Text 12] The Glories of Haridasa Thakura 213

TRANSLATION

Damodara Pandita impudently said to the Lord, ‘‘Everyone says that You are
a great teacher because of Your instructions to others, but now we shall find
out what kind of teacher You are.

PURPORT

Damodara Pandita was a great devotee of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Some-
times, however, a person in such a position becomes impudent, being influenced
by the external energy and material considerations. Thus a devotee mistakenly
dares to criticize the activities of the spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Despite the logic that ““Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion,” a devo-
tee should not be disturbed by the activities of his spiritual master and should not
try to criticize him. A devotee should be fixed in the conclusion that the spiritual
master cannot be subject to criticism and should never be considered equal to a
common man. Even if there appears to be some discrepancy according to an im-
perfect devotee’s estimation, the devotee should be fixed in the conviction that
even if his spiritual master goes to a liquor shop, he is not a drunkard; rather, he
must have some purpose in going there. It is said in a Bengali poem:

yadyapi nitydnanda surd-badi yaya
tathdpio haya nityananda-raya

“Even if | see that Lord Nityananda has entered a liquor shop, | shall not be
diverted from my conclusion that Nityananda Raya is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.”

TEXT 12

OCA CattAtfass Qsl-THt Ae UT NVA |
Bea catintines cifesi AYecaraca VCs We i

ebe gosafira guna-yasa saba loke gaibe
tabe gosdfira pratistha purusottame ha-ibe

SYNONYMS

ebe—now; gosdahira—of Lord $11 Caitanya Mahaprabhu; guna-yasa—attributes
and reputation; saba loke—everyone; gaibe—will talk about; tabe—at that time;
gosafiira—of the Lord; pratistha—the position; purusottame—in Purusottama
(lagannatha Puri); ha-ibe—will be.
