220 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta

1 can only pray to Krsna that He will be pleased with you.’ Thus Isvara Puri, by the
grace of his spiritual master, Sri Madhavendra Puri, became a great devotee in the
ocean of love of Godhead.” Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti states in his Gurvastaka
prayer, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto’pi: “By the
mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Krsna. Without the
grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement.” It is by the mercy
of the spiritual master that one becomes perfect, as vividly exemplified here. A
Vaisnava is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if he
appears to be an invalid, this gives a chance to his disciples to serve him. Isvara Puri
pleased his spiritual master by service, and by the blessings of his spiritual master
he became such a great personality that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted him as
His spiritual master.

Srila Tsvara Puri was the spiritual master of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but before
initiating Lord Caitanya he went to Navadvipa and lived for a few months in the
house of Gopinatha Acarya. At that time Lord Caitanya became acquainted with
him, and it is understood that he served Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by reciting his
book, Krsna-lilamrta. This is explained in Caitanya-bhagavata, Adi-lila, Seventh
Chapter.

,_ To teach others by example how to be a faithful disciple of one’s spiritual master,
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, visited the birth-
place of Isvara Puri at Kamarhatty and collected some earth from his birthsite. This
He kept very carefully, and He used to eat asmall portion of it daily. This is stated
in the Caitanya-bhagavata, Chapter Twelve. It has now become customary for
devotees, following the example of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to go there and collect
some earth from that place.
TEXT 12

faa oweroes Tet eal TE SF |

ABH AAA CHS SS FSA 92

nijacintya-Saktye mali hand skandha haya

sakala sakhara sei skandha mulasraya

SYNONYMS

nija—His own; acintya—inconceivable; saktye—by potency; mali—gardener; haha—
becoming; skandha—trunk; haya—became; sakala—all; sakhara—of other branches;
sei—that; skandha—trunk; mula-asraya—original support.

TRANSLATION
By His inconceivable powers, the Lord became the gardener, the trunk and the
branches simultaneously.
TEXTS 13-15
AMUA AN, Ata CHAI STTST |
HTH YM, ta SHAH SAS) tt 90 Il
