big branch.

There is no counting the sub-branches of these two branches. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu held congregational chanting daily at the house of Srivasa Pandita.

These four brothers and their family members fully engaged in the service of Lord Caitanya. They knew no other god or goddess.

Another big branch was Acaryaratna, and his associates were sub-branches.

Acaryaratna was also named Sri Candrasekhara Acarya. In a drama in his house, Lord Caitanya played the goddess of fortune.

Pundarika Vidyanidhi, the third big branch, was so dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that in his absence Lord Caitanya Himself would sometimes cry.

Gadadhara Pandita, the fourth branch, is described as an incarnation of the pleasure potency of Sri Krsna. No one, therefore, can equal him.

His disciples and grand-disciples are his sub-branches. To describe them all would be difficult.

Vakresvara Pandita, the fifth branch of the tree, was a very dear servant of Lord Caitanya's. He could dance with constant ecstasy for seventy-two hours.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally sang while Vakresvara Pandita danced, and thus Vakresvara Pandita fell at the lotus feet of the Lord and spoke as follows.

"O Candramukha! Please give me 10,000 Gandharvas. Let them sing as I dance, and then I will be greatly happy."

Lord Caitanya replied: "I have only one wing like you, but if I had another, certainly I would fly in the sky!"

Pandita Jagadananda, the sixth branch of the Caitanya tree, was celebrated as the life and soul of the Lord. He is known to have been an incarnation of Satyabhama [one of the chief queens of Lord Krsna].

Jagadananda Pandita [as an incarnation of Satyabhama] always wanted to see to the comfort of Lord Caitanya, but since the Lord was a sannyasi He did not accept the luxuries that Jagadananda Pandita offered.

They sometimes appeared to fight over trifles, but these quarrels were based on their affection, of which I shall speak later.

Raghava Pandita, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's original follower, is understood to have been the seventh branch. From him proceeded another sub-branch, headed by Makaradhvaja Kara.

Raghava Pandita's sister Damayanti was the dear maidservant of the Lord. She always collected various ingredients with which to cook for Lord Caitanya.

The foodstuffs Damayanti cooked for Lord Caitanya when He was at Puri were carried in a bag by her brother Raghava without the knowledge of others.

The Lord accepted these foodstuffs throughout the entire year. That bag is still celebrated as Raghavera jhali ["the bag of Raghava Pandita"].

I shall describe the contents of the bag of Raghava Pandita later in this book. Hearing this narration, devotees generally cry, and tears glide down from their eyes.

Pandita Gaṅgadasa was the eighth dear branch of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One who remembers his activities attains freedom from all bondage.

Sri Acarya Purandara, the ninth branch, was a constant associate of Lord Caitanya. The Lord accepted him as His father.

Damodara Pandita, the tenth branch of the Caitanya tree, was so elevated in love of Lord Caitanya that he once unhesitatingly chastised the Lord with strong words.

I shall describe in detail this incident of chastisement later in Caitanya-caritamrta. The Lord, being very much satisfied by this chastisement, sent Damodara Pandita to Navadvipa.

The eleventh branch, the younger brother of Damodara Pandita, was known as Saṅkara Pandita. He was celebrated as the shoes of the Lord.

Sadasiva Pandita, the twelfth branch, was always anxious to serve the lotus feet of the Lord. It was his good fortune that when Lord Nityananda came to Navadvipa He resided at his house.

The thirteenth branch was Pradyumna Brahmacari. Since he was a worshiper of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu changed his name to Nrsimhananda Brahmacari.

Narayana Pandita, the fourteenth branch, a great and liberal devotee, did not know any shelter but Lord Caitanya's lotus feet.

The fifteenth branch was Sriman Pandita, who was a constant servitor of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He used to carry a torch while the Lord danced.

The sixteenth branch, Suklambara Brahmacari, was very fortunate because Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu jokingly or seriously begged food from him or sometimes snatched it from him forcibly and ate it.

