222 Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta

yata-priti isvarera puri-gosanire
damodara-svarupere-o tata priti kare

“Among his sannyasi disciples, Isvara Puri and Paramananda Puri were very dear to
Madhavendra Puri. Thus Paramananda Puri, like Svaripa Damodara, who was also a
sannyasi, was very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and was His constant associate.
When Lord Caitanya accepted the renounced order, Paramananda Puri offered Him
the danda. Paramananda Purl was always engaged in meditation, and Si Svarupa
was always engaged in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. As Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu offered full respect to His spiritual master, Isvara Purt, He similarly
respected Paramananda Purt and Svaripa Damodara.”’ It is described in Caitanya-
bhagavata, Antya-lila, Chapter Three, that when Sit Caitanya Mahaprabhu first saw
Paramananda Purt He made the following statement:

aji dhanya locana, saphala aji janma
saphala amara aji haila sarva-dharma

prabhu bale aji mora saphala sannyasa
aji madhavendra more ha-ila prakasa

“My eyes, My mind, My religious activities and My acceptance of the sannyasa order
have now all become perfect because today Madhavendra Puri is manifest before
Me in the form of Paramananda Puri.”” Caitanya-bhagavata further states:

kathoksane anyo ‘nye karena pranama
paramananda-puri caitanyera priya-dhama

“Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu exchanged respectful obeisances with Paramananda-
Puri, who was very dear to Him.” Paramananda Puri established a small monastery
behind the western side of the Jagannatha Temple, where he had a well dug to
supply water. The water, however, was bitter, and therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
prayed to Lord Jagannatha to allow Ganges water to come into the well to make it
sweet. When Lord Jagannatha granted the request, Lord Caitanya told all the
devotees that from that day hence, the water of Paramananda Puri’s well should be
celebrated as Ganges water, for any devotee who would drink it or bathe in it
would certainly get the same benefit as that derived from drinking or bathing in the
waters of the Ganges. Such a person would certainly develop pure love of Godhead:
It is stated in the Caitanya-bhagavata:

prabhu bale ami ye achiye prthivite
niscayai janiha puri-gosahira prite

“Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say: ‘I am living in this world only on account
of the excellent behavior of Sri Paramananda Puri’” The Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika,
verse 118, states, purr sri-paramanando ya asid uddhavah pura: “‘Paramananda Puri
is none other than Uddhava.”” Uddhava was Lord Krsna’s friend and uncle, and in
