Text 22] Ramananda Raya Instructs Pradyumna Misra 127

girls gopis and himself their maidservant, engaged in their service by massaging
their bodies with oil to cleanse them completely. Because Ramananda Raya al-
ways placed himself in the position of a maidservant of the gopis, his rehearsal
with the girls was actually on the spiritual platform.”

Because there was no question of personal sense gratification when Sri Rama-
nanda Raya was serving the girls, his mind was steady and his body
untransformed. This is not to be imitated, nor is such a mentality possible for any-
one but Sri Ramananda Raya, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will explain. The exam-
ple of Sti Ramananda Raya is certainly unique. The author of Sri Caitanya-
caritamrta has given this description because in perfect devotional service one can
attain such a position. Nevertheless, one must understand this subject very
seriously and never attempt to imitate such activities.

TEXT 21

aRleiga Swricey goa afer |
Slee ataiacraa StaSfa-caly-AA 2s

mahdprabhura bhakta-ganera durgama mahima
tahe ramanandera bhava-bhakti-prema-sima

SYNONYMS

mahaprabhura—of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; bhakta-ganera—of the
devotees; durgama—difficult to understand; mahimaé—greatness; tahe—in that
connection; ramanandera—of Sri Ramananda Raya; bhava-bhakti—of ecstatic
devotion; prema-sima—the limit of love of Krsna.

TRANSLATION

The greatness of the devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is exceedingly
difficult to understand. Sri Ramananda Raya is unique among them all, for he
showed how one can extend his ecstatic love to the extreme limit.

TEXT 22
SCA CHS GSacA Hos Pra Ber |
Asa 5 ae fern Sari ret

tabe sei dui-jane nrtya sikhaila
gitera gudha artha abhinaya kardila