Nandana Acarya, the seventeenth branch of the Caitanya tree, is celebrated within the world because the two Prabhus [Lord Caitanya and Nityananda] sometimes hid in his house.

Mukunda Datta, a class friend of Lord Caitanya's, was another branch of the Caitanya tree. Lord Caitanya danced while he sang.

Vasudeva Datta, the nineteenth branch of the Sri Caitanya tree, was a great personality and a most confidential devotee of the Lord. One could not describe his qualities even with thousands of mouths.

Srila Vasudeva Datta Thakura wanted to suffer for the sinful activities of all the people of the world so that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu might deliver them.

The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree was Haridasa Thakura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name of Krsna 300,000 times a day without fail.

There was no end to the transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura. Here I mention but a fraction of his qualities. He was so exalted that Advaita Gosvami, when performing the sraddha ceremony of his father, offered him the first plate.

The waves of his good qualities were like those of Prahlada Maharaja. He did not even slightly raise an eyebrow when persecuted by the Mohammedan ruler.

After the passing away of Haridasa Thakura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap, and He danced with it in great ecstasy.

Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura vividly described the pastimes of Haridasa Thakura in his Caitanya-bhagavata. Whatever has remained undescribed I shall try to explain later in this book.

One sub-branch of Haridasa Thakura consisted of the residents of Kulina-grama. The most important among them was Satyaraja Khana, or Satyaraja Vasu, who was a recipient of all the mercy of Haridasa Thakura.

Murari Gupta, the twenty-first branch of the tree of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, was a storehouse of love of Godhead. His great humility and meekness melted the heart of Lord Caitanya.

Srila Murari Gupta never accepted charity from friends, nor did he accept money from anyone. He practiced as a physician and maintained his family with his earnings.

As Murari Gupta treated his patients, by his mercy both their bodily and spiritual diseases subsided.

Sriman Sena, the twenty-second branch of the Caitanya tree, was a very faithful servant of Lord Caitanya. He knew nothing else but the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Gadadhara dasa, the twenty-third branch, was understood to be the topmost, for he induced all the Mohammedan Kazis to chant the holy name of Lord Hari.

Sivananda Sena, the twenty-fourth branch of the tree, was an extremely confidential servant of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone who went to Jagannatha Puri to visit Lord Caitanya took shelter and guidance from Sri Sivananda Sena.

Every year he took a party of devotees from Bengal to Jagannatha Puri to visit Lord Caitanya. He maintained the entire party as they journeyed on the road.

Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestows His causeless mercy upon His devotees in three features: His own direct appearance [saksat], His prowess within someone He empowers [avesa], and His manifestation [avirbhava].

The appearance of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in every devotee's presence is called saksat. His appearance in Nakula Brahmacari as a symptom of special prowess is an example of avesa.

The former Pradyumna Brahmacari was given the name Nrsimhananda Brahmacari by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

In his body there were symptoms of avirbhava. Such appearances are uncommon, but Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu displayed many such pastimes through His different features.

Srila Sivananda Sena experienced the three features saksat, avesa and avirbhava. Later I shall vividly describe this transcendentally blissful subject.

The sons, servants and family members of Sivananda Sena constituted a sub-branch. They were all sincere servants of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The three sons of Sivananda Sena, named Caitanya dasa, Ramadasa and Karnapura, were all heroic devotees of Lord Caitanya.

Srivallabha Sena and Srikanta Sena were also sub-branches of Sivananda Sena, for they were not only his nephews but also unalloyed devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Govindananda and Govinda Datta, the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth branches of the tree, were performers of kirtana in the company of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Govinda Datta was the principal singer in Lord Caitanya's kirtana party.

Sri Vijaya dasa, the twenty-seventh branch, another of the Lord's chief singers, gave the Lord many books written by hand.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave Vijaya dasa the name Ratnabahu ["jewel-handed"] because he copied for Him many manuscripts. The twenty-eighth branch was Krsnadasa, who was very dear to the Lord. He was known as Akincana Krsnadasa.

