Text 246]
Pastimes of the Lord in His Youth
383
One who takes the dust of a great personality's lotus feet transfers his sinful activities to that great personality. Unless one is very strong, he must suffer the sinful activities of the person who takes the dust. Therefore ordinarily it should not be allowed. Sometimes in big meetings people come to take the same advantage by touching our feet. On account of this, sometimes we have to suffer from some disease. As far as possible, no outsider should be allowed to touch one's feet to take dust from them. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally showed this by His example, as explained in the next verse.
TEXT 245
সেইক্ষণে ধাঞ্জা প্রভু গঙ্গাতে পড়িল । নিত্যানন্দ-হরিদাস ধরি' উঠাইল ॥ ২৪৫ ॥
sei-kṣaṇe dhāñā prabhu gaṅgāte paḍila nityānanda-haridāsa dhari' uṭhāila
SYNONYMS
sei-kṣaṇe —immediately;  dhāñā —running;  prabhu —the Lord;  gaṅgāte —in the water of the Ganges;  paḍila —plunged;  nityānanda —Lord Nityānanda;  haridāsa —Haridāsa Thākura;  dhari' —catching Him;  uṭhāila —raised Him.
TRANSLATION
Immediately He ran to the River Ganges and jumped in to counteract the sinful activities of that woman. Lord Nityānanda and Haridāsa Thākura caught Him and raised Him from the river.
PURPORT
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is God Himself, but He was playing the part of a preacher. Every preacher should know that being allowed to touch a Vaiṣṇava's feet and take dust may be good for the person who takes it, but it is not good for the person who allows it to be taken. As far as possible, this practice should ordinarily be avoided. Only initiated disciples should be allowed to take this advantage, not others. Those who are full of sinful activities should generally be avoided.
TEXT 246
বিজয় আচার্যের ঘরে সে রাজে রহিলা । প্রাতঃকালে ভক্ত সবে ঘরে লঞ্জা গেলা ॥ ২৪৬ ॥
vijaya ācāryera ghare se rātre rahilā prātaḥ-kāle bhakta sabe ghare lañā gelā