78 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta

disagreement, the chanting of the holy names is the only way to liberation from
the material clutches.

“By chanting the holy name,” Lord Caitanya continued, ‘‘| became almost mad.
However, after inquiring from My spiritual master | have come to the conclusion
that instead of striving for achievement in the four principles of religiosity (dharma),
economic development (artha), sense gratification (kama) and liberation (moksa), it
is better if somehow or other one develops transcendental love of Godhead. That is
the greatest success in life. One who has attained love of Godhead chants and dances
by his nature, not caring for the public.” This stage of life is known as bhagavata-
jivana, or the life of a devotee.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, ‘I never chanted and danced to make an
artificial show. | dance and chant because | firmly believe in the words of My spiri-
tual master. Although the Mayavadi philosophers do not like this chanting and
dancing, | nevertheless perform it on the strength of his words. Therefore it is to be
concluded that I deserve very little credit for these activities of chanting and dancing,
for they are being done automatically by the grace of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead.”

TEXT 97

PRAT CI AHAB AGA |

SRA STA TH NCSTHB-AF tt 34 I
Rrsna-name ye ananda-sindhu-asvadana
brahmananda tara age khatodaka-sama

SYNONYMS

Rrsna-name—in the holy name of the Lord; ye—which; ananda—transcendental
bliss; sindhu—ocean; asvadana—tasting; brahmananda—the transcendental bliss of
impersonal understanding; tara—its;age—in front; khata-udaka—shallow water in the
canals; sama—like.

TRANSLATION

“Compared to the ocean of transcendental bliss which is tasted by chanting the
Hare Krsna mantra, the pleasure derived from impersonal Brahman reajization
[brahmananda] is like the shallow water in a canal.

PURPORT

In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is stated:

brahmanando bhaved esa
cet pararddha-gunikrtah

naiti bhakti-sukhambodheh
paramanu-tulam api