The twenty-ninth branch was Sridhara, a trader in banana tree bark. He was a very dear servant of the Lord. On many occasions, the Lord played jokes on him.

Every day Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu jokingly snatched fruits, flowers and pulp from Sridhara and drank from his broken iron pot.

The thirtieth branch was Bhagavan Pandita. He was an extremely dear servant of the Lord, but even previously he was a great devotee of Lord Krsna who always kept the Lord within his heart.

The thirty-first branch was Jagadisa Pandita, and the thirty-second was Hiranya Mahasaya, unto whom Lord Caitanya in His childhood showed His causeless mercy.

In their two houses Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu begged foodstuffs on the Ekadasi day and ate them personally.

The thirty-third and thirty-fourth branches were the two students of Caitanya Mahaprabhu named Purusottama and Sanjaya, who were stalwart students in grammar. They were very great personalities.

Vanamali Pandita, the thirty-fifth branch of the tree, was very celebrated in this world. He saw in the hands of the Lord a golden club and plow.

The thirty-sixth branch, Buddhimanta Khan, was extremely dear to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was always prepared to carry out the Lord's orders, and therefore he was considered to be a chief servant of the Lord.

Garuda Pandita, the thirty-seventh branch of the tree, always engaged in chanting the auspicious name of the Lord. Because of the strength of this chanting, even the effects of poison could not touch him.

Gopinatha Simha, the thirty-eighth branch of the tree, was a faithful servant of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord jokingly addressed him as Akrura.

Devananda Pandita was a professional reciter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but by the mercy of Vakresvara Pandita and the grace of the Lord he understood the devotional interpretation of the Bhagavatam.

Sri Khandavasi Mukunda and his son Raghunandana were the thirty-ninth branch of the tree, Narahari was the fortieth, Ciranjiva the forty-first and Sulocana the forty-second. They were all big branches of the all-merciful tree of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They distributed the fruits and flowers of love of Godhead anywhere and everywhere.

Satyaraja, Ramananda, Yadunatha, Purusottama, Saṅkara and Vidyananda all belonged to the twentieth branch. They were inhabitants of the village known as Kulina-grama.

All the inhabitants of Kulina-grama village, headed by Vaninatha Vasu, were servants of Lord Caitanya, who was their only life and wealth.

The Lord said: "Not to speak of others, even a dog in the village of Kulina-grama is My dear friend.

"No one can speak about the fortunate position of Kulina-grama. It is so sublime that even sweepers who tend their hogs there also chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra."

On the western side were the forty-third, forty-fourth and forty-fifth branches-Sri Sanatana, Sri Rupa and Anupama. They were the best of all.

Among these branches, Rupa and Sanatana were principal. Anupama, Jiva Gosvami and others, headed by Rajendra, were their sub-branches.

By the will of the supreme gardener, the branches of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami grew many times over, expanding throughout the western countries and covering the entire region.

Extending to the borders of the River Sindhu and the Himalayan Mountain valleys, they expanded throughout India, including all the places of pilgrimage such as Vrndavana, Mathura and Haridvara.

The fruits of love of Godhead which fructified on these two branches were distributed in abundance. Tasting these fruits, everyone became mad after them.

The people in general on the western side of India were neither intelligent nor well behaved, but by the influence of Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami they were trained in devotional service and good behavior.

In accordance with the directions of the revealed scriptures, both Gosvamis excavated the lost places of pilgrimage and inaugurated the worship of Deities in Vrndavana.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, the forty-sixth branch of the tree, was one of the most dear servants of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He left all his material possessions to surrender completely unto the Lord and live at His lotus feet.

When Raghunatha dasa Gosvami approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, the Lord entrusted him to the care of Svarupa Damodara, His secretary. Thus they both engaged in the confidential service of the Lord.

