Madhya 5.142-143

TEXTS 142-143

TEXT

কপোতেশ্বর দেখিতে গেলা ভক্তগণ সঙ্গে ।
এথা নিত্যানন্দপ্রভু কৈল দণ্ড-ভঙ্গে ॥ ১৪২ ॥

kapotesvara dekhite gela bhakta-gana saṅge

etha nityananda-prabhu kaila danda-bhaṅge

tina khanda kari' danda dila bhasana

bhakta-saṅge aila prabhu mahesa dekhina

SYNONYMS

kapotesvara-the Siva temple of the name Kapotesvara; dekhite-to see; gela-went; bhakta-gana saṅge-with the devotees; etha-here; nityananda-prabhu-Lord Nityananda Prabhu; kaila-did; danda-of the sannyasa staff; bhaṅge-breaking; tina khanda-three parts; kari'-making; danda-the staff; dila-threw in; bhasana-washing away; bhakta-saṅge-with the devotees; aila-returned; prabhu-Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; mahesa dekhina-having seen the temple of Lord Siva.

TRANSLATION

When Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to the temple of Lord Siva known as Kapotesvara, Nityananda Prabhu, who was keeping His sannyasa staff in custody, broke the staff in three parts and threw it into the River Bharginadi. Later this river became known as Danda-bhaṅga-nadi.

PURPORT

The mystery of the sannyasa-danda (staff) of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has been explained by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the order of sannyasa from a Mayavadi sannyasi. The Mayavadi sannyasis generally carry one staff, or danda. Taking advantage of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's absence, Srila Nityananda Prabhu broke the staff into three parts and threw it into the river now known as the Danda-bhaṅga-nadi. In the sannyasa order there are four divisions-kuticaka, bahudaka, hamsa and paramahamsa. Only when the sannyasi remains on the kuticaka and bahudaka platforms can he carry a staff. However, when one is elevated to the status of hamsa or paramahamsa, after touring and preaching the bhakti cult, he must give up the sannyasa staff.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is therefore said, sri-krsna-caitanya, radha-krsna nahe anya: "Two personalities-Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna-are combined in the incarnation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." Therefore, considering Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be an extraordinary person, Lord Nityananda Prabhu did not wait for the paramahamsa stage. He reasoned that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is automatically on the paramahamsa stage; therefore He does not need to carry the sannyasa-danda.

This is the reason Sri Nityananda Prabhu broke the staff into three pieces and threw it into the water.

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