He rendered confidential service to the Lord for sixteen years at Jagannatha Puri, and after the disappearance of both the Lord and Svarupa Damodara, he left Jagannatha Puri and went to Vrndavana.

Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami intended to go to Vrndavana to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill.

Thus Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami came to Vrndavana, visited Srila Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami and offered them his obeisances.

These two brothers, however, did not allow him to die. They accepted him as their third brother and kept him in their company.

Because Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was an assistant to Svarupa Damodara, he knew much about the external and internal features of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya. Thus the two brothers Rupa and Sanatana always used to hear of this from him.

Raghunatha dasa Gosvami gradually gave up all food and drink but a few drops of buttermilk.

As a daily duty, he regularly offered one thousand obeisances to the Lord, chanted at least one hundred thousand holy names and offered obeisances to two thousand Vaisnavas.

Day and night he rendered service within his mind to Radha-Krsna, and for three hours a day he discoursed about the character of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami took three baths daily in the Radhakunda lake. As soon as he found a Vaisnava residing in Vrndavana, he would embrace him and give him all respect.

He engaged himself in devotional service for more than twenty-two and a half hours a day, and for less than two hours he slept, although on some days that also was not possible.

I am struck with wonder when I hear about the devotional service he executed. I accept Srila Rupa Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami as my guides.

I shall later explain very elaborately how all these devotees met Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, the forty-seventh branch, was one of the great and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of Godhead in the company of Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami.

The acarya Saṅkararanya was considered the forty-eighth branch of the original tree. From him proceeded sub-branches known as Mukunda, Kasinatha and Rudra.

Srinatha Pandita, the forty-ninth branch, was the beloved recipient of all the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone in the three worlds was astonished to see how he worshiped Lord Krsna.

Jagannatha Acarya, the fiftieth branch of the Caitanya tree, was an extremely dear servant of the Lord, by whose order he decided to live on the bank of the Ganges.

The fifty-first branch of the Caitanya tree was Krsnadasa Vaidya, the fifty-second was Pandita Sekhara, the fifty-third was Kavicandra, and the fifty-fourth was Sasthivara, who was a great saṅkirtana performer.

The fifty-fifth branch was Srinatha Misra, the fifty-sixth was Subhananda; the fifty-seventh was Srirama, the fifty-eighth was Isana, the fifty-ninth was Srinidhi, the sixtieth was Sri Gopikanta, and the sixty-first was Misra Bhagavan.

The sixty-second branch of the tree was Subuddhi Misra, the sixty-third was Hrdayananda, the sixty-fourth is Kamala-nayana, the sixty-fifth was Mahesa Pandita, the sixty-sixth was Srikara, and the sixty-seventh was Sri Madhusudana.

The sixty-eighth branch of the original tree was Purusottama, the sixty-ninth was Sri Galima, the seventieth was Jagannatha dasa, the seventy-first was Sri Candrasekhara Vaidya, and the seventy-second was Dvija Haridasa.

The seventy-third branch of the original tree was Ramadasa, the seventy-fourth was Kavicandra, the seventy-fifth was Sri Gopala dasa, the seventy-sixth was Bhagavatacarya, and the seventy-seventh was Thakura Saraṅga dasa.

The seventy-eighth branch of the original tree was Jagannatha Tirtha, the seventy-ninth was the brahmana Sri Janakinatha, the eightieth was Gopala Acarya, and the eighty-first was the brahmana Vaninatha.

The three brothers Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were the eighty-second, eighty-third and eighty-fourth branches of the tree. Lord Caitanya and Nityananda used to dance in their kirtana performances.

Ramadasa Abhirama was fully absorbed in the mellow of friendship. He made a flute of a bamboo stick with sixteen knots.

By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, three devotees accompanied Lord Nityananda Prabhu when He returned to Bengal to preach.

These three were Ramadasa, Madhava and Vasudeva Ghosh. Govinda Ghosh, however, remained with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and thus felt great satisfaction.

Bhagavatacarya, Ciranjiva, Sri Raghunandana, Madhavacarya, Kamalakanta and Sri Yadunandana were all among the branches of the Caitanya tree.

Jagai and Madhai, the eighty-ninth and nintieth branches of the tree, were the greatest recipients of Lord Caitanya's mercy. These two brothers were the witnesses who proved that Lord Caitanya was rightly named Patita-pavana, "the deliverer of the fallen souls."

I have given a brief description of the devotees of Lord Caitanya in Bengal. Actually His devotees are innumerable.

I have especially mentioned all these devotees because they accompanied Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal and Orissa and served Him in many ways.

Let me briefly describe some of the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Jagannatha Puri.

Among the devotees who accompanied the Lord in Jagannatha Puri, two of them-Paramananda Puri and Svarupa Damodara-were the heart and soul of the Lord. Among the other devotees were Gadadhara, Jagadananda, Saṅkara, Vakresvara, Damodara Pandita, Thakura Haridasa, Raghunatha Vaidya and Raghunatha dasa.

All these devotees were associates of the Lord from the very beginning, and when the Lord took up residence in Jagannatha Puri they remained there to serve Him faithfully.

All the devotees who resided in Bengal used to visit Jagannatha Puri to see the Lord.

Now let me enumerate the devotees of Bengal who first came to see the Lord at Jagannatha Puri.

There was Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, one of the biggest branches of the tree of the Lord, and his sister's husband, Sri Gopinathacarya.

In the list of devotees at Jagannatha Puri [which begins with Paramananda Puri, Svarupa Damodara, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Gopinatha Acarya], Kasi Misra was the fifth, Pradyumna Misra the sixth and Bhavananda Raya the seventh. Lord Caitanya took great pleasure in meeting with them.

Embracing Raya Bhavananda, the Lord declared to him: "You formerly appeared as Pandu, and your five sons appeared as the five Pandavas."

The five sons of Bhavananda Raya were Ramananda Raya, Pattanayaka Gopinatha, Kalanidhi, Sudhanidhi and Nayaka Vaninatha.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told Bhavananda Raya, "Your five sons are all My dear devotees. Ramananda Raya and I are one, although our bodies are different."

King Prataparudra of Orissa, the Oriya devotees Krsnananda and Sivananda, Paramananda Mahapatra, Bhagavan Acarya, Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Sikhi Mahiti and Murari Mahiti constantly associated with Caitanya Mahaprabhu while He resided in Jagannatha Puri.

Madhavidevi, the seventeenth of the prominent devotees, was the younger sister of Sikhi Mahiti. She is considered to have formerly been a maidservant of Srimati Radharani.

Brahmacari Kasisvara was a disciple of Isvara Puri, and Sri Govinda was another of his dear disciples.

In the list of prominent devotees at Nilacala [Jagannatha Puri], Kasisvara was the eighteenth and Govinda the nineteenth. They both came to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, being thus ordered by Isvara Puri at the time of his passing away.

Both Kasisvara and Govinda were Godbrothers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and thus the Lord duly honored them as soon as they arrived. But because Isvara Puri had ordered them to give Caitanya Mahaprabhu personal service, the Lord accepted their service.

Govinda cared for the body of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu whereas Kasisvara went in front of the Lord when He went to see Jagannatha in the temple.

When Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the temple of Jagannatha, Kasisvara, being very strong, cleared the crowds aside with his hands so that Caitanya Mahaprabhu could pass untouched.

Ramai and Nandai, the twentieth and twenty-first among the important devotees in Jagannatha Puri, always assisted Govinda twenty-four hours a day in rendering service to the Lord.

Every day Ramai filled twenty-two big water pots, whereas Nandai personally assisted Govinda.

The twenty-second devotee, Krsnadasa, was born of a pure and respectable brahmana family. While touring southern India, Lord Caitanya took Krsnadasa with Him.

As a bona fide devotee, Balabhadra Bhattacarya, the twenty-third principal associate, acted as the brahmacari of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He toured Mathura.

Bada Haridasa and Chota Haridasa, the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth devotees in Nilacala, were good singers who always accompanied Lord Caitanya.

Among the devotees who lived with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri, Ramabhadra Acarya was the twenty-sixth, Simhesvara the twenty-seventh, Tapana Acarya the twenty-eighth, Raghunatha the twenty-ninth and Nilambara the thirtieth.

Siṅgabhatta was the thirty-first, Kamabhatta the thirty-second, Sivananda the thirty-third and Kamalananda the thirty-fourth. They all formerly served Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal, but later these servants left Bengal to live with the Lord in Jagannatha Puri.

Acyutananda, the thirty-fifth devotee, was the son of Advaita Acarya. He also lived with Lord Caitanya, taking shelter of His lotus feet at Jagannatha Puri.

Nirloma Gaṅgadasa and Visnudasa were the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh among the devotees who lived at Jagannatha Puri as servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The prominent devotees at Varanasi were the physician Candrasekhara, Tapana Misra and Raghunatha Bhattacarya, Tapana Misra's son. When Lord Caitanya came to Varanasi after seeing Vrndavana, for two months He lived at the residence of Candrasekhara Vaidya and accepted prasada at the house of Tapana Misra.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at the house of Tapana Misra, Raghunatha Bhatta, who was then a boy, washed His dishes and massaged His legs.

When Raghunatha grew to be a young man, he visited Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri and stayed there for eight months. Sometimes he offered prasada to the Lord.

Later, by the order of Lord Caitanya, Raghunatha went to Vrndavana and remained there under the shelter of Srila Rupa Gosvami.

While he stayed with Srila Rupa Gosvami, his engagement was to recite Srimad-Bhagavatam for him to hear. As a result of this Bhagavatam recitation, he attained perfectional love of Krsna, by which he remained always maddened.

I list in this way only a portion of the innumerable devotees of Lord Caitanya. To describe them all fully is not possible.

From each branch of the tree have grown hundreds and thousands of sub-branches of disciples and grand-disciples.

Every branch and sub-branch of the tree is full of innumerable fruits and flowers. They inundate the world with the waters of love of Krsna.

Each and every branch of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees has unlimited spiritual power and glory. Even if one had thousands of mouths, it would be impossible to describe the limits of their activities.

I have briefly described the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in different places. Even Lord Sesa, who has thousands of mouths, could not list them all.

Praying at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, always desiring their mercy, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.

After offering my obeisances unto all of the devotees of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who are like bumblebees collecting honey from His lotus feet, I shall try to describe those who are the most prominent.

All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu! Anyone who has taken shelter at His lotus feet is glorious.

All glories to Sri Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Sri Nityananda Prabhu is the topmost branch of the indestructible tree of eternal love of Godhead, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I offer my respectful obeisances to all the sub-branches of that topmost branch.

Sri Nityananda Prabhu is an extremely heavy branch of the Sri Caitanya tree. From that branch grow many branches and sub-branches.

Watered by the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, these branches and sub-branches have grown unlimitedly and covered the entire world with fruits and flowers.

These branches and sub-branches of devotees are innumerable and unlimited. Who could count them? For my personal purification I shall try to enumerate only the most prominent among them.

After Nityananda Prabhu, the greatest branch is Virabhadra Gosani, who also has innumerable branches and sub-branches. It is not possible to describe them all.

Although Virabhadra Gosani was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He presented Himself as a great devotee. And although the Supreme Godhead is transcendental to all Vedic injunctions, He strictly followed the Vedic rituals.

He is the main pillar in the hall of devotional service erected by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew within himself that He acted as the Supreme Lord Visnu, but externally He was prideless.

It is by the glorious mercy of Sri Virabhadra Gosani that people all over the world now have the chance to chant the names of Caitanya and Nityananda.

I therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of Virabhadra Gosani so that by His mercy my great desire to write Sri Caitanya-caritamrta will be properly guided.

Two devotees of Lord Caitanya named Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa always lived with Sri Virabhadra Gosani.

When Nityananda Prabhu was ordered to go to Bengal to preach, these two devotees [Sri Ramadasa and Gadadhara dasa] were ordered to go with Him. Thus they are sometimes counted among the devotees of Lord Caitanya and sometimes among the devotees of Lord Nityananda. Similarly, Madhava and Vasudeva Ghosh belonged to both groups of devotees simultaneously.

Ramadasa, one of the chief branches, was full of fraternal love of Godhead. He made a flute from a stick with sixteen knots.

Srila Gadadhara dasa was always fully absorbed in ecstasy as a gopi. In his house Lord Nityananda enacted the drama Danakeli.

Sri Madhava Ghosh was a principal performer of kirtana. While he sang, Nityananda Prabhu danced.

When Vasudeva Ghosh performed kirtana, describing Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, even wood and stone would melt upon hearing it.

There were many extraordinary activities performed by Murari, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sometimes in his ecstasy he would slap the cheek of a tiger, and sometimes he would play with a venomous snake.

All the associates of Lord Nityananda were formerly cowherd boys in Vrajabhumi. Their symbolic representations were the horns and sticks they carried, their cowherd dress and the peacock plumes on their heads.

The physician Raghunatha, also known as Upadhyaya, was so great a devotee that simply seeing him would awaken one's dormant love of Godhead.

Sundarananda, another branch of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, was Lord Nityananda's most intimate servant. Lord Nityananda Prabhu perceived the life of Vrajabhumi in his company.

Kamalakara Pippalai is said to have been the third gopala. His behavior and love of Godhead were uncommon, and thus he is celebrated all over the world.

Suryadasa Sarakhela and his younger brother Krsnadasa Sarakhela both possessed firm faith in Nityananda Prabhu. They were a reservoir of love of Godhead.

Gauridasa Pandita, the emblem of the most elevated devotional service in love of Godhead, had the greatest potency to receive and deliver such love.

Making Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda the Lords of his life, Gauridasa Pandita sacrificed everything for the service of Lord Nityananda, even the fellowship of his own family.

The thirteenth important devotee of Sri Nityananda Prabhu was Pandita Purandara, who moved in the ocean of love of Godhead just like the Mandara Hill.

Paramesvara dasa, said to be the fifth gopala of krsna-lila, completely surrendered to the lotus feet of Nityananda. Anyone who remembers his name, Paramesvara dasa, will get love of Krsna very easily.

Jagadisa Pandita, the fifteenth branch of Lord Nityananda's followers, was the deliverer of the entire world. Devotional love of Krsna showered from him like torrents of rain.

The sixteenth dear servant of Nityananda Prabhu was Dhananjaya Pandita. He was very much renounced and always merged in love of Krsna.

Mahesa Pandita, the seventh of the twelve gopalas, was very liberal. In great love of Krsna he danced to the beating of a kettledrum like a madman.

Purusottama Pandita, a resident of Navadvipa, was the eighth gopala. He would become almost mad as soon as he heard the holy name of Nityananda Prabhu.

Balarama dasa always fully tasted the nectar of love of Krsna. Upon hearing the name of Nityananda Prabhu he would become greatly maddened.

Yadunatha Kavicandra was a great devotee. Lord Nityananda Prabhu always danced in his heart.

The twenty-first devotee of Sri Nityananda in Bengal was Krsnadasa Brahmana, who was a first-class servant of the Lord.

The twenty-second devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kala Krsnadasa, who was the ninth cowherd boy. He was a first-class Vaisnava and did not know anything beyond Nityananda Prabhu.

The twenty-third and twenty-fourth prominent devotees of Nityananda Prabhu were Sadasiva Kaviraja and his son Purusottama dasa, who was the tenth gopala.

Since birth, Purusottama dasa was merged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and he always engaged in childish play with Lord Krsna.

Sri Kanu Thakura, a very respectable gentleman, was the son of Purusottama dasa Thakura. He was such a great devotee that Lord Krsna always lived in his body.

Uddharana Datta Thakura, the eleventh among the twelve cowherd boys, was an exalted devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. He worshiped the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda in all respects.

The twenty-seventh prominent devotee of Nityananda Prabhu was Acarya Vaisnavananda, a great personality in devotional service. He was formerly known as Raghunatha Puri.

Another important devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Visnudasa, who had two brothers, Nandana and Gaṅgadasa. Lord Nityananda Prabhu sometimes stayed at their house.

Paramananda Upadhyaya was Nityananda Prabhu's great servitor. Sri Jiva Pandita glorified the qualities of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

The thirty-first devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Paramananda Gupta, who was greatly devoted to Lord Krsna and highly advanced in spiritual consciousness. Formerly Nityananda Prabhu also resided at his house for some time.

The thirty-second, thirty-third, thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth prominent devotees were Narayana, Krsnadasa, Manohara and Devananda, who always engaged in the service of Lord Nityananda.

The thirty-sixth devotee of Lord Nityananda was Hoda Krsnadasa, whose life and soul was Nityananda Prabhu. He was always dedicated to the lotus feet of Nityananda, and he knew no one else but Him.

Among Lord Nityananda's devotees, Nakadi was the thirty-seventh, Mukunda the thirty-eighth, Surya the thirty-ninth, Madhava the fortieth, Sridhara the forty-first, Ramananda the forty-second, Jagannatha the forty-third and Mahidhara the forty-fourth.

Sri Manta was the forty-fifth, Gokula dasa the forty-sixth, Hariharananda the forty-seventh, Sivai the forty-eighth, Nandai the forty-ninth and Paramananda the fiftieth.

Vasanta was the fifty-first, Navani Hoda the fifty-second, Gopala the fifty-third, Sanatana the fifty-fourth, Visnai the fifty-fifth, Krsnananda the fifty-sixth and Sulocana the fifty-seventh.

The fifty-eighth great devotee of Lord Nityananda Prabhu was Kamsari Sena, the fifty-ninth was Ramasena, the sixtieth was Ramacandra Kaviraja, and the sixty-first, sixty-second and sixty-third were Govinda, Sriraṅga and Mukunda, who were all physicians.

Among the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, Pitambara was the sixty-fourth, Madhavacarya the sixty-fifth, Damodara dasa the sixty-sixth, Saṅkara the sixty-seventh, Mukunda the sixty-eighth, Jnanadasa the sixty-ninth and Manohara the seventieth.

The dancer Gopala was the seventy-first, Ramabhadra the seventy-second, Gauraṅga dasa the seventy-third, Nrsimha-caitanya the seventy-fourth and Minaketana Ramadasa the seventy-fifth.

Vrndavana dasa Thakura, the son of Srimati Narayani, composed Sri Caitanya-maṅgala [later known as Sri Caitanya-bhagavata].

Srila Vyasadeva described the pastimes of Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Vyasa of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was Vrndavana dasa.

Among all the branches of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Virabhadra Gosani was the topmost. His sub-branches were unlimited.

No one can count the unlimited followers of Nityananda Prabhu. I have mentioned some of them just for my self-purification.

All these branches, the devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu, being full of ripened fruits of love of Krsna, distributed these fruits to all they met, flooding them with love of Krsna.

All these devotees had unlimited strength to deliver unobstructed, unceasing love of Krsna. By their own strength they could offer anyone Krsna and love of Krsna.

I have briefly described only some of the followers and devotees of Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Even the thousand-mouthed Sesanaga cannot describe all of these unlimited devotees.

With an ardent desire to serve the purpose of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, I, Krsnadasa, narrate Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, following in their footsteps.